God’s miraculous power, reflected in an Old-Testament verse full of imagery

Ahab

In Exodus 14, God saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. This has been dated to between 1440 BC and 1225 BC. A few hundred years later, Ahab was the seventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel. His reign has been verified to around 874 – 853 BC. His marriage to Jezebel, an avid worshiper of Baal, resulted in him leading his people into apostasy (abandoning God) and worshiping Baal, rather than God. 1 Kings 16:30 specifically states: “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him”.

The worship of Baal had existed for several centuries among the Canaanites before the Hebrews arrived at the promised land. It was prominent in Canaan and Phoenicia; nations close to Israel that greatly influenced them.

By his followers, Baal was considered the storm god. It was thought that he caused the rain, which was vital for the ongoing existence of an agricultural community. Baal was also depicted as having lightning bolts in his hand and is described as being accompanied by fire. Not only could Baal cause rain, but he could bring fire from heaven, according to his followers.

(Carving of Baal and image of followers, from theCollector.com).

Elijah

It is not surprising then, only a few verses after Ahab is named the worst King, that in 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah challenges King Ahab. Elijah is one of the most interesting and colorful people in the Bible, and God used him during an important time in Israel’s history to oppose the wicked king and bring revival to the land. Elijah’s name means “My God is the Lord”, and his ministry marked the beginning of the end of Baal worship in Israel. Elijah’s life was filled with turmoil. At times he was bold and decisive, and at other times fearful and tentative. He alternately demonstrates victory and defeat, followed by recovery. Elijah knew both the power of God and the depths of depression.

Elijah, with his disciple Elisha were raised up by God to show the error of Baal worship. Each of the miracles of these two prophets demonstrated that Yahweh (God) was more powerful than Baal. Through God’s power, Elijah stopped the rain from falling in Israel for three years, revealing that Baal couldn’t even control the rain. In 1 Kings 18, at Mt. Carmel, Baal was unable to deliver fire from heaven even though his priests cried out to him all day. Elijah and Elisha demonstrated that Baal was no god at all, but a sham ruler who doesn’t exist. The God of Israel, on the other hand, is master of all creation.

(Elijah parting the water, from InspiredScripture.com).

Elijah Taken up to Heaven

It is worth quoting all of 2 Kings 2, which gives insight into Old Testament prophets. Elijah and Elisha performed several miracles in just this short text, which I find fascinating. Verse 11 is the one I wanted to share originally, about Elijah being taken up to heaven:

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. ² Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So, they went down to Bethel.

³ The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

⁴ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So, they went to Jericho.

⁵ The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

⁶ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So, the two of them walked on.

⁷ Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. ⁸ Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

¹⁰ “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

¹¹ As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. ¹² Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

¹³ Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

¹⁵ The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. ¹⁶ “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”

“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”

¹⁷ But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So, he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. ¹⁸ When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Healing of the Water

¹⁹ The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”

²⁰ “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So, they brought it to him.

²¹ Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” ²² And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Elisha Is Jeered

²³ From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” ²⁴ He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. ²⁵ And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

There is quite a lot in this piece, and quite a lot we can take from it. On the surface, it may be easy to dismiss this as a very colourful Old Testament story, with little application for modern life. After all, no-one in recent centuries has parted the sea with their cloak, gone up to heaven in a whirlwind, or called bears to attack people who insult them. Ok, maybe the last one, though verifiable reports that God directly intervened and made it happen are harder to come by. However, there are still numerous lessons we can take in our modern lives:

• All religions are not the same, and faith can be misplaced. Sincerity and passion are not signs of biblical spirituality.
• The Lord respected the faith of Elisha in standing by Elijah. Are we, like Elisha, seeking a double portion of God’s presence to enable us to spread His word? (a “double portion” was not Elisha wanting more, but rather that the inheritance of the firstborn son was double that of other children. This is also recorded in Deuteronomy 21:15-17).
• Even in a world of darkness, we can still find God’s people and cling to them. Who are those near you whose faith you can grow from?

Obverse

Elijah in a white robe, sitting in a flaming chariot, pulled by black flaming horses. Text above reads “2 Kings 2:11” and below “Chariot of fire, horses of fire”.

Reverse

The reverse contains an image of a flaming chariot, with a radiant cross in it – the symbolism a little out of order as this all happened at least 850 years before Christ was crucified.

Out of interest, when was the first crucifixion? I’m glad you asked! The earliest historical record of crucifixion dates to c. 519 BC, when King Darius I of Persia crucified 3,000 of his political enemies in Babylon. Before the Persians, the Assyrians were known to impale people.

Around the edge of the medallion is the text “God’s miraculous power” and “Elijah taken up to heaven”

I have another medallion depicting this scene. This one is proof (or proof like), uncoloured, and without text around the image:

This one came in a set depicting five Old Testament events. The style appears to me to be more stylised and Greek. The chariot looks more like the type which would be ridden in the ancient Greek Olympics.

The bible records some few hundred miracles. What is one which stands out for you? And importantly, is there one you have depicted on a coin or medallion? Elijah riding to heaven in a flaming chariot is definitely an evocative image, but do share one which jumps out for you below.