Saint Elijah is the most revered of the prophets by people, since he is the second through whom the Lord addressed the earthly inhabitants. The first was Moses. He is also one of those whom God took to himself, leaving no witnesses to this action. The airborne troops consider Saint Elijah their patron and intercessor.
The icon “Ilya the Prophet” contributes to the successful outcome of any undertaking, but it is believed that the saint helps most of all in agricultural matters. People turn to him with a request to send rain in case of drought or clear weather in case of heavy rains. Also, the prophet can save those praying in front of his icon from disturbing diseases. It removes anger from people's hearts and promotes a peaceful family atmosphere.
History of the icon
The great old man lived on earth 9 centuries before the birth of the Messiah. The name Elijah meant “Pleasing to the Lord.” The saint proved himself to be a zealous follower of the true religion; his sermons, which instilled love for the Lord in the hearts of the people, were listened to with great respect. He had spiritual vision and saw what others could not.
Prophet Elijah, who is the second chosen one of the Lord after Moses, is able to heal from serious illnesses, drive away anger from people’s hearts, and also send rain during periods of drought.
The saint sought to convert lost souls to worship and repentance. The time came when drought dried up the last source of water. Ilya, like all people, was hungry, but did not turn away from the faith and strength sent to him from Above. In one of the most difficult moments, the saint asked a poor woman for shelter and food. For the kindness that the widow did not refuse, her house no longer knew hunger.
In prayer, Elijah turned to God, asking him to give him strength. The inexplicable miracle of resurrection also dates back to his lifetime and is considered one of the miracles performed by the great prophet.
But, despite the miracles, he was persecuted and hid from pagan persecution. Then the holy righteous man decided to arrange a competition with the priests of Baal, the idol of the Israelites. He suggested casting lots - on whose altar the heavenly fire would fall, that god was the right one.
All day long the priests performed ritual dances in front of Baal and stabbed themselves with knives. But fire did not fall from heaven in response to their calls. In the evening, Elijah built an altar of twelve stones (according to the number of tribes of Israel), and cried out in fervent prayer to the true God. He asked to send fire to the altar to admonish the lost.
At this time, heavenly fire fell on the altar and ignited the sacrifice. After this, the people again believed in one god, and the priests of Baal were killed. God sent rains to the earth and the drought ended.
In the Bible we can read that Elijah, during his lifetime, was taken up to heaven on a chariot of fire to God.
This miraculous event was witnessed by his disciple Elisha, to whom the prophet threw off his outer garment from the chariot. Elijah became the second saint of God, ascended alive into heaven, after the righteous Enoch.
God's man, priests and bulls
In the Russian translation of the Bible the prophet is called “Elijah”. The Hebrew equivalent of this name, Eliyahu (אֵלִיָּהוּ), means “My God is the Lord,” or more precisely, “My God is Yahweh” (Yahweh is “Lord” in Hebrew). Moreover, “Yahweh” meant not a simple name, but the proper name of God, which was not pronounced out loud.
According to the legend that has come down to us from Saint Epiphanius of Cyprus, at the birth of the prophet, his father saw how “certain handsome men swaddled him with fire and fed him with a fiery flame.” And the baby truly became a zealous, fiery servant of the one God.
The Prophet Elijah lived in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of the wicked king Ahab, who angered God by planting the cult of the pagan gods Baal and Ashtoreth to please his Phoenician wife.
For this, Elijah predicted a drought for all of Israel: “And Elijah (...) said to Ahab: As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand! These years there will be neither dew nor rain, except at my word" (1 Kings 17:1)
Description of the Holy Face
In the old days, icon painters depicted all saints almost identically. They had a beard and long hair, a cloak and a scroll in their hands. Sometimes a cap could also be seen on the prophet’s heads.
They distinguished where and which prophet was depicted only by the inscription on the tablet at the top or on the scroll. Of course, today all the images are somewhat modified, but the general meaning and plots are still preserved. This statement also applies to icons that depict Elijah the Prophet. Most often there are two thematic images associated with it.
This is the saint’s stay in the desert and the icon “The Fiery Ascension of Elijah the Prophet.” In reality, of course, there are much more stories. However, these two images are found in churches and in the homes of believers more often than others.
The most ancient image appeared during the existence of Byzantium. In the icon, the saint is presented as a monk with a menacing and gloomy look, his attire is a red woolen cloak, his face is decorated with long hair and a thick beard, and his headdress is a church cap.
In the images created later, the observer can notice in the hands of the venerable elder a dagger, which is a symbol of his hostility towards all non-believers.
Some monasteries keep two versions of the image of the Prophet at different points in his life.
- In the first painting, the saint sits on a stone in the middle of the desert and thinks deeply about something, next to him there is a cave. The monk’s head is turned, and in the right corner of the canvas is depicted the same tamed raven that the Lord sent to feed the venerable elder. Legend says that this plot concerns a period of time when the saint had not yet spiritually reached the Heavenly spheres.
- Another image shows the Prophet ascending to the Lord on a chariot of fire. His gaze is directed down to the ground, from which he gradually and forever moves away.
On a note! The church commemoration of the saint is celebrated on July 20; in Russia this day is considered especially revered. Since ancient times, on the eve of the holiday, ritual cookies were baked and field work was symbolically completed. During the celebration itself, it was forbidden to do any work, since people believed that the stern Christian Elijah was able to punish for disrespect for his memory.
The oldest images that have come down to us
It is believed that of the currently preserved icons of the saint, the oldest is located in the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore (Milan, Italy). It dates back to approximately 370. Historians find it difficult to accurately date this fresco, since it is poorly preserved. However, from the existing fragments it is clear that this is an image of the “fiery ascension” of St. Elijah.
Another icon, dating back to 549, is also known in the Basilica of Saint Appolinare in the Italian city of Ravenna. He is on the icon of the Transfiguration of the Lord: here Elijah is depicted on a cloud.
Symbolic image of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna (c. 549). The Prophet Elijah is depicted as an old man on the right, and the Prophet Moses on the left.
Also by the 6th century. The mosaic of the monastery of St. Catherine (Mount Sinai). This is also the Transfiguration, where St. Elijah is shown giving a blessing. He is dressed in a chiton with a black belt decorated with crosses and a mantle.
How does the icon of Elijah the Prophet help?
Since ancient times, peasants have become accustomed to turning to the miraculous icon of the venerable elder in order to prevent drought and enrich the earth with fertile moisture. Sometimes people turn to the prophet to establish sunny weather.
Requests also concern:
- strengthening faith in the heart;
- awareness of one's sinful nature;
- restoring peace in the family;
- protection from bodily infirmities and wounds;
- overcoming poverty and lack of money;
- marriages of girls;
- help in any matter.
In Rus', the image was considered sacred and was in the possession of almost every Christian.
- Many believers believe that the miraculous icon is capable of cleansing the human soul of filth and hatred of its fellows. The saint contributes to the successful outcome of a good event.
- Prayers in front of the sacred canvas help not to lose faith, and also give blessings and protect against poverty and disease. With the icon of the Prophet, prosperity and peace come to the house.
- The prayer petition itself states that the saint is a lover of humanity and a faithful servant of God. The Christian asks to convey his repentance to the Heavenly Father and to receive intercession from the endless passions and vices inspired by the human enemy. The believer hopes that the monk will strengthen faith in the Lord, impart a character of meekness, humility, patience and love for others. The prophet, who was on earth and saw sorrows, is praised, and then the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are glorified.
On a note! Images of the venerable elder are often purchased by farmers and military personnel. In the traditions of the Airborne Forces, Saint Elijah is an intercessor and great patron, therefore, in almost every military unit, a chapel was built in which the painting of the Prophet occupies a central place.
Significance
Images of this saint can often be found in the homes of farmers and military personnel. The airborne troops consider him their intercessor and patron, therefore each military unit has a chapel, the main place in which is occupied by the image of St. Elijah the Prophet. The icon, whose significance is incredibly great for believers, is considered one of the most famous and revered.
The saint in ancient Rus' was considered not only a great miracle worker, but also a thunderer who controls the elements. First of all, this concerned the rain. The icon “Ilya the Prophet” was present in almost every home. When people were worried about the richness of the harvest - so that it would not dry out or, on the contrary, rot, they fervently prayed to the prophet. The icon with his image helped and helps to cope with any difficulties - lack of material goods, mental or physical illnesses. In addition, it is capable of averting sudden death from a person. And judging by the reviews, believers are constantly convinced of this.
How to pray
The image of this saint should be present in every home. You need to put candles in front of it and pray. There are many cases when it is believed that Elijah the Prophet definitely helps. The prayer read in front of his icon must come from the heart.
If a person kneels before an image in a temple, he must follow some rules: go to God's abode only with an open heart and good intentions. Donations should be given to those in need before entering.
When entering a temple, you need to cross yourself and bow. After this, you should go to the icon of Elijah the Prophet and light a candle in front of his image. Having freed yourself from all extraneous thoughts, you should concentrate on your request. If a person prays at home, then he should place an icon in front of him and light a candle next to him.
Prayer before the icon of the Prophet Elijah
“Holy prophet of the Lord Elijah, I appeal to you, lover of mankind and righteous man of God. Offer the prayers of unworthy servants (name) to our Father, may He hear our repentance and contrition for shameful sins. May heavenly intercession help us move away from vice and the devil’s tricks. Strengthen our faith, grant humility and meekness, love for our neighbor, patience. Deliver, great saint, with your prayer from the wrath of the Creator. You, who have lived in the world and tasted sorrows, we glorify you, wishing you eternal blessings in the Kingdom of the Lord. We give glory to our Father, the merciful Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen".
What do believers pray for?
The saint is most often addressed:
- during natural disasters, be it drought, or, on the contrary, prolonged bad weather, storm, hail, or other disasters;
- asking for help during persecution for faith, when attacked by enemies;
- in case of sinful temptations, with a request to strengthen faith and prayer.
Thus, popular love for the prophet gave rise to a large and varied tradition of his images. By resorting to this image with the faith that the saint will definitely help, many receive what they ask for.
Natalia Sazonova
Days of celebration
The veneration of the icon takes place on the popularly known Orthodox holiday of Elijah’s Day. Believers pay tribute to God's prophet Elijah on August 2. And the huge number of traditions associated with this day makes the festival one of the favorite and revered celebrations in Russia.
They attack demons and people who do not follow God's Law. His image everywhere brings anger, horror, death and destruction. On this day, people are prohibited from swimming. Because thunderstorms occur very often on this day. And people can die while swimming. Also, according to folk superstitions, people who swim on this day may get sick or drown.
In addition, if a thunderstorm occurred, it was forbidden to be in the water, run through the streets, shoot or sing at that time. On this day, grandmothers taught their children and grandchildren to close the doors tightly, draw the curtains on the windows and light the lamp.
Only faith and observance of all the commandments of the Lord will give you a happy destiny, love and grace.
Where are the icons
The most popular image of the holy elder in Russia is kept in the cathedral, consecrated in his honor and built on Obydensky Lane. The 20 stamps that decorate the canvas demonstrate the main events from the life path of the reverend elder.
In the same temple there is another image, also extremely revered by the Orthodox people. It was created in honor of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the cathedral. On the canvas, the old man is depicted sitting in a desert area.
In the Church of the Prophet, located in the Novgorod region, two miraculous icons depicting the venerable saint are also kept. One was created 200 years ago and is used in the annual procession of the cross. The other image is about two decades old, but despite the youth of this creation, the parishioners fell in love with it.
Icons depicting the venerable elder are sold everywhere in church shops on the territory of monasteries. Candles are placed in front of the image, the prayer is said sincerely and with concentration.
Icon in the Temple of Elijah the Prophet in Israel
For several centuries now, pilgrims from all over the world have been coming to Mount Carmel to personally touch the shrines associated with the name of this divine guide. The place for the construction of the temple was not chosen by chance. According to legend, it was in one of the caves in this mountain that the prophet Elijah was forced to hide from his pursuers for quite a long time.
It was here that he managed to defeat the pagan priest. The temple was built directly above this cave and is shaped like a cross. The small altar located in the courtyard is very similar to the one that Ilya himself once created.
Next to him stands a neat statue of this prophet, raising his hand with a blade over the head of a pagan priest. When the Arab army fought with the Jews, the Muslims, by cutting it off, believed that they had thereby destroyed the help it provided to Christians.
The temple was built relatively recently: on the day of remembrance of the Holy Prophet Elijah in the first quarter of the twentieth century. Every year thousands of believers flock to him to pray in front of the icon with his image and baptize children in front of it.
Instructions of the Prophets
What do the biblical prophets teach us? They show believers the right way to serve God, to live in purity and holiness. In biblical times, all prophets were persecuted, as Jesus Christ confirmed in the Gospel: “There is no prophet in his own country.” Persecution was caused by the word of truth and conviction of sins, because people did not want to hear the truth about themselves. But the prophets were always accompanied by the grace of God, which strengthened their spirit in opposition to sin.
The Lord specifically sends prophets to earth so that they testify to his power and authority. People often forget who their true father and creator is and start creating idols. This was the case during the time of the prophet Elijah, when the king of the Jews fell into idolatry. This was also the case in the time of Jesus Christ, when the position of high priest was bought for money. John the Baptist became the last prophet on earth, announcing the coming of the Savior of the world.
Jesus was the last messenger of heaven, he redeemed the human race from sins and gave all people on earth the opportunity to gain the kingdom of heaven. After Jesus Christ, God did not send prophets to earth as unnecessary. Now all Christians on earth are awaiting the second coming of Christ in order to see with their own eyes the glory of God on earth.
Prophet of God Elijah (+VIDEO)
July 20 / August 2 The Church honors the prophet Elijah. Archpriest Andrei Tkachev talks about how the events of Old Testament history relate to our time, why Elijah is a New Testament prophet, and the spiritual lessons of the prophet of God.
Dear lovers of God! Today we will talk about the greatest man in the history of the world, one of the most significant figures of the Old and New Testaments - the prophet of God Elijah.
Many people believe that there is no need to know the Old Testament. This is a huge mistake!
I’ll start with the fact that in our Eastern Christian tradition of Orthodoxy, in particular in Russian Orthodoxy - I don’t really know how it is with the Georgians and Serbs, but it seems to me that they, just like us, have no tradition, unfortunately, to dedicate temples of God to the holy characters of the Old Testament. For example, I don’t know of a single parish in our country in honor of Moses, not a single parish in honor of Isaiah, not a single parish in honor of Jeremiah, which, in general, is found in the Western tradition. We have a certain lacuna here, a gap for some reason... If, for example, there were a feast of the prophet Jeremiah, solemnly celebrated annually at the coming of the prophet Jeremiah, we would read his book, we would preach about him, we would know more about him, we would loved him more. The same would have happened with Isaiah, and with Moses, and with the other prophets of the Old Testament. And this would fill our ignorance of the Old Testament. And this ignorance is amazing. Very many of us not only do not know, but believe that there is no need to know the Old Testament. This is a huge mistake!
The exception is the prophet Elijah. There are Ilyinsky churches in Rus' - and there are many of them. And one of the most important churches is the one on the current Kiev Podol: it fulfilled a historical mission, the adoption of Christianity by Russia is associated with it, Russians were baptized here.
There is a strong belief that Elijah should intervene in the most significant historical events
Elijah is known to us and loved by us. At the same time, he is extremely famous and loved by Jews. Suffice it to say that to this day Jews, when they circumcise their boys - on the eighth day of male infants - specially place an empty chair for Elijah to see if Elijah will come to anoint this man and indicate his chosenness. Remember that when the Lord cried out on the cross: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” - “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”, the Jews began to say to each other: “He is calling Elijah. Let's see if Elijah will come to save Him." As we see, there is a firm conviction that Elijah must intervene in the most significant historical events, in everything that concerns the final destinies of the world. And the soul of this person is so broad and ardent that it contains the problems of the most important - the utmost importance - phenomena. And he has the power to influence the events of world history.
Prophet of God Elijah
His life passed against the backdrop of the most difficult trials for God’s people and the deepest falling away from truth and truth. In general, the lives of saints take place against the backdrop - just as in a theater an actor plays against a backdrop or some kind of scenery. And the setting for a saint is often absolute wickedness. For Abraham, Sodom is such a setting, an eerie backdrop. Abraham acts against the backdrop of Sodom, where his nephew has gone; Abraham fights with the princes of Sodom; Abraham receives three angels going to Sodom to test him and find out whether everything is happening there as heard in heaven, because the cry of Sodom rises to heaven. Abraham and Sodom are related by contrast. Every holy person lives against the backdrop of terrible ugliness. It's the same with Elijah.
Elijah lives against the backdrop of Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab, the Israeli king, openly introduced the cult of Baal into his country, planted sacred groves, erected images and idols, and from the table of Jezebel, his wife, hundreds of prophets and priests of Baal and Ashtoreth were fed, whose so-called divine services were accompanied by ritual fornication, bloodshed and everything that in our country cannot be combined with the concept of worship. At this time, the name of God is forgotten. At this time, people en masse fall into idolatry. And idolatry is not just throwing a seed on the altar in front of an image. Idolatry is necessarily fornication and debauchery. These are holidays that consist of musical processions, some satanic antipodes of religious processions. This is incest, this is unnatural male and female prostitution, this is sacrifices, including children’s, this is such a whirlwind of lawlessness in which a person loses the image not only of God, but also of man, and forgets everything sacred. People plunge into the mystical depths of depravity. Debauchery is mysticism, idolatry is spiritual fornication. Spiritual fornication leads to physical fornication in various satanic forms. And at this time, when the name of God is forgotten, the chosen ones barely pronounce it, and even then in a whisper and secretly, Elijah comes - comes straight to Ahab.
Elijah, whose name means “My God is the Lord,” and takes on this mission to affirm that there is no other God but the Lord
The name Elijah is made up of two words: Elijah and Yahweh. "Eliya" is God, and "Yahweh" is the Lord. That is, the name means “My God is the Lord.” This name says: there is no other God except Yahweh. And Elijah takes on this mission - to assert that there is no other God but Yahweh. And anyone who calls Elijah by name is essentially calling on the name of the Living God.
Elijah comes to Ahab and threatens him with drought and famine on earth, saying: “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand.” Ahab was afraid of Elijah, always perceived him as an enemy, because the presence of the saint burned and tormented him.
Elijah mirrors the prophet John the Baptist: in the same spirit, John will later come. They dressed similarly: in hair shirts, girded with a leather belt. They did not eat regular food, led an ascetic lifestyle and were virgins. Both of them denounced the kings: Elijah denounced Ahab, John denounced Herod. These kings took wicked wives: Herodias is an exact copy of Jezebel. Both of them pursued the prophets, only Jezebel did not catch up with Elijah, and Herodias shed the blood of John with her cunning and the prodigal dance of her daughter. As you can see, everything is extremely similar and mirrored - the old in the new, and the new in the old.
Elijah preaches famine and closes heaven with prayer for 3 years and 6 months. 3 years and 6 months is a very important period, and it is not in vain that this is emphasized, because this is the time of the reign of the Antichrist. The Apocalypse reveals to us the ultimate wickedness of the world, calculating lawlessness in precisely this period: 3.5 years there will be something terrible and difficult to bear on earth, as it was in the days of Elijah and Ahab.
Prophet of God Elijah
Let us note that the Apostle John in the Council Epistle says: Elijah was a man like us. But he prayed, and the sky did not rain for 3 years and 6 months. And then he prayed again - and the sky gave rain. So he is still an unusual person, distinguished by extreme zeal for the Lord, who can see wickedness and prays to the Living God.
During a drought, Elijah is nourished by a widow in Zarephath of Sidon - a certain Phoenician. The Lord Jesus Christ remembers this in His first sermon - in the Nazareth synagogue: He says that there were many widows in Israel, but Elijah was not sent to any of them, only to the widow in Zarephath of Sidon (see: Luke 4 : 25). This made the Jews terribly angry because it reminded them: God has mercy on the pagans too. And they wanted to throw Christ off the mountain on which Nazareth was founded, but it was not yet time for Christ to suffer, and it was not necessary for Him to suffer.
So, Elijah lives with a widow in Zarephath of Sidon, and, by the blessing of God, the oil in her vessel and a small amount of flour do not disappear from her, which feeds her, her son and the man of God. And before the stream Horath, near which Elijah lived in a deserted place, dried up, a raven feeds the man of God, bringing him bread and meat. A very important point: the raven is a carnivorous bird, it eats meat. But according to the command of the Lord, she feeds the man of God, bringing him bread and meat. Animals feed Elijah, a woman feeds Elijah, and her food does not become scarce... Even the angels feed Elijah. Before going to Mount Horeb to talk with God, Elijah tasted the wonderful food brought by the angel - cakes and drink. He passed through this strong food for 40 days without stopping.
But first he humbled the priests of Baal and did something wonderful for our minds: he showed them who the Lord is, challenging the priests to a spiritual duel. This was very common between saints, when saints meet with sorcerers, demon ministers or worshipers of the devil - not those who play at this, but real servants of dark forces, possessing strength, energy, demonic insight, evil power over life. When the saints encounter them, spiritual warfare occurs. Elijah fought with the priests of Baal. He told them to bring fire down on the victim if they could, if their god could do it. And until sunset they stabbed themselves with knives, jumped around the altar and prayed: “Hear us, Baal, hear us, Baal.” And Elijah proved who the real God is. At his word they laid the sacrifice on the stone altar, dug it in with a ditch, poured out water... Elijah said: “Double it.” They poured more water onto the altar. "Triple it." Tripled the water poured. And at the time when the evening sacrifice is offered in the temple, which is very important - because this is the time of God’s action: times of worship are times of special action of God... so, at the time when the evening sacrifice is offered in the temple, Elijah cried out to God, and God heard him: fire came down on the sacrifice and consumed the sacrifice, the stones, the water, and everything around.
The knife in the hand of Elijah over the priests of Baal is the work of God: God not only has mercy, but also punishes
And then Elijah slaughtered the priests of Baal. And let not the Christian conscience be troubled by this. The point here is not even the difference in morals during the times of the Old and New Testaments, but something else: before Elijah there were several hundred real servants of Satan, hardly capable of repentance, who became like lambs, having lost their strength, and he carried out divine retribution with his own hand. There are such episodes in history. It is not for us to repeat them, because we do not have Elijah’s power, but we must also know that God is God – a punisher and an avenger, and not just a merciful God. The flood is the work of God, the burning of Sodom is the work of God, the knife in the hand of Elijah over the priests of Baal is also the work of God. It's scary, it's strange, but it's the truth. And having accomplished this great feat, Elijah became exhausted.
Always, even with maximum wickedness, secret god-pleasers remain among the people of God
Great people also become exhausted. And people who have accomplished great things are afraid of small things. Elijah, who was not afraid of the priests of Baal and who brought down fire from heaven to earth, enclosing the sky, was afraid of Jezebel. He asked God to take his soul. This is also an interesting, striking feature. The great often ask for death. Jeremiah asked for death. Job asked for death. Elijah also asked for death. He said: “Take my soul, Lord. Your altar has been destroyed, your prophets have been killed...” “I can’t do it anymore,” is the meaning of his words to the Lord. To which the Lord answered him with extremely important words for us: “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who did not bow the knee to Baal and whose lips did not kiss him.” Why are these words important? And by what they say: always, even with the maximum thickening of wickedness, among the people of God, in the Church of God, certain secret saints of God are preserved, whose identity we do not know. They may not advertise their faith, but they keep it and confess it in their prayers, they shun evil and do good, they cut themselves off from the environment of lawbreakers. This needs to be remembered. We do not know by sight all the righteous. It seems to us that sin has filled everything. Not everything was filled. Even in the time of Ahab there were righteous people who remained faithful to the God of their fathers, the Living God, who demands holiness, not sin. Elijah was comforted by this.
I already remembered that Elijah walked to the Mount of God Horeb, without stopping, fortified by the food he had eaten from an angel, for 40 days. This tells us about our death. Before death, we will also need to eat and drink - to taste the Body of Christ and His Blood, so that then we can walk for 40 days, without stopping, to the Throne of God and on the 40th day we will meet the Lord. And this time the Church of God will pray for us, for our strange, amazing, one-of-a-kind journey.
When Elijah stood on the mountain (just as Moses once stood on Sinai, and the Lord walked in front of him, and he covered himself with his hand, exclaiming: “The Lord God is merciful and merciful!”, And Moses saw “the back of God,” that is, not the Glory Him, and a certain reflection of Glory), he felt the presence of the Lord. There was a shaking of stones, but there was no God in it; there was a terrible wind, destroying everything in front of it, but the Lord was not in it; there was a hurricane, a storm, but the Lord was not in it... And then a quiet, cool breeze blew, so calming, and the Lord was in it. This cool breath is akin to that cool, noisy dew that covered the youths in the cave of Babylon.
Soon Elijah was taken to heaven. He is one of those who have not died, who have not yet tasted death. This happened before the eyes of the prophet Elisha, his disciple, the son of Saphat. Elijah threw him his outer garment - a mantle (veil), along with which he transferred his strength and authority, even multiplied, to Elisha with a physical sign. And the fiery horses and fiery chariot carried the saint into heaven in a whirlwind. He has not seen death.
Enoch, the eighth from Adam, did not see death. Elijah, the prophet of God, did not see death. Enoch lived before the flood, Elijah lived during the time of the Law. Subsequently, he saw death, but the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death. And the Mother of God survived death, but was exalted by Her Son and God. Perhaps the same thing happened with John the Theologian, because he is not in the tomb, and his fate is not known to us.
And two people who have not seen death will again come to earth to preach the Gospel, to preach Christ’s Kingdom of God, the true Messiah, during the reign of the vile Antichrist, when the people will be massively insane and will be deceived in numbers of millions. People all over the world will love evil, love lies, and evade the truth. Then Elijah and Enoch will come from where they are now to preach the Gospel of Truth. And then they will be killed, that is, they will have to taste death.
Elijah is a New Testament saint, also because he so badly wanted to see the Glory of God and the truth, to wait for the Messiah, that he and Moses were given such mercy: on Mount Tabor, where Christ was transfigured before the disciples, two interlocutors came to Him from another world - Moses rose from the underworld with his soul and Elijah came from secret, unknown places, appeared before Jesus Christ in the body to talk with Him about His exodus, which He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. So on Tabor the heavenly, the earthly and the underworld gathered with Christ: the heavenly - Elijah, the earthly - the apostles, from the underworld - Moses. And every knee bowed in the name of Christ, as it is said, “Every knee shall bow,” confirming and confessing that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So Moses on Mount Sinai, and Elijah on Mount Horeb saw the Glory of God, and then with their own eyes they saw the incarnate truth that they felt during their visions and manifestations of God.
Elijah is the mighty defender of all those who are offended, the mentor and patron of all those who love the Holy Scriptures, the helper of all zealots for the truth, the leader of all monastics. Catholics even have an order of Carmelites, which associates its name with Mount Carmel, mentioned in the Holy Scriptures in connection with the exploits and labors of the Prophet Elijah, with the cave where he lived for some time, praying and asceticism. We do not have such “pointed” worship, such connections with Elijah, but he is revered, of course, by preachers, monastics and everyone whose soul hurts from the fact that truth is trampled underfoot and wickedness triumphs.
Elijah helps those who fly through the air, and those who take up arms for a just cause, and those who take up the Scriptures in their hands, like weapons for a just cause.
Elijah is a helper, Elijah is strong, Elijah is great, Elijah protects us and helps us to this day. By the way, we have something that the West does not have: on the day of the prophet Elijah, we celebrate the Day of the Airborne Forces. On August 2, 1930, our soldiers made their first parachute landing - back then they were still jumping from the wings. And since then, these heavenly infantry have been the glory of our Armed Forces, and we think with love how brave and strong these guys are, not afraid to fight against superior enemy forces. So Elijah helps here too: those flying through the air, and those who take up arms for a just cause, and those who take up the Scriptures in their hands, like weapons for a just cause, and everyone who feels the spirit of the Antichrist and hates him, who wants the Spirit of God and calls Him for your soul.
The life of Elijah is recounted in the 1st Book of Kings. Saint John Chrysostom said and asserted that everyone who wants to live in virginal purity and prayer, that is, monastically, should follow the example of the prophet of God Elijah and John the Baptist. This is how the troparions often sing: “Imitating the Baptist and the Thesbite, you, O holy One, were rich in spirit.” This is how Onuphrius the Great is sung about many other saints. And we will, to the best of our ability, imitate, but we will start with reading. Let's read from the 3rd Book of Kings about the prophet Elijah, learn about him. On Memorial Day, let us go to the temple of God to listen to the proverbs, defend the service and call on the name of the living - not dead - prophet to help us on our earthly journey.
See you.
