Upon first listening to Elijah, I stopped at the end of the first half, believing that the oratorio could easily end right there. Conflicts had been resolved, the drought was over, and the people rejoiced. Why more? The answer is simple: the message of Elijah's own spiritual journey.

During Part I, Elijah is established as a man of God who follows faithfully the commands of the Lord and is successful in all his endeavors. The opening chorus, however, presents a crisis: the prayers of Israel are not answered. The people are being tested and need the help of God to repent. Elijah is the superhero who conveys the divine will. In Part II, Elijah is similarly tested and, like Israel, needs God's help to survive. He must undergo an ordeal.

Part II begins by rebuking those who have strayed from the path of righteousness and proclaiming that those who fear the Lord will not suffer. Indeed, Elijah's challenge to the wicked King Ahab does not elicit the immediate divine response as did his sacrifice of the bullock on behalf of his people in Part 1. Instead of a triumphant victory, he is chased out of the country. This defeat is more than he can bear. In "It is enough," Elijah expresses his frustration, anger and despair. Despite his best efforts, Israel has not repented and even seeks his death. In his defeated state he asks that the Lord let him die.

The command and confidence of Part I have been replaced by fear, confusion and desperation. Elijah strives to understand God's plan and pleads for God to show Himself and his wonders. His faith is wavering.

Again the angels state the virtue of perseverance. "O rest in the Lord" directly addresses Elijah's failings. "Trust in him; and fret not thyself because of evil doers," is exactly what Elijah is not doing. The Angel's counsel shows how far Elijah has fallen. "He that shall endure to the end" reinforces the message. Elijah has reached the nadir of his spiritual journey.

Defeat and flight have taken their toll; his prayers for Israel have gone unanswered. In a last gasp, he cries out to the Lord not to leave him. "My soul is thirsting for Thee, as a thirsty land," is followed by an orchestral quotation of the opening chorus ("The harvest now is over"), which represents the failing faith of Israel and, here, Elijah's doubt. The Lord has subjected him to the same test that Israel faced, and Elijah has broken.

Suddenly the Angel reappears to declare to Elijah the Lord's coming. Elijah must endure the crucible not to be destroyed, but to be remade. He suffers to the end of his human ability and is rewarded with the answer to his prayers. The Lord appears in the still small voice. The Angels command Elijah to return to purifying Israel, and with renewed and restored faith, he charges forth.