Trinity of Jesus Christ
Chapter 13: Elijah's Explanation
Trinity of Jesus Christ
Chapter 13: Elijah's Explanation
Previous Chapter: Korah's Explanation
Our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, is God of Trinity, In the past chapters, we have explored the scriptural evidences that tells that when the Son [Son of the Word] was manifested in the flesh, the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit also dwelt within Him, and in this chapter, will see how the prophet Elijah illustrates the Trinity of Jesus Christ.
The mighty wind, earthquake, and fire that occurred when the Lord passed by on Horeb—the mountain of God—served to reveal the workings of the invisible God (Father, Word, and Holy Spirit), whom we cannot see - 8.And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. 9.There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10.He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. 11.And he said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind, And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake, 12.And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire a still small voice. 13.And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14.And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away - 1 Kings 19:8-14
However, the gentle sound that followed revealed a message of joy: that the Triune God—the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, who dwells in unapproachable light—was about to be revealed as our Savior.
At the same time, in order for us to recognize that our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the very image of the Triune God, the Lord had instructed Elijah to anoint three individuals: Hazael [One who sees God], Jehu [Jehovah is He], and Elisha [God is salvation] - 15.Then the Lord said to him: Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16.Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17.It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18.Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him - 1 Kings 19:15-18
Elijah, having understood this command of the Lord and the deeper meaning behind the fact that the journey ahead was a long one, did not undertake any of these specific tasks—such as anointing Elisha—but simply continued his ministry until he was taken up by the Lord - 19.So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20.And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21.So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant - 1 Kings 19:19-21
Later, Elisha, who continued Elijah's ministry, came to Damascus and spoke with Hazael, but left without anointing him - 7.Then Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.” 8.And the king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ 9.So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’
10.And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the Lord has shown me that he will really die.” 11.Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept. 12.And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child.” 13.So Hazael said, “But what is your servant—a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” And Elisha answered, "The Lord has shown me that you will become king over Syria" - 2 Kings 8:7-13
After that, one of the sons of the prophets anointed Jehu the son of Nimshi - 1.Then Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tie up your garments, and take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2.And when you arrive, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. And go in and have him rise from among his fellows, and lead him to an inner chamber. 3.Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee; do not linger.” 4.So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5.And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “To which of us all?” And he said, “To you, O commander.” 6.So he arose and went into the house. And the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. 7.And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord - 2 Kings 9:1-7
Although the individuals mentioned in the Lord's command to Elijah at Horeb—the mountain of God—lived during that era, the command itself remained unfulfilled; that is why there were scribes who taught that Elijah, having been taken up by God, was destined to appear during the days of the Messiah - 10.The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 11.Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12.But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13.Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist - Matthew 17:10-13
That is why, at the beginning of Jesus Christ's ministry, they asked John with doubt whether he was Elijah - 21.And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22.Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23.He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24.Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees - John 1:21-24
Not only that, He revealed His Trinity to the disciples by showing that He Himself was the very One whom Elijah was to anoint—the three of them rolled into one - 1.Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2.and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3.And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4.Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, [a]let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5.While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6.And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7.But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8.When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only - Matthew 17:1-8
That is why, when the Apostle Peter spoke of the glory of Jesus Christ’s transfiguration, he did not speak of Moses and Elijah; instead, he testified that they had beheld the majesty of Jesus Christ with their own eyes - 16.For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17.For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18.we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain - 2 Peter 1:16-18
But a sword
Moreover, Jesus Christ appeared on this earth as the One who fulfills the promise God made to Elijah: that Jehu would put to death those who escaped the sword of Hazael, and Elisha would put to death those who escaped the sword of Jehu - 34.Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35.For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36.and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37.He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38.And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39.He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it - Matthew 10:34-39
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