I Kings 19:9-18
“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (I Kings 19:9-10)
After forty days of hiding from Jezebel’s informants while crossing the countries of Judah, Edom, and Midian, Elijah had finally arrived in the wilderness of Mount Horeb. Feeling somewhat safe there, his fear and consequent depression no longer control him completely. Now God begins to deal with his depression. He starts by asking why he is there.
Elijah’s answer was totally self centered. "I have tried so hard to serve God when everyone else turned away, and now I’m the only one left and they are trying to kill me, and it is so unfair!" It is a typical response when a person allows his emotions to take control of his thinking. Until that hold is loosened, they are unable to consider anything else. Feeling somewhat safe, Elijah could finally begin to think about why he felt that way. With his logic back in control, God could show him what he needed to resolve his problem.
“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (I Kings 19:11-12)
Humans seem always to be focused on the big and powerful things as evidence they are from God. Hurricane winds blow down trees and houses, but even they don’t break rocks. The wind God sent did, but God wasn’t in the wind. Even a small earthquake is more powerful than anything man can build, but while God caused it, he wasn’t in it. Then he sent a fire. Despite all the government’s immense resources, and our experience with using and controlling fires, forest fires burn thousands of acres of forest and property annually. God wasn’t in the fire either. God doesn’t even have to personally involve himself to defeat anything man can do.
Last of all God spoke in a still small voice. No yelling, no cursing or anger. Just a soft calm voice that most people would not have heard. People seldom notice what God does because they are focused on big things. I Corinthians 1:27-29 declares, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal had not been the result of a great organization or large a number of people serving God. It wasn’t even about Elijah’s spiritual power. Rarely are big exciting events and movements from God. He prefers to work in less obvious ways. He limited the size of Gideon’s army, and he sent persecution to break up the church at Jerusalem, so that only the apostles were left according to Acts 8:1.
“And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.
And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (I Kings 19:13-14)
Elijah finally calmed down enough to hear and recognize God’s voice rather than just his emotions. This time he responded voluntarily by going to hear what God had to say. He responded with almost the same words he had used before, but with a different attitude. He recognized how silly his actions had been. If God could send fire from heaven to burn the sacrifices, a wind that broke rocks, an earthquake and a forest fire, he could deal with Jezebel’s threats.
“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (I Kings 19:15-18)
Elijah had gotten eh message, and no repeating it was needed. Instead god gave him a new assignment, as if nothing had happened. He was to return to Israel, anointing Hazael as king over Syria, Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha as his own replacement. They would execute the judgment of God on those who would not obey.
He also pointed out that while Elijah had believed he was the only one serving God, there were actually seven thousand more in Israel. He wasn’t nearly as alone as he thought. His emotions had just led him to believe a lie.
“And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (I Kings 19:9-10)
After forty days of hiding from Jezebel’s informants while crossing the countries of Judah, Edom, and Midian, Elijah had finally arrived in the wilderness of Mount Horeb. Feeling somewhat safe there, his fear and consequent depression no longer control him completely. Now God begins to deal with his depression. He starts by asking why he is there.
Elijah’s answer was totally self centered. "I have tried so hard to serve God when everyone else turned away, and now I’m the only one left and they are trying to kill me, and it is so unfair!" It is a typical response when a person allows his emotions to take control of his thinking. Until that hold is loosened, they are unable to consider anything else. Feeling somewhat safe, Elijah could finally begin to think about why he felt that way. With his logic back in control, God could show him what he needed to resolve his problem.
“And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (I Kings 19:11-12)
Humans seem always to be focused on the big and powerful things as evidence they are from God. Hurricane winds blow down trees and houses, but even they don’t break rocks. The wind God sent did, but God wasn’t in the wind. Even a small earthquake is more powerful than anything man can build, but while God caused it, he wasn’t in it. Then he sent a fire. Despite all the government’s immense resources, and our experience with using and controlling fires, forest fires burn thousands of acres of forest and property annually. God wasn’t in the fire either. God doesn’t even have to personally involve himself to defeat anything man can do.
Last of all God spoke in a still small voice. No yelling, no cursing or anger. Just a soft calm voice that most people would not have heard. People seldom notice what God does because they are focused on big things. I Corinthians 1:27-29 declares, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal had not been the result of a great organization or large a number of people serving God. It wasn’t even about Elijah’s spiritual power. Rarely are big exciting events and movements from God. He prefers to work in less obvious ways. He limited the size of Gideon’s army, and he sent persecution to break up the church at Jerusalem, so that only the apostles were left according to Acts 8:1.
“And it was so, when Elijah heard it that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.
And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (I Kings 19:13-14)
Elijah finally calmed down enough to hear and recognize God’s voice rather than just his emotions. This time he responded voluntarily by going to hear what God had to say. He responded with almost the same words he had used before, but with a different attitude. He recognized how silly his actions had been. If God could send fire from heaven to burn the sacrifices, a wind that broke rocks, an earthquake and a forest fire, he could deal with Jezebel’s threats.
“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” (I Kings 19:15-18)
Elijah had gotten eh message, and no repeating it was needed. Instead god gave him a new assignment, as if nothing had happened. He was to return to Israel, anointing Hazael as king over Syria, Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha as his own replacement. They would execute the judgment of God on those who would not obey.
He also pointed out that while Elijah had believed he was the only one serving God, there were actually seven thousand more in Israel. He wasn’t nearly as alone as he thought. His emotions had just led him to believe a lie.
Dear Donald,
ReplyDeleteIt is encouraging to read James' verdict on Elijah, that he was a man just like the rest of us, yet God used him mightily. When Elijah suffered depression, God did not chide him but used a still small voice to straighten him out and to encourage him. An excellent post.
Thanks, Frank.
ReplyDeleteI think it is critical we begin to understand how patient God is with us. When we do, we become far more patient with others.