Why was Elijah so dedicated to his mission?

Answer 1

For one thing... once God chooses you for His purpose, you don't have any other choice in the matter, despite all protests -- as seems to be the case with a number of His chosen servants. Moses, being one:

"'But who am I to appear before Pharaoh?' Moses asked God... But Moses protested, 'If I go to the people of Israel... they won't believe me...'" (Ex.3:11-13 NLT New Living Translation)

This isn't to say that Elijah protested God's calling. But we discover in the first mention of Elijah in Scripture that Elijah is already a trusted servant of God... and we have no background info regarding his initial contact(s) with the LORD.

"Now Elijah... told King Ahab, 'As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, Lives - the God WHOM I WORSHIP and SERVE - there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I give the Word!'" (I Kings 17:1 NLT)

One can only imagine from one's own experience how dedication to God comes from "experiencing" His Power, personally; and can only deduce that Elijah's dedication came about the same way. God had a commission for him to perform... and he did it.

Halley's Bible Handbook says this about Elijah:

"...Elijah was God's answer to Ahab and Jezebel, who had substituted Baal for God. God sent Elijah to eradicate Baalism, a vile and cruel religion. Elijah's 'rare' and sudden brief appearances, his undaunted courage and fiery zeal, the brilliance of his triumphs, the pathos of his despondency, the glory of his departure, and the calm beauty of his reappearance on the Mt. of Transfiguration, make him one of the grandest characters Israel ever produced." (Halley's Bible Handbook: with the King James Version; Classic Edition p.198)

This contributor doesn't recall knowing any person of such magnitude in his lifetime. But any person's "dedication" to whatever it may be to which they are dedicated is a deeply intimate and personal part of their life's experience and character development. One can therefore only surmise that Elijah's dedication to God's commission for him was the result of having "experienced God's Power" in his life, and that he found it compelling... and himself unable to protest or resist it.