Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 347. Fire from Heaven

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Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 347. Fire from Heaven


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Fire from Heaven



After the tragic meeting of Elijah and Ahab at the vineyard of Naboth we hear nothing more of Elijah for four years. It would seem that he had again retired to some secluded spot, possibly about Carmel, and thence issued forth to visit the schools of the prophets, over which he exercised a great influence. During these years, considerable changes had taken place in Israel. The idolatries of Ahab were carried on by his like-minded son Ahaziah. His reign lasted only two years, his death being due to an accident. He fell “through a lattice in his upper chamber.” Characteristically, he sent messengers to inquire at the shrine of some Philistine divinity, Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether he should recover. His messengers, however, never reached their destination, and speedily returned. Interrogated by their master why they had returned, they declared they had been met on their way by a man who had delivered this message to them: “Is it because there is no god in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from the bed whither thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.” The messengers do not seem to have been aware who this singular man was; but the suddenness of his appearance, the unusual character of his mien, the solemnity of his manner, the sense of certainty and authority with which he spoke, had overpowered them.



When Ahaziah heard their account, accompanied with a description of the appearance of him who had so strangely intercepted them, he knew at once that Elijah had been with them; and his heart was filled with bitterest enmity and fiercest rage. Three times he sent a detachment of fifty soldiers to apprehend the prophet, who had gone to the top of a hill. Twice in answer to the peremptory command of the leader, “The king hath said, Come down,” the majesty of Jehovah was vindicated, as on Mount Carmel, by “fire from heaven,” which consumed the soldiers. The third captain and his band were, however, spared in answer to the humble prayer of the captain that their lives might be “precious” in the prophet's sight. Going down with them from the hill, Elijah went to the king, repeated his message of doom, and was allowed to go unscathed. It was apparently his last public act.



This narrative differs widely in language, style, and spirit from those of the preceding group. The prophet's personal appearance has altered; his name has changed from אליה to the later form אלי; and instead of being directly inspired and guided by Jehovah as hitherto, he receives the word of prophecy from an angel. “The representation of the prophet assumes gigantic proportions, but at the same time becomes rigid and lifeless; it ceases to be available as a pattern of human action” (Ewald). The narrator tells the story, without apology, for the glorification of his hero; but no narrative in the Old Testament presents greater moral difficulties. If it is regarded as literal history, one's moral sense is shocked at the destruction of a great number of men whose only fault is obedience to the orders of their captain and their king. One cannot conceive the story to have been penned by the historian who related the parable of the still small voice at Horeb. The best comment on the story was supplied by Christ. He condemned with unmistakable plainness the vindictive spirit which His disciples, by citing the example of Elijah, sought to justify. Others besides the disciples have used the story as an argument for persecution. Elijah was the patron of the Inquisitors. Even Calvin and Beza argued from this narrative that fire was the proper instrument of punishment for heretics. But the story itself can hardly be regarded as history. It is rather one of those imaginative apologues-abundant in the schools of the scribes-which borrowed the names of ancient heroes to lend vividness and concreteness to abstract doctrines.1 [Note: J.Strachan.]