b) Thematic Study Bible • The character of Elijah

Article p376: • The immediate context and the canonical context (i.e. what is said
• His ministry focused on the need to eliminate Canaanite beliefs about Elijah elsewhere in Scripture)
and practices from Israel
Preaching Bible Characters
• The most serious of these pagan practices was Baal worship.
How to preach an effective expository sermon on a Bible character.
• This brought him into conflict with Ahab, Jezebal and Ahaziah, as he
exposed their sin, social injustices and idolatry. Some Preliminary Considerations
• Frequently he felt dejected on account of the seemingly impossible
nature of his task Why should we want to study Bible characters when, quite frankly, many
• God encouraged him to continue, assuring him that a faithful remnant characters in the Bible led very imperfect lives and none, other than Jesus
would continue, and answering all his prayers. Himself, were ever totally praiseworthy? No-one should wish to follow
• After his translation into heaven, an expectation arose that he would Saul’s example and throw javelins at someone who was trying to help him!
return to prepare the way for God’s judgment and purification of his Nor is it desirable to act impetuously like Peter.
people
So how do we determine what is a good example set by a Bible character
Section 5092: and what is an example we should avoid emulating?
• His prophecies and prayers were fulfilled and attested by miracles:
o Drought – provision of flour and oil – rain – fire from heaven Then there are some things that Bible characters did in the performance of
the God-given ministries that are just not our calling or appropriate in our
– death of Ahab and Jezebel
day and age. It is highly unlikely that we are called to demand the execution
• Confronts the King and Challenges the people, Baal’s prophets of false prophets of Baal, or write stern letters to heads of state like Elijah!
• Executes the prophets of Baal
• Appoints successors to continue the fight against Baal worshippers So how do we determine which actions of a Bible character are
appropriate for us to follow? Where are the points of comparison between
• Lives a simple life
us and people depicted in the Bible that are meant for our learning and
• Man of action and physical endurance edification?
PROCEDURE
Preaching on a Bible character requires more thought and preparation
1. Select from the information gathered above: than simply expounding a given passage, since its preliminary study
• Background information that might help place Elijah and make him involves more stages.
come alive as a person
The effect, however, can sometimes be more profound, as the listener may
• Facts that indicate the sort of person he was
more easily identify with a Bible character than with a Bible situation.
• One (or two) passage(s) as the basic text for exposition. Possible
choices might be: The Principles Involved
o One extended incident in the life of Elijah, or
o Two short passages (OT and NT) that reveal two sides of As with all interpretation of Scripture, the context, both immediate and
Elijah’s character canonical (having reference to what the rest of the Bible teaches), is the key
2. Expound this text in the usual way (exegesis leading to the “heart-beat” to our understanding of how we should view the behaviour of any
and application), but with special attention paid to: particular character.
 • Bible Dictionary (more likely to tell you the historical background
An expository sermon expounds the text of a single Bible passage, while a
and theological content of the person’s message than any character
character study compiles and analyses the teaching derived from a number
aspects of the person.)
of texts relating to a particular Bible character.
An expository sermon on a Bible character has the task of selecting key •Books containing character studies of specific Bible characters.
texts that relate to that person with a view to exposing that person’s character (These provide a quick and easy guide to such characters, but
and applying lessons drawn from these passages to the listeners of the without showing how to preach about them – good to consult after
sermon. doing the preliminary exegesis of key passages)
So an effective expository sermon on a Bible character involves: EXAMPLE: Elijah
• Preparatory survey of all relevant texts Information from PRIMARY SOURCES (i.e. SCRIPTURE texts) using:
Cruden’s Concordance
• Provisional noting of aspects of character revealed in these texts
• Half the references in Scripture are found in the NT (1 from Paul,
• Selection of one or two passages that are fruitful for portraying the
one from James and the rest from the Gospels)
key aspects of the subject’s character
• 1 Kings 17 – 21 and 2 Kings 1 – 2 provide the story of Elijah
• Exegetical study of the passage(s) selected from the point of view • Possible key texts:
of the subject and his / her character involved, leading to: o James 5:17-18 – “Elijah was a man just like us. He
• Exposition of the Bible character with other aspects already prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain
noted from Bible passages elsewhere included to support or qualify on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and
the exposition the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
o 1 Kings 19:3-18 – “I have had enough, Lord,…Take my
• Identification and application of the “heart-beat” of the life, I am no better than m ancestors.”
character to the listeners and their situation
Information from SECONDARY SOURCES (i.e. Books / articles about
• Appeal to the listeners to act on the resulting message, with the Elijah derived from SCRIPTURE):
consequences of not so acting spelled out
a) Bible Dictionary (Easton’s BD):
REMEMBER: The purpose of a sermon is not to explain a subject • Name means: whose God is Jehovah
but to achieve an object!
• Deliverer of stern messages to corrupt kings, so earned the title:
Practical Aids • “The Troubler of Israel” (Ahab’s name for him)
• Challenged the prophets of Baal, with the result that the people fell
Sources for looking up references to a Bible character include: on their faces, crying, “The Lord, he is the God.”
• Bible Concordance (Cruden’s Conordance [in English] is still the • Ordered the prophets of Baal to be put to death; not one escaped.
best for finding all the references to a particular person or word.) • His prayers were answered, eg. for rain
• Thematic Study Bible (most helpful for leading to the most fruitful • He fled Jezebel’s wrath in despondency
passages about a particular theme, topic or person) • Exhibited self-pity
• He wrote a warning letter to the King of Judah (as well as sending
off stern messages to various kings of Israel)
• Translated up into heaven in a chariot of fire by a whirlwind
• Frequently referred to in the NT
• Paul refers to an incident in his history to illustrate his argument that
God has not cast away his people
• James finds in him an illustration of the power of prayer
• He was a type of John the Baptist in his sternness and powerful
reproofs
• There was a popular belief he would return to restore the country
• He appeared with Moses at the Transfiguration of Jesus