Are you...Elihah (Matthew 16:14)
Reading: 1 Kings chapter 17 verse 1.
Quote:
“Socrates was aid to be wise, not because he knew all the answers,
but because he asked the right questions.”
Jesus knew how to ask a good question:
• And when he asked the disciples; “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
• He was preparing the ground for his next question.
• This second question would cause the disciples to put their faith on the line;
• It demanded they make a clear declaration of the man they were following.
• There answer would reveal a right appreciation of Jesus Christ;
• Or they would be guilty of blasphemy having misplaced their trust in this person.
• It was a question that no-one wanted to answer;
• Until Peter got them out of their jam, by declaring the correct answer.
This short mini-series of three talks that we are studying;
• Looks at the answers given to that first question Jesus asked;
• Why did they think he was John the Baptist, or Elijah or Jeremiah?
• There must be some similarity between Jesus and these characters;
• For the comparison to be made.
• So we are going to look for some similarities between Elijah & Jesus,
• And as a result we hope our study will give us a greater appreciation of Jesus!
Now The New Testament:
• Makes it clear that John the Baptist was ‘like unto Elijah’.
• So for detailed comparison we would have to look at Elijah and John.
• This morning we are going to take a broad look at Elijah and Jesus;
• And pull out a few similarities.
• Because John the Baptist and Elijah are so similar;
• The four things we shared at the last Word & worship could be used again (new points) .
Jesus and Elijah.
(1). They both fulfilled the meaning of their names.
(1). Elijah:
• Is a combination of 3 Hebrew words "E-li-jah"
• Ill: The Lord’s cry on the cross (Matthew 27:46); “Eli, Eli Lama sabach-thani”.
• “Eli” means “My God”.
• “Jah” is an abbreviation of “Jehovah.
• Put the words together and you get, "My God is Jehovah".
• Quote: Herbert Lockyer: “My God is God himself”.
In a land that had forgotten Jehovah the true God and replaced him with Baal worship:
• Even Elijah’s very name reminded the people of the true God that they had abandoned.
• And reminded them that Elijah was a man on a mission.
• Elijah means: "My God is Jehovah".
• Or: “My God is God himself”.
• So Elijah perfectly fitted his own name;
• It was an exact description of his life.
(2). Jesus.
• Whenever you take a name and translate it;
• The pronunciation changes but the meaning of the name remains the same.
Ill:
• Mary is the English way of saying the Hebrew name Miriam.
• Carl is the German way to say the English name Charles.
• Anita is the Spanish way to say the English name Ann.
• Catherine is the Danish way to say the English name Karen.
• Whenever you take a name and translate it;
• The pronunciation changes but the meaning of the name remains the same.
The New Testament was recorded in Greek, not Hebrew or English:
• So a Hebrew name was translated into Greek and then into English.
• Ill: Bible versions with original names.
• The name ‘Jesus’ in Hebrew is ‘Y’shua’;
• When translated straight into English it becomes Joshua.
• Now however you choose to pronounce it; ‘Isus, Jesus, Joshua, Y’shua’;
• The meaning of the name never changes.
The name means:
• ‘Jehovah saves’ or ‘Jehovah delivers.’
• There can be no better name that accurately describes the mission that Jesus came to complete.
• The very reason that we along with millions around the world;
• Are in a place of worship this morning.
• Is because Jesus has ‘saved his people from their sins’.
• And by believing we have discovered ‘whoever calls on his name shall be saved”
• So both Jesus and Elijah had descriptive names that they fulfilled;
• And perfectly described the work that they had come to do.
(2). Both Jesus and Elijah performed miracles.
• Elijah performed 7 miracles that are recorded;
• Jesus performed 35 miracles that are recorded and;
• We know that Jesus performed many 100’s more miracles that are not recorded;
• e.g. Luke chapter 4 verse 40:
After the sun had set, people with all kinds of diseases were brought to Jesus.
He put his hands on each one of them and healed them
Question: Why are miracles important?
Answer:
(a). Miracles are a basis for faith in Christ (John chapter 14 verse 11):
“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me;
or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves”.
Ill:
• Miracles are like a signpost;
• Pointing out a person who has God’s power upon them to do something unique.
Ill:
• Both Jesus and Elijah appeared in times of spiritual darkness.
• These miracles were like lights on a runway guiding people back to God.
(b). The witness to miracles incurs accountability (Matthew chapter 11 verses 21-22):
“Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you”.
• The witness to miracles incurs accountability;
• Principle is: ‘the more you know, the more you will be held responsible for’.
Both the people of Jesus and Elijah’s day had to give an explanation for what they saw happen:
• Miracles cause for a response;
• The very name miracle means it is unexplainable; it is an act of God.
• And therefore the people of their day;
• Were responsible for how they respond to these visual acts of God.
Worth Noting: That most Old Testament prophets did not perform miracles:
• Some announced miracles;
• e.g. Isaiah on Hezekiah’s healing, e.g. Jeremiah on a judgment on a false prophet.
• Some had miracles performed by God on their behalf;
• e.g. Daniel in the lion’s den, e.g. Jonah and the big fish.
• But the standard "job description" of the prophet;
• Does NOT include miracle working
And you may be aware that Elisha the successor Elijah did more miracles:
• In fact Elisha’s ministry lasted about twice as long as Elijah’s (compare 13 to 25 years).
• Elisha’s ministry included twice as many miracles as Elijah (compare 14 to 7).
• Some scholars believe that these differences;
• Were part of God’s answer to grant Elisha a "double portion" of Elijah’s spirit (2 Kings 2:9).
Yet the crowds did not say; “You are Elisha” regarding Jesus but “Elijah”
• Question: Why?
• Answer: Suggest two reasons:
(a).
• Most of Elijah’s ministry was directly confronting powerful worldly figures;
• Such as Ahab; Jezebel; Ahaziah.
• Elisha, on the other hand, dealt mainly with common people;
• Many of whom their names we will never know e.g. a widow, a labourer, a Shunnamite woman.
• And when Elisha did deal with powerful figures,
• He did so indirectly and carried out God’s instructions to Elijah.
(b).
• Most of Elijah’s miracles were dramatic and judgemental;
• E.g. Calling down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel.
• By contrast, most of Elisha’s miracles were modest and deeds of compassion.
• E.g. He cleansed a pot of food into which a poisonous herb had been added He recovered a lost axe-head from the river.
• In many ways Elisha always remains in Elijah’s shadow.
• He spent the first 10 years ministering to Elijah.
• Even after Elijah departed, he was known in 2 Kings chapter 3 verse 11 as:
• "Elisha……who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah"
• Even in the New testament Elijah is mentioned 29 times;
• Elisha just once!
Elijah towers above every Old Testament figure except for possibly Moses.
• Moses is forever connected with the law.
• While Elijah is connected with powerful miracles.
Jesus:
• Performed 35 miracles that are recorded and many 100’s more that are not recorded;
• His miracles fall into four categories:
• Physical healings (which Elijah never did).
• Nature miracles (which Elijah did - starting and ending a 3 year drought).
• Exorcisms (healing those who were demon possessed - Which Elijah did not do)
• Raising the dead (which Elijah did do once).
Ill:
• In 1 Kings 17: 17-24 Elijah laid on a boy 3 times;
• And the widow woman’s son brought back from the dead.
• In contrast in the gospels Jesus raised 3 people who were all lying down.
• After the raising of Lazarus (John chapter 11 verse 45) that the religious leaders decided to kill him.
So to the people of Jesus day:
• Elijah was the prophet of public power miracles;
• And in encountering Jesus they again face a man of God who does public power miracles;
(3). Both Jesus and Elijah had unusual earthly departures.
• Elijah was unique among the prophets;
• Because he did not age gracefully and then quietly die.
• He stepped from earth to heaven in one miraculous, deathless stride!
• The incident is recorded in 2 Kings chapter 2.
Read: 2 Kings chapter 2 verses 1-14:
• In verse 11: A chariot of horses and fire (fire symbolic of God’s power e.g. Pentecost);
• Swept Elijah up by a whirlwind to heaven.
• And like Jesus at his ascension;
• Elijah went to heaven with his disciples looking on (verse 15)!
Note: Worth noting in the same chapter:
• Verse 13: Elisha (‘My God saves’) took up Elijah’s cloak, the mantle of his master;
• This was a symbolic sign that he would continue the ministry of his master.
• Again with have the parallel of Jesus who in ascending back to heaven;
• Gave us his mantle, the promised Holy Spirit that we might continue his work.
It’s hard to say anything meaningful about the ascension and giving of God’s Holy Spirit:
• In just a few minutes
• They are of course topics all by themselves.
• So I’m not going to try;
• I think we will move on.
(4). Both Jesus and Elijah were mediators:
Elijah was a mediator:
• He represented God before Ahab (1 Kings chapter 17);
• And God before the people in (1 Kings chapter 18)
• His message was to bring people back in touch with the living God;
• Quote: 1 Kings chapter 18 verse 21:
“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him. But the people said nothing”.
• Elijah was a mediator;
• But he was limited in what he could achieve.
Jesus in contrast is course a far greater mediator that Elijah could ever be:
Quote 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 5:
“For there is one God and one mediator (go-between, middleman, umpire) between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.”
Jesus fulfilled three essential qualities of a mediator.
(a) The mediator must be able perfectly to represent both parties in the dispute.
• The mediator must fully understand and sympathise with both parties.
• Otherwise his decision is bound to be prejudiced, one-sided, unjust and inequitable.
• Jesus is therefore the only possible mediator between God and man,
• Because he is perfectly fully God and fully man.
(b) The mediator is to establish communication between the two parties who are in
dispute.
• In the case of Jesus;
• The problem was not to establish communication between God & man,
• For God never needed to be reconciled to man;
• The problem was to establish communication between man and God.
(c) The mediator is to establish a new relationship.
• The task of the mediator goes beyond merely establishing communication;
• He has to establish between the two conflicting parties a new relationship;
• A relationship in which suspicion has turned to trust,
• Enmity to friendship, and hatred to love.
Jesus our heavenly mediator:
• Did not just establish a legal relationship,
• But a personal relationship in which love is the bond.
• Jesus is not just the mediator who brings two legal disputants together;
• He is the mediator who brings together two lovers;
• Who have drifted apart and for whom life can never be complete,
• Until they are in fellowship again.!
We are here this morning because:
“For there is one God and one mediator (go-between, middleman, umpire) between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.”
• Without the help of our mediator Jesus,
• Like the rest of humankind;
• We would be hope hopelessly deadlocked as enemies of God,
• Doomed to an eternity in hell.
But Jesus the go-between, the middleman, the umpire the mediator:
• The chasm between sinful people and a holy God has been bridged.
• It was achieved by the death of Jesus Christ hanging on a cross,
• Suspended between sinful humanity and a holy God,
• And the price of that reconciliation was his perfect life.
