Elijah and the Gates of Hell

Russian Icon, The Prophet Elijah and
the Fiery Chariot, 14th Century, The History
Museum, Moscow

In previous posts I have reflected on the transfiguration of Jesus.   Jesus appeared in glory on the mountain with Elijah and Moses.   Moses is a giant of the faith.  But my concern in this post is with Elijah.  How is it that  Christians can  read  the Gospel accounts of the transfiguration of Jesus, which speak of  Elijah, and pay no attention to the OT descriptions of Elijah?  Study of the NT should send the reader back to the OT, but I'm sorry to say that  most of the time we don't bother.

For the great scholar, Gerhard Von Rad, the amazing stories  of Elijah in I Kings chapters 17-19  "bear the stamp of history and individuality." Old Testament Theology, Volume II at 14. Elijah is "unapproachable, unpredictable, feared, and even hated, but always someone to be reckoned with."   Von Rad at 14.

Elijah "is a man of enormous powers.  Such a figure cannot simply have been invented, and can only be explained by saying that the stories [in I Kings] reflect a historical figure of well-nigh superhuman stature."    Von Rad at 14.

 Elijah came from Gilead, territory east of Jordan colonized by Israel  which had not been part of the earlier Canaanite civilization.   Jahwism was stronger east of the river.  West of the river Jahwism  "had grown  more and more ready to open its doors to the cult of Baal."  Von Rad at 15.

Baal worship was widespread in the northern kingdom of  Israel in the days of Elijah.   The gates of hell were bearing down on Jahwism, the worship of one God, the faith of Israel:  "Just at this time, when the peril confronting Jahwism was serious indeed, there came Elijah."   Von Rad at 16.   That takes us to the great assembly at Mount Carmel described in I Kings 18, where we see the battle between the priests of Baal and Israel's God, as represented by  Elijah.   This will be the subject of the next post.