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Elijah's [whose name means "Yahwey is God"] link with the later prophets lies in his constant endeavour to recall his people to the religion of Moses, both in worshipping Yahwey alone as well as in proclaiming Mosaic standards of righteousness in the community. In both these respects he anticipates the more fully developed oracles of Amos and Hosea. This advocacy of the Mosaic faith by Elijah is supported by several details which suggest a parallel between Elijah and Moses. Elijah's return to Horeb is is obvious enough, but there is also the fact that Elijah is accompanied and succeeded by Elisha as Moses was by Joshua. This parallel is quite striking. Not only has the death of Moses an air of mystery attaching to it (Dt. 34:9); Jos. 4:14), the translation narrative (2 Ki.2) reproduces this pattern fairly precisely. The fact that God answers Elijah by fire on two occasions (1 Ki. 18:38; 2 Ki. 1:10, 12) seems to look back to the exhibition of God's presence and judgment in fire in the Exodus narratives (e.g. Ex. 13:21; 19:18; 24:17; Nu. 11:1; 16:35). Little wonder that in Jewish Haggadic throught Elijah was viewed as the counterpart to Moses. (The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 1, pg 440)
Elijah's ministry is spoken of as being revived 'before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord' (Mal. 4:5-6). This theme is a popular one in the Jewish Mishnah, and was a common topic of discussion during the ministry of Jesus (Mk. 8:28). Jesus indicated that the Malachi prophecy had reference to the ministry of John the Baptist (Mt. 11:14; 17:12). Elijah reappears in person on the mount of transfiguration (Md. 9:4) and he is referred to elsewhere in the New Testament in Lk. 4:25-26; Rom. 11:2-4; James 5:17-18). Elijah's prophetic ministry is recorded in 1 Kings chapters 17-21, 2 Kings chapters 1-2. (The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol. 1, pg 440-441)
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