Elijah's Fall Up the Mountain
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· 1 viewOur Father is patient and gentle with us as He powerfully loves us in the valley.
Notes
Transcript
I think Elijah would have loved movies. He seems to have a flair for the dramatic, a bit of a showman.
Elijah ends up on top of a mountain in the story we’re looking at, but he’s fallen into a valley. He’s in great despair because he feels like his ministry has failed.
All Christians will go through these times, through these valleys, as you seek to live for and honor the Lord. To minister in his name. You will be met with resistance. It won’t go the way you’re hoping for, the way you’re praying for. Scripture guarantees us that if we’re doing it right then there will be valleys and pits.
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
You may have a child or grandchild you’re praying will turn toward Jesus and follow Him and it just doesn’t even seem like they are interested. You may be a life group leader striving to lead your group to go deeper in the Word and in fellowship, but you feel like you can barely get people to show up. You may be a student trying to set an example at school or on your team, trying to stand for Jesus and invite others to Him, but people don’t notice your or, worse, make fun of you. Whatever it is, we will all have these times if we are trying to minister to others as we have been called to.
In this story, we can see how Elijah ended up in this valley, even mistakes he made to get in there. We’re going to talk about that, but because we need to understand where Elijah is to really get to point of the passage. It’s really hard to take Elijah’s situation and compare it to anything we’re going to walk through I think. I don’t want us to look at Elijah and see ourselves in him. What I believe is more helpful, what I want us to see is God’s character towards his children when they’re in a spiritual valley. God’s loving kindness to his children in the midst of the valley.
Our Father is patient and gentle with us as He powerfully loves us in the valley.
Our Father is patient and gentle with us as He powerfully loves us in the valley.
read and pray
The background
The background
Ahab and Jezebel
The drought & famine
Chapter 18. This is our God! Glory! Power! Righteous wrath! Elijah loves it! He’s bringing judgement on the idolatry of Israel in this massive way!
Four hundred and fifty verse one seems like really bad matchup, until we remember that the one is not Elijah but Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. That’s what Elijah’s name means, my God is Yahweh!
Review verses 1-8
Our Father is patient and merciful with his children.
Our Father is patient and merciful with his children.
Our Father is patient with us. God knows what Elijah is going to do, where he is going. He still provides for him and sustains him.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Review verses 9-13
Our Father is gentle and loving when his children hurt.
Our Father is gentle and loving when his children hurt.
God is gentle with him. He teaches him. He reminds him that He doesn’t always work is the big spectacular ways that is seems Elijah wanted, but that He works in quiet ways just as well. It’s not always about the big spectacle. God does this is the midst of this tantrum he’s throwing.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
This scene between God and Elijah makes me think of how I interact with my boys when they are just absolutely defeated over something. Usually it’s sports or school. But when they feel like they’ve given all they’ve got and they’ve done all they are supposed to do (they feel this way, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true) and all they’ve got left are tears. I’m not harsh in those moments. I don’t yell. I just take them in my arms and speak softly and try to help them see, try to reassure them, try to comfort them. That’s what God is doing here with Elijah. That’s what He does with us when we are feeling exhausted and defeated as we try to be a light for Him and point people to Him.
Review verses 14-18
Our Father offers his children hope in hurt.
Our Father offers his children hope in hurt.
God shows him that what he longs for is not lost, but it just isn’t going to happen the way he thought.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
God gently redirects him, points him back to the right path.
Our Father remembers his children.
Our Father remembers his children.
And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Isn’t God good!? Isn’t He generous!? Isn’t He kind to his children?!
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
He cares for us and gives us good things, better than we would choose for ourselves. When you’re in the valley, trust Him and his love, mercy, and plans for you.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
But remember, what we think is good is so often different from what He has decided is good. Trust Him!
Elijah wanted to see God’s glory and power in the defeat of sin for his people. His God Yahweh let him see what he longed for in the face of Jesus. He let him see and share in that victory over sin and death. He offers us a share in that victory as well, to all who will put their faith in Jesus and follow him, He gives the right to become his children…
I’ve heard before that Christians are either in the valley, headed into the valley, or coming out of the valley. As you seek to serve God, to minister to others, to do his will, you will go through times where you feel defeated, depressed, like you can’t accomplish anything, like all your effort is in vain. It’s not. In those times, look up to Heaven. Look to our Father! Remember his character!
Our Father is patient and merciful with his children.
Our Father is gentle and loving when his children hurt.
Our Father offers his children hope in hurt.
Our Father remembers his children.