“You don’t know the kind of spirit that is influencing you.” (Luke 9:55) Do you know what influences you? The Lord’s rebuke followed the offer by James and John to destroy an inhospitable Samaritan village by calling down “fire from heaven” as the prophet Elijah had done, hundreds of years before. Dubbed “the Sons of Thunder”, the two brothers apparently regarded lightning strikes as an immediate and permanent form of conflict resolution.
Not much has changed since then. Elijah is still the preferred prophet of those who believe that society’s problems – people problems – could and should be removed with a few judicious zaps. What matter Elijah’s depression and self-pity, in the light of his earlier peak performances? When “fire from heaven” falls, problem people disappear.
Elijah stood alone against the system and won. That speaks to us of his individuality. A raven brought him fresh meat daily. That revealed God’s supernatural provision. A handful of grain fed the prophet and the widow and her son for two years. That demonstrated God’s miraculous supply. Hidden in obscurity, he came to be sought after desperately. That promises belated recognition. Heavenly fire on the earthly altar is final vindication! Drought-breaking prayer proves a prophet’s power with God. Outrunning the king’s chariot pictures the elation the anointing brings. This is a story that has it all!
No wonder that Elijah is to many Christians the prophet of empowerment! A person with similar passions to ourselves provides us with an excuse to be human. Sure, he fled when threatened and hid in a cave of self-pity, but who hasn’t, figuratively? And what a finale: riding to Heaven in a whirlwind – the ultimate escape from earthly reality!
But our search for relevance requires that we relate to the immediate, as well as the ultimate, and for this we need a different role model. John the Baptist, who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” – in the same anointing – was said by Jesus Himself to have been the last of the Old Testament prophets: “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” (Matthew 11:13)
Malachi’s prophecy of a messenger who would prepare the way for Christ (Malachi 3:1) was fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist. (Luke 7:27)Malachi’s later prophecy of Elijah being sent to reconcile fathers to children and children to fathers (Malachi 4:5-6) was fulfilled in John the Baptist, who came before Jesus “in the spirit and power of Elijah” to prepare the people for Christ’s appearance. (Luke 1:17) Jesus told his disciples that Elijah had come already, but had not been recognized. (Matthew 17:10-13) The disciples understood that he was referring to John the Baptist.
Will the prophet Elijah some day return to earth? Many believe so. But one thing is quite certain: the last recorded “Elijah anointing” was upon John the Baptist, whose unique ministry prepared the way for Jesus Christ. That ministry effectively ended when Christ’s ministry began.