Biblical Meaning of the Name Elijah: My God Is the LORD
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Where the name comes from
Elijah is Hebrew, Eliyahu, joined from El, "God", and Yah, a short form of the name of God. It means "my God is Yahweh", often put as "the LORD is my God". Elias is the same name in Greek and Latin, and the King James New Testament uses that spelling.
Elijah in the Bible
Elijah is one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. He stood before King Ahab in a time of false worship and prayed on Mount Carmel for God to show himself, and when fire fell the people cried "The LORD, he is the God", words that echo his name. He was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind as a chariot of fire appeared, and centuries later he stood with Moses beside Jesus at the Transfiguration.
And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
A blessing for Elijah
Elijah, may your life say what your name says: that the LORD is your God. May you have Elijah's courage when it is hard to stand, and his nearness to God when you are tired, and may you hear God's still, small voice when you need it most.