Elijah and Elisha 7

What does the verse on the wall behind me say? [P] [Isaiah 55:6 Seek יהוה while He lets Himself be found; call Him while He is near.] That is what I want to talk about this morning: seeking the LORD. [P] Have you ever encountered someone who dismisses Christianity because “the Bible is full of contradictions”? Usually, if you ask them to show you one, that is sufficient to silence them. But have you read: [Exodus 2:14 Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.”]? That is just after he killed an Egyptian slave master and left Egypt. But what about [Hebrews 11:27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.] Isn’t Hebrews contradicting what Scripture said in Exodus 2?! I think that the answer is in the Hebrew word for “fear” which is very similar to the word for “see”; [P] and in some forms appears the same. Moses saw what the situation was – that the people would not receive him as their ruler and deliverer and so he fled. We have the same thing in the passage before us today in 1 Kings 19; in verse 3 it says “and he was afraid” – your Bible may have a footnote that says that the Hebrew reads “see” – it is Greek and Latin translations that have influenced them to translate it “afraid”. The actual text says “see” – All that as a preliminary explanation so that you won’t jump up and down, and protest when I come to read that verse. We have been looking at Elijah [P] as a picture of the time leading up to the end – preparing the way, getting ready for the LORD’s return. We saw that it is spiritually dry times, there was a drought, but the man of God [P] is sustained by speaking God’s word, hearing God’s word and living God’s word. Those who find life in that time are the individuals, [P] not the nation as a whole – the resurrection life of Christ that comes by faith alone. We are servants of יהוה [P] and it is vital in these times that we know who we are serving, with no divided loyalty. At the end, the nation, the people as a whole, will be religious, but godless – a false religion without power – as we saw on Mount Carmel [P] all show and noise but no reality. We looked at false religion: the issue is who is GOD! [P] On Mount Carmel, Elijah called the people back to God – they acknowledged יהוה as God, there was the fire of judgment, the rain of blessing, God manifest as real! Dramatic! Supernatural! Indisputable! They responded “יהוה, He is God!” But were their hearts changed? Were their lives changed? Did they seek after God? There was no national revival, no turning from idolatry, no restoration of worship of יהוה. What more could be done?! The worship of יהוה was falling apart! The direct intervention of יהוה Himself had no effect! At the end, there will be mighty signs from God, people will know it is God, but still they will not turn to Him! What do we do when we see false religion all around and the love of many growing cold? We seek God’s face! [P] In the end times we need to be seeking יהוה like never before. When I went through notes I’d done some years ago, I realised that I was seeking the Lord more earnestly then than I am now. It has been a challenge to me. Let’s look at earnestly seeking God: Crisis [P] [1 Kings 19:1 Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.] We tend to continue on in our Christian life until a crisis comes. It is when we strike a crisis that we then press into God; so, it was with Elijah. Ahab told Jezebel what had happened – she hadn’t been there on Mount Carmel. Ahab concentrates, not on יהוה being God, which was the issue; but with death of prophets of Baal. For Jezebel, this was war! She went on the offensive to win back the lost ground (dualism). She had killed all other prophets of יהוה (18:4) Elijah was the last pocket of resistance. [1 Kings 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a 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 about this time.”] Jezebel threatened. The enemy uses words to intimidate when they themselves are unsettled. The typical weapon of satan is words; but you don’t warn if you really intend to kill, that makes your target wary. The purpose is to unnerve, intimidate. If you seek God earnestly you will encounter such opposition, particularly verbal and threatening. Elijah was supernaturally protected (18:12). Jezebel did intend to carry out threat but she wanted to unnerve – it was psychological warfare. So, there was a crisis! Elijah’s life was threatened. In the end-times, we will face crises. What do you do when you face a crisis? You: Get alone with God [P] [1 Kings 19:3 And he saw and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.] What was Elijah’s response? To get away alone. He went to Beersheba in the kingdom of Judah, on the border of the desert, outside Jezebel’s jurisdiction. But not just to get away – he left his servant in safety there. If he was only concerned with being safe Elijah would have stayed there in Beersheba; but he went further, alone to the wilderness to speak with God. When crisis comes, get alone with God. The situation had come to a crisis and he needed to get back to God there and hear from Him. He headed for the wilderness, both Jesus and John sought God in the wilderness. Was Elijah "afraid"? (he stood up to Ahab, who was scouring internationally to have him put to death, he stood up to the 450 prophets, slaughtered them) or did he "see"? That is perceive, understand, the true state of the nation. Despite convincing, overwhelming, proof that יהוה is God, despite confessing of Him as God, killing of the false prophets, יהוה’s subsequent blessing with rain; NOTHING HAD CHANGED! It was mere surface stuff, motivated by the spectacular, performed out of self-interest. Their heart hadn’t changed at all! Still Baalism ruled, still they wanted to kill the prophets. Despite all that had happened, nothing had changed! What would it take?! Elijah understood this, he saw it clearly – and he saw clearly the only possible consequence: because there was no genuine turning to God, despite all that He had done to turn their hearts to Him (cf. 18:37); the only inevitable conclusion and consequence was that the covenant relationship was OVER – TERMINATED! This was the real crisis! יהוה’s relationship with the nation of Israel was over! Like Moses when Israel made the golden calf, he was the only one who had not turned aside to idolatry. Like Moses he needed to meet with God to re-establish the terms of relationship. What was God going to do now? Now that His plan for Israel could no longer continue? This was a crisis – far beyond a personal threat to Elijah’s life! (He wasn’t concerned for his own life, look in v.4 he wanted to die). Could the worship of יהוה die out altogether?! Elijah was the only remnant left of יהוה fearers! There was none beside him on that day – look at [1 Kings 18:21–22 Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If יהוה is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of יהוה.] No one piped up and said, “No, I serve יהוה too.” If he died there would be none left! Jezebel sought to wipe out the only remaining witness to the true God. Elijah had to meet with יהוה! What was יהוה going to do now? Disillusionment [P] [1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O יהוה, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”] Elijah had come apart, alone in the desert to talk with God. He was heading for Sinai. Still he was preoccupied with his own soul (nefesh 2x in this verse). He had had enough. His life had been one of service to יהוה but now he saw that it was over. He had done all he could and יהוה had shown His mighty power, the reality of His being, and it had made no impact. What more could be done? This people were inveterate in their rejection of יהוה and their following of idols. His mission had been to turn men’s hearts back to יהוה. That had burned within him, that was his reason for being. But he had not done it! יהוה had come through, given proof from heaven! Elijah saw that there was nothing that could change the heart of these people. He was disillusioned. There was nothing more to be done. Elijah thinks back to the beginnings: to the fathers of the faith, to the patriarchs; Moses too was in his mind – because he too had confronted idolatry the very moment after the revelation of יהוה at Sinai (the golden calf incident). If יהוה Himself coming down on the mountain did not convince these people of His reality, if Moses couldn’t turn them away from idolatry, how could he? He was certainly no greater than Moses, what could he do? He had laboured in vain (John the Baptist experienced this, even Jesus felt this: prophesying of Jesus, Isaiah said: [Isaiah 49:4 But I said, “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity.”] Jesus Himself said: [Luke 9:41 And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you?]). These people were hopelessly inveterate idolaters – there was nothing that could be done that would make them follow יהוה with their whole heart. Moses couldn’t change their heart, neither could he. Moses offered his life for the sake of this people (Exodus 32:32), now Elijah offers his. He had done all he could, no more could be done – it was enough. He had served the LORD and failed to turn the people’s heart – serving יהוה was his whole raison d’etre – there was no point remaining now he had failed in his assigned task. Previously, perhaps, he thought that the people would believe and serve יהוה if they could clearly see and know the reality of Him; but now he knew that even knowing this truth, they still would not serve Him. This is the consistent, tragic, record of human history – even when they know, they still reject Him. Idolatry is not from ignorance – it is KNOWING and WILFUL and DELIBERATE REJECTION of God [cf. Rom 1:18 even though they knew God, they did not honour Him as God ..... and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man]. Have you ever felt disillusioned? You start out with a passion for the Gospel, sure that all the world will be saved by lunchtime – the truth is so wonderful, real and obvious. But people do not respond. They do not see it! Elijah was disillusioned, wanting to give up, felt like he’d accomplished nothing (this is what satan wants to bring the earnest seeker to with his intimidation). You think you can be used to bring people back to God but they are as stubborn and unresponsive as they have ever been – that is how it will be at the end. It is all part of the process. Don’t give up despite disappointment and seeming failure. What do you need to do? You need to be: Fed from above [P] [1 Kings 19:5 He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.”] We need to seek God further yet! How do we go further? We have come to the end of ourselves, our own strength, resources, ingenuity, plans and programs! We need to be sustained by heavenly food. We need to be fed from above! Elijah had had enough and he lay down and slept – he’d given up. An angel came and woke him and told him to eat. Rather than taking his life, יהוה did the opposite: He supplied food to sustain it! His life wasn’t done with yet! Hallelujah! You may think that you have failed but God is not finished with you yet! Many say at this stage Elijah was out of the Divine will, backsliding – but I have a little more respect for the “man of God” than those sanctimonious commentators sitting comfortably in their pews. How many of them have been fed by an angel with bread from heaven?! Would God sustain someone in the wrong path?! Elijah was still receiving Divine revelation, in touch with God on a level that few of us know even in our most spiritual of moments. יהוה gave no indication that his journey south was wrong, rather He endorsed it by supporting him to continue it. Elijah’s purpose was to meet יהוה in the desert – Sinai wasn’t his original intention or destination. It wasn’t that Elijah’s motive was wrong, in seeking to get alone with God; rather it was that he didn’t go far enough. יהוה wanted Elijah to go even further in seeking Him out alone! יהוה wanted to take him back to where it all began, where the covenant was first established. For as Elijah had SEEN, the covenant relationship with Israel was OVER! יהוה was taking Elijah back to Sinai to confirm the relationship, no longer with the nation as a whole but with a remnant – a subset, those whose heart was true to יהוה. [1 Kings 19:6 Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.] The water, a symbol of the Spirit of God; fresh bread, a symbol of Jesus the bread of life, revealed fresh daily from the word of God – that Word, not analysed by our own understanding, but as revealed by the quickening of the Holy Spirit – because: [2 Peter 1:20–21 know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.]. Not just Jesus, as we imagine Him to be, but as revealed by the Holy Spirit to us through the Word of God. All throughout, יהוה had provided food supernaturally for Elijah: the ravens at the brook, the flour and oil from the widow, that didn’t run out. That sustenance from heaven continued. No, Elijah was not out of relationship with יהוה, he was still feeding on the heavenly bread (pane angelicus – angel bread). That is how you seek יהוה! From His Word by revelation of His Holy Spirit. That is how we are sustained. The drought had ended and the people had gone back to relying on natural sources of supply – but still the man of God was fed by God with bread from heaven. Spiritually exhausted, Elijah still was not up to the spiritual journey ahead of him. יהוה was looking after him, He had not taken His hand of care away from him – He was preserving Elijah’s soul, not taking it. Some say that Elijah was away from God at this point; when were they last fed by an angel? This was a man in close touch with יהוה – the LORD holds him up as an example of a righteous man and the standard against which other prophets are measured; who was and is to return and prepare the way for the LORD Himself, who spoke with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration, who was in the select company that never tasted death! Highly honoured of God! We need to be careful not to right him off as being depressed and self-pitying – we have not begun to appreciate the greatness of this man of God nor understood the depth of his heart which was jealous for יהוה alone. יהוה cares individually and wonderfully for such rare and precious ones as these. But James tells us that he was a man like us. He didn’t have the strength. We haven’t the strength [P] [1 Kings 19:7 The angel of יהוה came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, (the same command as before) because the journey is too great for you.”] The angel came a second time. The “Angel of יהוה” is Jesus! Jesus came to him! Elijah had not gone far enough in his seeking, there was still a journey, further to go. We must press in further. The journey too great for you – we seek until we come to the end of our strength, we haven’t the strength for the journey (I recall naive days – I’ll lie here till You reveal yourself). We should not be sleeping in these end times but strengthening ourselves, feeding on God’s Word, preparing ourselves for the journey ahead. There will come days when we will no longer be able to feed ourselves; days of crisis when the pressures will preclude the luxury of Bible study. We saw it in the days of the iron curtain, when Christians were imprisoned, their Bibles confiscated. It is like the virgins of Matthew 25; those who were stocked up with a reserve of oil were the ones who welcomed their master. Elijah had travelled into the desert to meet with God; but יהוה said that he had not gone far enough – he had further yet to go in his seeking of God; back to the very beginnings, the foundation. This is a word for us – in all our earnest seeking of the LORD, we have further yet to go in our seeking of יהוה. Press on to maturity [Heb 6:1 leaving the elementary teaching, let us press on to maturity.] The journey is too much for us – we cannot make it on our own strength, by our own efforts and resources. It requires Divine sustenance. Again, יהוה provided it – it is He who provides what is necessary for the journey. [1 Kings 19:8 So he arose and ate and drank, (notice he is still obeying יהוה’s command, just doing what he is told) and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, (you cannot do that in human strength, on natural food!) the mountain of God.] It was some food, it sustained for 40 days and nights! Elijah was not depressed – depressed men don’t have that will-power, determination, motivation, discipline, purpose. God’s destination was the mountain of God, Sinai, Horeb. Elijah said that he was “no better than my fathers” – was he thinking of Moses? Look at the parallels: 1/ 40 days without food; 2/ met God on Sinai; 3/ dramatic revelation of יהוה; 4/ the people went straight back to idolatry; 5/ both were hid in a cleft; 6/ God passed by in person; 7/ Moses interceded – blot out my life, the same thing Elijah said. It takes earnestness of seeking, dedication of purpose to encounter God [Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.] יהוה’s destination for Elijah was Horeb – Elijah went into the desert alone but יהוה took him further, to the very mountain of God itself. יהוה is not found in the splendid cathedral, in luxurious surroundings but at the end of man’s endurance and strength, the end of his own resources – in a place of desolation and waste. The root of "Horeb" (חֹרֵב) means desolation, devastate, waste, destroy, dryness, drought. It is there in the desert that יהוה is found – but who wants to go there? "No, we will seek "Him" in a more convenient way – that is extreme, overboard. God wants to bless and prosper us, He wouldn’t want us to go there." Thus the god we seek is not the One Elijah, Moses, Jesus or John the Baptist found – in the desert at Horeb; beyond the end of human resources. There at Horeb Elijah was Back to the place of the covenant [P] [1 Kings 19:9 Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of יהוה came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”] For Elijah it was Horeb, the place where the covenant was made with Israel; for us it is the cross, that is where the New Covenant in Christ’ blood was enacted. When apostasy reigns, get back to the place where the relationship was established. You find God at the cross. We need to keep near to cross. Many in the church are getting distracted by other things; but the basis is the covenant. There God spoke to him by name! Not a word of encouragement for a weary burnt-out prophet but: “What are you doing here?” Do you notice that it was God Himself whodirected him and gave him the food to get there, yet He asks “What are you doing here?”? We seek יהוה We do well to ask ourselves: “What are we doing here?” Why are you here this morning? It is a call to examine our motives in seeking יהוה. How come we are not with the rest of the people but are in this place alone with יהוה where He has led us? What are we doing seeking יהוה? Why aren’t we pursuing idolatry and self-interest (pleasure, things, experiences, ambition) like everyone else? [1 Kings 19:10 He said, “I have been very zealous for יהוה, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”] What was Elijah doing there? He is not with the rest of Israel because of zeal for God. His appointed task had been to turn Israel back to יהוה; but they had forsaken the covenant. He was the only one left! He was here at the place where the covenant was established, because Israel had forsaken it. The covenant was the issue! If this was broken the nation was destroyed! They had pulled down the altars, exterminated יהוה’s messengers. They had been pulled down – not abandoned, forgotten, obsolete; but deliberate wilful destruction. They didn’t want a bar of it! Worship of יהוה no longer existed! The covenant had failed! Not because of God; but because of Israel’s unfaithfulness. So Elijah was at the place where it was enacted, to seek the future. Israel was no longer יהוה’s people. A new covenant, a new relationship, was needed. Where is true worship of יהוה today, that isn’t "worship" of worship, employing music for the benefit and gratification of the congregation, not for יהוה? They didn’t want revelation from יהוה or correction from His prophets who prick their consciences and attempt to turn them from their wrong path. They killed the prophets, slaughtered them with the sword. Today the true prophet isn’t heard, he has been side-lined, silenced, in effect: put to the sword. Elijah was the only one left. The last remaining witness who took a stand for יהוה was being sought. They were seeking to wipe out the very last remnant of faithfulness to יהוה! Israel was totally unregenerate, determinedly depraved. Even יהוה’s demonstration of His power and reality had left them inveterate in their vehement opposition to and rejection of Him. This is just how it will be at the end. Israel was beyond hope, irredeemable. That is why Elijah was there and why he could no longer be in Israel. יהוה had sought to turn Israel back to Himself but they would not [Matthew 23:37–39 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.”] A new relationship needed to be established because the old was beyond repair. This is what Elijah was doing at Horeb. It was his zeal for יהוה that caused him to be there. The only possible outcome of the present situation was the obliteration of Israel! The drought was severe judgment but, unheeded, the next stage could only mean their total annihilation! Israel was concerned with itself, Elijah was concerned, zealous for יהוה’s glory, the honour of His name is tied up with His covenant people – that is why he was there. And there he had an Encounter with God - know His voice [P] [1 Kings 19:11 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before יהוה.” And behold, יהוה was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before יהוה; but יהוה was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but יהוה was not in the earthquake.] How we love the dramatic! But יהוה wasn’t in it! If you seek God, you will find Him – Elijah met God! יהוה spoke to him by name! Just as Moses hid in cleft of rock and יהוה passed by; so Elijah hid in cave; so too, now יהוה commands Elijah to come out and stand before Him and יהוה passed by! There came a great wind, so strong that it broke rocks to pieces, even tearing mountains apart! Overwhelming! Awesome! Impressive! Terrifying! It was not יהוה, just the response of the earth to His presence! But Elijah had discernment, he KNEW יהוה and greatly impressed as most of us would have been, he knew יהוה was not in the wind. He was not taken in by the spectacular, as were the Israelites (cf. 18:38,39) – a dose of the spectacular and they are convinced – but only for five minutes. Elijah’s knowledge of יהוה was deeper – it was based on relationship, not on impressive supernatural displays. As soon as people see something supernatural or awesome in power they think it must be God – but it is not necessarily so. If you are so swayed, you are a sure victim for deception. Elijah could see this mighty display and be unmoved. He knew his LORD, knew יהוה, and so knew this was not Him. He would not settle for anything less than the real thing. יהוה allows these supernatural things that are not of Himself in order to test our hearts; to see if we will be seduced by something other than Him Himself [Deut 13:1 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for יהוה your God is testing you to find out if you love יהוה your God with all your heart and with all your soul.]. The testing came not one, but three times. After the mighty wind came an earthquake – few other things are more awe-inspiring, yet Elijah knew that יהוה was not in the earthquake. Would I?! Or would I fall on my knees at something that is not יהוה? How well do I know Him? As at the original encounter at Sinai there was storm, earthquake and fire/lightning – then the people were overwhelmed by these mighty manifestations – but Moses and Elijah KNEW their LORD and saw further and went beyond the visible manifestations to encounter יהוה Himself. And how different He is, when you truly meet Him, to all the impressive show and display of power that effects the masses – He comes in MEEKNESS. [1 Kings 19:12 After the earthquake a fire, but יהוה was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.] After the earthquake came a fire but יהוה was not in the fire either. We have experienced both earthquake and fire – terrifying. No, not in the big show, the display of might or power. All power is His, this was a minutest fraction of His power. If God wanted to overwhelm us with power He could easily do so; but He doesn’t force us, overwhelm us. יהוה came! But who but one who was very close to Him would hear? A low whisper – we’d be too busy praying or singing to hear. Would I hear it, would I pick it, recognize it? יהוה is speaking and we miss it! We are making too much noise to hear! We are not listening! We hear the great wind and think that is Him; but not all wind is the Holy Spirit. יהוה was not in it! It was wind but a gentle blowing – the breath of God! Do we know His gentle whisper? Do I know His voice? Like Mary [John 10:3-5,14 the sheep hear His voice, and he calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all His own, He goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.] Elijah knew the voice, knew יהוה, knew when he had heard His authentic voice and responded appropriately. [1 Kings 19:13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ] He WORSHIPPED! (cf. Isaiah 6:2). He covered his face in awe at יהוה ! He was not awe-struck by wind, earthquake or fire but that VOICE! When he heard he covered his face. He heard the voice he knew so well – it was יהוה! יהוה had told him to come out and stand before Him (v.11); until now Elijah had not moved, he was still in the cave because he knew, for all the pyrotechnics, it was not יהוה. He was not fooled [2 Thessalonians 2:9,10 the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.] Elijah only responded to the real thing, the authentic, genuine presence of יהוה. And this gentle whisper was it. He went out and stood before יהוה at the opening of the cave exactly as יהוה had commanded him. Timing is critical. We can be over eager to respond and do so before the right time and miss the encounter, miss meeting יהוה altogether. KNOWING HIS VOICE is the key to everything. This comes from close, continual relationship with Him. יהוה spoke in the smallest of whispers; but Elijah knew that voice and responded immediately, he came out with his face covered (in awe and worshuip) to stand before יהוה as he had been commanded. And there standing before יהוה Himself, יהוה spoke to Elijah! Seeking יהוה is all about coming to know His voice. We will look at what יהוה said in that face to face encounter next time. Do you want to meet God? There is required an earnestness and a dedication in seeking; getting apart from the world and alone with God, pressing on through disillusionment, being fed from above, relying on Divine strength, getting back to the cross and discerning His voice – knowing Him.