Elijah: Symbol of Jesus Christ

A great number of righteous men and women from the Old Testament, including prophets, priests, kings, and others, served as types and shadows of Jesus Christ. Their personal purity and righteousness, as well as events in their lives, foreshadowed Jesus’s righteousness and events in His life. The parallels between these individuals and Christ are so striking that these persons serve as symbols of Jesus Christ.

Elijah, too, serves as a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. For example, Elijah was taken up into heaven: “Behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire . . . and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kgs. 2:11). Jesus, too, was taken up into heaven. Luke recorded, “And when [Jesus] had spoken these things, while [His disciples] beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9–11). This is but one example. Other examples are listed in the chart.