The
events in 1 Kings 19:1-9 occur just after Elijah and God have won
the challenge against the gods of Baal. As a result of the deaths of the
prophets of Baal, Queen Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah. Elijah has been
forced to flee for his life.
Elijah
was discouraged. He had faced setbacks in his work. He was hungry, alone,
tired, discouraged and lonely. He was vulnerable and made a rash decision-he
wanted to die. Discouragement happens in life, but to be discouraged is a
choice. Some of you faced discouragement when you were forced to move here to
Queens Manor because of age or other health concerns, and some of you might
have become discouraged and wanted to die, but you didn’t give up. You hung in
there and made the best of the situation.
Elijah’s
forty days in the desert parallels Israel’s forty years of wandering in the
wilderness and Moses’ first trip to Mount Horeb. Will Elijah find God like
Moses did? If he does, will it make a difference in his attitude? The answer to
both questions is yes. God corrected Elijah’s impression that he was the only
righteous person in the land. In fact, Elijah had seven thousand brothers and
sisters in Christ in the land. Elijah fled not to escape death, but to have a
spiritual retreat with God where he could pour out his troubles, concerns and
feelings. He needed the power of the Holy Spirit to help him overcome his
difficulties.
Part of Elijah’s problem was that he did not keep his spiritual armour on. The devil likes to attack after moments of great spiritual triumph. These are times when we are the most vulnerable spiritually. The devil attacked Jesus right after his birth when Herod plotted to kill the baby Jesus. The devil tempted Jesus during his 40 days in the wilderness after his baptism. When Elijah reached the end of his rope, God was there for him just like he is there for us when we want to give up. God sustained Elijah with bread, meat and water, just like the bread and wine we consume during Holy Communion help to sustain us spiritually.
We
do not have to give in when we face discouragement. We can pray to God for the
strength we need to face any setbacks life throws at us. Being with God in
prayer and careful study of His Word will help us stay faithful. God’s grace
and provision helped Elijah, and it still helps us today. Elijah had to learn
to trust God, and we also have to learn to trust God. Just because we don’t
hear from him doesn’t mean he is silent. He is still at work in our lives.
We,
like Elijah, needed to learn several lessons:
2.
We need to
focus our lives on God.
3.
We need to
humble our hearts and thoughts before God. We must remember that we are no
better or no worse that believers who have gone before us.
4.
We need
physical rest, because tired bodies will pull down our spiritual lives.
5.
We need God’s
touch in our lives.
6.
We must trust
God.
7.
We must pray
to God.
8.
We must obey
God.
9.
We must lean
on God, especially when times are tough.
10.
We must study
his word faithfully.
11.
We must
forsake the world and its evil nature.
12.
We must be
God’s servants on the earth.
We,
like Elijah, need to heed the words of the apostle Paul. We are called on to
act in a manner that pleases God. Elijah’s actions did not please God, but God
still gave him what he needed to persevere in faith. We are called on to be
united in Christ. We are to be one body that is wholly obedient to God. There
is strength and unity in numbers. When we work together to complete the tasks
he gives us, others will see our example and will want to glorify him.
Bibliography
1.
ESV Study
Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible Software package.
2.
Jamieson, R.,
Fawcett, A.R. & Brown, D.: Commentary
Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (OAK Harbour, WA: Logos
Research Systems Inc.; 1997)
3.
Dilday, R.
& Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s
Commentary Series, Vol. 19: 1,2, Kings (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.;
1987)
6.
Jude
Siciliano, O.P.: First Impressions, 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time,
(B). Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
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