Elijah

Elijah was a prophet with a rugged look and a blunt way of speaking. He was never afraid to tell even kings and queens when he felt they were behaving badly! Sometimes this got him into trouble, but he always wanted to tell the truth.

One of the best known stories about Elijah happened when he challenged 450 false prophets to set fire to a bonfire without any matches! They couldn't do it, but God answered Elijah's prayer and his sacrifices (a bonfire with special meaning) burst into flame. The evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel were angry because their false god had been defeated. You can find the story about Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18.

I Kings 18:21 says, "Then Elijah stood in front of them (the prophets) and said, 'How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!'"(New Living Translation)

Despite his bravery, Elijah could get very discouraged just like an ordinary person. Once, he ran away from all the stress of being a prophet! God had to remind him that he was not alone. God would never leave him and he had 7,000 friends he didn't know about, who were still faithful to God.

Elijah also played a part in the lives of ordinary people, not just kings and queens and prophets. Once, when he was quite a long way from home, he helped feed a single mum and her child... even praying for the boy to be brought back to life when he had tragically died.

There was nothing boring about Elijah. Even the way he died was spectacular! God sent a chariot of fire, pulled by horses of fire, and Elijah disappeared in a blaze of flame and wind. An exciting life, brought to an end in an exciting way!