But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘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.” Luke 1:13–17
In the context of this passage we read about the birth of the man whom Jesus described as the greatest ever born of woman (Matthew 11:11). John’s coming in the spirit of Elijah had been foretold nearly four centuries before by the prophet Malachi in the closing verses of the Old Testament (Malachi 4:5–6). John resembled Elijah in many ways: his appearance, his message of repentance, and his open rebuke of a king. Many Jews probably noticed that John preached and baptized in the same region whence Elijah had made his magnificent ascension to heaven. In Hebrew, Elijah’s name means “My God is Yahweh.” Nothing could have been more correct about this man, as evidenced by the way he lived his life.
Elijah demonstrated a strong faith in Yahweh his God. He prayed for a drought that would turn Israel back to God even though he knew that he would not be exempt from the struggles that the drought would bring. He trusted God to bring him through. God fed him by the brook and in the widow’s house (1 Kings 17:1–16). The widow recognized that Yahweh was indeed Elijah’s God (v 12). Elijah was always obedient to his God. When God said to hide himself, Elijah did (17:3–5). When God said to show himself, Elijah did (18:1–2). This is what faith does.
Elijah was very zealous for Yahweh his God. When Ahab met Elijah and accused him of troubling Israel, the prophet pointed an accusing finger back at the king (1 Kings 18:17–18). He challenged the prophets of Baal, although they outnumbered him 450 to one (vv 19–20). In the presence of the people of Israel he challenged the error of following false gods and showed them the power of his God––the true one (vv 28–39). In his zeal he slew the prophets of Baal (vv 40–41). Elijah could truthfully say, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts” (19:14).
Like John, we should go forth in the spirit of Elijah. We need to put our faith in Him and zealously defend Him in this world of darkness and disbelief. Elijah left no question in the mind of anyone concerning who his God was. When he left this world, he offered his servant and successor Elisha whatever he desired, to which Elisha responded, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (2 Kings 2:9). We need to have the spirit and power of Elijah resting upon us and still desire even a greater spirit than his.