I’m struck by the parallels and contrasts between Elijah’s reaction to Jezebel’s threat and the events which followed, recorded in 1 Kings 19:1-8, and Jesus’ response in the Garden of Gethsemane to his impending arrest and crucifixion.
- Elijah flees in fear from Jezebel with his servant into a wilderness.
- Jesus – having set his face like flint to end his earthly journey in Jerusalem at the cross – walks with his disciples to a garden, singing a hymn.
- Elijah then goes on alone a day’s walk into the wilderness.
- Jesus goes on alone in the garden, a stone throw away from his closest three friends.
- Elijah prays that he might die, and then falls asleep.
- Jesus, in agony of soul, prays for three hours surrendering himself to the Father’s will, remaining awake whilst he closest friends were overcome by sleep.
- Elijah is strengthened by the angel of the Lord to travel forty days to the mountain of God.
- Jesus is strengthened by an angel to face false arrest, the ensuing trial and sentencing, culminating in crucifixion at a hill called Golgotha, meaning Place of a Skull.
The points above are the main things that grabbed my attention as I read 1 Kings 19:1-8. Below are some follow-on thoughts as I looked forward into Elijah’s story.
- Later, Elijah is taken up into heaven, his mantle falls to his successor Elisha to complete the task God had given to Elijah.
- Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus is taken up into heaven, and his disciples are anointed by the Holy Spirit to continue Jesus’ work on earth.
- Elisha went on to do twice as many miracles as Elijah.
- Jesus said to his disciples, recorded in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” These greater works are open to anyone who has faith in Jesus, and examples might include people being healed as Peter’s shadow fell over them and as they came into contact with handkerchiefs and aprons that paul had touched, and Philip being ‘teleported’ from a desert road to a city about 30 miles away.
These are thoughts that stirred me as I read 1 Kings 19:1-8 in my new daily Bible Reading and asked God to speak to me. I don’t necessarily go hunting for it, but I always get captivated when I hear echoes of Jesus’ story in the Old Testament.
What do you think? What other reflections of Jesus do you see from the life of Elijah?
Profoundly PK 