Among the mountains of Gilead, east of the Jordan, there dwelt in the days of Ahab a man of faith and prayer whose fearless ministry was destined to check the rapid spread of apostasy in Israel. Far removed from any city of renown, and occupying no high station in life, Elijah the Tishbite nevertheless entered upon his mission confident in God's purpose to prepare the way before him and to give him abundant success. The word of faith and power was upon his lips, and his whole life was devoted to the work of reform. His was the voice of one crying in the wilderness to rebuke sin and press back the tide of evil. And while he came to the people as a reprover of sin, his message offered the balm of Gilead to the sin-sick souls of all who desired to be healed.

Dette kapitel er bygget op over 1 Kong 17,1-7

På Akabs tid boede der en troens og bønnens mand imellem Gileads bjerge øst for Jordanfloden. Han skulle komme til at øve en uforfærdet profetgerning for at standse det frafald, der var i rivende udvikling i Israel. Tisjbitten Elias boede langt ude på landet. Han beklædte ikke nogen høj stilling, men han begyndte sin gerning i tillid til, at Gud ville berede vejen for ham og give ham rige resultater. Der lå tro og kraft bag hans ord, og hele hans liv var viet reformarbejdet. Han var en røst af en, der råber i ørkenen for at revse synd og tvinge ondskabens flodbølge tilbage. Men samtidig med at han revsede folkets synd, tilbød han at skænke Gileads balsam til alle de sjæle, som ønskede at blive helbredt for syndens sygdom.