Editing Elijah (section)

=== Zeal for God ===
[[File:Statue of Saint Elijah at Saint Elijah Maronite Cathedral, Aleppo.jpg|thumb|upright|The statue of Elijah at the [[Saint Elias Cathedral]], [[Aleppo]], [[Syria]]]]

A [[midrash]]{{which|date=February 2019}} tells that they even abolished the sign of the covenant, and the prophet had to appear as Israel's accuser before God.<ref>Pirḳe R. El. xxix.</ref>{{clarify|date=November 2021}}

In the same cave where God once appeared to Moses and revealed Himself as gracious and merciful, Elijah was summoned to appear before God. By this summons he perceived that he should have appealed to God's mercy, instead of becoming Israel's accuser. The prophet, however, remained relentless in his zeal and severity, so that God commanded him to appoint his successor.<ref>Tanna debe Eliyahu Zuṭa viii.</ref>

The vision in which God revealed Himself to Elijah gave him at the same time a picture of the destinies of man, who has to pass through "four worlds." This world was shown to the prophet by God through symbolism: in the form of the wind, since the world disappears as the wind; storm is the day of death, before which man trembles; fire is the judgment in Gehenna; and the stillness is the last day.<ref>Tan., Peḳude, p.&nbsp;128, Vienna ed.</ref>

Three years after this vision, Elijah was "translated."<ref>Seder 'Olam R. xvii.</ref> Concerning the place to which Elijah was transferred, opinions differ among Jews and Christians, but the old view was that Elijah was received among the heavenly inhabitants, where he records the deeds of men.<ref>Ḳid. 70; Ber. R. xxxiv. 8</ref>

But as early as the middle of the 2nd century, when the notion of translation to heaven underwent divergent possible interpretations by Christian theologians, the assertion was made that Elijah never entered into heaven proper.<ref>Suk. 5a</ref> In later literature paradise is generally designated as the abode of Elijah,<ref>Compare Pirḳe R. El. xvi.</ref> but since the location of paradise is itself uncertain, the last two statements may be identical.