1 Kings 19:9-10 Nature of unbelief and fear!

 “And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”” I Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He went into a cave: Literally, the Hebrew is definite describing the cave. “The cave may well have been the specific ‘cleft of the rock’ where God appeared to Moses (av, Exodus 33:22) rather than the ‘cave-region’ generally.” (Wiseman)

i. “Perhaps no spot on earth is more associated with the manifested presence of God than that sacred mount.” (Meyer)

b. What are you doing here, Elijah: God knew the answer to this question, but it was good for Elijah to speak to the LORD freely and to unburden his heart.

i. “God has ways of teaching all of us in our bones and in our flesh, but he specially knows how to do this with those upon whom he puts any honor in his service. You must not marvel, if God should be pleased to bless you to the conversion of souls, that he should also make you sometimes smart.” (Spurgeon)

c. I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts: Elijah protested to God, “I have faithfully served You and now look at the danger I am in.” To Elijah - and many servants of God since - it seemed unfair that a faithful servant of God should be made to suffer.

d. I alone am left: This was not accurate, but it reflected how Elijah felt. Even back at the confrontation at Mount Carmel, Elijah said I alone am left a prophet of the LORD(1 Kings 18:22). Discouraging times make God’s servants feel more isolated and alone than they are.

d. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life: Strangely, the reasons Elijah provided were actually important reasons for him to remain alive. If he really was the last prophet or believer alive, should not he seek to live as long as possible? If the enemies of God like Jezebel wanted him dead, should he not seek to defeat her wicked will? Elijah, here, powerfully showed the unreasonable nature of unbelief and fear. (Guzik)

Nature of unbelief and fear!

We are only human and if we are honest with ourselves we all have at one time or another felt like Elijah with a nature of unbelief and fear. But we must not forget that the Lord is always with us!

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”” Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I know my home is in heaven and one day I look forward to seeing Jesus! 

The Lord is my helper, is He yours?

Blessings 

1 Kings 19:5-8 Rest and Replenishment!

 “Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. As he lay and slept under a broom tree: This was the mercy of God extended to Elijah. Physically speaking, he needed rest and replenishment. God gave him rest under a broom tree, and provided miraculous food for the replenishment.

i. God first ministered to Elijah’s physical needs. This is not always His order, but physical needs are important. Sometimes the most spiritual thing a person can do is get enough rest and replenishment.

ii. “And how many are there at this day that sit under Elias’s juniper, willing and wishing to lay down that heavy burden imposed upon them by the Almighty!” (Trapp)

b. So he ate and drank, and lay down again: Elijah received this rest and replenishment repeatedly from the LORD. One quick nap and one quick meal wasn’t enough.

i. “Before entering into that communion with him which was for the correction of his false attitude of fear, He commanded him to eat, thus ministering to his physical weakness.” (Morgan)

ii. “The spirit needs to be fed, and the body needs feeding also. Do not forget these matters; it may seem to some people that I ought not to mention such small things as food and rest, but these may be the very first elements in really helping a poor depressed servant of God.” (Spurgeon)

iii. “It was very gracious for God to deal thus with his servant. We might have expected rebuke or remonstrance, chiding or chastisement; but we would hardly have expected such loving, gentle treatment as this.” (Meyer)

c. Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you: God set Elijah on a 200-mile, 40-day trip to Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai. This shows that God did not demand an immediate recovery from Elijah. He allowed the prophet time to recover from his spiritual depression.

i. “Elijah’s forty-day journey is not without significance. Indeed, a straight trip from Beersheba would require little more than a quarter of that time. Therefore the period is designedly symbolic. As the children of Israel had a notable spiritual failure and so were to wander forty years in the wilderness, so a defeated Elijah was to spend forty days in the desert.” (Patterson and Austel)

(Guzik)

Rest and Replenishment!

As we grow older our body tells us when we need rest and replenishment! But what do we do when our soul needs rest and replenishment?

I am reminded of a couple verses, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If you find yourself needing rest and replenishment like Elijah take your burdens to Jesus and find rest and replenishment in His loving arms.

Blessings 

1 Kings 19:4 It is Enough!

 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!””

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness: Beyond the distant city of Beersheba, Elijah secluded himself even more.

b. And he prayed that he might die: This mighty man of prayer - mighty enough to make the rain and the dew stop for three and a half years, and then mighty enough to make it start again at his prayer - now he prayed that he might die.

i. Thankfully, this was a prayer not answered for Elijah. In fact, Elijah was one of the few men in the Bible to never die! We can imagine that as he was caught up into heaven, he smiled and thought of this prayer - and the blessed no that answered his prayer. To receive a no answer from God can be better than receiving a yes answer.

c. It is enough: We sense that Elijah meant, “I can’t do this anymore, LORD.” The work was stressful, exhausting, and seemed to accomplish nothing. The great work on Mount Carmel did not result in a lasting national revival or return to the LORD.

i. Perhaps Elijah had especially hoped that the events on Mount Carmel would turn around Ahab and Jezebel and the leadership of Israel in general. If so, Elijah forgot that people reject God despite the evidence, not because of the evidence.

ii. “Elijah said, ‘It is enough,’ yet it was not enough even for his own enjoyment, for the Lord had more blessings in store for him… It was so with Elijah, for he was to have that wonderful revelation of God on Mount Horeb. He had more to enjoy, and the later life of Elijah appears to have been one of calm communion with his God; he seems never to have had another fainting fit, but to the end his sun shone brightly without a cloud. So it was not enough; how could he know that it was? It is God alone who knows when we have done enough, and enjoyed enough; but we do not know.” (Spurgeon)

d. Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers: When Elijah examined the apparent failure of his work, he instinctively set the blame on his own unworthiness. It was because he was a sinner as the rest of his ancestors that the work seemed to fail. (Guzik)

It is Enough!

Like Elijah, there have been times in my life where I cried out to God, it is enough take me home! Recently was early Easter morning when I was overcome with pain and my whole body was shaking. It came out of nowhere and overwhelmed me. Unfortunately the hospital didn’t figure it out that morning and when I ended up in the ER the following day with 103* temperature and they found the culprit, my gallbladder wanted out!

Elijah was depressed and rightly so. But God comforted him and gave him encouragement to continue to do His will.

Have you ever cried out, it is enough?

Blessings 

1 Kings 19:1-3 In Scripture!

 “And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.” ‭‭I Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done: The report came as a great shock to this champion of Baal and Astarte worship in Israel. She thought so much of these priests that she supported them from the royal treasury, and now they were dead at the hand of Elijah.

b. So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time: Jezebel heard about all that Elijah had done, encompassing the great confrontation at Mount Carmel. Yet her response was not to say, “The silence of Baal and the fire from Yahweh proves that I am wrong and Yahweh is God.” Instead, she responded with a vow to kill within 24 hours the man who exposed the lie of Baal worship and displayed the glory of Yahweh.

i. “He probably thought that the miracle at Carmel would have been the means of effecting the conversion of the whole court and of the country, but, finding himself mistaken, he is greatly discouraged.” (Clarke)

c. When he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba: We cannot say for certain if this was led of God or not. It is clear that God wanted to protect Elijah, but we cannot say if God wanted to protect him at Jezreel or protect him by getting him out of Jezreel. Nevertheless, Elijah went about 80 miles south to Beersheba.

i. “Probably Elijah had played into Jezebel’s hand. Had she really wanted Elijah dead, she surely would have seized him without warning and slain him. What she desired was that Elijah and his God be discredited before the new converts what had aided Elijah by executing the prophets of Baal.” (Patterson and Austel)

ii. “Elijah failed in the very point at which he was strongest, and that is where most men fail. In Scripture, it is the wisest man who proves himself to be the greatest fool; just as the meekest man, Moses, spoke hasty and bitter words. Abraham failed in his faith, and Job in his patience; so, he who was the most courageous of all men, fled from an angry woman.” (Spurgeon)

(Guzik)

In Scripture!

There is an acronym for the Bible, basic instructions before leaving earth. If we study scripture we will learn that all men are sinners with faults but God still pursues them and uses them with all their weaknesses! 

In scripture we learn:

NOAH got drunk.

ABRAHAM was too old.

ISAAC was a daydreamer.

JACOB lied.

LEAH was ugly.

JOSEPH was abused.

MOSES was a murderer and couldn’t talk because he stuttered.

GIDEON was afraid.

SAMSON had long hair, was afraid, was lustful and broke his vows.

RAHAB was a prostitute.

JEREMIAH and TIMOTHY were too young.

DAVID was a murderer and adulterer.

ELIJAH was suicidal, failed where he was the strongest and ran in fear.

ISAIAH preached naked.

JONAH ran from God.

NAOMI was a widow.

JOB went bankrupt.

JOHN THE BAPTIST ate bugs.

PETER denied Christ.

The DISCIPLES fell asleep while praying.

MARTHA worried about everything.

MARY MAGDLENE was demon possessed.

The SAMARITAN WOMAN was divorced…more than once…

ZACCHEUS was too small.

PAUL was a murderer.

TIMOTHY had an ulcer.

and LAZARUS was dead!

For some, being mentioned in scripture is an honor and a living tribute for their faith.

I am sure glad I’m not mentioned in scripture with all my sins laid bare!

What about you?

Blessings 

1 Kings 18:45-46 Run!

 “Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. There was a heavy rain: God’s word through Elijah was proved true. The long drought was over, and it was demonstrated that the prayers of Elijah both withheld the rain and then subsequently brought the rain.

b. Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab: This was an obviously supernaturally empowered 14-mile cross-country run. We don’t know exactly why it was important to God for Elijah to reach Jezreel first; perhaps it was so that he would be the first to tell Queen Jezebel.

i. “To demonstrate that he was neither ashamed of, nor afraid for, what he had done, though he knew how Jezebel would resent it, but durst venture himself in the midst of his enemies, as being confident of the Divine power and protection.” (Poole)

ii. “That Elijah could have made such a run is assured in that Arab runners could easily cover one hundred miles in two days.” (Patterson and Austel)

(Guzik)

Run! 🏃 

Elijah was running for God and was supernaturally empowered. 

But we have two choices, run to God or run from God!

Jonah chose to run from God! “But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” ‭‭Jonah‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

But like Jonah when we run from God He will run after us!

“Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When we run from God sometimes the Lord has to bring us low to get our attention! Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, and what did he do? He prayed!

Are you running to or from God?

Blessings 

 

1 Kings 18:41-44 Incite to Prayer!

 “Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”” I Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭41‬-‭44‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain: Elijah knew that once the official worship of Baal had been defeated, the purpose for the drought was fulfilled. Rain was on the way. Elijah and Ahab would now each do what they wanted to do - Elijah would pray and Ahab would eat.

b. He bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees: This was an unusual posture of prayer for Elijah. He wasn’t kneeling, he wasn’t sitting, he wasn’t standing, and he didn’t lay prostrate before the LORD. This shows that the power in prayer resides in faith in the living God.

i. “We scarcely recognize him, he seems so to have lost his identity. A few hours before, he stood erect as an oak of Bashan; now, he is bowed as a bulrush. Then as God’s ambassador he pleaded with man; now as man’s intercessor he pleads with God. Is it not always so - that the men who stand straightest in the presence of sin bow lowest in the presence of God.” (Meyer)

c. It came to pass the seventh time: This was stubbornly persistent prayer. It was as if Elijah would not take “no” for an answer, because he had confidence that God’s will was to send rain. He stubbornly furthered the will of God by his persistent prayer.

i. “Go again seven times; let us not be dejected for some disappointments, but continue to wait upon God, who will answer me, and that speedily.” (Poole)

ii. “God’s promises are given, not to restrain, but to incite to prayer. They show the direction in which we may ask, and the extent to which we may expect an answer They are the mould into which we may pour our fervid spirits without fear.” (Meyer)

d. There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea: Elijah prayed, asking in faith for God to send the rain. Elijah obviously sensed this was the will of God, yet it was his fervent prayer that brought the rain. The evidence of the rain came slowly and in a small way, but out of this small evidence God brought a mighty work.

i. In the November 9, 1904, edition of The Life of Faith, a London newspaper dedicated to the deeper life movement, a writer named Jessie Penn-Lewis reported on a remarkable work just beginning in Wales under the ministry of men like Evan Roberts and Seth Joshua. She reported that a cloud no bigger than a man’s hand had arisen in Wales. It was a fitting description of the clear but small beginning of what became a mighty work.

ii. Charles Spurgeon used this text as an illustration of the small signs that precede a mighty work of God. He spoke of four “certain signs and tokens for good which prayerful faith clearly perceives when an awakening, a genuine revival is about to come.” Christians should regard the following things as clouds, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea:

· A growing dissatisfaction with the present state of things, and an increasing anxiety among the members of the church for the salvation of souls.

· When this anxiety leads believers to be exceedingly earnest and importunate in prayer.

· When ministers begin to take counsel one with another, and to say, “What must we do?”

· When we shall see the doctrine of the individual responsibility of each Christian fully felt and carried out into individual action.

e. Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you: This was a word of faith from Elijah to Ahab. Based only on the sighting of a cloud that was as small as a man’s hand, he knew a torrent was on the way. (Guzik)

Incite to Prayer!

We pray daily before each meal, praying for the world as pastor Robert would say while the food gets cold! But recently during a health crisis with two visits to the emergency room my spirit prayed more fervently. You could say I was incited to prayer. In times like this even if we are unable to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As adopted children of God through Christ, when we are physically unable to pray, our Father in heaven knows what we need just as our earthly father who loves his children knows what they need.

That is love, and there is none greater than the love of Jesus going to the cross for us!

What incites you to prayer?

Blessings