The world is lonely, lost, and hurting; consumed in darkness and despair. They desperately need to hear about Jesus’ forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace. Yet, many have become resistant and bitter against Christians because, in their experience, “Christians” are only out to unlovingly “brow beat” people with Scripture. So, how do we approach people in a way that makes them more receptive to hear of Jesus’ love for them?
How can we make a greater impact in sharing the gospel? Regrettably, there are some who get caught up trying to forcefully push the Bible on the world in an unloving manner. Some uncompasionately rebuke people with Bible verses, or condemningly scorn their unrighteous behavior. Yet, in doing so, they unwittingly come across as condescending and unforgiving; rather than gracious and merciful. Human nature wants to fight opposition and “win people to Christ” with strong-worded, forceful, arguments. Yet, while we may speak rightful biblical truths, it usually causes division if we try to force others to believe our way. Remember this basic truth: Lost people act like they are lost because they are lost. A lost person can’t act any other way than who he is—lost and outside of Christ. Therefore, even the most skilled and influential human persuasion is insufficient to save men from their sins. People can’t be convinced of their need for Jesus until they are convicted that they are lost in their sin. And, it is the Holy Spirit who convicts men of their sin. He speaks to the heart of a man, using the power of the living Word of God, appealing to a man’s spirit to turn in repentance to Christ. For “godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation” (2 Cor. 7:10). The lost will die in their sins if they do not repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. For unless a person repents of their ways, that person can’t be saved. So, it is imperative, and commanded to us by Jesus, to openly speak the truth of God’s Word to the world. At the same time, we are instructed to present the gospel in love (Eph. 4:15) and with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). “Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:25-26). A better way to speak to someone about Jesus is to follow the model of Scripture and abide in the role given to us by Jesus—that is to be a faithful witness in sharing the gospel and giving personal testimony to what Christ has done in our life. It isn’t our role to condemn the lost, but to speak truth to the lost so that may choose to be released from the condemnation they are in, if they are without Christ. Jesus said, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:17-18). We aren’t called to argue for the gospel as an attorney. Instead, Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). Witnesses tell of what they have seen or heard firsthand. Our role is to lovingly testify to the gospel and to be witnesses to the reality of how God has worked in our lives. Every believer has a personal testimony to share what Christ has done for them and how He changed their life. Your personal testimony consists of your salvation in Christ and your new life in Christ. Sharing your testimony may include telling of who you were before you came to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, how you came to Christ, what Christ has done in your life, and who you are in Christ. Sharing your testimony is powerful, and hard to challenge. People can, and will, argue over points of disagreement; but no one can argue against your testimony because you are the expert of your testimony. You own it. Too, every believer has personal testimony to the truth and reality of Scripture. How so? For a believer, the words of Scripture are proven firsthand. The “gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction” (1 Thess. 1:4). We can testify to the truth of Scripture based on the reality of our salvation experience and the impact that God’s Word has had on our life. Even the newborn in Christ can testify to the biblical message of salvation and becoming a new man in Christ. Salvation is a personal, life changing experience that came about as we were convicted through the words of Scripture. As we share our testimony with the lost, it is essential to read or quote from the Bible. For “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The Bible is God’s Word and testament to men. It speaks of the Lord’s salvation through the work of Jesus Christ. The Word of God “is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes . . . For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” (Rom. 1:16-17). Remember, though, we are talking to people who are lost. They are trapped and dead in their sin. As such, there will be those who are skeptical or resistant to what the Bible says. If you find yourself speaking to someone who is resistant to the Bible, interweave more of your personal testimony and relate it to Scripture verses by sharing biblical truths that Christ has worked in and through you personally? Some may try to argue about their belief in the Bible, but it would be futile for them to argue against how the gospel has changed you. That again is yours and you own it. Finally, as you share the gospel, allow the Holy Spirit to work in the heart of the hearer. We can rest on the power of the Word of God and Spirit of God to do their work because God wills for all men to come to Jesus for salvation. He doesn’t want “anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (1 Peter 3:9). However, God allows everyone the free will to choose or reject His Son. It is the individual’s responsibility to accept or reject Jesus. Our responsibility lies in being witnesses, responsibly sharing the gospel with the lost, speaking God’s Word in love and compassion. We witness by telling others about what Jesus Christ has done for us and can testify to God’s love for all men because we have experienced it for ourself. Along with our responsibility to give testimony as witnesses, Christ gives us this charge: “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations” (Matt. 24:14). Let’s be faithful to the Lord’s directive. For, “how, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14). “Love each other fervently,” Peter writes, “because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8). Given Peter’s very personal experience of Christ’s love in response to his sin, it is no wonder that Peter would call the Church to express this reality. This simple phrase is not only a good encapsulation of our experience with Jesus, but it also describes our call to be Christ’s agents of love in the world. Peter was a man who knew about sin. From the first moment Jesus stepped into his boat, Peter was confronted by his waywardness. “Get away from me Lord,” he exclaimed, “for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). Things did not get much better as time went on. As Peter journeyed with Jesus he continually ran head-long into the stumbling block of his own failings. He cowered in fear because of the waves, even though Jesus called him out of the boat; he attempted to rebuke Jesus moments after declaring him the Messiah; three times he denied allegiance to his Lord. Yes, Peter knew about sin. But Peter was a man who also knew about love. Peter experienced Christ’s refusal to dismiss him after confessing his sinfulness. He experienced the saving hand of Jesus reach out while drowning in the ocean. Most significantly, Jesus wiped away every one of Peter’s denials with the simple yet profound question: “Do you love me?” Yes, Peter knew the healing power of love. What Does 'Love Covers a Multitude of Sins' Mean?Every Christian person, in some way or another, has experienced the love of God covering sin. This is not simply Peter’s story, this is our own. Christ’s love brings redemption, full redemption. The love of Jesus relentlessly overcomes the sinfulness and failings of human life. Love covers sin. However, covering sin is not the same as covering up our sin. To cover up our sin is to hide our waywardness. We mask our mistakes and pretend that we have not transgressed God’s holy commandments. Think of Adam and Eve in the garden. The two wayward souls hide amongst the bushes in a misguided attempt to flee from the presence of God. Furthermore, Adam and Eve, quite literally, cover themselves up. Covering up our sin only serves to lock us in the dynamic of spiritual oppression and damage. Covering up our sin does not do away with sin, it simply removes it from our eyes. Sin still exists within and, eventually, it will destroy us. Covering sin, however, means forgiveness. Covering sin means the negation of sin’s power in human life. Covering sin means God puts the power of sin to death. You see the interplay between the two concepts beautifully displayed in Psalm 32. This Psalm details David’s struggle with his own sinfulness. David declares “When I kept silent, my bones were wasting away through my groaning all day long. Day and night your hand was heavy upon me, my strength was sapped” (vs 3-4). As David remains silent, sin eats away at his spiritual vitality. Guilt, remorse, shame – these begin to dominate his life. More and more, David feels overcome by the negative spiritual weight that hangs on him. The turnaround comes when David refuses to “cover up” his sin. David writes, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not cover up my iniquity. . . you forgive the guilt of my sin” (vs 5). David acknowledges his sin before God. David uncovers his sin to allow God to “cover it’ – to redeem it, to forgive it. In doing this, David experiences the full liberation wrought from God’s love. For David, to uncover his sin would be to make a formal confession and sacrifice before God. In the ancient world, the language of covering sin referred to the cultic practice of sacrifice as the means for forgiveness. Forgiveness was pronounced through the blood of the sacrifice. One left the sacrificed freed from their sins, as the sin was understood to be covered by the blood of the animal. Thus, the book of Hebrews declares “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22) The blood of animals covered the sins of the penitent. For Israel, it would be fair to say that sacrifice covers a multitude of sins. Everything changes with Jesus. Jesus is the true Pascal Lamb whose blood covers sin once and for all. In fact, 1 John 1:17 states that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. John’s point is the same as Peter’s. Forgiveness of our sin is found in the sacrifice of Jesus. We no longer need to cover up, to hide, to mask our failings. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice in which sin is finally, and fully, dealt with. Jesus redeems and he redeems fully. The love of Jesus covers over the entirety of our sin. This is the biblical reality in which we live our lives. It is the promise of God for every one of us. Each of us, as followers of Jesus, claim that truth that the incarnate love of God has covered the totality of our sin. How Can We Love Others? Peter experienced Christ’s boundless love in his life again and again. Furthermore, when we meditate on this, we come to the same realization. The radical thing about this passage, however, is the Peter is not being self reflective. As much as the declaration that love covers sin describes his own experience before Jesus, in this letter Peter is not actually talking about himself. Instead, Peter is encouraging the Christian community to express this very love in the world. Peter calls the church to embody the full and radical nature of Christ’s love. Peter writes “Above all, love each other fervently, for love covers over a multitude of sins.” Peter then issues the call to hospitality, service, and speaking the words of God. For Peter, the love that covers a multitude of sins is the love the Christian community expresses outwards. We love as Christ loved us. Embodying the love that overcomes the multitude of sins involves a commitment to intimacy and vulnerability. It is to recognise the frailty and the brokenness of the Christian brother and sister, and the frailty and brokenness of our selves. We welcome the other as beloved of God regardless of whatever faults and failings we may see within them. This means we love the other as they are, not as we wish them to be. Attempting to mold another into the image of who we believe he or she should be is to place a limitation on love. It is to step outside the love of Jesus. This is because we effectively deny that our brother or sister is someone worthy of the same forgiveness, grace, and love that we have received. We place a condition upon their acceptance in the community, a condition that Christ has not placed on us. Such a refusal to live out the love of Christ destroys the Christian community. When we “cover sin” through the love of Christ in us, we boldly accept the Christian brother or sister. We willingly forgive as opposed to holding one’s sinfulness against them. We refuse to partake in the negative and destructive habits of gossip, backtalk, or insult. We choose to allow the love of Jesus in us to respond to the love of Jesus in the other. As we receive the reality of Christ’s unyielding love for ourselves, acknowledging that Christ covers our sins, we must radically claim that truth for the other. We cannot recognize Christ’s love covering our sin and then wilfully withhold that love for another. This is antithetical to the gospel. The love of Jesus, free and unrestricted, becomes the measure of how we treat one another. How Can We Practically Implement 'Love Covers a Multitude of Sins'? The choice we have as Christians is twofold: we can either cover up sin or cover it. To cover up sin is to pretend that it doesn’t exist. Within ourselves, it means that we make justifications for sin. Or, in those times when we know we cannot justify our sin, we hide from God and pretend that God just doesn’t see what has transpired. In each case, sin festers within us and destroys us. When it comes to our fellow members of the Christian community, we cover up sin by refusing to acknowledge the frailty of human life. We hold another’s sin against them as justification to push them away from Christian community, and from our lives. We allow another’s failings and mistakes to dictate our vision of their very identity. In doing so we make the Christian community nothing more than a dream, a wish. Our version of Christian community becomes an exaltation of our own selves, where everyone is called to be who I wish them to be and does what I wish they would do. Yet here there is no love for there is no acceptance. To “cover sin” is to recognize that the love of Jesus forgives sin, within ourselves, and within others. It is to root ourselves on the solid basis of Christ’s love and forgiveness. Thus, we make the love of Jesus the ground upon which we all stand – and thus the ground upon which we accept, embrace, and serve the other. What might it look like to allow Christ love, flowing within us, to overcome another’s weakness, sinfulness, or imperfection? How might we allow the love of Jesus to change the way we view those who are different than us? Love covers a multitude of sins because it embraces the other. It receives the other, it serves the other. This is not something that we as members of the Christian community are to only say, we are also to express it with our lives and express it radically. Living in this way, Peter reminds us “glorifies God in all things through Christ Jesus, now and forever” (4:11). 1 Peter: Author: 1 Peter 1:1 identifies the author of the Book of 1 Peter as the apostle Peter. Date of Writing: The Book of 1 Peter was likely written between A.D. 60 and 65. Purpose of Writing: 1 Peter is a letter from Peter to the believers who had been dispersed throughout the ancient world and were under intense persecution. If anyone understood persecution, it was Peter. He was beaten, threatened, punished, and jailed for preaching the Word of God. He knew what it took to endure without bitterness, without losing hope and in great faith living an obedient, victorious life. This knowledge of living hope in Jesus was the message, and Christ’s example was the one to follow. Key Verses: 1 Peter 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:24, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 5:8-9, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." Brief Summary: Though this time of persecution was desperate, Peter reveals that it was actually a time to rejoice. He says to count it a privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ, as their Savior suffered for them. This letter makes reference to Peter’s personal experiences with Jesus and his sermons from the book of Acts. Peter confirms Satan as the great enemy of every Christian but the assurance of Christ’s future return gives the incentive of hope. Connections: Peter’s familiarity with the Old Testament law and prophets enabled him to explain various OT passages in light of the life and work of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In 1 Peter 1:16, he quotes Leviticus 11:44: “Be holy, for I am holy.” But he prefaces it by explaining that holiness is not achieved by keeping the law, but by the grace bestowed upon all who believe in Christ (v. 13). Further, Peter explains the reference to the “cornerstone” in Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22 as Christ, who was rejected by the Jews through their disobedience and unbelief. Additional Old Testament references include the sinless Christ (1 Peter 2:22 / Isaiah 53:9) and admonitions to holy living through the power of God which yields blessings (1 Peter 3:10:12; Psalm 34:12-16; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 3:34). Practical Application: The assurance of eternal life is given to all Christians. One way to identify with Christ is to share in His suffering. To us that would be to endure insults and slurs from those who call us "goodie two shoes" or "holier than thou." This is so minor compared to what Christ suffered for us on the Cross. Stand up for what you know and believe is right and rejoice when the world and Satan aim to hurt you. First Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” In what way does love cover sin? To “cover” sin is to forgive it, and forgiveness is associated with love. The best example of a love that covers sin is Jesus’ sacrificial death on our behalf. Jesus’ prayer from the cross, “Father, forgive them,” says it all (Luke 23:34). Jesus’ bearing of our iniquities was an undeniable act of love (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10). In fact, Jesus did more than just cover our sin; He did away with it completely (Hebrews 10:12–14). In 1 Peter 4:8 the apostle is talking about interpersonal relationships. As believers we reflect the love of God by forgiving others. Jesus told His disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35). First Corinthians 13 tells us that love “keeps no record of wrongs” (verse 5). When we love each other, we are willing to forgive each other. Love covers sin in that it is willing to forgive. Love also covers over a multitude of sins in that it does not gossip about sin. Rather than share the offenses of our brothers and sisters in Christ with anyone who will listen, we exercise discretion and restraint. Matthew 18:15–17 instructs us on the appropriate way to confront those who sin. James 5:19–20 says, “My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” It is loving to speak truth to others regarding sin. First Corinthians 13:6 tells us that “love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” Another thing love does is protect (1 Corinthians 13:7). Love does not cover over a multitude of sin by sweeping matters under the rug. Some have appealed to the forgiving nature of love in their attempt to hide indiscretion. For example, rather than report child abuse, a church might cover it up. This is not what true love does. Love protects by helping both the victim and the offender, and it also strives to prevent further offenses. Love covering sin also does not mean we disregard our own emotions or ignore our personal boundaries. We cannot “cover” sin by denying that it hurt us. We cover sin by acknowledging it and then extending the forgiveness God has given us to others. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). Another way that love covers over a multitude of sins is choosing not to take offense at everything. Some sins against us are not worth confronting. Personal slights, snide or ignorant remarks, and minor annoyances can be easily forgiven for the sake of love. Proverbs 19:11 says, “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.” If we are patient, not envious or self-seeking, we are much less likely to even take offense. Acting in love means we put others before ourselves. Love can cover a multitude of sin in that, when we act in true love, we are prone to overlook minor offenses, tolerate the provocations, and forgive the sin. One of the most popular of the biblical proverbs is Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred stirs up conflict, / but love covers over all wrongs.” Some translations read, “Love covers all offenses” or “all transgressions.” What does is mean that love covers all wrongs? This proverb is an example of antithetical parallelism in Hebrew poetry. A close look at the contrast involved helps provide a better understanding. “Hatred” is contrasted with “love.” The “stirring up” is contrasted with a “covering over.” And “conflict” is what hatred is promoting, whereas love seeks to make peace by covering “all wrongs.” To provide an expanded paraphrase: “Hatred looks for a fight and refuses to smooth things over, but love desires peace between warring parties and will not be involved in provoking dissension.” Love covers all wrongs, but the wicked find motivation from hatred or spite toward others. In contrast, the righteous are motivated by love. Hatred seeks ways to cause trouble, but love looks for ways to forgive. This same proverb is quoted in 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” In this context, the proverb emphasizes that love is expressed through forgiveness of sins. The idea of love being associated with forgiveness is found frequently in Scripture. One important example is found in 1 John 4:10, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” See also John 3:16and 1 John 3:16. The work of Christ on the cross—the work of our forgiveness—was an act of divine love. In our own personal relationships, we also show love in our forgiveness of others. One of love’s characteristics is that “it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love has no list of how or how often it has been offended. Love forgives. A related idea from Proverbs 10:12 is the concept of “covering” sins. This concept is communicated elsewhere in the Old Testament to describe God’s forgiveness of sins. For example, Psalm 85:2 reads, “You forgave the iniquity of your people / and covered all their sins.” In the New Testament, Romans 4:7 speaks of the blessedness of knowing God’s love and forgiveness: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” James 5:19–20 says, “My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” Again, the idea of “covering” many sins communicates the fact of a person’s sins being forgiven. Our lives are to be characterized by godly love that forgives the sins of others. Our extending of forgiveness is motivated by the truth that God has forgiven our sin through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:32). How many times should we forgive? Up to seven times? That was Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21. Jesus’ answer: “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22). Where sin increases, grace increases all the more (Romans 5:20). Love covers a multitude of sins—and it keeps on covering. A major literary device in Hebrew poetry is parallelism. Often, the parallelism is synonymous—the same idea is restated in different words, side by side (see Psalm 40:13). Antithetical parallelism provides an antithesis, or contrast. A verse containing antithetical parallelism will bring together opposing ideas in marked contrast. Instead of saying the same thing twice, it says one thing and then a different thing. The antithetical parallelism in Ecclesiastes 10:2 is quite apparent: “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.” Two hearts, two directions. The wise man’s heart desires one thing, and the fool’s heart desires something completely different. Their inclinations are antithetical. Often, but not always, antithetical parallelism is set up with the conjunction but. Here’s another example, from Proverbs 19:16: “He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.” Again, we have two ideas in antithesis. One person follows advice and thus lives in safety, whereas another person despises his life and is heading for trouble. In this proverb, we have a couple things that do not seem to be complete opposites—and this is what makes the poetry rich. “Guards his life” contrasts neatly with “will die” in Proverbs 19:16. It’s a choice between life and death. But, strictly speaking, “obeys instructions” is not the opposite of “is contemptuous of his ways.” The poetry requires us to do a little reading between the lines. We can start by asking the question, how is not obeying instructions equal to being contemptuous of one’s ways? The answer could be something like this: disobedience brings destruction, so willful rebellion is tantamount to despising one’s own life. The proverb is communicating more than meets the eye. The full meaning could be stated this way: “He who obeys instructions loves his life and will preserve it (because the instructions are healthy), but he who disobeys instructions is showing contempt for his life, and he will die.” Proverbs 10:2 contains another example of antithetical parallelism: “Ill-gotten treasures are of no value, but righteousness delivers from death.” Or, to fill out the meaning: “Ill-gotten treasures lead to death and are of no value, but righteousness, which refuses to cheat others, leads to life—great value, indeed.” Sometimes, the Hebrew poets used a combination of parallel styles. Consider the words of Wisdom personified in Proverbs 8:35-36: “For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.” The first two lines exhibit synonymous parallelism: finding “life” equals receiving “favor.” Lines 3 and 4 also present synonymous ideas: “harm” is equated with “death.” However, the two halves of the quatrain are in contrast with each other. (Notice but at the start of the third line.) The first two lines, taken together, describe someone who finds Wisdom. The last two lines describe the fate of one who “hates” Wisdom and therefore fails to find it. Much of the Bible was originally written in poetic form. Psalms, Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations are almost entirely poetic. Most of the prophets also wrote in poetry, some of them exclusively so. Because poetry is so pervasive in the Hebrew writings, it is beneficial for the student of the Bible to study the structure and forms of parallelism. In 1 Corinthians 13, the “love chapter,” we have a list of love’s attributes. Included in the description of love are some things that love is not. Verse 5 says that love “keeps no record of wrongs.” Or, as the Amplified Bible translates it, “It takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].” This idea of keeping no list of wrongs directly connects with Paul’s words to the Corinthian believers earlier in the epistle. Some in the church were bringing lawsuits against other Christians. Instead of settling church matters among themselves in a spirit of humility and love, they were dragging each other to court. Paul takes a firm stand on the matter: “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” (1 Corinthians 6:7). To combat the attitude of demanding one’s “pound of flesh,” Paul wrote that love “keeps no record of wrongs.” In fact, it is better to be cheated than to be unloving. Jesus Christ provided the ultimate example of this type of love. On the cross He paid the price for the sins of the entire world. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus kept no record of wrongs; rather, He prayed, “Father, forgive them,” from the cross as He died (Luke 23:34). Colossians 3:13-14 also ties forgiveness to love: “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Refusing to keep a record of wrongs is a clear expression of God’s love and forgiveness. So often, people say they love each other, but, as soon as one gets angry, out comes the list of past sins! Accusations fly, painful memories are dredged up, and bygones are no longer bygones. This is not love. True, godly love forgives and refuses to keep track of personal slights received. The focus of love is not one’s own pain, but the needs of the loved one. Obviously, we should not allow people to continue to hurt or abuse us or others. That’s not what 1 Corinthians 13:6 is teaching. The goal is to have a spirit of reconciliation, to forgive those who seek forgiveness, letting the past stay in the past. Some people have an ax to grind, but Christian love seeks to bury the hatchet. Love keeps no record of wrongs, for we forgive as Christ has forgiven us. When Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22). That is love. Everyone, every single one of us, wants to be happy.
However, although we all experience moments of happiness, we rarely meet people who are truly happy. Unlike feelings of excitement which are based on temporary circumstances – because we’ve received a gift or good news – real happiness is an anchor of deep and enduring joy that persists even when life’s circumstances are not in our favor. HOW DO WE ATTAIN SUCH JOY? HOW DO WE BECOME TRULY HAPPY? In a survey conducted in 2012 at the University of San Diego, students were asked to rank their life goals from a list with twenty different options, which included a number of impressive objectives such as: making a contribution to science, raising a family, helping others who are in difficulty, influencing social values, helping to promote racial understanding, and more. The highest ranking goal among the students was “being very well off financially”. Almost 75% of the students ranked “being rich” as their number one goal in life. There’s no doubt that money enables us to live more comfortable and easier lives, a higher standard of living, but a higher standard of living does not promise a higher quality of life. The cliché that says money can’t buy happiness is true. In fact, oftentimes among people who have very little you can find quite a lot of happiness. But the world tries to convince us that in order to be happy, we have to be rich. TV commercials and Hollywood movies give the illusion that, if we only had a fancier house, an expensive car, and a couple million dollars in the bank we could be truly happy. History, however, is filled with examples of people who had everything and nothing. They reached the top only to discover that there wasn’t anything there.It’s no coincidence that in the past few years, the media has covered countless stories of celebrities and billionaires who put an end to their lives. Likewise during the times of the Bible, King Solomon who had it all, opened the book of Ecclesiastes with this conclusion: “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) In other words, the myth that the more we have the happier we’ll be isn’t something new. We all know or know of wealthy people who just aren’t happy. The key to happiness isn’t wealth and, in fact, has nothing to do with material possessions. THEY KEY TO HAPPINESS IS GRATITUDE That's right, in order to be happy we need to be grateful, and being grateful is a challenge especially in this age in which so many people feel entitled, that they have the right to demand for things. The narcissistic and egoistic belief that “I deserve it!”, which plagues our times, spawned an entire generation that disdains authority, establishments, and leaders. “Leaders are asking the Millennials: ‘What do you want?’ And Millennials are saying: ‘We want to work in a place with purpose. We want to make an impact. We want free food, and bean bags.’ Somebody articulates some sort of purpose. There’s lots of free food, and there’s bean bags, and yet for some reason, they are still not happy.” Simon Sinek Our parents have told us our entire lives that we’re special, and if we have the will – we can achieve anything we set our minds to, but in real life, this saying is not only wrong, but even when we’ve finally gotten that car or trip we’ve always wanted to have it might thrill and excite us for a while, it won’t really satisfy us or make us happy deep within. This cavity that we have deep inside our hearts is something we’ve learned well to hide. We live in a world in which FaceBook and Instagram provide us with this mask, and we’re good at filtering everything and showing everybody how “great” life is despite the fact that deep inside we might be depressed, confused, and unsatisfied with life. We have everything we could possibly need to be happy, but we’re not. Even when we get what we want, it’s not enough, or we get tired of it and want something else. We all know this feeling – you got what you wanted, you were delighted and excited, but after a while the excitement died down and you went on to chase the next toy. It doesn’t matter how much we have, it doesn’t matter how much more we’ll make, how much more we’ll buy and win, the satisfaction and the happiness they bring us will always be nothing more than temporary. And so we’ve gotten used to living from one short term pleasure to the next, from one temporary satisfaction to the next. But in between these moments, we feel meaningless and empty, and we try to hide behind “special effects” and “filters”. On the other hand, now and then we’ll hear about people who went through traumatic experiences, about people who have very little, or about people who lost so much but despite all this remain deeply joyful. Note for instance the words of Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs: “You can either be angry for what you don’t have or thankful for what you do have. Do your best and God will do the rest.” Nick Vujicic Why is Nick so joyful? Because he’s grateful. HAPPINESS DOESN’T MAKE US GRATEFUL, IT’S GRATITUDE THAT MAKES US TRULY HAPPY AND JOYFUL. “Gratitude” is being happy with your lot. “Gratitude” is knowing that you don’t deserve anything, and that’s why you appreciate everything that you do have. “Gratitude” is never taking anything for granted. So long as we take things for granted, and live with the mindset of “I deserve it!”, we won’t be able to be joyful. We are especially grateful when we receive something we didn’t earn, buy, or deserve. When we receive a gift of great value that we didn’t do anything to obtain, but rather it was given to us as a free gift, we feel grateful. This is called grace. Grace is when you’re given something even though you don’t deserve it or even deserve the complete opposite. It makes you truly grateful, it’s humbling, and if it comes from someone you hurt in the past, it restores the broken relationship between you and it makes you feel humble, meek, and grateful toward this person. But we don’t want gratefulness to be a feeling we experience only a few times or only towards a few people, we want gratefulness to be a way of life, towards everyone, all the time. Nobody owes us electricity, a roof over our heads, fashionable clothes, entertainment, cars, medicine, technology, and a large variety of food at the supermarket. We tend to take these luxuries for granted. In order to be grateful in our human existence, we need to live in the moment and be aware of the “now”.In other words, to know that we don’t ‘deserve’ these moments. Every second of our lives, every breath that we take, is an undeserved gift of grace. We can’t be certain that we’ll have more moments like these in the future, perhaps our time will come tomorrow and we’ll be no more. Once we’re grateful for life itself, we can no longer take everything else we have for granted, like food and clothes. Therefore, we need to be grateful for the present, and the present is always present! IF WE’LL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR THE PRESENT, WE’LL ALWAYS BE JOYFUL AS WELL. While running this race in life, sometimes we forget to just stop and take a look around, and when we forget to stop, we miss out on life. Think about small children, who are mesmerized by every new thing. The universe God created is amazing, and even though we know very well how to make use of it for our own personal ends – and that’s ok, since we do need to sustain ourselves – sometimes we just need to stop, be still, and be silent. It reminds us that we don’t have control over everything and allows us to wonder at God’s creation and thank Him: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalms 46:10) So what if we really stopped taking life for granted? What if we were grateful to God for giving us minds that can think, research, and discover the nature he created for us, so that we can enjoy all the blessings he offers us? What if we were grateful for our ability to see colors, to experience tastes, hear sounds, and touch and feel in so many different ways? What if, instead of complaining about the bad customer service at the shoe store, we were grateful that we could even allow ourselves to buy shoes? What if, instead of complaining to the waiter about the sogginess of the french fries, we were grateful that we even had anything to eat? Not to mention the privilege of being able to dine at a restaurant. What if, instead of complaining about all the things we hate at work, we were grateful that we even had a source of income? If we would just stop taking things for granted we would realise that we have so much to be grateful for. True, we can’t always be grateful for everything. We don’t need to be grateful for evil and malice. We don’t need to be grateful for the loss of a friend or for a disease, but even during difficult times as these or any trial that comes our way even then we can be grateful and rejoice in the new opportunities that arise from the situation, as hard as it may be – to learn, to change, to mature, and to start anew. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2-3) The bottom line is, we always have something to be grateful for. IT’S BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT BEING GRATEFUL CAUSES US TO BE HAPPY In 2011, the medical department at Harvard University published a study titled: “Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier”. The study concluded that: “Gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness.” (excerpt from study) Being thankful for material things is great, but these things are only temporary. For instance, it only takes us a few months after recovering from an illness to forget that we were sick at all. Earthly things, as wonderful as they may be, only give us short term pleasure. Therefore, we need to be grateful for something long-term, something eternal, something spiritual. When Jesus gave his disciples the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons and evil spirits, the disciples were thrilled and excited: “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ (Luke 10:17) But Jesus challenged them to not base their happiness on miracles and supernatural wonders, but rather on their eternity: “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20) Being grateful for as many things as possible and at all times is the will of God in the life of every believer: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) History is filled with stories of people who despite having found themselves in difficult circumstances, were able to retain their joy and peace. When Job became sick and lost everything, he didn’t complain – his joy and peace were deeply rooted in the Lord: “And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ ” (Job 1:21) If you are strong inside, then external circumstances can impact you, but much less. The Apostle Paul begged God to take away what he called his “thorn in the flesh”: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) The Apostle Paul’s joy and happiness were not dependant on his circumstances, not even when he experienced weaknesses, hardships, and calamities, rather that his joy came from a heavenly source. We need to reach this point as well, when we rejoice even when things are tough.Like the Apostle Paul, we cannot be people who require certain ordeals or circumstances in order to be grateful and happy. Rather we must live with gratitude, a life of gratitude. Circumstances change, and what can we do – we won’t always stay healthy. After all, one day, all of us as well as those close to us will die. In other words, there needs to be another reason for us to have gratitude a cosmic reason, a reason that has nothing to do with our corporeal reality, but a transcendental reason, a reason whose source is spiritual. We mentioned before that when we’re given a gift of great value without having done anything to earn it, it makes us grateful in the most meaningful way. As believers, in a spiritual sense, we can remind ourselves every day that we received the most valuable gift ever for free. While we were so underserving of such a gift, the Messiah gave his life for us, as a sacrifice and atonement for our sins. We didn’t do a single thing to earn this incredible gift of grace, and we cannot take it for granted. THE GRACE OF GOD IN JESUS THE MESSIAH IS A DAILY SOURCE FOR ETERNAL GRATITUDE This isn’t temporary happiness, giddiness, or excitement but steadfast joy – that we can always depend on. We can analogize this to the contrast between crashing waves on the shoreline, that can be large and exciting for a few seconds only in shallow water, and between the heart of an ocean, which may look calm and serene on the surface but has incredible depth and power. This is what real spiritual happiness, rooted in the Lord, is like. This isn’t a fleeting moment of euphoric feelings, this is something so much deeper and lasting – this is joy. When a person dedicates one’s whole life to you, it brings you joy. When a person sacrifices everything especially for you, it brings you joy. The knowledge that the Messiah dedicated his enter life for us and sacrificed himself for us is not just a reason for us to have joy – it’s the reason! A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE Isaiah 54 opens with the declaration concerning the barren woman, who breaks forth in joyful singing. During this time period, the purpose of a woman’s life was to start a family, to have children. Barren women were regarded by society as “damaged” women, useless women. The prophet Isaiah, after his prophecy in chapter 53 which describes the death of the Messiah on our behalf, begins with the description of abounding joy that even reaches the poor outcasts of society, barren women. Because of chapter 53, the barren woman’s joy is not based on her ability to bear children, but rather on one thing only – the Messiah! But it’s not something that happens automatically. Gratitude is a conscious and wilful act. This means that happiness is the result of a choice. The barren woman had to choose: whether to sink into depression and feelings of self-pity or whether to rejoice in her lot. In other words, she chose to be grateful. Maybe we grew up in a house where there were constant complaints or perhaps we tend to be very critical, and that’s why we instinctively respond with grumblings and complaints. But these also are our own decisions – to poison ourselves. It also shows that our feelings control us and not the other way around. Happiness is a choice, a choice to be happy with out lot, a choice to be grateful for every moment that was given us as a gift. Happiness isn’t something that just comes on it’s own, rather it’s a conscious decision that we have to make. The Apostle Paul entreated the Philippians to: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4) If happiness wasn’t up to us and if it wasn’t a decision we are called to make,Paul wouldn’t have bothered to urge the Philippians to choose happiness. But there is no doubt that Paul regarded happiness as a decision, and that’s why he required them to make a decision – to rejoice! And not just them – rejoice always! As mentioned before, the opposite of living gratefully is living with the mindset of entitlement, “I deserve it!”.We’re not generally very grateful when we think we deserve something. Likewise, when we’re busy grumbling and complaining we don’t have time to rejoice. Grumbling and complaining is our greatest enemy that eats away at our joy. The greatest enemy of gratefulness is complaining, and that’s why the Apostle Paul also said to the Philippians: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” (Philippians 2:14) Peter also wrote similarly: “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9) And James also wrote: “Do not grumble against one another, brothers.” (James 5:9) Our perfect example is of course Jesus, who himself had to endure the most terrible thing of all, sufferings and agonizing death. Jesus didn’t grumble and complain about his grim fate, and even as he was dying he sought to serve others: “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ ” (Luke 23:34) HAPPINESS AND JOY DO NOT HAPPEN ON THEIR OWN, BUT RATHER THEY ARE A NATURAL RESULT OF GRATITUDE. Gratitude is a conscious decision. The greatest example of a grateful life is embodied in Jesus the Messiah, who taught that the more we seek God’s will, and, as we saw, God’s will among other things is being grateful, the more our joy will be complete and full. “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11) In conclusion, if we won’t make a conscious decision to rejoice, we’ll end up by default – unhappy. Why? Because our back hurts, there’s no money in our bank account, our boss is annoying, we didn’t find a parking spot, we were asked to do something we just don’t want to do, or because we didn’t have a good night’s rest. And that’s why, we’re called upon every day anew to choose – joy! “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24) Jesus’ life was characterized by joy. When the angel appeared to Shepherds announcing Jesus’ birth, he said, “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:10). Jesus’ ministry was punctuated with joy as he healed the sick, mentored the apostles, and preached the good news. His messages were positive, uplifting and encouraging. Even when he spoke regarding possible persecution for his followers, he admonished, “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt 5:12). The Jesus I read about in the gospel accounts was not a dour, sour, pessimistic person. He radiated joy. He brought a smile to the face of little children. And he gave sinners like the Samaritan woman, Zacchaeus, and the woman caught in adultery a reason to rejoice. Even in the shadow of his impending death, Jesus would lift the sorrowing hearts of the apostles, by promising, “your sorrow will be turned into joy” (Jn 16:20). “These things I have spoken to you,” Jesus encouraged,”that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (Jn 15:11). Here are the 5 major points I took away from Tim’s lesson that can fill our hearts with joy. (1) Rejoice in your salvation. Those who received Jesus found joy. Following the Ethiopian Treasurer’s conversion, “he went on his way rejoicing” (Ax 8:39). The pagan Philippian jailer “rejoiced” after his sins were washed away. Tim Jennings was right. Sin saps our souls of joy. But when we come to know “the joy of salvation” (Ps 51:12), we can rejoice in spite of living in a fallen, broken world. (2) Rejoice that your life has significance. Beginning with Jesus’ mother, Mary, who was chosen to carry the Christ-child, to those who were converted to His cause, and proclaimed His message, lives were changed. Doors of opportunity were opened. Hope was elevated. And a life of meaning, purpose, and significance was experienced. What on earth are you here for? Tim’s answer was simple. “I am here for him.” The atheist, Bertrand Russell was right, “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.” But He does exist. And Jesus lives. That provides my life purpose. And joy. (3) Rejoice in your spiritual family. The apostle Paul found joy in the family of Believers (1 Thess. 2:19-20). God created us for community. He formed us for family. And provided a place to belong. We can rejoice in our relationships with fellow Christians in Jesus’ spiritual Body, the church. (4) Rejoice in the lost being saved. The trilogy of Jesus’ parables in Luke 15 reminds us that the angels in heaven rejoice when the lost are found. So, should we. There’s no greater joy than seeing sinners come to Christ. Unless it is a personal involvement in their obedience. (5) Rejoice that you have a heavenly home. John symbolically paints a picture of heaven in the book of Revelation. It’s a place of joy. No tears. No sorrow. No heartache. No sickness. No death. It is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise of preparing a place for us (John 14;1-3). “Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing, observed S. D. Gordon. “Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy Amen. Rabbi Eliezer: The Elijah of legend did not lose any of his ability to afflict the comfortable. The case of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai is illustrative. Once, when walking on a beach, he came upon a hideously ugly man—the prophet in disguise. The man greeted him courteously, "Peace be with thee, Rabbi." Instead of returning the greeting, the rabbi could not resist an insult, "How ugly you are! Is there anyone as ugly as you in your town?" Elijah responded with, "I don't know. Perhaps you should tell the Master Architect how ugly is this, His construction." The rabbi realized his wrong and asked for pardon. But Elijah would not give it until the entire city had asked for forgiveness for the rabbi and the rabbi had promised to mend his ways.[90]
Elijah was a mighty prophet during a turbulent time in Israel’s history. The nation had turned away from the Lord to worship Baal, and King Ahab had formed an alliance with Sidon by marrying their princess, Jezebel. Elijah was sent to show Israel the evil of their ways and encourage them to return to the Lord. Learn more about his ministry in this latest installment of our Biblical Figures series. Elijah shown in stained glass in the Great Upper ChurchElijah and the WidowElijah is first mentioned in 1 Kings 17, where he proclaimed a drought as penalty for the evil deeds of the kings of Israel. During this time, ravens brought him food, and he lived by a seasonal river until it dried up. The Lord then told him to visit a widow in Zarephath for food and water. Once he arrived, her jar of flour and jug of oil did not run dry. While he was staying there, her son fell ill and died. Elijah pleaded with the Lord and stretched himself on top of the child three times, restoring him to life. The True GodElijah then presented himself to King Ahab, telling him to summon the prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mount Carmel, along with all the people of Israel. He confronted the people and told them that if they prepared a sacrifice and called on Baal, he would prepare a sacrifice and call on the Lord. Whichever caught fire would then demonstrate who was the true God. The worshippers of Baal prepared their sacrifice and called upon him from morning until noon, with no answer. Then Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord, prepared the sacrifice, and poured four jugs of water on it. He called upon the Lord, and the Lord answered him: The Lord’s fire came down and devoured the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and lapped up the water in the trench. Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!” — 1 Kings 18:38-39 Elijah Fears for His Life: after this, the prophets of Baal were seized and killed. When King Ahab told his wife Jezebel what Elijah had done, she vowed to kill him. Elijah was terrified and fled into the desert, where he prayed for the Lord to take his life, then fell asleep under a broom tree. A messenger from the Lord came to him twice, urging him to eat and drink. After doing so, he journeyed 40 days in the wilderness to Mt. Horeb, where he hid in a cave. The voice of the Lord came to him and commanded him to stand out on the mountain. A violent wind came by, followed by an earthquake, then a fire. But the Lord was not in any of them; instead, He spoke to Elijah in a quiet voice: When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, Why are you here, Elijah? He replied, “I have been most zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, but the Israelites have forsaken your covenant. They have destroyed your altars and murdered your prophets by the sword. I alone remain, and they seek to take my life.” The Lord said to him: Go back! Take the desert road to Damascus. When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram. You shall also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel, and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you. Anyone who escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill. Anyone who escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. But I will spare seven thousand in Israel—every knee that has not bent to Baal, every mouth that has not kissed him. — 1 Kings 19:13-18 After receiving these instructions, Elijah returned to civilization and recruited Elisha to minister with him. Elijah and AhaziahSoon after, King Ahab died and was succeeded by his son, Ahaziah. After Ahaziah suffered an injury, he sought the assistance of the god of Ekron to see whether he would recover. Elijah confronted him for rejecting the Lord, which made him angry. In his rage, Ahaziah then sent a captain with fifty men to kill Elijah: The prophet was seated on a hilltop when he found him. He said, “Man of God, the king commands you, ‘Come down.’” Elijah answered the captain, “Well, if I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men. — 2 Kings 1:9-10 This happened a second time; the king sent fifty men, and they were again struck down with fire. A third commander came, and he begged Elijah to spare the lives of him and his men. The Lord told Elijah not to be afraid of them, so he went down with them to the king. He told the king that because he turned away from the Lord, he would die. True to Elijah’s warning, the king was struck down by the Lord. Elijah is Taken Up Elijah being taken into heaven is depicted in the lower portion of the Ascension Chapel of the Great Upper ChurchWhen Elijah and Elisha traveled from Bethel to Jericho, Elijah tried to leave Elisha, but Elisha would not let him. The other prophets of the cities asked him repeatedly whether he knew that Elijah would leave him, and Elisha responded that he did. After they crossed the Jordan, Elijah asked Elisha if there was anything that he could do before he was taken up into heaven. Elisha asked to be given a double portion of his spirit, and Elijah said that was a difficult request, but that it would come to pass if he was able to see him taken up. Then a fiery chariot and horses came between them, and Elisha saw a whirlwind take Elijah to heaven. What We Can Learn from ElijahEven in the face of adversity and discouragement, Elijah remained faithful. Throughout the Bible, he is held up as an example of godliness and might. Not only is he mentioned later in the Old Testament, but also in all four gospels and two epistles. He even appears at the transfiguration with Jesus, and when Jesus began his ministry, some thought that He was Elijah returned to earth. The story of Elijah can be a comfort and an encouragement to us. Being a strong person of God does not mean that we will never feel discouraged, but rather, it means looking to God when faced with adversity. Elijah felt alone, and didn’t understand God’s plan, but he still searched God out. In return, he constantly saw God’s power displayed in his weakness: when He brought the widow’s son back from the dead, when He triumphed on Mt. Carmel, and when He rained down fire from heaven upon the king’s men. For his faithfulness, Elijah was one of the few individuals in the Bible to be taken into heaven. Elijah in the BasilicaElijah is depicted in multiple areas of the Basilica, including the east buttress of the south entrance, a lunette window in the west apse of the Crypt Church, a window in the west transept of the Great Upper Church, and in the Ascension Chapel of the Upper Church. Elijah (/ɪˈlaɪdʒə/ il-EYE-jə; Hebrew: אֵלִיָּהוּ, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My God is Yahweh[10]/YHWH";[11][12] Greek form: Elias[a] /ɪˈlaɪəs/ il-EYE-əs) was, according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible, a prophet and a miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel[13]during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BCE). In 1 Kings 18, Elijah defended the worship of the Hebrew God over that of the Canaanite deity Baal. God also performed many miracles through Elijah, including resurrection, bringing fire down from the sky, and entering heaven alive "by fire".[14] He is also portrayed as leading a school of prophets known as "the sons of the prophets".[15] Following his ascension, Elisha, his disciple and most devoted assistant, took over his role as leader of this school. The Book of Malachi prophesies Elijah's return "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD",[16] making him a harbinger of the Messiah and of the eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible. References to Elijah appear in Sirach, the New Testament, the Mishnah and Talmud, the Quran, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and Baháʼí writings. Elijah Prophet Elijah detailed in the Madonna and Child with Saints by Andrea di Bonaiuto
Bornc. 900 BCE possibly Tishbe Diedc. 849 BCE[1] near Jericho Feast July 20 In Judaism, Elijah's name is invoked at the weekly Havdalah rite that marks the end of Shabbat, and Elijah is invoked in other Jewish customs, among them the Passover Seder and the brit milah (ritual circumcision). He appears in numerous stories and references in the Haggadah and rabbinic literature, including the Babylonian Talmud. According to the Hebrew Bible, Elijah will return during the End of Times.[17] The Christian New Testament notes that some people thought that Jesus was, in some sense, Elijah,[18] but it also makes clear that John the Baptist is "the Elijah" who was promised to come in Malachi 3:1; 4:5.[19] According to accounts in all three of the Synoptic Gospels, Elijah appeared with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus. Map of Israel as it was in the 9th century BCE. Blue is the Kingdom of Israel. Golden yellow is the Kingdom of Judah.[22]According to the Bible, by the 9th century BCE, the Kingdom of Israel, once united under Solomon, divided into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah (which retained the historical capital of Jerusalem along with its Temple). Omri, King of Israel, continued policies dating from the reign of Jeroboam, contrary to religious law, that were intended to reorient religious focus away from Jerusalem: encouraging the building of local temple altars for sacrifices, appointing priests from outside the family of the Levites, and allowing or encouraging temples dedicated to Baal, an important deity in ancient Canaanite religion.[23][24] Omri achieved domestic security with a marriage alliance between his son Ahab and princess Jezebel, a worshipper of Baal and the daughter of the king of Sidon in Phoenicia.[b] These solutions brought security and economic prosperity to Israel for a time,[27] but did not bring peace with the Israelite prophets, who advocated a strict deuteronomic interpretation of the religious law. Under Ahab's kingship tensions exacerbated. Ahab built a temple for Baal, and his wife Jezebel brought a large entourage of priests and prophets of Baal and Asherah into the country. In this context Elijah is introduced in 1 Kings 17:1 as Elijah "the Tishbite". He warns Ahab that there will be years of catastrophic drought so severe that not even dewwill form, because Ahab and his queen stand at the end of a line of kings of Israel who are said to have "done evil in the sight of the Lord". Books of KingsEditNo background for the person of Elijah is given except for his brief characterization as a Tishbite. His name in Hebrew means "My God is Yahweh", and may be a title applied to him because of his challenge to worship of Baal.[28][29][30][31][32] As told in the Hebrew Bible, Elijah's challenge is bold and direct. Baal was the Canaanite god responsible for rain, thunder, lightning, and dew. Elijah thus, when he initially announces the drought, not only challenges Baal on behalf of God himself, but he also challenges Jezebel, her priests, Ahab and the people of Israel.[33] Elijah in the wilderness, by Washington Allston Widow of Zarephath Main article: Raising of the son of the widow of ZarephathAfter Elijah's confrontation with Ahab, God tells him to flee out of Israel, to a hiding place by the brook Chorath, east of the Jordan, where he will be fed by ravens.[34][22] When the brook dries up, God sends him to a widow living in the town of Zarephath in Phoenicia. When Elijah finds her and asks to be fed, she says that she does not have sufficient food to keep her and her own son alive. Elijah tells her that God will not allow her supply of flour or oil to run out, saying, "Do not be afraid ... For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth."[35] She feeds him the last of their food, and Elijah's promise miraculously comes true. Elijah reviving the Son of the Widow of Zarephath by Louis HersentSome time later the widow's son dies and the widow cries, "You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!"[36] Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God's word might be demonstrated, and "[God] listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived."[37] This is the first instance of raising the dead recorded in Scripture. The widow cried, "the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."[38] After more than three years of drought and famine, God tells Elijah to return to Ahab and announce the end of the drought. While on his way, Elijah meets Obadiah, the head of Ahab's household, who had hidden a hundred Jewish prophets from Jezebel's violent purge. Obadiah fears that when he reports to Ahab about Elijah's whereabouts, Elijah would disappear, provoking Ahab to execute him. Elijah reassures Obadiah and sends him to Ahab. Challenge to Baal Elijah's offering is consumed by fire from heaven in a stained glass window at St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina.When Ahab confronts Elijah, he denounces him as being the "troubler of Israel" but Elijah retorts that Ahab himself is the one who troubled Israel by allowing the worship of false gods. At Elijah's instruction, Ahab summons the people of Israel, 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel. Elijah then berates the people for their acquiescence in Baal worship: "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."[39] Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and Yahweh: he and Baal's prophets will each take one of two bulls, prepare it for sacrifice and lay it on wood, but put no fire to it. The prophets of Baal choose and prepare a bull accordingly. Elijah then invites them to pray for fire to light the sacrifice. They pray from morning to noon without success. Elijah ridicules their efforts. "At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, 'Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.'"[40] They respond by shouting louder and slashing themselves with swords and spears. They continue praying until evening without success. Elijah then repairs Yahweh's altar with twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Elijah digs a trench around it and prepares the other bull for sacrifice as before. He then orders that the sacrifice and altar be drenched with water from "four large jars" poured three times, filling also the trench.[41] He asks Yahweh to accept the sacrifice. Fire falls from the sky, consuming the sacrifice, the stones of the altar itself, the earth and the water in the trench as well. When the people see this, they declare, "The LORD—he is God; the LORD—he is God."[42] Elijah then orders them to seize the prophets of Baal, which they do, and Elijah kills them. Then the rains begin, signaling the end of the famine. Mount HorebEditJezebel, enraged that Elijah had killed Baal's prophets, threatens to kill Elijah.[43] Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah, continues alone into the wilderness, and finally sits down under a shrub, praying for death. He falls asleep under the tree; the angel of the Lord touches him and tells him to wake up and eat. When he awakens he finds bread and a jar of water. He eats, drinks, and goes back to sleep. The angel comes a second time and tells him to eat and drink because he has a long journey ahead of him. Elijah travels for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb,[44] where Moses had received the Ten Commandments. Elijah is the only person described in the Bible as returning to Horeb, after Moses and his generation had left Horeb several centuries before. He seeks shelter in a cave. Elijah is told to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."[45] There is a powerful wind, an earthquake and fire, but Yahweh is not in any of them. Then a gentle whisper comes to Elijah. Yahweh sends him out again, this time to Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as his replacement. Widow of Zarephath Main article: Raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath After Elijah's confrontation with Ahab, God tells him to flee out of Israel, to a hiding place by the brook Chorath, east of the Jordan, where he will be fed by ravens.[34][22] When the brook dries up, God sends him to a widow living in the town of Zarephath in Phoenicia. When Elijah finds her and asks to be fed, she says that she does not have sufficient food to keep her and her own son alive. Elijah tells her that God will not allow her supply of flour or oil to run out, saying, "Do not be afraid ... For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth."[35] She feeds him the last of their food, and Elijah's promise miraculously comes true. Elijah reviving the Son of the Widow of Zarephath by Louis HersentSome time later the widow's son dies and the widow cries, "You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!"[36] Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God's word might be demonstrated, and "[God] listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived."[37] This is the first instance of raising the dead recorded in Scripture. The widow cried, "the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."[38] After more than three years of drought and famine, God tells Elijah to return to Ahab and announce the end of the drought. While on his way, Elijah meets Obadiah, the head of Ahab's household, who had hidden a hundred Jewish prophets from Jezebel's violent purge. Obadiah fears that when he reports to Ahab about Elijah's whereabouts, Elijah would disappear, provoking Ahab to execute him. Elijah reassures Obadiah and sends him to Ahab. Challenge to Baal Elijah's offering is consumed by fire from heaven in a stained glass window at St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina.When Ahab confronts Elijah, he denounces him as being the "troubler of Israel" but Elijah retorts that Ahab himself is the one who troubled Israel by allowing the worship of false gods. At Elijah's instruction, Ahab summons the people of Israel, 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel. Elijah then berates the people for their acquiescence in Baal worship: "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."[39] Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and Yahweh: he and Baal's prophets will each take one of two bulls, prepare it for sacrifice and lay it on wood, but put no fire to it. The prophets of Baal choose and prepare a bull accordingly. Elijah then invites them to pray for fire to light the sacrifice. They pray from morning to noon without success. Elijah ridicules their efforts. "At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, 'Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.'"[40] They respond by shouting louder and slashing themselves with swords and spears. They continue praying until evening without success. Elijah then repairs Yahweh's altar with twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Elijah digs a trench around it and prepares the other bull for sacrifice as before. He then orders that the sacrifice and altar be drenched with water from "four large jars" poured three times, filling also the trench.[41] He asks Yahweh to accept the sacrifice. Fire falls from the sky, consuming the sacrifice, the stones of the altar itself, the earth and the water in the trench as well. When the people see this, they declare, "The LORD—he is God; the LORD—he is God."[42] Elijah then orders them to seize the prophets of Baal, which they do, and Elijah kills them. Then the rains begin, signaling the end of the famine. Mount HorebEditJezebel, enraged that Elijah had killed Baal's prophets, threatens to kill Elijah.[43] Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah, continues alone into the wilderness, and finally sits down under a shrub, praying for death. He falls asleep under the tree; the angel of the Lord touches him and tells him to wake up and eat. When he awakens he finds bread and a jar of water. He eats, drinks, and goes back to sleep. The angel comes a second time and tells him to eat and drink because he has a long journey ahead of him. Elijah travels for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb,[44] where Moses had received the Ten Commandments. Elijah is the only person described in the Bible as returning to Horeb, after Moses and his generation had left Horeb several centuries before. He seeks shelter in a cave. Elijah is told to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."[45] There is a powerful wind, an earthquake and fire, but Yahweh is not in any of them. Then a gentle whisper comes to Elijah. Yahweh sends him out again, this time to Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as his replacement. Vineyard of Naboth Elijah encounters Ahab again in 1 Kings 21, after Ahab has acquired possession of a vineyard by murder. Ahab desires to have the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel. He offers a better vineyard or a fair price for the land. But Naboth tells Ahab that God has told him not to part with the land. Ahab accepts this answer with sullen bad grace. Jezebel, however, plots a method for acquiring the land. She sends letters, in Ahab's name, to the elders and nobles who lived near Naboth. They are to arrange a feast and invite Naboth. At the feast, false charges of cursing God and Ahab are to be made against him. The plot is carried out and Naboth is stoned to death. When word comes that Naboth is dead, Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of the vineyard. God again speaks to Elijah and sends him to confront Ahab with a question and a prophecy: "Have you killed, and also taken possession?" and, "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood."[46] Ahab begins the confrontation by calling Elijah his enemy. Elijah responds by throwing the charge back at him, telling him that he has made himself the enemy of God by his own actions. Elijah tells Ahab that his entire kingdom will reject his authority; that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs within Jezreel; and that his family will be consumed by dogs as well (if they die in a city) or by birds (if they die in the country). When Ahab hears this he repents to such a degree that God relents in punishing Ahab but will punish Jezebel and their son: Ahaziah. Ahaziah Elijah destroying the messengers of Ahaziah (illustration by Gustave Doré from the 1866 La Sainte Bible)Elijah's story continues now from Ahab to an encounter with Ahaziah (2 Kings 1). The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in a fall. He sends to the priests of Baalzebub in Ekron, outside the kingdom of Israel, to know if he will recover. Elijah intercepts his messengers and sends them back to Ahaziah with a message "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?"[44][47] Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message. They tell him he was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and he instantly recognizes the description as Elijah the Tishbite. Ahaziah sends out three groups of soldiers to arrest Elijah. The first two are destroyed by fire which Elijah calls down from heaven. The leader of the third group asks for mercy for himself and his men. Elijah agrees to accompany this third group to Ahaziah, where he gives his prophecy in person. Ahaziah dies without recovering from his injuries in accordance with Elijah's word.[48] Departure Elijah's chariot in the whirlwind. Fresco, Anagni Cathedral, c. 1250According to 2 Kings 2:3–9, Elisha (Eliseus) and "the sons of the prophets" knew beforehand that Elijah would one day be assumed into heaven. Elisha asked Elijah to "let a double portion" of Elijah's "spirit" be upon him. Elijah agreed, with the condition that Elisha would see him be "taken". Elijah, in company with Elisha, approaches the Jordan. He rolls up his mantle and strikes the water.[49]The water immediately divides and Elijah and Elisha cross on dry land. Suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appear[44] and Elijah is lifted up in a whirlwind. As Elijah is lifted up, his mantle falls to the ground and Elisha picks it up. Books of Chronicles: Books of Chronicles Elijah is mentioned once more in 2 Chronicles 21:12, which will be his final mention in the Hebrew Bible. A letter is sent under the prophet's name to Jehoram of Judah. It tells him that he has led the people of Judah astray in the same way that Israel was led astray. The prophet ends the letter with a prediction of a painful death. This letter is a puzzle to readers for several reasons. First, it concerns a king of the southern kingdom, while Elijah concerned himself with the kingdom of Israel. Second, the message begins with "Thus says YHVH, God of your father David..." rather than the more usual "...in the name of YHVH the God of Israel." Also, this letter seems to come after Elijah's ascension into the whirlwind.[citation needed] Michael Wilcock, formerly of Trinity College, Bristol, suggests a number of possible reasons for this letter, among them that it may be an example of a better known prophet's name being substituted for that of a lesser known prophet.[50] John Van Seters, however, rejects the letter as having any connection with the Elijah tradition.[51] However, Wilcock argues that Elijah's letter "does address a very 'northern' situation in the southern kingdom", and thus is authentic.[52] In MalachiEditWhile the final mention of Elijah in the Hebrew Bible is in the Book of Chronicles, the Christian Bible’s reordering places the Book of Malachi (which prophecies a messiah) as the final book of the Old Testament, before the New Testament gospels.[53] Thus, Elijah's final Old Testament appearance is in the Book of Malachi, where it is written, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction."[54] Historicity Scholars generally agree that a prophet named Elijah existed in the Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah.[55] In the opinion of some, however, the biblical presentation of the prophet cannot be taken as historical documentation of his activity. The biblical texts present his career through the eyes of popular legend and subsequent theological reflection, which consider him a personality of heroic proportions. In this process his actions and relations to the people and the King became stereotyped, and the presentation of his behavior paradigmatic.[56] In the Aggadah, Talmud, and extra-canonical books Jewish legends about Elijah abound in the aggadah, which is found throughout various collections of rabbinic literature, including the Babylonian Talmud. This varied literature does not merely discuss his life, but has created a new history of him, which, beginning with his death—or "translation"—ends only with the close of the history of the human race. The volume of references to Elijah in Jewish Tradition stands in marked contrast to that in the Canon. As in the case of most figures of Jewish legend, so in the case of Elijah, the biblical account became the basis of later legend. Elijah the precursor of the Messiah, Elijah zealous in the cause of God, Elijah the helper in distress: these are the three leading notes struck by the Aggadah, endeavoring to complete the biblical picture with the Elijah legends. His career is extensive, colorful, and varied. He has appeared the world over in the guise of a beggar and scholar. From the time of Malachi, who says of Elijah that God will send him before "the great and dreadful day",[57] down to the later stories of the Chasidic rabbis, reverence and love, expectation and hope, were always connected in the Jewish consciousness with Elijah. OriginEditThree different theories regarding Elijah's origin are presented in the Aggadah literature: (1) he belonged to the tribe of Gad,[58] (2) he was a Benjamite from Jerusalem, identical with the Elijah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:27, and (3) he was a priest. Many Christian Church fathers also[59] have stated that Elijah was a priest. Some rabbis have speculated that he should be identified with Phinehas.[60] According to later Kabbalistic literature, Elijah was really an angel in human form,[44] so that he had neither parents nor offspring.[61] The Midrash Rabbah Exodus 4:2 states "Elijah should have revived his parents as he had revived the son of the Zarephathite" indicating he surely had parents. The Talmud states "Said he [Rabbah] to him (Elijah): Art thou not a priest: why then dost thou stand in a cemetery?"[62] Zeal for God The statue of Elijah at the Saint Elias Cathedral, Aleppo, SyriaA midrash[which?] tells that they even abolished the sign of the covenant, and the prophet had to appear as Israel's accuser before God.[63][clarification needed] In the same cave where God once appeared to Moses and revealed Himself as gracious and merciful, Elijah was summoned to appear before God. By this summons he perceived that he should have appealed to God's mercy, instead of becoming Israel's accuser. The prophet, however, remained relentless in his zeal and severity, so that God commanded him to appoint his successor.[64] The vision in which God revealed Himself to Elijah gave him at the same time a picture of the destinies of man, who has to pass through "four worlds." This world was shown to the prophet by God through symbolism: in the form of the wind, since the world disappears as the wind; storm is the day of death, before which man trembles; fire is the judgment in Gehenna; and the stillness is the last day.[65] Three years after this vision, Elijah was "translated."[66] Concerning the place to which Elijah was transferred, opinions differ among Jews and Christians, but the old view was that Elijah was received among the heavenly inhabitants, where he records the deeds of men.[67] But as early as the middle of the 2nd century, when the notion of translation to heaven underwent divergent possible interpretations by Christian theologians, the assertion was made that Elijah never entered into heaven proper.[68] In later literature paradise is generally designated as the abode of Elijah,[69] but since the location of paradise is itself uncertain, the last two statements may be identical. EcclesiasticusEditAt the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. — A line in the Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira describing Elijah's mission (Ecclesiasticus 48:10).In the Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira,[70] his tasks are altered to:
In Judaism Elijah's chair "Chair of Elijah" used during the brit milah (circumcision) ceremony. The Hebrewinscription reads "This is the chair of Elijah, remembered for Good."At Jewish circumcision ceremonies, a chair is set aside for the use of the prophet Elijah. Elijah is said to be a witness at all circumcisions when the sign of the covenant is placed upon the body of the child. This custom stems from the incident at Mount Horeb:[71] Elijah had arrived at Mount Horeb after the demonstration of God's presence and power on Mount Carmel.[72] God asks Elijah to explain his arrival, and Elijah replies: "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away".[73] According to Rabbinic tradition, Elijah's words were patently untrue,[74] and since Elijah accused Israel of failing to uphold the covenant, God would require Elijah to be present at every covenant of circumcision.[75][76] Elijah's cupEditSee also: Passover SederIn the Talmudic literature, Elijah would visit rabbis to help solve particularly difficult legal problems. Malachi had cited Elijah as the harbinger of the eschaton. Thus, when confronted with reconciling impossibly conflicting laws or rituals, the rabbis would set aside any decision "until Elijah comes".[77] One such decision was whether the Passover Seder required four or five cups of wine. Each serving of wine corresponds to one of the "four expressions of redemption" in the Book of Exodus: I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an out-stretched arm and with great acts of judgment, and I will take you for my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."[78] The next verse, "And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord."[79] was not fulfilled until the generation following the Passover story, and the rabbis could not decide whether this verse counted as part of the Passover celebration (thus deserving of another serving of wine). Thus, a cup was left for the arrival of Elijah. In practice the fifth cup has come to be seen as a celebration of future redemption. Today, a place is reserved at the seder table and a cup of wine is placed there for Elijah. During the seder, the door of the house is opened and Elijah is invited in. Traditionally, the cup is viewed as Elijah's and is used for no other purpose.[80][81] HavdalahEditSee also: HavdalahHavdalah is the ceremony that concludes the Sabbath Day (Saturday evening in Jewish tradition). As part of the concluding hymn, an appeal is made to God that Elijah will come during the following week. "Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah from Gilead. Let him come quickly, in our day with the messiah, the son of David."[80] New Testament A Northern Russian icon from ca. 1290 showing the ascent of Elijah toward heaven In the New Testament, Jesus would say for those who believed, John the Baptist was Elijah, who would come before the "great and terrible day" as predicted by Malachi. Some English translations of the New Testament use Elias, a Greek form of the name. In the King James Version, "Elias" appears only in the texts translated from Greek. John the BaptistEditJohn the Baptist preached a message of repentance and baptism. He predicted the day of judgment using imagery similar to that of Malachi. He also preached that the Messiah was coming. All of this was done in a style that immediately recalled the image of Elijah to his audience. He wore a coat of camel's hair secured with a leather girdle.[94] He also frequently preached in wilderness areas near the Jordan River. In the Gospel of John, when John the Baptist was asked by a delegation of priests (present tense) "Art thou Elias", he replied "I am not".[95] Matthew 11:14 and Matthew 17:10–13 however, make it clear that John was the spiritual successor to Elijah. In the Nativity of St. John the Baptist in Luke, Gabriel appears to Zechariah, John's father, and told him that John "will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God," and that he will go forth "in the spirit and power of Elijah."[96] Elijah appeared at the Transfiguration of Jesus. TransfigurationEditElijah makes an appearance in the New Testament during an incident known as the Transfiguration.[97] At the summit of an unnamed mount, Jesus' face begins to shine. The disciples who are with Him hear the voice of God announce that Jesus is "My beloved Son." The disciples also see Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus. This apparently relates to how both Elijah and Moses, the latter according to tradition but not the Bible, both were translated to heaven instead of dying. Peter is so struck by the experience that he asks Jesus if they should build three "tabernacles": one for Elijah, one for Jesus and one for Moses. There is agreement among some Christian theologians that Elijah appears to hand over the responsibility of the prophets to Jesus as the woman by the well said to Jesus "I perceive thou art a prophet."[98] Moses also likewise came to hand over the responsibility of the law for the divinely announced Son of God.[99][100] Other references: Elijah is mentioned four more times in the New Testament: in Luke, Romans, Hebrews, and James. In Luke 4:24–27, Jesus uses Elijah as an example of rejected prophets. Jesus says, "No prophet is accepted in his own country," and then mentions Elijah, saying that there were many widows in Israel, but Elijah was sent to one in Phoenicia. In Romans 11:1–6, Paul cites Elijah as an example of God's never forsaking his people (the Israelites). Hebrews 11:35 ("Women received their dead raised to life again...") refers to both Elijah raising the son of the widow of Zarephath and Elisha raising the son of the woman of Shunem, citing both Elijah and Elisha as Old Testament examples of faith.[101][102][103] In James 5:16–18, James says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," and then cites Elijah's prayers which started and ended the famine in Israel as examples. In Jewish folklore: the volume of references to Elijah in folklore stands in marked contrast to that in the canon. Elijah's miraculous transferral to heaven led to speculation as to his true identity. Louis Ginzberg equates him with Phinehas the grandson of Aaron.[82][83] Because of Phinehas' zealousness for God, he and his descendants were promised, "a covenant of lasting priesthood."[84] Therefore, Elijah is a priest as well as a prophet. Elijah is also equated with the Archangel Sandalphon,[85] whose four wing beats will carry him to any part of the earth. When forced to choose between death and dishonor, Rabbi Kahana chose to leap to his death. Before he could strike the ground, Elijah/Sandalphon had appeared to catch him.[86] Yet another name for Elijah is "Angel of the Covenant"[87] God's Time
God's Sovereignty over Time
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