1 kings 19
God thus left Elijah to himself, to show that when he was bold and strong, it was in the Lord, and the power of his might; but of himself he was no better than his fathers. God knows what he designs us for, though we do not, what services, what trials, and he will take care that we are furnished with grace sufficient.
So far, Elijah has encountered serious yet less-than-overpowering opposition.
The queen sends a messenger, because she is afraid to confront Elijah in person, with a strong curse, may the gods deal with me (v. 2); meaning either Baal Shemayim or all the Baals
She threatened to take his life in 24 hours in retaliation for his slaughtering the 450 Baal prophets.
His eyes were on his circumstances rather than on the LORD
Jezebel now caused the prophet to be afraid, and he ran for his life (v.
He concluded that he was no better than his deceased fathers (v. 4), a statement that simply means “Take my life; I am as good as dead already
Seemingly, whenever individuals undertake great things for God, they can expect renewed opposition, often quite vicious in nature
Religion is a very dangerous thing—if it does not make a person very much better, it will make that person very much worse (cf. C. S. Lewis, writing to his friend and former student Dom Bede Griffiths, dated December 20, 1961 [Lewis 1966:301]).
But this chapter (ch 19) can be very instructive to the many would-be Elijahs in the world who have just had (literal or metaphoric) mountaintop experiences, but then are, as it were, quickly and cruelly blindsided by the enemy. We all have been there, I suspect. Fortunately, God took care of Elijah’s depression by speaking to Elijah and encouraging his downcast spirit (see next section).
Elijah’s answer completely devalued what had happened on Mt Carmel. He ignored God’s victory over Baal as though it had achieved nothing
By implication, he dismissed the people as utterly faithless. He disregarded the faithful Obadiah and the possibility that there might have been many more like him. Perhaps he saw Obadiah’s position in the royal court as a sign of weakness and compromise. Once again, he stated that he was the only prophet of Yahweh left alive (cf. 18:22), thus setting no value on the hundred prophets which he knew had been concealed in caves by Obadiah. Presumably because they had not stood up to be counted they were swept aside as hopelessly ineffectual. Elijah, now (ironically) sheltering in his own cave, conveniently overlooked the fact that he had lived in hiding himself for three years and had shown his own weakness by running away.
These events provide a vivid demonstration that God is not always at work in ways which are visible and dramatic. He may choose to be present silently. Elijah’s diagnosis of the situation he had left behind was therefore challenged, for God can work in ways which even his servants cannot detect.
depression and discouragement seem to have stemmed from his skewed perspective
Elijah leaves his servant there and proceeds into the desert. He admits defeat in that, in his human strength, he fails as his ancestors also had in keeping Israel faithful to the Lord. An angel sent by the Lord ministers to him. The Lord watches over his servant and provides food again in an unusual manner (1 Kings 17:1–6). Elijah is commanded to go to Horeb (Sinai), where Moses had ministered
“What are you doing here?” is intended to make Elijah fully aware of who he is, where he is, why he is there, what brought him there, and that it is the Lord who is in charge of his life and work
(1) He has been zealous for the Lord; his love for the Lord had motivated him to challenge Ahab, the Baal prophets, and Jezebel. (2) Israel has rejected the covenant the Lord made with his people and their rulers; they have rejected the Lord, his name, person, promises, blessings, gift of life, and love. (3) Israel has destroyed the system of worship which the Lord commanded. (4) Israel has put the prophets to death. Those appointed to proclaim and apply the Lord’s Word to life have been destroyed. The living Word is thus rejected and silenced. (5) Elijah has stood alone as a prophet and now his life is threatened. He, the last remaining spokesman, has been silenced by a threat on his life—a threat that is real and would have been carried out had he remained in the land of Israel.
The Lord’s response to Elijah is similar to what Moses heard after Israel had committed spiritual fornication with the golden calf (Exod. 34:6–7). He is to position himself so that he can witness the actual presence of the Lord. Elijah, who may have expected a visible, overpowering demonstration of the Lord, as on Mount Carmel, experiences three possible manifestations: a strong wind, a rock-splitting earthquake, and a fire. But in a still small voice, in complete silence, the Lord makes Elijah aware of his presence. It is with the Word, not with power, might, or overwhelming forces, that Elijah is challenged. Elijah again states his case. He does not get an immediate reply to his problem. But he is encouraged by the Lord’s presence.
Elijah’s faith may have crumbled due to physical and emotional exhaustion. Although his future still included several tasks, it may be significant that his next task was to choose his successor. Beer-sheba, about a hundred miles south of Mount Carmel, served as a traditional southern boundary for Israelite territory (Jdg 20:1; 2Sm 24:2).
for his faith suddenly failed him
The threat produced the intended effect
Seemingly Elijah preferred to work alone
For whatever reason—fatigue, lack of faith, or a sense of resignation at the prospect of never having peace—Elijah flees. He fears death the way Obadiah did (18:9–14).28
DeVries thinks “Elijah interprets Jezebel’s personal attack on him as the end of his ministry.”29
After “a day’s journey into the desert,” an exhausted Elijah says he wants to die, which, ironically, is the opposite desire to what he expressed by fleeing into the desert in the first place
Now God begins to renew his faith by miraculously feeding him. In other words, the Lord ministers to him as in the past. Twice an angel feeds him, thereby giving him strength to travel to “Horeb, the mountain of God.” Elijah knows God exists in Israel, Phoenicia, and the desert. He knows God revealed himself at Horeb, the mountain of Moses’ calling and the giving of the covenant (cf. Exod 3–4; 20–24). Here at another mountain Elijah will decide for himself if the Lord is
Indeed, the fact that he dismisses his servant in Beersheba, the southernmost point in Judah, then goes a day’s journey farther may indicate he has given up his ministry altogether
4. To ask God to Take my life will always get a sure reply. But God will take his servant to himself in his own time and manner (2 Kgs 2:11). It is not up to us to ask for death but for life.
Elijah Fasts to Commune With God at Mount Horeb
1 Ki 19:7–18 records a 40 day fast performed by Elijah at Mount Sinai. It was proclaimed by God. The reason was a journey. As a result, God spoke with Elijah.
Elijah spoke only of the Lord’s prophets being killed (cf. 18:13a); he made no mention of Baal’s 450 prophets who were killed.
Fear and discouragement caused him to see only the dark side
All he could think about was that, of all the prophets, he alone [was] left, and his life was in jeopardy (vv. 10, 14).
19:11–14. While still in a state of despair, Elijah was told to stand on the mountain
Less immediate, but nonetheless quite compelling, is the parallel between Moses and Elijah, both fierce servants of God who were not allowed to see the final fruit of their labors. Moses was eventually forbidden to enter the Promised Land, and Elijah did not personally experience the final triumph of Yahwism over Baalism in his lifetime; both had to trust that their successors (Joshua and Elisha, respectively) would meet with greater success.
commented on the nature of complaint in the Bible, and in particular how it is handled in the books of Ruth, Jonah, Job, Jeremiah, and here in 1 Kings (and also, in the portrayal of Jesus’ passion in the synoptic Gospels).
After all, in the New Testament, these are the only two figures who have the honor to appear with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (see Matt 17:1–9; Mark 9:2–10; Luke 9:28–36). And in the Christian Old Testament canon (Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox), these are the only two figures worthy of citation in the final verses of the final book (Mal 4:4–6), “Remember to obey the Law of Moses, my servant.… Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the LORD arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers.” Our own prayer should then be, let that day, the day of Moses and Elijah, soon come—Maranatha!
Elijah was certainly a hero, but apparently toward the end of his ministry he had become worn out and needed to transfer the prophetic ministry to another (for more on this section, see Michael G. Vanlaningham, “Paul’s Use of Elijah’s Mount Horeb Experience in Rom 11:2–6: An Exegetical Note,” The Master’s Seminary Journal 6 [Fall, 1995]: 223–32).
The message God seems to have intended for Elijah is that whereas He had revealed Himself in spectacular demonstrations of His power in the past at Kerith, Zarephath, and Carmel, He would now use Elijah in gentler, less dramatic ways.
Elijah was not left alone as he had supposed, and also that a helper should at once be raised up for him. Thus all his complaints are answered and provided for
When the Saviour said to one and to another, Follow me, the dearest friends and most profitable occupations were cheerfully left, and the most arduous duties done from love to his name. May we, in like manner, feel the energy of his grace working in us mightily, and by unreserved submission at once, may we make our calling and election sure.
