The Rest of God

Elijah went up against the prophets of Baal and God showed up and defeated them in a life alteringly powerful way as only God can do.

Despite this marvelous act of power and might of God, Elijah was still facing a lot and talk about being depleated?

Ever been so physically tired, drained and depleated you could not even think straight?

One thing Covid taught was to rest but I think that lesson has been short lived to say the least.

Prayer - God speak to our hearts and let us hear your voice clearly.

Elijah flees to the wilderness

1 Kings 19:1–3 NKJV

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

Ahab reports to Jezebel what Elijah did.

Jezebel threatens Elijah in 24 hours.

When Elijah heard this he ran for his life to the wilderness of Beersheba.

After all that Elijah saw God do, after all the powerful ways God used him he is depressed.

Elijah’s Depression

Elijah ran to the wilderness and hid under a broom tree - Juniper tree - and prayed that he would die.

It was a days journey to the wilderness - he needed to get away - seclusion

1 Kings 19:4 NKJV

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

He prayed for death - here is a mighty man of prayer - I mean he prayed to make rain and dew to stop for 3.5 years and mighty enough to make it start again.

Now here he is praying that he would die?

One of the few men in the Bible who never knew death.

“It is enough”- these are the words that he uses in his prayer to God. I believe it is an outcry “I can’t do this anymore!!”.

He experienced stressful work, exhaustion, and he seemed in his mind to accomplish nothing!

The great work on Mount Carmel resulted in nothing long lasting in Elijah’s mind. There was no long lasting national revival or return to the Lord.

I think Elijah may have hoped perhaps the events at Mount Carmel would turn Ahab and Jezebel and Israel’s leadership in general towards God.

I believe Elijah forgot people reject God despite the evidence not because of the evidence.

“it is enough” - it is God alone who knows when we have done enough and enjoyed enough, but we do not know.

Elijah prayed Lord take my life for I am no better than my fathers.

Elijah felt that he failed when he examined his work and instantly set blame on his own unworthiness. It was because he was a sinner as the rest of his ancestors that the work seemed to fail.

Being a servant of God is not an easy job. I need to sidebar here a little. It is time for us to stand with our pastors even more than we already do.

Our pastors need to know we love them, they matter, we support them, we lift their hands up and encourage them with intensity.

We don’t know what they are facing. We know that as a child of God we are under attack from the enemy but even more so our pastors are. They are leading the church, they are putting themselves out there and there is criticism, judgement and also abuse is something that this society is so good at. They need us and we need them. Let’s make sure they are feeling our love and support not just this month but always.

God’s ministry to the discouraged

1 Kings 19:5–8 NKJV

Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

God ministered to Elijah. But He starts in a way we may not look as the right way to start or where God would start.

As he lay and slept under the broom tree, God extended mercy to Elijah. God knew exactly what Elijah needed.

God knew he needed to rest. Everything is worse when you are tired and hungry isn’t it?

Think about it:

children’s melt downs

Hangry - snickers

Meme image

God knows what we need and when we need it.

God knew how to care for Elijah. It’s the basics of parenting, of caring, of nurture.

God tells him to have a nap, then have a snack (God provided the food too of course).

Then He says have another nap and another snack and go for a walk.

God cared for Elijah in the physical sense. He knew Elijah needed his physical needs met first.

Sometimes the most spiritual thing to do for someone is to care for them with food and rest.

Rest and replenishment is a spiritual need!!!

In our world today - we no longer rest well. People struggle to relax, unwind, and turn off their thoughts. No one here right?

We are always being reminded of self care, relaxation, rest, to take care of ourselves.

Sidebar:

Check out Blue zones on netflix if you want to see secret to living longer and you guessed it REST is super important.

Our world is continuous in motion, brain engagement, constant learning, little to no down time.

we always able to be reached - smart phones, satalite phones, cell phones etc

working more than one job

working 7 days a week, not taking days off

screen time overload

blue light eye damage

seretonin depleation - Circadian rhythms out of balance

no sabbath rest - continuous grind

And how many are there today that sit under the broom tree like Elijah did and wishing to lay down that heavy burden that’s been imposed on them.

“So he ate and drank and lay down again” - Elijah was allowed to rest and received rest and replenishment repeatedly. It was not a quick fix and back in the game. I love this most of all. God knew that he needed time and did not rush him.

Before God took the time to correct Elijah for the fear God took time for sweet communion with him. Genuine quality time to help, hear and heal.

Our spirit needs to be fed as does the body.

Don’t forget these matters. Food and rest are highly important and this helps a poor, depressed servant of God.

God certainly made sure He cares for these basic needs first.

It may seem funny to have to be reminded of this but we live in a time when we really need it.

We are seeing more people on stress leave, anxious, depleated, lost and a lot of it has to do with neglecting the basics.

God showed graciousness to His servant - some may have expected God to rebuke him or give him a lecture - but our God really cares about us.

Arise - eat - because the journey is too great for you.

God set Elijah on a 200 mile 40 day trip to Mount Horeb - Mount Sinai - the Mount where a lot of holy moments happened.

Perhaps no spot on earth is more associated with the manifested presence of God than on that sacred Mount.

God did not demand an immediate recovering from Elijah.

God allowed Elijah the time to recover from his spiritual depression. We are always in a rush and I am so thanful that God is not!

Elijah’s 40 day journey is not without significance. The children of Israel had a notable spiritual failure and wandered 40 years in the wilderness - so defeated Elijah was to spend 40 days in the desert.

God allows Elijah to vent his frustration

1 Kings 19:9–10 NKJV

And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

He went into a cave - the cave may have been the specific cleft of the rock where God appeared to Moses in Exodus.

Exodus 33:22 NKJV

So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by.

God revealed Himself to Moses and He also did the same for Elijah.

God asks the question: What are you doing here, Elijah?

God knew the answer. But God allowed Elijah to speak freely and unburden his heart. God has ways to teach us that He knows us so well. Better than we know ourselves.

He knows how to teach us and bless us.

If God should be pleased to bless you then know this He will also enlighten you.

“I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts”.

Elijah protests to God - I have served you faithfully and now look at the dangers I am in.

To Elijah (and so many servants of God), it seemed unfair that a faithful servant of God should be made to suffer.

“I alone am left” - not truth but it reflects Elijah’s feelings

You see here how discouraged he is.

Discouragement makes you feel more isolated and alone than you really are.

I alone am left and they want to kill me.

I am by myself (outnumbered) and my life is in danger.

Strangely the reasons Elijah provided were actually important reasons to stay alive.

He is a prophet shouldn’t he want to live?

Being a servant of God is not easy.

Being a believer, the last believer at that, wouldn’t you want to live as long as possible?

If enemies of God like Jezebel want him dead should he not want to seek to defeat her wicked will?

Elijah was knocked down, depleated, discouraged, and showed a deep level of unreasonable unbelief and fear.

God reveals Himself to Elijah

1 Kings 19:11–12 NKJV

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

Go out & stand on the mountain before the Lord. God knew what Elijah needed.

Elijah was depleated, depressed and discouraged.

He needed a personal encounter with God.

There is nothing wrong with Elijah’s theology but he needed a fresh experience with God.

Behold the Lord passed by. God brought His presence to Elijah.

Just like He did with Moses when Moses asked Him to show him His glory.

There are times when you just need to get away and allow God to speak to you. To allow God to replenish you in a way only God can.

God shows that He is:

not in the wind

not in the earthquake

not in the fire

Like many of us and Elijah, we look for God in dramatic manifestations and He does and can show up this way.

He does appear in such ways but He often appears in the less dramatic ways.

After the still small voice God actually met Elijah in a quiet whisper of a voice, instead of the earth shaking phenomenon that he lived through so publically.

Remember, Elijah didn’t get refocused until 40-45 days later. We need to give ourselves time. It’s tempting to give up and walk away from that which discourages us.

You may be tempted to walk away from things, or even your faith.  Rather than give up, hang on.  Please hang on.

Rather than quitting, seek to refocus and renew your heart in the Lord so that you can dig in.  

It is best to make no life-changing decisions when you are discouraged.  

Take the time to refocus.

If we had the chance to talk to Elijah after he returned from Horeb and asked him about his experience, I suspect he would tell us that this all happened because he took his eyes off the Lord.  

He focused on the mountain rather than the Mountain Mover. That can happen to us as well.  

In these times, we must reflect and listen.  We must remember that in this ever-changing world there is one constant . . . that constant is the Lord.  He is always present.  He is unwavering in His love.  He always has a plan and always knows the way home.

You and I will get discouraged in life.  

People will disappoint us.  

Circumstances will sometimes overwhelm us.   

What I hope we have learned today is that in those times we don’t need to run away, we need not despair.  

What we need to do is rest, refocus and listen carefully for the assuring whispers of His grace.