What are you Doing Here?

What are you Doing Here?

Introduction

Elijah, Prophet of God

One of the great prophets of the Old Testament

appeared with Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration

An Account of his Life

Burst on the scene announcing a famine ()

Fed by the ravens and a widow; then came Carmel’s great victory ()

Yet, here he is in a time of defeat...

Almost a shame to look in on him at this time, a time of defeat

Here he is running for his life, so soon after his greatest victory

1 Kings 19:1–15 NKJV

1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 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.” 3 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. 4 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!” 5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 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. 7 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.” 8 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. 9 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?” 10 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.” 11 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; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because 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.” 15 Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria.

Elijah runs for his life

A. Elijah, Prophet of God

1. His rank … appeared with Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration

2. One of the great prophets of the Old Testament

B. An Account of his Life

1. Burst on the scene announcing a famine ()

2. Fed by the ravens and a widow; then came Carmel’s great victory ()

3. Almost a shame to look in on him at this time, a time of defeat

4. Here he is running for his life

Body

Elijah’s great victory and Jezebel’s anger

Now his victories are all forgotten … FEELS MIGHTY LOW

A day’s journey into the wilderness:

Does not want to face anyone

Does not want to talk to anyone

Does not want to assume any responsibility

Decides there is not any use in living

It is enough … “I’ve had it!”

Take my life away. Suicide is on his mind. HOW SAD!

See how confused he is: He flees death yet seeks it!

The depressed person does not know what he wants

emotions can confuse reason -

Finally flops down under a juniper tree and goes to sleep

Have you ever felt so down that all you could do was lie down?

Have you felt that life is fruitless and useless?

When people are depressed, and feeling hopeless, it is hard to be motivated

hard to apply ourselves in these circumstances - even when we have the abilities to overcome

But notice God’s tender care of the depressed prophet

As he slept, an angel touched him. God was watching

Food and water provided, Elijah wakes and eats

He sleeps and the angel wakes him again. Was not fed just to sleep.

We also have not been fed just to sleep

we have been fed for a purpose

God is waking us also, and commissioned us

The Lord’s Question to Elijah (v. 9)

“What are you doing here, Elijah?”

God’s question to His discouraged child

Elijah was trembling when he should have been trusting

Elijah was pouting when he should have been praising

Here is God’s question to a Christian defeated by fear

Here is God’s question to a Christian who thinks he has no purpose to live

Here is God’s question to a Christian who is overwhelmed by problems

Here is God’s question to one focusing on the faults of others

Here is God’s question to one who is backslidden

Here is God’s question to one who remembers a better day

The Lord’s Commission to Elijah (v. 11–15)

“Go forth and stand on the mount”

What an experience he had!

A great strong wind rent the mountains

The ground trembles beneath his feet … stones fall

Trees burst into flame … lightning strikes

Why all this commotion if God is not in it? Had to get his attention!

What must God do to get your attention?

“What are you doing here?” Again!

Elijah’s answer …

Begins by reciting the problem - again

we can waste so much time by reciting our problems, instead of proclaiming the victory over them

Elijah could only so his problems, and this paralyzed him, terrified him,

But something happens between (vv. 14, 15) that Get’s Elijah on the move …

He is Commissioned: Go!

He is reminded of a mission, a purpose

his faith is revived

Conclusion

God Meets us where we are!

He commissions us to get Moving

He did not condemn Elijah for his weakness

He did not criticize him for being afraid and weak

He also did not leave him in his weakness

He did not waste time nursing his self pity

He instructed him to get back to the mission.

He encouraged him and commissioned him to “go”

He instructed him to get back to the mission.

He

What are you doing here?