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1. Click player below to start the music. 2. Click the image above to dive into the art. 3. Study for three minutes this great piece of art. |
The Story of Elijah is a huge epic - for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. He has raised the dead and brought fire from haven. Quite a religious superman. But he had his weak moments too.
He challenged King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel to a contest - and was promptly forced to flee their anger. As usual for prophets in the region he was stranded in the desolate wilderness with hardly enough food and water. He has a harsh time ahead of him (from Wikipedia):
Elijah travels, for forty days and forty nights, to Mount Horeb and seeks shelter in a cave. God again speaks to Elijah (1 Kings 19:9): “What doest thou here, Elijah?” Elijah lays out all his complaints and his despair. Up until this time Elijah has only the word of God to guide him, but now he is told to go outside the cave and “stand before the Lord.” A terrible wind passes, but God is not in the wind. A great earthquake shakes the mountain, but God is not in the earthquake. Then a fire passes the mountain, but God is not in the fire. Then a “still small voice” comes to Elijah and asks again, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” Elijah responds again with his complaints and his sense of hopelessness.
In the scene above we see an Angel bringing supplies to the sleeping Elijah.
Lord Leighton has this keen sense for drama and posture for his scenes. He knows how to place his actors for full effect. Too bad he never made movies - I am sure he would have been a great director for something like Cleopatra or Gone with the Wind.
