Elijjah (אֶלְיָה, the shorter form of Eliyahu, H452) means "My God is Yahweh" or "YHWH is my God." This form appears in 1 Kings 17 and parallel passages referring to Elijah the Tishbite, the greatest prophet of the northern kingdom of Israel and arguably the dominant prophetic figure of the entire Old Testament alongside Moses. He ministered during the reigns of Ahab and Ahaziah (c. 875–848 BC).
Elijah's very name is his theological mission statement: in an era when Baal worship had nearly extinguished the knowledge of YHWH in Israel, Elijah stood as a living protest — "Yahweh is MY God." His confrontation on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18) was not merely political; it was a cosmic declaration that there is only one God. His flight to Horeb (1 Kings 19) and God's gentle encounter in the still small voice reveal that the mightiest prophet can fall into depression — and that God meets exhausted servants with food, rest, and recommissioning. Elijah never died but was translated to heaven (2 Kings 2:11), and he appears at the Transfiguration alongside Moses (Matthew 17:3), representing the Law and the Prophets bowing before Christ. Malachi 4:5 promises Elijah's return before the great Day of the LORD — fulfilled in John the Baptist's spirit and ministry (Luke 1:17).