James 5: 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Elijah the Prophet did many miracles which overshadow most of the OT Prophets/Men of God. Instead of him being a hero of the OT, he landed becoming the only Prophet other than Balaam to be rebuked by the Lord in the NT.
In today’s scripture, we see James state that the halting of rain was a judgment that Elijah brought upon the people. He was not wrong, but he did not show mercy. He was protected and fed by the Lord in the wilderness, but the Lord was not happy with what he had done. Elijah did this out of emotion and not being led by the Lord. Not only his deeds, but even those of Elisha, his student who received double his anointing, are condemned, like he getting 42 children who mocked him (name-calling) to be assaulted by 2 bears.
If we read 2 Kings, Elijah caused fire to come down and consume 2 batches of fifty soldiers and their captains. They had not disrespected him but simply asked him to come and meet the King. It was the Angel of the Lord who had to intervene and instruct Elijah not to consume the third lot of soldiers and their captain, but instead go with them and meet their king.
When Jesus was passing a Samaritan village, they did not allow His entry since He was on His way to Jerusalem and they hated the Jews. The disciple of Jesus suggested that He, like Elijah, cause fire to consume a village that did not honour Him to enter. Jesus turned and rebuked His disciples for suggesting such a thing and said what kind of spirit are they (indirectly condemning such a spirit, including that led Elijah to do it).
Elijah was amongst the very few who did not just become spokesmen for the Lord (Prophet) but also understood what the Lord spoke through him. When Elijah came to know the Lord was coming as a man and there was a messenger who would be announcing His coming, Elijah opted to be that messenger.
God heeded Elijah’s request to come as the messenger John the Baptist, not just because he was a great Man of God, but because Elijah wanted to repent of what he had done. The life of repentance that John the Baptist lived was not for what he did as John, but for what he did as Elijah.
[Prayer Starter]
Lord, You are Almighty God. You, Lord, are Omnipotent yet You are merciful God. You focus not on destroying evil but on birthing goodness. Lord, we pray we seek goodness more than destruction of evil…
This prayer we make in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
[Reference Scriptures]
2 Kings 2:22-24
22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
2 Kings 1:9-15
Luke 9:52-55
52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Matthew 11:12-15
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive [it], this is Elias, which was for to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Dated 11 May 2026
Bro Rollwyn