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119-684: Elijah ( / ɪ ˈ l aɪ dʒ ə / il- EYE -jə ) was a prophet and a miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BC), according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible . In 1 Kings 18, Elijah defended the worship of the Hebrew deity Yahweh over that of the Canaanite deity Baal . God also performed many miracles through Elijah, including resurrection , bringing fire down from

238-407: A still, small voice , which bids Elijah go forth again - this time to Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Aram , Jehu as king of Israel , and Elisha as the old prophet's successor. Elijah encounters Ahab again in 1 Kings 21, after Ahab has acquired possession of a vineyard by murder. Ahab desires to have the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel . He offers a better vineyard or a fair price for

357-582: A προφήτης ( prophḗtēs ) is someone who conveys messages from the divine to humans, including occasionally foretelling future events. In a different interpretation, it means advocate or speaker . It is used to translate the Hebrew word נָבִיא ( nāvî ) in the Septuagint and the Arabic word نبي ( nabī ). W.F. Albright points to the Akkadian Nabu for the origin of these Hebrew (נָבִיא ( nāvî ) and

476-558: A bull accordingly. Elijah then invites them to pray for fire to light the sacrifice. They pray from morning to noon without success. Elijah ridicules their efforts. "At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, 'Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.'" They respond by shouting louder and slashing themselves with swords and spears. They continue praying until evening without success. Elijah then repairs Yahweh's altar with twelve stones, representing

595-428: A chair is set aside for the use of the prophet Elijah. Elijah is said to be a witness at all circumcisions when the sign of the covenant is placed upon the body of the child. This custom stems from the incident at Mount Horeb : Elijah had arrived at Mount Horeb after the demonstration of God's presence and power on Mount Carmel . God asks Elijah to explain his arrival, and Elijah replies: "I have been very jealous for

714-480: A chariot of fire and horses of fire appear and Elijah is lifted up in a whirlwind. As Elijah is lifted up, his mantle falls to the ground and Elisha picks it up. Elijah is mentioned once more in 2 Chronicles 21:12, which will be his final mention in the Hebrew Bible. A letter is sent under the prophet's name to Jehoram of Judah . It tells him that he has led the people of Judah astray in the same way that Israel

833-565: A crucial role in shaping early religious thought and practices, paving the way for the structured prophetic tradition that emerged with Zoroaster and subsequent religious traditions. Zoroastrianism holds a significant position in shaping the concept of prophets and prophecy. Founded by the revered figure Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) in ancient Persia around the 6th century BCE, Zoroastrianism introduced fundamental ideas that profoundly influenced subsequent religious and philosophical traditions, particularly in its portrayal of prophetic figures. At

952-503: A fall. He sends to the priests of Baalzebub in Ekron , outside the kingdom of Israel, to know if he will recover. Elijah intercepts his messengers and sends them back to Ahaziah with a message "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?" Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message. They tell him he

1071-470: A hundred Jewish prophets from Jezebel's violent purge. Obadiah fears that when he reports to Ahab about Elijah's whereabouts, Elijah would disappear, provoking Ahab to execute him. Elijah reassures Obadiah and sends him to Ahab. When Ahab confronts Elijah, he denounces him as being the "troubler of Israel" but Elijah retorts that Ahab himself is the one who troubled Israel by allowing the worship of false gods ( shedim ). At Elijah's instruction, Ahab summons

1190-529: A linen belt so that it gets ruined to illustrate how God intends to ruin Judah's pride. Likewise, Jeremiah buys a clay jar and smashes it in the Valley of Ben Hinnom in front of elders and priests to illustrate that God will smash the nation of Judah and the city of Judah beyond repair. God instructs Jeremiah to make a yoke from wood and leather straps and to put it on his own neck to demonstrate how God will put

1309-429: A message. The seer-priests were usually attached to a local shrine or temple, such as Shiloh , and initiated others into that priesthood, acting as a mystical craft-guild with apprentices and recruitment. Canonical prophets were not organised this way. Jewish tradition - unlike Christian and Islamic practice - does not regard Daniel as a prophet. A Jewish tradition suggests that there were twice as many prophets as

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1428-591: A new history of him, which, beginning with his death—or "translation"—ends only with the close of the history of the human race. The volume of references to Elijah in Jewish Tradition stands in marked contrast to that in the Canon. As in the case of most figures of Jewish legend, so in the case of Elijah, the biblical account became the basis of later legend. Elijah the precursor of the Messiah, Elijah zealous in

1547-650: A number of men as " Prophets of Islam " ( Arabic : نبي nabī ; pl. أنبياء anbiyāʾ ). Muslims believe such individuals were assigned a special mission by God to guide humanity. Besides Muhammad , this includes prophets such as Abraham ( Ibrāhīm ) , Moses ( Mūsā ) and Jesus ( ʿĪsā ) . Although only twenty-five prophets are mentioned by name in the Quran , a hadith (no. 21257 in Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal ) mentions that there were (more or less) 124,000 prophets in total throughout history. Other traditions place

1666-583: A personality of heroic proportions. In this process his actions and relations to the people and the King became stereotyped, and the presentation of his behavior paradigmatic. Jewish legends about Elijah abound in the Aggadah , which is found throughout various collections of rabbinic literature , including the Babylonian Talmud . This varied literature does not merely discuss his life, but has created

1785-439: A precedent for future prophets, shaping how societies perceive and interact with visionary figures throughout history. While other ancient civilizations may have had individuals who served similar functions, Zoroastrianism's systematic approach to prophecy and its enduring influence on subsequent religious thought solidified its place in history as a foundational example of prophetic tradition, enriching humanity's understanding of

1904-621: A priest: why then dost thou stand in a cemetery?" A midrash tells that they even abolished the sign of the covenant, and the prophet had to appear as Israel's accuser before God. In the same cave where God once appeared to Moses and revealed Himself as gracious and merciful, Elijah was summoned to appear before God. By this summons he perceived that he should have appealed to God's mercy, instead of becoming Israel's accuser. The prophet, however, remained relentless in his zeal and severity, so that God commanded him to appoint his successor. The vision in which God revealed Himself to Elijah gave him at

2023-415: A prophet established a template for future religious leaders and visionaries. He articulated monotheistic principles, ethical dualism , and the idea of a cosmic battle between good and evil, influencing not only the religious landscape of ancient Persia but also later traditions such as Judaism , Christianity , Islam , and Thelema . The legacy of Zoroastrianism in shaping the understanding of prophets

2142-412: A representative of the city-state's patron deity. The functions of a lugal would include certain ceremonial and cultic activities, arbitration in border disputes, and military defence against external enemies. The ensis of Lagash would sometimes refer to the city's patron deity, Ningirsu , as their lugal ("master"). All of the above is connected to the possibly priestly or sacral character of

2261-530: A similar but unspecified coalition implied that the victory had no lasting impact. Jezreel was identified as Ahab's fortified chariot and cavalry base. In the Biblical text, Ahab has four important encounters with prophets: After some years, Ahab is mortally wounded by an unaimed arrow after he and Jehoshaphat tried to re-capture Ramoth-Gilead from the Arameans. Depending on translation, Ahab's corpse

2380-657: A time, but did not bring peace with the Israelite prophets, who advocated a strict deuteronomic interpretation of the religious law. Under Ahab's kingship tensions exacerbated. Ahab built a temple for Baal, and his wife Jezebel brought a large entourage of priests and prophets of Baal and Asherah into the country. In this context Elijah is introduced in 1 Kings 17:1 as Elijah "the Tishbite ." He warns Ahab that there will be years of catastrophic drought so severe that not even dew will form, because Ahab and his queen stand at

2499-654: A very 'northern' situation in the southern kingdom", and thus is authentic. While the final mention of Elijah in the Hebrew Bible is in the Book of Chronicles, the Christian Bible 's reordering places the Book of Malachi (which prophesies a messiah) as the final book of the Old Testament , before the New Testament gospels . Thus, Elijah's final Old Testament appearance is in the Book of Malachi, where it

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2618-531: A voice , "voice of God"). In Christianity , a prophet (or seer) is one inspired by God through the Holy Spirit to deliver a message. This includes Jewish prophets active before the church began and the prophets active in the Christian church. Some Christian denominations limit a prophet's message to words intended only for active members of a congregation, excluding social or political messages. However,

2737-588: A warning against those who prophesy events which do not come to pass and says they should be put to death. Elsewhere a false prophet may be someone who is purposely trying to deceive, is delusional, under the influence of Satan or is speaking from his own spirit. Six of the Minor Prophets are commemorated in December. Each encouraged people to return to God, to repent of past sins, and to recognize God's presence even in their difficulties. "Jesus Christ

2856-634: A word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."). Cessationists believe that these gifts were given only in New Testament times and that they ceased after the last apostle died. The last prophet of the Old Covenant before the arrival of Jesus is John

2975-453: Is also described as displaying noble traits of character (Sanh. 102b; Yer. Sanh. xi. 29b). Talmudic literature represents him as an enthusiastic idolater who left no hilltop in the Land of Israel without an idol before which he bowed, and to which he or his wife, Jezebel, brought his weight in gold as a daily offering. So defiant in his apostasy was he that he had inscribed on all the doors of

3094-610: Is another example. According to I Samuel 9:9, the old name for navi is ro'eh , רֹאֶה, which literally means "seer". That could document an ancient shift, from viewing prophets as seers for hire to viewing them as moral teachers. L. C. Allen (1971) comments that in the First Temple Era, there were essentially seer-priests belonging to a guild, who performed divination , rituals, and sacrifices, and were scribes; and beside these were canonical prophets, who did none of these things (and condemned divination), but came to deliver

3213-533: Is believed to be the pinnacle and purpose of creation. The enunciators (sing. natiq ) who are the Prophets and the Imams in their respective times, are the highest hierarch ( hadd ). The enunciators ( natiqs ) signal the beginning of a new age ( dawr ) in humankind, whereas the Imams unveil and present the esoteric ( batin ) meaning of the revelation to the people. These individuals are both known as

3332-459: Is carried out and Naboth is stoned to death. When word comes that Naboth is dead, Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of the vineyard. God again speaks to Elijah and sends him to confront Ahab with a question and a prophecy: "Have you killed, and also taken possession?" and, "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood." Ahab begins the confrontation by calling Elijah his enemy. Elijah responds by throwing

3451-538: Is generally designated as the abode of Elijah, but since the location of paradise is itself uncertain, the last two statements may be identical. At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. Elijah's glory is honoured in the Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus). His designated tasks are altered to: At Jewish circumcision ceremonies,

3570-714: Is invoked at the weekly Havdalah rite that marks the end of Shabbat , and Elijah is invoked in other Jewish customs, among them the Passover Seder and the brit milah (ritual circumcision). He appears in numerous stories and references in the Haggadah and rabbinic literature , including the Babylonian Talmud . According to some Jewish interpretations, Elijah will return during the End of Times. The Christian New Testament notes that some people thought that Jesus was, in some sense, Elijah, but it also makes clear that John

3689-487: Is mentioned in extra-biblical records, and occurred at Apamea , where Shalmaneser III of Assyria fought a great confederation of princes from Cilicia , northern Syria , Israel, Ammon , and the tribes of the Syrian desert (853 BCE), including Arabs, Ahab the Israelite ( A-ha-ab-bu Sir-'a-la-a-a ) and Hadadezer ( Adad-'idri ). Ahab's contribution was estimated at 2,000 chariots and 10,000 men. In reality, however,

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3808-541: Is profound. Zoroaster's direct communication with the divine, his role as a mediator between humanity and the divine will, and his teachings about moral righteousness laid the groundwork for the concept of prophethood as it evolved in subsequent religious traditions. Influence from Zoroastrian thought can be seen in the characterization of prophets as individuals chosen by a single supreme deity to convey divine messages, guide communities, and uphold moral principles. The structured prophetic tradition established by Zoroaster set

3927-478: Is that a prophet is required to demonstrate God's law through his actions, character, and behavior without necessarily calling people to follow him, while a prophetic messenger is required to pronounce God's law (i.e. revelation) and call his people to submit and follow him. Muhammad is distinguished from the rest of the prophetic messengers and prophets in that God commissioned him to be the prophetic messenger to all of humankind. Many of these prophets are also found in

4046-541: Is the current Prophet and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Baptist preacher William Miller is credited with beginning the mid-19th century North American religious movement now known as Adventism . He announced a Second Coming , resulting in the Great Disappointment . The Seventh-day Adventist Church , which was established in 1863, believes that Ellen G. White , one of

4165-589: Is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them." The laity act prophetically when they speak the truth, and live the Gospel by example before their families, neighbors, and co-workers. The Old Testament prophets defended

4284-530: Is written, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." Scholars generally agree that a prophet named Elijah existed in the Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah , that he

4403-572: The Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam believe that Mirzā Ghulām Aḥmad was a prophet of God , who is said to be a fulfillment of the various Islamic prophecies regarding the second advent of Jesus ( ʿĪsā ) before the end of time . Ahmadi thought emphasizes the belief that Islam is the final dispensation for humanity as revealed to Muhammad and the necessity of restoring it to its true intent and pristine form, which had been lost through

4522-615: The Bible has several occasions in which prophets were called to deliver social or political messages. The reception of a message is termed revelation and the delivery of the message is termed prophecy. The term "prophet" applies to those who receive public or private revelation . Public revelation, in Catholicism, is part of the Deposit of faith , the revelation of which was completed by Jesus; whereas private revelation does not add to

4641-534: The Church of Christ in 1830, is considered a prophet by members of the Latter Day Saint movement , of which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is the largest denomination. Additionally, many churches within the movement believe in a succession of modern prophets (accepted by Latter Day Saints as " prophets, seers, and revelators ") since the time of Joseph Smith. Russell M. Nelson

4760-535: The Fatimid Ismaili Imams explained that throughout history there have been six enunciators ( natiqs ) who brought the exoteric ( zahir ) revelation to humans, namely: Adam , Noah , Abraham , Moses , Jesus and Muhammad . They speak of a seventh enunciator ( natiq ), the Resurrector (Qa’im), who will unveil the esoteric ( batin ) meaning of all the previous revelations. He

4879-521: The Gospel( Injil ) to Jesus, and the Quran to Muhammad; those prophets are considered "Messengers" or rasūl . Other main prophets are considered messengers or nabī , even if they didn't receive a Book from God. Examples include the messenger-prophets Aaron ( Hārūn ) , Ishmael ( Ismāʿīl ) and Joseph ( Yūsuf ) . Although it offers many incidents from the lives of many prophets, the Quran focuses with special narrative and rhetorical emphasis on

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4998-615: The Neo-Assyrian Empire documented in 853 BC that he defeated an alliance of a dozen kings in the Battle of Qarqar ; one of these was Ahab. He is also mentioned on the inscriptions of the Mesha Stele . Ahab became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah , and reigned for twenty-two years, according to 1 Kings 16 :29. William F. Albright dated his reign to 869–850 BC, while Edwin R. Thiele offered

5117-496: The Talmudic literature , Elijah would visit rabbis to help solve particularly difficult legal problems. Malachi had cited Elijah as the harbinger of the eschaton . Thus, when confronted with reconciling impossibly conflicting laws or rituals, the rabbis would set aside any decision "until Elijah comes". One such decision was whether the Passover Seder required four or five cups of wine. Each serving of wine corresponds to one of

5236-628: The Tanakh , Nevi'im , is devoted to the Hebrew prophets. The meaning of navi is perhaps described in Deuteronomy 18:18, where God said, "...and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." Thus, a navi was thought to be the "mouth" of God. A Jewish tradition was that the root nun - bet - alef ("navi") is based on the two-letter root nun-bet which denotes hollowness or openness; to receive transcendental wisdom, one must make oneself "open". Before

5355-559: The Ten Commandments . Elijah is the only person described in the Bible as returning to Horeb, after Moses and his generation had left Horeb several centuries before. He seeks shelter in a cave . Elijah is told to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the L ORD , for the L ORD is about to pass by." There comes a mighty wind, then an earthquake and then fire, but Yahweh is not in any of these, choosing to come instead as

5474-402: The early Muslim community . Ahmadis thus view themselves as leading the propagation and renaissance of Islam. Ahab Ahab ( / ˈ eɪ h æ b / ; Hebrew : אַחְאָב , romanized :  ʾAḥʾāḇ ; Akkadian : 𒀀𒄩𒀊𒁍 , romanized:  Aḫâbbu ; Koinē Greek : Ἀχαάβ , romanized:  Akhaáb ; Latin : Achab ) was the son and successor of King Omri and

5593-629: The eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible. References to Elijah appear in Sirach , the New Testament , the Mishnah and Talmud , the Quran , the Book of Mormon , and Baháʼí writings. Scholars generally agree that a historical figure named Elijah existed in ancient Israel, yet some argue that the biblical portrayal of him reflects legendary and theological embellishment rather than purely historical documentation. In Judaism, Elijah's name

5712-522: The patron saint of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1752. According to the Bible, by the 9th century BC, the Kingdom of Israel , once united under Solomon , had been divided into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah (which retained the historical capital of Jerusalem along with its Temple ). Omri , King of Israel, continued policies dating from the reign of Jeroboam , contrary to religious law, that were intended to reorient religious focus away from Jerusalem: encouraging

5831-594: The struggle between a good , spiritual world of light , and an evil , material world of darkness . Through an ongoing process that takes place in human history, light is gradually removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of light, whence it came. Mani's teaching was intended to "combine", succeed, and surpass the teachings of Christianity , Zoroastrianism , Buddhism , Marcionism , Hellenistic and Rabbinic Judaism , Gnostic movements , Ancient Greek religion , Babylonian and other Mesopotamian religions , and mystery cults . It reveres Mani as

5950-498: The "four expressions of redemption" in the Book of Exodus : Prophet Prophethood has existed in many cultures and religions throughout history, including Mesopotamian religion , Zoroastrianism , Judaism , Christianity , Manichaeism , Islam , the Baháʼí Faith , and Thelema . The English word prophet is the transliteration of a compound Greek word derived from pro (before/toward) and phesein (to tell); thus,

6069-489: The "servants of Yahweh" and possibly, the priests of Jeroboam's cult (1 Kings 18:3–16). Edward Lipiński argues that the "Baal" worshipped by Ahab and Jezebel was the " YHWH of Samaria ", which was opposed as Yahwist heresy by the Judean priests. Others disagree based on archaeological evidence and extrabiblical sources about Jezebel's upbringing. In terms of foreign policy, Ahab continued Omri's policies against Moab, which

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6188-641: The 1980s often included prophetic predictions regarding the future of the world as well as of the local areas they occurred in. Prophetic movements in particular can be traced throughout the Christian Church's history, expressing themselves in (for example) Montanism , Novatianism , Donatism , Franciscanism , Anabaptism , Camisard enthusiasm, Puritanism , Quakerism , Quietism , Lutheranism and Radical Pietism . Modern Pentecostals and Charismatics, members of movements which together comprised approximately 584 million people as of 2011 , believe in

6307-544: The Arabic نبي ( nabī ) words. The Akkadian nabû means "announcer" or "authorised person", derived from the Semitic root n-b-y or nbʾ . It is cognate with Classical Syriac : ܢܒܝܐ , romanized:  nəḇiyyā , Arabic : نبي , romanized :  nabiyy , and Hebrew : נביא , romanized :  nāḇi , all meaning 'prophet'. In Hebrew , the word נָבִיא ( nāvî ), "spokesperson", traditionally translates as "prophet". The second subdivision of

6426-786: The Baptist is "the Elijah" who was promised to come in Malachi 3:1 ; 4:5 . According to accounts in all three of the Synoptic Gospels , Elijah appeared with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus . Elijah in Islam appears in the Quran as a prophet and messenger of God , where his biblical narrative of preaching against the worshipers of Baal is recounted in a concise form. Due to his importance to Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians, Elijah has been venerated as

6545-402: The Baptist . New Testament passages that explicitly discuss prophets existing after the death and resurrection of Christ include Revelation 11:10, Matthew 10:40–41 and 23:34, John 13:20 and 15:20 and Acts 11:25–30, 13:1 and 15:32. The Didache gives extensive instruction in how to distinguish between true and false prophets, as well as commands regarding tithes to prophets in

6664-483: The Canaanite god responsible for rain, thunder, lightning, and dew. Elijah thus, when he initially announces the drought, not only challenges Baal on behalf of God himself, but he also challenges Jezebel, her priests, Ahab and the people of Israel. After Elijah's confrontation with Ahab, God tells him to flee out of Israel, to a hiding place by the brook Chorath , east of the Jordan , where he will be fed by ravens . When

6783-513: The Crœsus of his time, he was, according to ancient tradition (Meg. 11a), ruler over the whole world. Two hundred and thirty subject kings had initiated a rebellion; but he brought their sons as hostages to Samaria and Jerusalem . All the latter turned from idolaters into worshipers of the God of Israel ( Tanna debe Eliyahu, i. 9 ). Each of his seventy sons had an ivory palace built for him. Since, however, it

6902-523: The Deposit. The term "deposit of faith" refers to the entirety of Jesus Christ's revelation, and is passed to successive generations through scripture and the traditions of the church. The Bible applies the appellation ' false prophet ' to anyone who preaches a Gospel contrary to that delivered to the apostles and recorded in Sacred Scripture. One Old Testament text in Deuteronomy contains

7021-429: The Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away". According to Rabbinic tradition, Elijah's words were patently untrue, and since Elijah accused Israel of failing to uphold the covenant, God would require Elijah to be present at every covenant of circumcision. In

7140-535: The Talmud, Obadiah is said to have been a convert to Judaism. The last nevi'im mentioned in the Jewish Bible are Haggai , Zechariah , and Malachi , all of whom lived at the end of the 70-year Babylonian exile of c. 586 to 539 BCE. The Talmud ( Sanhedrin 11a) states that Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi were the last prophets, and later times have known only the " Bath Kol " (בת קול, lit. daughter of

7259-411: The advent of Zoroastrianism and the prophetic tradition established by Zoroaster, various ancient civilizations had individuals who served as intermediaries between humanity and the divine. In ancient Sumer , for instance, figures such as the " ensi " or " lugal " fulfilled roles akin to prophets, offering guidance and interpreting divine will through rituals, omens, and prayers. The ensi was considered

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7378-619: The age of the Twelve Apostles. Tertullian , writing of the church meetings of the Montanists (to whom he belonged), described in detail the practice of prophecy in the 2nd-century church. A number of later Christian saints were said to have powers of prophecy, such as Columba of Iona (521–597), Saint Malachy (1094–1148) or Padre Pio (1887–1968). Marian apparitions like those at Fatima in 1917 or at Kibeho in Rwanda in

7497-505: The brook dries up, God sends him to a widow living in the town of Zarephath in Phoenicia . When Elijah finds her, he asks her for some water and a piece of bread, but she says that she does not have sufficient food to keep her and her own son alive. Elijah tells her that God will not allow her supply of flour or oil to run out, saying, "Do not be afraid ... For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of flour will not be used up, and

7616-527: The building of local temple altars for sacrifices, appointing priests from outside the family of the Levites , and allowing or encouraging temples dedicated to Baal , an important deity in ancient Canaanite religion . Omri achieved domestic security with a marriage alliance between his son Ahab and princess Jezebel , a worshipper of Baal and the daughter of the king of Sidon in Phoenicia . These solutions brought security and economic prosperity to Israel for

7735-409: The careers of the first four of these five major prophets. Of all the figures before Muhammad, the significance of Jesus in Islam is reflected in his being mentioned in the Quran in 93 verses with various titles attached such as "Son of Mary " and other relational terms, mentioned directly and indirectly, over 187 times. He is thus the most mentioned person in the Quran by reference; 25 times by

7854-463: The cause of God, Elijah the helper in distress: these are the three leading notes struck by the Aggadah, endeavoring to complete the biblical picture with the Elijah legends. His career is extensive, colorful, and varied. He has appeared the world over in the guise of a beggar and scholar. From the time of Malachi , who says of Elijah that God will send him before "the great and dreadful day", down to

7973-511: The centuries. Its adherents consider Ahmad to have appeared as the Mahdi—bearing the qualities of Jesus in accordance with their reading of scriptural prophecies—to revitalize Islam and set in motion its moral system that would bring about lasting peace. They believe that upon divine guidance he purged Islam of foreign accretions in belief and practice by championing what is, in their view, Islam's original precepts as practised by Muhammad and

8092-696: The charge back at him, telling him that he has made himself the enemy of God by his own actions. Elijah tells Ahab that his entire kingdom will reject his authority; that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs within Jezreel; and that his family will be consumed by dogs as well (if they die in a city) or by birds (if they die in the country). When Ahab hears this he repents so sincerely that God stays his hand in punishing Ahab, choosing instead to vent his wrath upon Jezebel and her son by Ahab, Ahaziah . Elijah's story continues now from Ahab to an encounter with Ahaziah ( 2 Kings 1 ). The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in

8211-696: The church's founders, was given the spiritual gift of prophecy . The Branch Davidians are a religious cult which was founded in 1959 by Benjamin Roden as an offshoot of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. David Koresh , who died in the Waco Siege in 1993, called himself their final prophet and "the Son of God, the Lamb" in 1983. Mani ( Persian : مانی , c.  April AD 216 –2 March AD 274 or 26 February AD 277)

8330-457: The church. Irenaeus , wrote of 2nd-century believers with the gift of prophecy, while Justin Martyr argued in his Dialogue with Trypho that prophets were not found among the Jews in his time, but that the church had prophets. The Shepherd of Hermas describes revelation in a vision regarding the proper operation of prophecy in the church. Eusebius mentions that Quadratus and Ammia of Philadelphia were both prominent prophets following

8449-438: The city of Samaria the words, "Ahab hath abjured the living God of Israel." Nevertheless, he paid great respect to the representatives of learning, "to the Torah given in twenty-two letters," for which reason he was permitted to reign for twenty-two successive years. He generously supported the students of the Law out of his royal treasury, in consequence of which half his sins were forgiven him. A type of worldliness ( Ber. 61b ),

8568-576: The contemporary function of the gift of prophecy, and some in these movements, especially those within the Apostolic-Prophetic Movement , allow for idea that God may continue to gift the church with some individuals who are prophets. Some Christian sects recognize the existence of "modern-day" prophets. One such denomination is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , which teaches that God still communicates with humankind through prophecy. Joseph Smith , who established

8687-530: The dates 874–853 BC. Most recently, Michael Coogan has dated Ahab's reign to 871–852 BC. As Omri's successor, Ahab married Jezebel, the daughter of Ithobaal I of Tyre . Under Jezebel's influence, he abandoned Yahweh and established Baal and Asherah cults in Israel according to 1 Kings 16:29–33. For example, he allowed Hiel the Bethelite to rebuild Jericho , even though it was 'cursed' by Yahweh (1 Kings 16:34), and helped his wife kill opponents, such as

8806-579: The divine and the role of prophets in conveying its will. Some examples of prophets in the Tanakh include Abraham , Moses , Miriam , Isaiah, Samuel , Ezekiel, Malachi , and Job . Moses is considered the most important prophet in Judaism . On one occasion during the Exodus journey, "the spirit which was upon Moses" was passed to seventy elders, who were also able to prophesy for one time only, but mostly they could not prophesy again. Moses expressed

8925-857: The east than it did in the west. Although it was thought to have finally faded away after the 14th century in South China , contemporary to the decline of the Church of the East in Ming China , there is a growing corpus of evidence that shows Manichaeism persists in some areas of China, especially in Fujian , where numerous Manichaean relics have been discovered over time. The currently known sects are notably secretive and protective of their belief system, in an effort to remain undetected. This stems from fears relating to persecution and suppression during various periods of Chinese history. The Quran identifies

9044-402: The end of a line of kings of Israel who are said to have "done evil in the sight of the Lord." No background for the person of Elijah is given except for his brief characterization as a Tishbite. His name in Hebrew means "My God is Jah ," and may be a title applied to him because of his challenge to worship of Baal. As told in the Hebrew Bible, Elijah's challenge is bold and direct. Baal was

9163-543: The examples to be followed and that they act as they preach. This belief includes some ʾAwliyāʾ such as Lady Fatima and Lady Mary . During his lifetime, Mirzā Ghulām Aḥmad said that he was a prophet of God and became the founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam , which embodied the Mahdī of Islam and fulfilled the messianic prophecies regarding the coming of a savior to various other religious traditions, including Christianity and Hinduism . Followers of

9282-581: The final prophet after Zoroaster , the Gautama Buddha and Jesus Christ . Manichaeism was quickly successful and spread far through Aramaic -speaking regions. It thrived between the third and seventh centuries, and at its height was one of the most widespread religions in the world. Manichaean churches and scriptures existed as far east as the Han dynasty and as far west as the Roman Empire . It

9401-455: The heart of Zoroastrian belief lies the concept of a singular supreme deity, Ahura Mazda , engaged in an eternal struggle against the forces of darkness and chaos, embodied by Angra Mainyu . Zoroaster, as the primary prophet of this faith, received divine revelations and visions from Ahura Mazda, which formed the basis of the Avesta , the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism. Zoroaster's role as

9520-666: The hope that "all the L ORD 's people" could be prophets. In addition to writing and speaking messages from God, Israelite or Judean nevi'im ("spokespersons", "prophets") often acted out prophetic parables in their life. For example, in order to contrast the people's disobedience with the obedience of the Rechabites , God has Jeremiah invite the Rechabites to drink wine, in disobedience to their ancestor's command. The Rechabites refuse, for which God commends them. Other prophetic parables acted out by Jeremiah include burying

9639-479: The husband of Jezebel of Sidon according to the Hebrew Bible . He was widely criticized for causing " moral decline " in Israel, according to the Yahwists . Modern scholars argue that Ahab was a Yahwist and introduced Yahweh to the Kingdom of Judah via imperialism. This mostly occurred in the latter half of his reign. The existence of Ahab is historically supported outside the Bible. Shalmaneser III of

9758-443: The jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land." She feeds him the last of their food, and Elijah's promise miraculously comes true. Some time later the widow's son dies and the widow cries, "You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!" Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God's word might be demonstrated, and "[God] listened to

9877-452: The land. But Naboth tells Ahab that God has told him not to part with the land. Ahab accepts this answer with sullen bad grace. Jezebel, however, plots a method for acquiring the land. She sends letters in Ahab's name to the elders and nobles who live near Naboth. They are to arrange a feast and invite Naboth. At the feast, false charges of cursing God and Ahab are to be made against him. The plot

9996-570: The later stories of the Chasidic rabbis , reverence and love, expectation and hope were always connected in the Jewish consciousness with Elijah. Three different theories regarding Elijah's origin are presented in the Aggadah literature: (1) he belonged to the tribe of Gad, (2) he was a Benjamite from Jerusalem, identical with the Elijah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:27, and (3) he was a priest. Many Christian Church fathers also have stated that Elijah

10115-400: The latter half of his reign, according to biblical and extrabiblical evidence. Ahab was one of the three or four wicked kings of Israel singled out by tradition as being excluded from the future world of bliss ( Sanh. x. 2 ; Tosef., Sanh. xii. 11). Midrash Konen places him in the fifth department of Gehenna, as having the heathen under his charge. Though held up as a warning to sinners, Ahab

10234-458: The name Isa, third-person 48 times, first-person 35 times, and the rest as titles and attributes. Moses ( Musa ) and Abraham ( Ibrahim ) are also referred to frequently in the Quran. As for the fifth, the Quran is frequently addressed directly to Muhammad, and it often discusses situations encountered by him. Direct use of his name in the text, however, is rare. Rarer still is the mention of Muhammad's contemporaries. Several prominent exponents of

10353-429: The nation under the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar , king of Babylon . In a similar way, the prophet Isaiah had to walk stripped and barefoot for three years to illustrate the coming captivity, and the prophet Ezekiel had to lie on his side for 390 days and to eat measured food to illustrate the coming siege. Prophetic assignment is usually portrayed as rigorous and exacting in the Hebrew Bible, and prophets were often

10472-425: The number of chariots in Ahab's forces was probably closer to a number in the hundreds (based upon archaeological excavations of the area and the foundations of stables that have been found). If, however, the numbers are referring to allies, they could include forces from Tyre, Judah , Edom , and Moab . The Assyrian king claimed victory, but his immediate return and subsequent expeditions in 849 BC and 846 BC against

10591-558: The number of prophets at 224,000. Some scholars hold that there are an even greater number in the history of humankind, and only God knows. The Quran says that God has sent a prophet to every group of people throughout time and that Muhammad is the last of the prophets, sent for the whole of humankind. The message of all the prophets is believed to be the same. In Islam, all prophetic messengers are prophets (such as Adam , Noah , Abraham , Moses , Jesus , and Muhammad ) though not all prophets are prophetic messengers. The primary distinction

10710-408: The number which left Egypt, which would make 1,200,000 prophets. The Talmud recognizes 48 male prophets who bequeathed permanent messages to humankind. According to the Talmud, there were also seven women counted as prophetesses whose message bears relevance for all generations: Sarah , Miriam , Devorah , Hannah (mother of the prophet Samuel), Abigail (a wife of King David ), Huldah (from

10829-634: The people of Israel, 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel . Elijah then berates the people for their acquiescence in Baal worship: "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the L ORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and Yahweh (both Asherah and her prophets disappear from the story entirely): he and Baal's prophets will each take one of two bulls, prepare it for sacrifice and lay it on wood, but put no fire to it. The prophets of Baal choose and prepare

10948-536: The people see this, they declare, "The L ORD —he is God; the L ORD —he is God." Elijah then orders them to seize the prophets of Baal, which they do, and Elijah brings them down to the River Kishon and slays them, at which the rains begin, signaling the end of the famine. Jezebel , enraged that Elijah has killed the prophets of Baal, threatens to kill him. Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah , continues alone into

11067-457: The place to which Elijah was transferred, opinions differ among Jews and Christians, but the old view was that Elijah was received among the heavenly inhabitants, where he records the deeds of men. But as early as the middle of the 2nd century, when the notion of translation to heaven underwent divergent possible interpretations by Christian theologians, the assertion was made that Elijah never entered into heaven proper. In later literature paradise

11186-411: The poor and powerless "and inspire Catholic Social Teaching on the preferential option for the poor, workers’ rights, and justice and peace." Christians who believe that the Holy Spirit continues to give spiritual gifts to Christians are known as continuationists . These charismata may include prophecy, tongues , miraculous healing ability, and discernment (Matthew 12:32 KJV "Whosoever speaketh

11305-470: The prophets" knew beforehand that Elijah would one day be assumed into heaven. Elisha asked Elijah to "let a double portion" of Elijah's "spirit" be upon him. Elijah agreed, with the condition that Elisha would see him be "taken". Elijah, in company with Elisha, approaches the Jordan. He rolls up his mantle and strikes the water. The water immediately divides and Elijah and Elisha cross on dry land. Suddenly,

11424-460: The same time a picture of the destinies of man, who has to pass through "four worlds." This world was shown to the prophet by God through symbolism: in the form of the wind, since the world disappears as the wind; storm is the day of death, before which man trembles; fire is the judgment in Gehenna; and the stillness is the last day. Three years after this vision, Elijah was "translated." Concerning

11543-456: The sky, and ascending to heaven alive . He is also portrayed as leading a school of prophets known as "the sons of the prophets." Following Elijah's ascension, his disciple and devoted assistant Elisha took over as leader of this school. The Book of Malachi prophesies Elijah's return "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the L ORD ," making him a harbinger of the Messiah and of

11662-416: The target of persecution and opposition. God's personal prediction for Jeremiah, "And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee," was performed many times in the biblical narrative as Jeremiah warned of destruction of those who continued to refuse repentance and accept more moderate consequences. In return for his adherence to God's discipline and speaking God's words, Jeremiah

11781-679: The texts of Judaism (The Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings) and Christianity. Muslims often refer to Muhammad as "the Prophet", in the form of a noun. Jesus is the result of a virgin birth in Islam as in Christianity, and is regarded as a prophet. Traditionally, four prophets are believed to have been sent holy books : the Torah ( Tawrat ) to Moses, the Psalms ( Zābūr ) to David,

11900-523: The time of Jeremiah), and Esther . The Talmudic and Biblical commentator Rashi points out that Rebecca , Rachel , and Leah were also prophets. Isaiah 8:3-4 refers to Isaiah's wife, who bore his son Maher-shalal-hash-baz as "the prophetess"; she is not referred to elsewhere. Prophets in the Tanakh are not always Jews; note for example the non-Jewish prophet Balaam in Numbers 22. According to

12019-490: The titles ensi and especially en (the latter term continuing to designate priests in subsequent times). These prophets, while lacking the systematic theological framework found in later traditions, laid the groundwork for the concept of prophethood by demonstrating a connection with the divine and providing spiritual leadership within their communities. Despite the absence of codified scripture or organized religious institutions, these pre-Zoroastrian prophetic figures played

12138-421: The twelve tribes of Israel. Elijah digs a trench around it and prepares the other bull for sacrifice as before. He then orders that the sacrifice and altar be drenched with water from "four large jars" poured three times, filling also the trench. He asks Yahweh to accept the sacrifice. Fire falls from the sky, consuming the sacrifice, the stones of the altar itself, the earth and the water in the trench as well. When

12257-483: The voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived." This is the first instance of raising the dead recorded in Scripture. The widow cried, "the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth." After more than three years of drought and famine, God tells Elijah to return to Ahab and announce the end of the drought. While on his way, Elijah meets Obadiah , the head of Ahab's household, who had hidden

12376-410: The whirlwind. Michael Wilcock, formerly of Trinity College, Bristol , suggests a number of possible reasons for this letter, among them that it may be an example of a better known prophet's name being substituted for that of a lesser known prophet. John Van Seters , however, rejects the letter as having any connection with the Elijah tradition. However, Wilcock argues that Elijah's letter "does address

12495-492: The wilderness, and finally sits down under a shrub, praying for death and eventually falling asleep. At length an angel of the Lord rouses him gently, telling him to wake up and eat. When he awakens he finds bread and a jar of water, eats, drinks, and goes back to sleep. The angel then comes to him a second time, telling him to eat and drink afresh, because he has a long journey ahead of him. Elijah travels for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb , where Moses had received

12614-530: The ‘Lord of the Age’ ( sahib al-’asr ) or the ‘Lord of the Time’ ( sahib al-zaman ). Through them, one can know God, and their invitation to humans to recognize God is called the invitation ( da’wa ). According to Shia Islam , all Prophets and Imams are infallible and the belief in their abstinence from intentional and unintentional sins is a part of the creed. Thus, it is accordingly believed that they are

12733-428: Was Ahab's idolatrous wife who was the chief instigator of his crimes ( B. M. 59a ), some of the ancient teachers gave him the same position in the world to come as a sinner who had repented (Sanh. 104b, Num. R. xiv). Like Manasseh, he was made a type of repentance (I Kings, xxi. 29). Accordingly, he is described as undergoing fasts and penances for a long time; praying thrice a day to God for forgiveness, until his prayer

12852-555: Was a tributary state of Israel (2 Kings 1:1). According to the Moabite Mesha Stele, Omri and Ahab "oppressed Moab for many days". By marriage, he allied with Jehoshaphat , who was the king of Judah (2 Kings 8:16–18). Aram-Damascus was the only foreign state that Ahab opposed but he made peace with them after their king promised to withdraw from conquered territory. He also allowed Ahab to conquer Aramean territory to compensate (1 Kings 20:34). The Battle of Qarqar

12971-627: Was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and he instantly recognizes the description as Elijah the Tishbite. Ahaziah sends out three groups of soldiers to arrest Elijah. The first two are destroyed by fire which Elijah calls down from heaven. The leader of the third group asks for mercy for himself and his men. Elijah agrees to accompany this third group to Ahaziah, where he gives his prophecy in person. Ahaziah dies without recovering from his injuries in accordance with Elijah's word. According to 2 Kings 2:3–9, Elisha (Eliseus) and "the sons of

13090-513: Was a priest. Some rabbis have speculated that he should be identified with Phinehas . According to later Kabbalistic literature, Elijah was really an angel in human form, so that he had neither parents nor offspring. The Midrash Rabbah Exodus 4:2 states "Elijah should have revived his parents as he had revived the son of the Zarephathite" indicating he surely had parents. The Talmud states "Said he [Rabbah] to him (Elijah): Art thou not

13209-440: Was a religious figure of great personal dynamism and conservative zeal and the leader of resistance to the rise of Baal worship in Israel in the ninth century BC. In the opinion of some scholars, however, the biblical presentation of the prophet cannot be taken as historical documentation of his activity. The biblical texts present his career through the eyes of popular legend and subsequent theological reflection, which consider him

13328-841: Was an Iranian prophet and the founder of Manichaeism , a religion most prevalent in late antiquity . Mani was born in or near Seleucia-Ctesiphon (south of modern Baghdad ) in Mesopotamia , at the time part of the Parthian Empire . Seven of his major works were written in Syriac , and the eighth, dedicated to the Sasanian emperor Shapur I , was written in Middle Persian . He died in Gundeshapur . Manichaeism teaches an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing

13447-485: Was attacked by his own brothers, beaten and put into the stocks by a priest and false prophet , imprisoned by the king, threatened with death, thrown into a cistern by Judah's officials, and opposed by a false prophet. Likewise, Isaiah was told by his hearers who rejected his message, "Leave the way! Get off the path! Let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel !" The life of Moses being threatened by Pharaoh

13566-596: Was briefly the main rival to early Christianity in the competition to replace classical polytheism before the spread of Islam . Under the Roman Dominate , Manichaeism was persecuted by the Roman state and was eventually stamped out in the Roman Empire. While most of Manichaeism's original writings have been lost, numerous translations and fragmentary texts have survived. Manichaeism has survived longer in

13685-461: Was buried at Morathi (Maroth?; Mic. i. 12), near the cemetery of Enakim (Ένακεὶμ Septuagint rendering of ; ib. i. 10). According to "Gelilot Ereẓ Yisrael" (quoted in "Seder ha-Dorot," i. 118, Warsaw, 1889), Micah was buried in Chesil, a town in southern Judah (Josh. xv. 30). Naboth's soul was the lying spirit that was permitted to deceive Ahab to his death. Ahab is portrayed by Eduard Franz in

13804-549: Was completely divorced from Yahwism. He was likewise criticized for his oppressive policies, both domestically and internationally. However, Yahwists commend him for fortifying numerous Israelite cities and building an ivory palace. Christian Frevel argues that Ahab used imperialism to introduce Yahweh to the Kingdom of Judah. To do this, he gave his children theophoric names whilst expanding in northern territories and Judah. Michael J. Stahl clarifies that this mostly occurred in

13923-412: Was heard (PirḲe R. El. xliii). Hence, the name of Ahab in the list of wicked kings was changed to Ahaz (Yer. Sanh. x. 28b; Tanna debe Eliyahu Rabba ix, Zuṭṭa xxiv.). Pseudo-Epiphanius ("Opera," ii. 245) makes Micah an Ephraimite . Confounding him with Micaiah , son of Imlah , he states that Micah, for his inauspicious prophecy, was killed by order of Ahab through being thrown from a precipice, and

14042-462: Was led astray. The prophet ends the letter with a prediction of a painful death. This letter is a puzzle to readers for several reasons. First, it concerns a king of the southern kingdom, while Elijah concerned himself with the kingdom of Israel. Second, the message begins with "Thus says YHVH, God of your father David..." rather than the more usual "...in the name of YHVH the God of Israel." Also, this letter seems to come after Elijah's ascension into

14161-451: Was licked by dogs or a combination of dogs and pigs, according to Elijah's prophecy. It marked his "uncleanliness" in the presence of Israelites, who abstained from pork consumption. Ahab's reign was deeply unpopular among Yahwists and was considered to be worse than the previous kings of Israel. Whilst the previous kings followed a "heretical" interpretation of Yahwism, known as the "sins of Jeroboam", Ahab institutionalized Baalism , which

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