One thing I love about the Scripture is how it speaks to me. Whatever I need, I find comfort, peace, or direction. God’s divine love and care shine out of the pages, especially when I feel discouraged or less than adequate. The Scripture restores and reaffirms God’s gentleness and concern even when frail, weary, or doubting my ability. Look at the life of Elijah in the book of 1 Kings 17-19.
Israel’s history is full of rebellion against God. During Elijah’s time, King Ahab did more to provoke the Lord to anger than did all the kings of Israel before Him (1 Kings 16:33). And his Baal worshipping wife, Jezebel, was killing off the Lord’s prophets. Idolatry was rampant; they ignored God. So, God withheld rain.
After three years of severe famine, the Lord spoke to Elijah. “Go and show yourself to King Ahab, and I will send rain on the land” (1 Kings 18:3 NIV).
THE CRISIS
King Ahab blamed Elijah for the famine, calling him a “troubler of Israel.”
Elijah quickly replied, “I have not made trouble for Israel, but you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” (1 King 18:18-19). The King agreed and assembled the prophets on Mt. Carmel.
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull and prepare it first since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your God, but do not light the fire.” They called on the name of Baal all day. They shouted, danced around the altar, slashed themselves with swords and spears until blood flowed. But nothing. They kept on with frantic prophesying until the evening sacrifice. There was no response.
Then Elijah stepped up and repaired the Lord’s altar in ruins. He took twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, prepared the wood, the bull, and poured water over the sacrifice. Then he built a trench around it. They doused the sacrifice and altar with water three times until it filled the trench around.
Elijah prayed, “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you are turning their hearts back again.”
Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, stones, soil, and licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”
I wonder if Elijah’s heart skipped a beat in the excitement of seeing God’s display of glory and power, complete with fire that licked up everything! With a word, Elijah commanded the death of these idolatrous leaders who deceived the people into idolatry. “The God who answers by fire—he is God.”
Heavy rain came, and the Lord’s power came upon Elijah, and he ran to the city of Jezreel, arriving before the King in his chariot. Though God used Elijah in this miraculous event, now he would face the ire of Jezebel, who would challenge his very existence.
THE FEAR
Ahab retells the events of Mt. Carmel to his wife, Jezebel. She sends out a death warrant to Elijah. This man of power and might, now tired, depressed, feeling alone, and fearful, ran for his life (1 Kings 19:3).
After a day’s journey to the wilderness, Elijah arrived weary of the battle against evil. Elijah tells the Lord, “Please take my life now.” And he adds, “I am no better than my ancestors.”
GOD’S ASTONISHING CARE TO ELIJAH
Exhausted, Elijah went to sleep. After a while, an Angel awakened him and said, “Arise and eat.” Elijah ate and went back to sleep, still exhausted.
The angel came the second time and touched him, “So he got up and ate and drank.” Strengthened by that miracle food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God (v 8).
In our times of weariness, depression, and wondering about our usefulness in the Kingdom, the same God who cared for Elijah cares for us. Elijah had done a marvelous miracle in obedience at Mt. Carmel. Did Elijah think the Mt. Carmel showdown would turn the entire nation back to God immediately? Was he disappointed that God didn’t remove the evil rulers and button up the Kingdom right then? “God, I thought you were bringing reform NOW.”
I love how God cares for his children. Elijah had miraculous provision by an Angel — food, drink, rest, direction, and supernatural strength for the journey of 40 days. God’s love and tender care to the weary, worn prophet of God should encourage us in our times of doubt, weariness, and weakness.
On Mt. Sinai, God wasn’t done with Elijah or his ministry. In displays of a windstorm, a terrible blast of rocks, earthquake, fire, and a gentle whisper, God revealed his power and love to Elijah. The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came,” and gave him three significant assignments: anoint the King of Syria, anoint the King of Israel, and appoint Elisha as the next prophet of God.
Wicked King Ahab and Baal-worshipper Jezebel would be removed from leadership to come to a terrible death. There would be a new day in Israel, not according to Elijah’s timing, but God’s divine plan.
God wasn’t done with Elijah. Through these next leaders, God was bringing justice to Israel. God still had a victorious plan for fatigued Elijah. And, after the assignments of this faithful prophet, God took him to heaven in a chariot of fire and a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). God allows for human weakness, fear, and discouragement but provides ultimate love and care with a way back to the ministry He has called us to do.
GOD’S LOVE AND PROVISION ARE NEW EVERY MORNING
“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
In our deepest valleys of life, being persecuted by influential people, feeling weary and isolated, human emotions can cause us to despair. Yet, God finds us where we are and shelters, comforts, feeds, gives new direction, and sends us back to the work of the Kingdom. God’s care for Elijah in the highs and lows of his life, the miraculous and the desperate times, affirms His wondrous love and care when we are weary.
Better than anyone, God understands our frail nature. God knows our hearts and future. He knows how to get us to tomorrow, inspiring us, advancing us, and building the Kingdom of God within.