Elijah’s Ministry During Ahab’s Reign

Transcript

GRS 2-97
2/3/2008
Elijah’s Ministry During Ahab’s Reign
1 Kings 19
Gil Rugh

We are studying really Ahab, the king of Israel but we are studying Elijah the prophet of God in First Kings Chapter 19. Overall we’re moving through the history of Israel, but we’ve come to the reign of Ahab and his infamous wife Jezebel who reign over the northern ten tribes. And in the ugliness if you will of the reign of Ahab you have the great Prophet Elijah come on the scene.

If you didn’t get a copy of the list of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah you could pick them up, there’s some I’m sure available at the South Information Center. Just to help you keep in perspective where we are in the lists of Israel’s kings and if you have that list you’ll note that we’re under Israel’s kings. The focus of this activity and Elijah’s ministry is in the northern kingdom. And Ahab is the eighth of the northern kingdom’s kings and reigned from 874 to 853.

We’ve looked at some of the life and ministry of Elijah already and it’s an encouraging section of the word of God for us, sometimes hard for us to appreciate and realize that the men and women of God that we have recorded for us in the scripture were people just like us. And they face the same kind of difficulties, struggles, battles that we do. And at times we read their lives, we see the mighty things that happen and we see them in somewhat on a different plain, but they had the same discouragement, same disappointments, sometimes seems like nothing’s happening. I am going nowhere; nothing’s been accomplished with my life and ministry.

Elijah is obviously a very unique man. Even among the prophets he stands out. Some would consider him the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Certainly the greatest of the non-writing prophets and that he never wrote any books that have been preserved for us like Isaiah did or Ezekiel did or other prophets. God raised him up at a low point in Israel’s history, I mean, Ahab and Jezebel, the king and queen if you will over the northern ten tribes. It is the time of spiritual compromise and really total apostasy among God’s people. Elijah has seen some mighty things happen. He prayed in the heavens; hold back the rain for three and a half years, not a drop of rain, terrible drought that brings famine and so on to the land, so he’s a man of mighty prayer.

We saw in Chapter 18 that he confronted the prophets of Baal, 450 prophets of Baal and Elijah. And here you are with King Ahab a godless man. And Elijah stands alone, challenges those 450 prophets, defeats them, not just defeats them, but humiliates them. Calls down fires from heaven after he has drenched his sacrificial offering with water, dug a trench around the altar of the offering, filled it with water and the fire comes down and consumes it. And then that section climaxed with Elijah having the 450 prophets of Baal executed and he did that without an army.

Well the people are assembled there and people can be fickle, and the emotion of the time carries them and they sees the mighty demonstration of God’s power in consuming Elijah’s sacrifice with fire, they’re ready to follow the god of Israel. So Elijah says bring all the 450 prophets of Baal down and we will execute them and they did. We’re reminded in the Book of James Chapter 5 verse 17 in the New Testament that Elijah was a man of like nature, a man with a nature like ours and we come into a section like that as we move to Chapter 19. The man who has such boldness, such courage, not afraid to come and confront Ahab who had been hunting everywhere within Israel and outside the bounds of Israel looking for Elijah and he couldn’t find him. Now Elijah presents himself and challenges Ahab for his godlessness.

And yet you come to Chapter 19 you know what we’re going to have, we’re going to have Elijah and it’s hard to believe it’s the same person disillusioned, discouraged, running, scared to death. The Jezebel is going to kill him. He’s a kind of man in Chapter 18, Chapter 17, Chapter 18 being the same man of Chapter 19. Always comes out of Jezebel’s response to Elijah’s great victory with the prophets of Baal. Sometimes you read this and we’re reading what is going on we forget there’s a tremendous amount of emotion and energy on Elijah’s part as he stands here. And after such a great victory we open up with Chapter 19 and we get Jezebel’s response and Elijah is not ready for it. He’s not ready for another battle. He’s not ready for another confrontation.

So look at Chapter 19. Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, because remember Ahab was there, he was the witness to these things. How he had killed all the prophets with the sword and you remember Jezebel had brought the worship of Baal into the northern ten tribes and established it as a major worship for the people of Israel. So in fact these were her prophets. Then Jezebel sent her messenger to Elijah saying "So may the Gods do to me and even more if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow by this time."

Jezebel is a remarkable woman; let’s see this, the characteristics of her life right up until the time of her death she gives not an inch. I don’t say that to her credit she is a Godless women but she is fearless in her Godlessness. And she is not one bit intimidated by Elijah. She is not one bit impressed that he’s had 450 of her prophets executed. Not one bit impressed that he could pray to the God of heaven and have the heavens stop the rain, that he could call down fire from heaven. Her response to Elijah is you got 24 hours and I’m going to do to you what you did to those prophets you’re going to be a dead man.

Now we like to think that Elijah throws his mantle over his shoulder and says just the kind of challenge I’ve been hoping for. I wasn’t afraid of Ahab, I wasn’t intimidated by the 450 prophets and that women is about to meet her end. And then you read verse 3, and he was afraid and arose and ran for his life. You know if I had been directing the writing of the scripture I probably wouldn’t have put this in. You know you like to delete those things that don’t put you in the best light but God chose to put it here. He ran to Beersheba and there he’s going to hide we’re all the way down south of Jerusalem.

So he’s gone from Jezreel up north of Jerusalem he’s gone 90 miles deep into the territory of Judah what is he doing? Well, remember we have the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom. He is fled totally out of the region of the northern kingdom where Ahab and Jezebel ruled, down deep into the heart land of the southern kingdom but he’s not done running. He’s going to run a lot further south before he’s done.

Let me just review with you, I made a list of 12 things that Elijah has experienced just over the last three and a half years and remember, Chapter 17 of Kings opened up, now Elijah the Tishbite, said to Ahab, we don’t know what went on he was already a recognized prophet but we’re not told anything else about his background but here’s some of the things that Elijah has experienced over the last three and a half years from the beginning of that drought in the beginning of Chapter 17. First the drought began in response to his prayers.

James 5:17 reminds us of that as well as 1 King 17. Elijah a man of like nature prayed and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. Secondly, God used the birds of the air to feed Elijah while he was hidden at the brook Kerith. In Chapter 17 verse 4 God said "I have commanded the Ravens to provide for you there" verse 6 the Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, bread and meat in the evening he would drink from the brook, remarkable. Thirdly, God provided a widow and commanded her to take care of Elijah in Zarephath where he moved after he left Kerith.

In Chapter 17 verse 9 "Go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." I mean seem like Elijah lives a life in the realm of the supernatural. The God of heavens speaking to him, the God of heaven supernaturally providing for him. The God of heaven responding to his prayers. In verse 14 of Chapter 17 God supernaturally multiplied the widow’s flour and oil under Elijah’s word verse 14 of Chapter 17 the bowl of flour shall not be exhausted nor shall the jar of oil be empty until the day that the Lord send rain on the face of the earth and it wasn’t. I mean day you go to that bowl of flour and take from it and make bread and the next day there’s as much flour there was the day before, the same with the oil. And what a miracle comes next the fifth event that I have listed.

Elijah raises this widow’s son from the dead. First record of a bodily resurrection in scripture the resurrection of the widow’s son in verses 17 to 24 and verse 22 of Chapter 17 the Lord heard the voice of Elijah the life of the dead child returned to him and he revived. You talk about a man who has access to God. I mean here’s a man who can pray over a child that’s dead and God hears and sends his life back so that he lives again.

The sixth thing that Elijah had experienced, he had boldly confronted Ahab for his sin in Chapter 18 verse 17 when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him "Is this you, you troublers of Israel?" And Elijah said "I have not troubled Israel but you and your father’s house have. You have forsaken the commandments of the Lord; you have followed the Baal’s. I mean he’s talking to Ahab; Ahab has the power, authority and soldiers to execute Elijah on the spot. Elijah doesn’t take one step back, I’m not the problem you are the problem. And you’ve brought this all on Israel.

Verse 21, Elijah challenged the whole nation to decide are you going to serve God or are you going to serve Baal. Elijah came near to all the people and said "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him." And he doesn’t have a great response here; the people just stand there silent. So you see here, Elijah standing alone humanly speaking and thus he has at the people of Israel just observing to see what’s going to happen. Ahab who hates him with a deep hatred he had boldness.

And eighth thing that Elijah experienced, he boldly challenge then mark the 450 prophets of Baal verses 22 to 27 challenges them to the event, he mocks them verse 27 it came about at noon, Elijah mocked them and said "Call out with the loud voice. O he’s God! Either he’s occupied or gone aside or on a journey. Perhaps he’s asleep he needs to be awaken." Doesn’t matter it’s 450 to one so what, your God doesn’t exist, you’re fools. He makes fun of them drives them into a frenzy. And then as we mentioned a ninth event, he had confidently not only called on God to consume his sacrifice by fire but first he drenches it with water, so that it is soaked and saturated not only the sacrifice but all the ground around the sacrifice. Here is a man who has full confidence that his God will respond. And then he prays and fire comes down from heaven. Tenth, Elijah had the 450 prophets of Baal executed in verse 40. Brought them down to the brook Kishon and slew them there.

Elijah is not a softy, I mean he’s a man he’s not afraid of the slight of blood. Here he’s going to have 450 men executed right on the spot. Eleventh, Elijah’s prayer about an end of the three and a half year drought verses 41 to 45. I mean this drought began with his prayer it ends with his prayer and James draws out to our attention as well in James 5:18 when he prayed again, it rained on the earth. And the last miracle that ended Chapter 18 verse 46 then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah he girded up his loins and out ran Ahab to Jezreel. Now you remember, at Mount Carmel they’re going over to Jezreel; Ahab’s going in his chariot. Elijah already told him you go as fast as you can to beat the rain, and yet God’s supernaturally enables Elijah to out run the chariot and get to Jezreel before Ahab.

All that’s going on in just the last three and a half years I don’t know what happened before. The scripture picks up the record of Elijah in Chapter 17 and you see it packed the lot in three and a half years. And now we see him on the run. He’s running because he’s afraid, he’s discouraged, he’s disillusioned. We see Chapter 18 as a tremendous victory and it was, but you know what, humanly speaking nothing’s changed. Elijah has made a dent it hasn’t made any impact on Jezebel at all and Ahab will go with Jezebel. So what have accomplished? Right back where started. Jezebel intends to have him executed and she’ll just appoint new prophets. And I know how fickle the people are they just follow along, I am accomplishing nothing. And he’s discouraged, he’s disillusioned, he’s afraid and now he’s on the run. He comes to Beersheba, which I said is 90 miles south of Jezreel where he had been so if you look on the map you’ve gone down south of Jerusalem significant way and he’s on his way to the Nagab all the way down south, all the way he’s going to Mount Sinai ultimately, so he’s really going as far down as he can go.

Verse 4 he himself went a day’s journey into wilderness, came and sat down under a Juniper tree, and here you see his total discouragement. He requested for himself that he might die and said "It is enough now O Lord! Take my life, for I am not better than my fathers." Lord it’s time for me to die. Now here’s a man who knows his prayers can get answers and his request to the Lord who has answered his prayers mightily as we just saw in the variety of ways now he says Lord, my request is you take my life. And I don’t see any purpose in my going on, I just can’t do it anymore, please let me die. God graciously provides for Elijah, he lay down and slept under a Juniper tree and behold there was an angel touching him he said to him "Arise and eat."

You see, Elijah’s life just seems to be lift in this realm of supernatural events. Here he is in this isolated, more isolated region he falls asleep and who wakes him up, an angel. And you know the angel is done, he’s prepared dinner "Arise and eat." He looked and behold there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. He ate, drank and lay down again I mean he’s wearisome I mean he’s been travelling on foot. You don’t carry the provisions he’s just been running for his life. I mean Jezebel gave in 24 hour notice you know it’s like the western get out town by tomorrow. Elijah’s on the run, he took it seriously and now the angel of the Lord prepares dinner for him so he can eat and then go back to sleep.

Verse 7 the angel of the Lord came again in second time and touched him and said "Arise and eat the journey is too great for you." You have long way to go more than you could endorse physically so I want you to take more nourishment. So he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the Mountain of God. And Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai where God gave the law to Israel. So he’s gone all the way down south into the Nagab region, God has provided a supernatural strength for him, he’s going to go forty days and forty nights on the basis of this meal that he’s just eaten.

Another evidence, not only does the angel come awake him and provide the meal for him, now he’s going to be supernaturally sustain so he can go forty days and forty nights on that meal. Eat your heartiest meal tomorrow then see if you can go forty days, forty nights without eating or drinking another thing. You won’t make it, but it’s a supernatural provision for Elijah it’s about 200 miles to Mount Horeb from Beersheba. Normally that trip would take fourteen or fifteen days. It’s going to take him forty days.

The extra time may have been due to Elijah’s weakening condition, may have been he’s just, not now he’s out of danger if you will from Jezebel because Jezebel can move the armies of Israel down into the southern kingdom without a war. So in that sense he’s safe from Jezebel but you know he’s just torn out, he’s discouraged. So obviously he’s not making much time. You know how it is when you’re discouraged, depressed down it seem like you don’t have the energy you’re just going along. For whatever reason it takes him over twice as long almost three times as long to make the trip.

These forty days and forty nights may have been part of God’s time of preparation for Elijah for ministry that is yet to be for him. Elijah’s going to get an answer to his prayer. The end of his ministry is insight. It’s going to be a different end and he asks God, he asks God to take his life. God’s going to respond to that prayer but in his own way. He’s going to bring Elijah’s ministry to an end in his own way. So before these events down here are done, Elijah will be instructed to anoint his successor. So in fact the God has told Elijah I’m going to answer your prayer your ministry will come to a conclusion here not immediately as Elijah was asking.

So these forty days and forty nights might have been part of God’s preparation time forty days and forty nights seem to be used a number of times in scripture for specific events. Moses was on Mount Sinai forty days and forty nights without food when God gave him the law. So a special time there back in Exodus 34 Christ was in the wilderness forty days and forty nights without food at the beginning of his ministry. Those two occasions were similar not there were forty days and forty nights and there was no food involved. So those two events with this with Elijah those two forty days and forty nights didn’t include any food. The spy’s searched out the land. Remember when the spy’s were sent to search out the land and they were there for forty days and then brought back a bad report so they spent forty years wandering in the wilderness.

The flood of Noah in Genesis 7 the rains fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights. So these forty days and forty nights are mentioned often about the indicate God uses those as special times for accomplishing special purposes that would seem to be involved here for Elijah as he is in this bare desert, rugged region if you will for forty days and forty days without food. And we’re not told anything about that except that he comes to Horeb but the end of the forty days and forty nights and he comes to mountain of God and do a cave and he lodged there.

It says he came there to the cave literally to the cave and from that, remember Mosses in Exodus 33 beginning with verse 18 he ask if he could see God and God said you cannot my face and live but he put him in the cleft of the rock and covered him and then Mosses was given the privilege of seeing the back of God as it’s referred to there. Some would take it that this is probably that cave because Elijah is going to have a similar experience to Mosses he’s on the same mountain and cave there could possibly be, not something we can’t know, but it’s an interesting connection that God has brought him to this same location at least the same mountain and perhaps the same cave or cleft in the rock. He’s there the word of Lord came to Elijah and it’s interesting how the Lord deals with this. "Elijah, what are you doing here?"

It’s an interesting question isn’t it? Elijah, what are you doing here, mean Elijah is the prophet to the northern kingdom to the court of Ahab and Jezebel. We’re 300 miles south what are you doing here Elijah? And now you see Elijah, nothing’s changed in his thinking during this time. He said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, killed your prophets with the sword and I alone am left and they seek my life to take it away. What am I doing here lord; well I’ve tried to be faithful to you. The people have forsaken you, they’ve forsaken the worship of you, they’ve destroyed the altars where they could worship you, they killed your prophets I am the only one left and now they’re after me.

Lord I am here because it’s all failed. I’ve been defeated, we’ve been defeated I don’t know what else to do. I am the only one left. And I’d be dead if they could have their way that’s what I’m doing here Lord. So you see he, he is discouraged. So the Lord said "Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And the Lord was passing by and a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. So you have this mighty wind like the tornado or the hurricane just uproots and borders and everything else are torn up by it. After the wind and earthquake, his demonstrations of the sovereign power of God. After the earthquake and fire but the Lord was not in the fire. These striking physical phenomenon are often accompaniments to the coming of the presence of the Lord. Remember on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19 the mountain trembled and quaked, the lightning flashed the fire caused the mountain and the people were terrified. Judges 5 you have that awesome physical indications of the presence of the Lord. Second Samuel 22 beginning with verse 8 you see the same kind of physical phenomena.

Psalm Chapter 18 verses 7 and following referred to the phenomena we won’t take time to turn these section but if you go there you see there’s often are accompaniments. Earthquakes, violent wind, fire with the lightening flashing so that it is a display of his awesomeness. In all of this it wasn’t brining the presence of the Lord to Elijah yet. After the fire at the end of verse 12 a sound of a gentle blowing and really what you have is the awesome God who could have come with the fierceness of the earthquake or the mighty winds or the devastating lightening and fire, he comes to Elijah and he’s discouraged, disheartened condition in a very gentle and kind way if you will.

Turn over to Psalm 103; Psalm 103 seems a fitting reminder. Psalm 103 verse 13, just as the Father has compassion on his children so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he himself knows our frame he is mindful that we are but dust. James remind us, Elijah was a man of like nature and Elijah has been a faithful prophet, he’s obeyed the word of the Lord, he’s done with God told him to do. Even he’s fleeing while it is a lapse of faith in one way it wasn’t a rebellion against the word of the Lord hadn’t told him he had to stay in Jezreel. So we see a lapse of faith but the Lord knows our frame. We are but dust. And so he comes to Elijah in this gentle way to encourage him.

In verse 13 back in First Kings 19 When Elijah heard it, this gentle wind and knows the presence of the Lord is here he wrapped his face in the mantle and it’s a sign of his reverence, the humility before the Lord. He’s not challenging God in any way here. He’s not accusing God of anything remember, what he has said is simply told God what has happened and its impact on him if you will. So he comes out with his face covered in reverence and humility before God and he stood in the entrance of the cave and behold a voice came to him said "What are you doing here Elijah" so a repeat. Elijah’s answer is exactly the same then he said "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts.

The sons of Israel has forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, killed your prophets with the sword and I alone am left and they seek my life to take it away." when I say kill me there will be no prophets representing the Lord God of Israel in that kingdom. You know interesting is the response of the Lord, Lord sends him back north all the way north beyond the northern kingdom he’s going to send him to Syria going to Damascus. So Lord said to him and he might could say I understand Elijah, been hard. I feel for your pain, he treats him gently but Elijah, your work’s not done yet so I want to tell you what your next assignment is.

He walked all the way down here now he’s going to walk all the way back. "Go on your way to the wilderness of Damascus," and when you’ve arrived there I have some things for you to do. These will have to do with his ministry that is yet to take place. He’s going to anoint a new king for Damascus over Syria, going to anoint a new king who will bring judgment on the house of Israel a new king over Israel who will be the king that will bring judgment on the house of Ahab and then he’s going to anoint his successor which is the indication that the end of his ministry is on the horizon because now your successor has been designated and you will spend time getting him ready to take your place.

So the Lord told him to go to the region of Damascus up there in Syria "You shall anoint Hazael king over Aram "and that’s the region that we would call Syria and this is significant, it is not part of Israel but Hazael’s significant is he will be used of the Lord to oppress Israel and punish Israel for their sin and their rejection of him that will be recorded in Second Kings Chapters 8 to 13. So it is yet a future event. So he’s appointing a king, anointing a king really outside of the realm of both the northern and southern kingdom of Israel, but he’s anointing this king because this king were the region of Aram or Syria will be used of God to bring his punishment and judgment on the Northern kingdom for their sin.

Secondly, "You shall anoint Jehu" verse 16 "The son of Nimshi, you shall anoint him king over Israel." Now if you have your list of Israel’s kings handy, you note Ahab is the eighth king over Israel Jehu will be the 11th king there’s two kings over the northern kingdom after Ahab. Why doesn’t Elijah anoint one of them? Because Jehu is the man appointed by God to bring judgment on the house of Ahab and it will be a devastating judgment on Ahab’s family and on Jezebel. As you’re familiar with the story he will be the instrument God will use to bring an end to Ahab’s ungodly line and ruling over the northern kingdom and that will be in Second Kings Chapters 9 and 10. So you see what’s happening you are anointing these individuals for future events and that will be after Elijah is off the scene.

His third responsibility, the end of verse 16 "You anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abel-Meholah you shall anoint him as prophet in your place." I’ve heard your prayer, your ministry will come to an end while you are there you anoint your successor. So if you will you can see, I don’t know if you want to say light at the end of the tunnel but the culmination of your ministry because your successor which is a reminder, God’s work in Israel is not done. What’s Elijah going to do, anoint two kings, future kings who will bring devastating punishment and judgment on the northern kingdom and on the house of Ahab and a prophet who will continue to represent God in Israel so that’s what is coming.

So verse 17 we’re told that these three men would be God’s appointed instruments to purge Israel of the Baal worship that Elijah apposed so strongly but to him it seem like he’s beating his head against the wall nothing’s happening. Verse 17 it shall come about the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death. The one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. While Elijah felt that he was overwhelmed all but defeated, Baal would be defeated. And his triad would be the instruments God would use. Elijah thought that he was all alone, "I alone am left" he has repeated to the Lord but there are seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed their knee to Baal.

Verse 18 here I will leave seven thousand in Israel over their knees that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him, kissed him in worship, adoration. Now that’s a lot more than just one but you think there are ten tribes in the northern kingdom. I mean you can only count seven thousand believers in how many people we said when Israel came out of Egypt probably talking 2 million people that count, Judah and Benjamin along with the northern ten tribes. That would’ve been around 1445 BC. We’re roughly 600 years later and with how many people in the northern kingdom two, three million I don’t know you only have seven thousand that’s not even one thousand in each tribe I mean it’s remarkable.

Now there are a lot more than just Elijah, Elijah thought it’s only me but you understand that you put these all together you have seven thousand in one and you can take your figure or check on some of the commentators and see what the estimate might be on Israel and divide that out for a percentage out of two or three million people or however many it would be you see what is Israel come to, seven thousand people who had not joined in the worship of Baal, I mean seven thousand true believers are left in the entire northern Kingdom all ten tribes added all together. God knows the hearts of everyone he said there’s seven thousand. So it’s a pitifully small number but God has account of everyone he knows everyone of them. He can give Elijah the account he doesn’t have to take a census. He simply tells Elijah how many there are so take heart you are not standing alone, there are seven thousand who have stood faithful and refused to bow the knee.

We pick up to what is most important to us in verses 19 to 21 the call and anointing of the Elisha the successor to Elijah. He departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him and he with the twelve. Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantel on him so Elijah comes up he takes the trough, his mantel off of himself around his shoulders and throws it over Elisha, no mistaking what is taking place here. Elisha has no misunderstanding at all. The prophet’s mantel is being transferred from Elijah to Elisha. Elisha knows exactly what is happening. He left the oxen ran after Elijah and said please let me kiss my father and my mother and then I will follow you. He said to me go back for what I have done to you.

So he returned from following him took the pair of oxen, sacrificed them, boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen gave it to the people they ate then he rose and followed Elijah and ministered to him. Elisha says is it alright if I say goodbye to my parents. Elijah says fine go ahead. There’s not hesitancy at all on Elisha’s part. In fact what he is doing here is demonstrating his absolute complete break where the life that he has had and his involvement with the family business if you will and the farming.

He takes the oxen and offers them as a sacrifice and he shares the meal and the fellowship meal here with the people and they ate and it literally burning his bridges. He has accepted the call the God has placed upon him through Elijah and I am severing all my involvement, It doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do with his family ever but he’s not going back to be a farmer, not going back to plowing with the oxen. So I have had this feast if you will a time of sacrificing to the Lord and fellowshipping out of this sacrifice with the people and that’s my break, there’s no going back.

Now he has joined Elijah he ministers to him. Aversive he’s the junior prophet if you will. And so he’s going to learn by being with Elijah and doing whatever Elijah wants him to do he will do. And obviously will the God’s power that enable him but you see here there’s a training process for Elisha that will now take place.

Alright let me just run through some of the things I’ve noted as we wrap this up. Some points for our own consideration. First, the most Godly people may become fearful and discouraged in their ministry and all of us in our service for the Lord go through these times Elijah did verses 3 and 4 and often there is no rational explanation, in other words after it seems like the Lord has used his in a greatest way something happens that seems like it shouldn’t have that impact on me but I am just discouraged.

I just lose heart just think that you know nothing’s really happening you know Elijah not sitting here reflecting on the wonderful things that have happened over the last three and half years, he’s thinking, I just can’t go on. The most godly people. So this is not a sign they’re not Godly, it’s a sign we are of human nature, when it happens at least we know it happened to other that are Godly as well. I had an opportunity to visit with a pastor who came to see me here recently. He said he’s discouraged, the work, the years I have put in and he said nothing’s happening. He says I am discouraged the people, the people I thought that were supportive of me, have indicated well maybe and I know him, he faithfully teaches, he says no I think maybe I just thought to resign.

Maybe we look at Elijah there are those times you know it isn’t easy that’s why the Lord enables us it’s easier to encourage someone else often than it is to encourage ourselves right. I mean I can tell someone else and encourage them with the word but it’s when I am down, that I have the hard time taking that encouragement I give to someone else and following my own advise code. Those are the times that others often come and encourage us.

Alright number 2 God graciously and lovingly provides for his discouraged servants even the physical necessity. I mean do not eat you know that just wears you down more than I am physically down. That adds to my emotional low if you will, my spiritual low. Now I am just down and here you see the Lord graciously in verses 5 to 8 those attitude is not well let Elijah go hungry for a while that will teach him to run. How many cowards in my service no, there he is worn out, tired angel wakes him up, feeds him. Now I am not saying angel is going to come and feed you so you may have to get out of bed and do it but did you get the point. Number 3 sometimes our service for the Lord may seem feudal and ineffective

Verse 10 you know everything is going against me. Verse 14 same story he repeats, I can’t measure the effect of my ministry, you can’t measure of the effect of your ministry I mean how we measure that by the response he can’t tell. So Elijah looked at it with all the mighty things that happened he said nothing is happening, all I can see is the failure. I mean there is no altars to the Lord in the northern kingdom, there is no prophets left to serve the Lord in the northern kingdom, they’re after me. What happened? Expect these years doing nothing fine stop the heavens so there is no rain. They still worship Baa, they still kill the prophets, they’re still after me so what’s the purpose of it all.

Sometimes we’re tempted and look at our ministries and say nothing’s happened. I sat with a pastor onetime years ago who has a great ministry. And he said Bill, you ever feel like just pack it in and leaving. Sometimes I think anything’s happening in my ministry. You know everyone goes through it and you go through it as you serve the Lord and you labor, you toil and you work with kids and you work with adults and sometimes you think there’s everything’s happening. Four, sometimes we may be tempted to think we’re all alone in our stand for the Lord, it’s only me that’s why we call it the Elijah complex. I think I get an Elijah complex, I’m the only faithful preacher left, I am the only one truly serving the Lord left. And then we can look around the church and think do we get that idea it seems like there may be at a time we’ve been working especially hard, we look around and say no, he cares only one here for myself into this and just part of it goes on.

Verse 5 a good reminder verses 11 and 12 God of awesome power and majesty, it seems like defeat is taking place but the awesome power of God is just as awesome. God is not back on his heels, he’s not going through a low time, he’s not trying to regroup, I mean he reveal something of his awesomeness here before he comes before to Elijah in a gentle way and that’s the sixth point, God countersense he speak to us in a gentle and loving way. And sometimes we’re to be the instruments of God we need to remember that, remember Second Corinthians 1 Paul says "God comforts us in all our affliction so we comfort those who are afflicted."

God doesn’t beat on Elijah here and tell him there’s no excuse to run from someone like Jezebel, there’s no reason or excuse to be afraid, there’s no excuse for discourage he doesn’t deal with him that way. He’s given him time to recover, he’s provided food for him, he’s led him get to a place where he is totally free from the distractions and threats and then he tells him now, here’s what you’ve got to do next. And it’s not a recovery program, its go back up north, go all the way to the region of Damascus anoint these three people. You get on with the ministry now and the work I have for you.

Ultimately God will defeat all his enemies that’s verse 15 to 17 it may seem to Elijah like it’s a losing battle; it is never a losing battle. I mean God made for his purposes allow his servants to be beaten down for a time but God is never beaten in the battle. So he can set out here, Elijah you know this will take place after you’re off the scene. But you know they will be defeated, Ahab’s family will be destroyed, Israel will be punished, he will deal with his enemies. A good reminder in eighth point that I have written the Lord’s work does not stand or fall with us.

Now put that in perspective God uses us but the Lord’s work doesn’t stand or fall with us. After Elijah, there will be an Elisha. God’s work won’t be over. I’m the only left I guess when I am gone there will be nothing no, there will be Elisha and God’s work will go on and you know what, we’re almost 3000 years from Elijah the work of the Lord goes on, right. God’s servants down through the years have proclaimed his truth. So a good reminder, we are not indispensible, we are blessed and privileged to be used of the Lord but should the Lord tarry there will be someone after us and we rejoice at that and praise the Lord for it.

And lastly, as Elisha, we have to burn our bridges I mean following the Lord is not something you do at your convenience. I realize Elisha has a uniqueness about him, but so do we, and so the Lord said, if you want to come after me you take up your cross and follow me, that’s it; that’s what’s involved. So it doesn’t mean that for many of us we don’t continue, we have responsibilities, occupations, but there are sidelined to help provide the support to enable us to do our service for the Lord because what our lives are about are what, our service for him. Encourage him, James reminds us, Elijah was a man of like nature like ours. You know why he’s writing that, to encourage us to be giants in prayer. He wasn’t some kind of unique superman. He was a man of like nature, but he prayed and God answered his prayer. So we have to take heart from that and that’s the context in which you find it in James 5 to be bringing our prayers, our requests before the God of heaven so that he might respond and do his work.

Let’s pray together. Thank you Lord for the man Elijah, and thank you in your sovereign plan you have recorded his up times and his down times. The times when he stands boldly alone against all the forces of the devil and he’s fearless, and the times when he is timid and afraid and running for his life, discouraged and disheartened, and yet in at all you are the unchanging God sovereign over all. Lord, we would take these lessons to heart in our own service for you and realize that the discouraging times come, the disappointments come, the times of fainting and lack of spiritual strength and stamina come, but in it at all you are the sovereign God and we can trust you to provide the strength and enablement the power to complete the tests you’ve give us. We praise you for that in Christ’s name, amen.