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Image source: Wikipedia
Background Information on Elijah
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 Yahweh," 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 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
Background information source: Wikipedia
Hymns Recommended by Experts
The prophet Elijah, accompanied by Elisha, crossed the river Jordan and was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11). Crossing the Jordan has long been a metaphor for crossing from this world to the next. This spiritual extends the metaphor to include the chariot as we pray for God to come for us as well “to carry me home.”
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Transfiguration Sunday as well as the following season of Lent offer an opportunity to reflect not only on life of Jesus, who fasted and prayed throughout his life on earth , but also on several Old Testament saints who fasted and prayed during their lives, including Moses and Elijah, who met with Jesus on the high mountain (Matthew 17:3; Mark 9:4).
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This hymn begins with a reference to Elijah’s departure in a chariot of fire, when Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantle also to strike the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:13-14). All the stanzas were originally cast in third person ("Anoint them") since it was originally written as an ordination hymn for clergymen; the revised text in first person ("Anoint us") now includes all God's people as ministers or servants. The text refers to various biblical offices to depict Christian ministries: prophets, priests, kings (Old Testament offices), and apostles (1 Peter 2:5-9.)
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A hymn that names Peter, James and John, witnesses to the Transfiguration of Christ when he met with Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-13). Their witness turns into following Christ down the mountain to the cross; the third stanza is a prayer that Christ “transfigure our perceptions…and recast our life’s intentions” as we too follow Christ.
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A folk-like narrative account of the ministry of Elijah, including his prophesy of drought to Ahab and then providing food for the widow (st. 1-3), at Mount Carmel (st. 4-7), at Mount Horeb (st. 8-10), and his ascension (st. 11-13). The text is set to AMEN SIAKUDUMISA, a familiar South African chorus.
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