Ordinary people from tiny towns aren’t usually highly celebrated. Few are remembered long after they’re gone. The prophet Elijah, however, is an exception. The New Testament authors mentioned him more than any other Old Testament prophet.
Wait a minute—the prophet Elijah was an ordinary guy? Well, he did accomplish some extraordinary things—such as raising a boy from the dead and calling down fire from heaven. But James reminds us that “Elijah was as human as we are” (James 5:17). Just like us, he had passions, feelings, and things that caused him to suffer. In fact, he once became so discouraged that he longed for his own death (1 Kings 19:4).
The prophet first appears in the Old Testament with an unimpressive résumé. “Elijah . . . was from Tishbe in Gilead” (1 Kings 17:1). We’re not even sure where his hometown was located. He did, however, receive a message from God. And his proclamation was against Baal, the pagan storm god that supposedly made rain. This is important, for—in keeping with the Old Testament law (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)—Elijah first needed to demonstrate that Yahweh was the one true God and that he was His prophet, prior to calling the people to repentance.
God then commanded Elijah to hide by Kerith Brook. Why? Sufficient time needed to pass for the Israelites to see that He had brought a drought to their land. And God also used this quiet time in Elijah’s life to teach him to trust and obey. The prophet witnessed His ability to provide for his every need, both his daily provisions and his protection.
From this account of an ordinary man, we see that whomever God calls, He will also equip for what needs to be done. Elijah wasn’t superhuman, but he definitely served an extraordinary God.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 12:37-50
More:
Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 to better understand God’s view of ordinary people.
Next:
In what do we place our confidence as we serve God—our ability or His? Why is it vital that He receives the worship and praise for extraordinary things that He does through us?
ehdlive on August 31, 2013 at 9:24 am
So true, Poh. Wherever GOD guides, He provides. And whom GOD calls, He appoints and anoints to do the work.
daisymarygoldr on October 7, 2013 at 8:40 am
Poh Fang, you did a good job to present the background story of Elijah in the OT! Yes, “Elijah was as human as we are”. So what? Why is James referring to the humanness of Elijah? If we consider the context of James 5:17, the message is not that, God calls ordinary people like us and when we suffer hardships and long for death, He will equip and do the extraordinary through us.
James is teaching us about the efficacy of the prayer for healing. Elijah was human just like us, and yet when he prayed, it did not rain. He prayed again and down came the rain. Point is: though Elijah was a mere man, he was righteous; despite the limitations of human frailty, his prayers displayed divine power.
If Elijah could prevail in prayer so can we— who have been made righteous in Christ. Even today, God heals people in response to our prayers. Is anyone wondering “where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?”(2 Kings 2: 14). Confess your sins and pray for each other so that you may be healed. For, the prayer of a person living right with God has great power and produces wonderful results.