Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Synopsis

The imagery of breath is often used to convey spiritual essence and power, unseen except in its effects, including aspects of the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

The main Hebrew and Greek words translated as “breath” in the NIV are also translated as “spirit” and “wind”.

The breath of God

Life imparted by God

;

(ESV) — 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

(ESV) — 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

(ESV) — 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”

And it was so.

(ESV) — 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven.

Everything that is on the earth shall die.

(ESV) — 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life.

In 1895, Andrew Murray was in England suffering from a terribly painful back, the result of an injury he had incurred years before.

One morning while he was eating breakfast in his room, his hostess told him of a woman downstairs who was in great trouble and wanted to know if he had any advice for her.

Andrew Murray handed her a paper he had been writing on and said, “Give her this advice I’m writing down for myself.

It may be that she’ll find it helpful.”

This is what was written:

In time of trouble, say, “First, he brought me here.

It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest.”

Next, “He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child.”

Then say, “He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow.”

And last, say, “In his good time he can bring me out again.

How and when, he knows.”

Therefore, say “I am here (1) by God’s appointment, (2) in his keeping, (3) under his training, (4) for his time.”

In 1895, Andrew Murray was in England suffering from a terribly painful back, the result of an injury he had incurred years before.

One morning while he was eating breakfast in his room, his hostess told him of a woman downstairs who was in great trouble and wanted to know if he had any advice for her.

Andrew Murray handed her a paper he had been writing on and said, “Give her this advice I’m writing down for myself.

It may be that she’ll find it helpful.”

This is what was written:

In time of trouble, say, “First, he brought me here.

It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest.”

Next, “He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child.”

Then say, “He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he means to bestow.”

And last, say, “In his good time he can bring me out again.

How and when, he knows.”

Therefore, say “I am here (1) by God’s appointment, (2) in his keeping, (3) under his training, (4) for his time.”

(ESV) — 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died.

(ESV) — 3 as long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

(ESV) — 4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

(ESV) — 30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

(ESV) — 5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:

(ESV) — 16 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made.

(ESV) — 16 Then King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As the Lord lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

(ESV) — 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

(ESV) — 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

See also ; ; ;

When we think of Elijah the prophet we think of his confrontation with the 850 false prophets on Mt.

Carmel.

We remember how God’s power was demonstrated through Elijah’s prayer.

(ESV) — 14 If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, 15 all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.

(ESV) — 29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

(ESV) — 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.

The breath of God

An emblem of the Holy Spirit

1 Kings 18:37-38

(ESV) — 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

(ESV) — 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

What we fail to realize is how God prepared Elijah for this supernatural event.

Elijah spent 3 years in God’s training camp getting him prepared for God to use him.

See also ;

(ESV) — 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

We have a desire for God to use us in such a powerful supernatural way, yet often we are unwilling to first go into God’s training camp of preparation.

Folks, if God is to use us in a mighty way, we must first go through His schoolhouse to learn the valuable lesson of faith and obedience, so that we fully and completely trust Him to accomplish his purpose and plan through us.

(ESV) — 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land.

Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Over the next three weeks we are going into God’s Training Camp.

This morning we will observe God’s Schoolhouse in the Wilderness.

A. Elijah’s Difficult Task (17:1)

Elijah the prophet comes out of nowhere to suddenly announce to King Ahab God’s message.

What a difficult task this must have been for him.

He took a great risk in order to be obedient to God.

1. Elijah’s Person

Whenever the nation fell into sin and idolatry, God sent prophets to call it back to the true faith.

The prophet was not simply a “foreteller”; he was also a “forth-teller” who announced God’s judgment and exposed the sins of the people.

Such a prophet was Elijah the Tishbite (native of the town Tishbeh), a “man subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17), yet a man with great courage and faith.

Whenever the nation fell into sin and idolatry, God sent prophets to call it back to the true faith.

The prophet was not simply a “foreteller”; he was also a “forth-teller” who announced God’s judgment and exposed the sins of the people.

Such a prophet was Elijah the Tishbite (native of the town Tishbeh), a “man subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17), yet a man with great courage and faith.

In these two chapters we see Elijah obeying two commandments from the Lord: “Go hide yourself,” and “Go show yourself.”

2. Elijah’s Profession

Elijah’s profession was two-fold:

“As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives”

“Before whom I stand”

What more did he need to say?

Every message Elijah preached highlighted these truths.

3. Elijah’s Prediction

God was fed up with His people worshipping Baal, the God of rain.

So, He sent Elijah to prophecy a nation-wide drought which would last until Elijah said it would end.

This prophecy would be a direct test between God and Baal.

Richard Blackaby, Living Out of the Overflow

God’s people can be certain of this; God is the avowed enemy of their idols.

He is a jealous God (ex.

20:5; ).

He despises anything in your life that takes His place.

He will tolerate no rival to His rightful position as Lord.

B. Elijah’s Difficult Training (17:2-7)

What was Elijah’s reward for faithfully preaching God’s message?