Elijah

This morning I went on a journey with Elijah based on 1 Kings 18-19.

I had read a verse pertaining to my original study with Beth Moore in James and began this journey of my own.  As I began to read, I caught a glimpse of God's character.  Reminds me of the post my daughter made on FB.  "This morning as I was driving to work I caught a glimpse of a gorgeous rainbow and I kept craning my head trying to see around the trees that were blocking it as I drove..then me with my kind of mindset got to thinking is that what God does...he shows a glimpse of the beautiful and then it's up to us to keep looking at him to see the truth?? Just my thoughts."  Excellent thoughts in my opinion.

As I continue with my original thoughts of the character of God, back we go with Elijah.  I began my journal with another person's idea in BTS Sunday night of what causes anxiety.  Not having control, losing ones control, or not trusting the one in control= Anxiety.  Little pearls of wisdom.

1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

People who speak loudly, continuously and always with an opinion then when the rubber meets the road we stand and don't say a word??  I cannot imagine.

"How long wilt thou halt between two opinions?"  Ah! show me by sight not faith and I will believe and make my choice.  As I read the scriptures following I began to form a picture of God in my mind.  So I am going to paraphrase what I have read.

Elijah tells the people that he alone is the last prophet of God but Baal has 400 prophets.  As with Joshua he tells them choose today whom you will serve.  Then he shows who the God of Israel is by asking God to show His glory.  And God does.  he not only consumes the sacrifice, but the wood, water and and even the dust as he brings down fire to consume it all.  Notice God doesn't half do anything.

So the wavering people fell on their faces and believed.  Not by faith but by sight.  Don't we all do the same thing too many times?  Yes we do.  Elijah told them to go gather up all 400 prophets and kill them.  Why he took them to the brook Kishon to do it I don't know unless that was where they trapped them.  Anyway Elijah told Ahab to get up and eat because a big rain was coming.  As I went back to the first verses of chapter 18, I found Ahab was not the friend of Elijah but was responsible for killing all the other prophets. 

Meanwhile Elijah went up to the top of Mt. Carmel and threw himself on the ground and put his face between his knees.  He sent his servant to go look for that rain seven different times.  Then he came back and said he saw a small fist.  At this remark, Elijah told him to go tell Ahab to prepare his chariot before the rain could stop him.  Then the storm came as Ahab headed for Jezreel.

For some reason God empowered Elijah to out run that chariot and beat Ahab to Jezereel.  He beat Ahab there to the entrance.

Chapter 19 verse 1,2. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. ² Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

So Elijah pulled up his skirt and ran for his life to Beer-Sheba, left his servant there and traveled on a days journey into the wilderness and once again plops on the ground, this time under a Juniper tree. 

"and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."  I think we must notice the capital spelling of Lord.  We may miss a point if we do not.LORD is traditionally an applllation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, a master, chief.  Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  In the bible it is translated in caps becaue it has a different meaning than the regular spelling Lord.  Elijah called to the LORD because he recognized who was all powerful and the master.

 

My first thought was Elijah how do you sit there and question God after what he has just done through you.  I think I missed the point as we continue.  Notice he just laid down and went to sleep. When your contemplating dying do you just turn over and go to sleep?  Not me.  I play that record in my head all night long until I fall to sleep from exhustion.

 

Here is where I saw God as my Father and my strong hold, my peace.  chapter 19:5-8

And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. ⁶ And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head . And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. ⁷ And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. ⁸ And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

 

And once again on two days food God gives him strength for 40 days and 40 nights.  Our God is not only faithful, full of grace and mercy but just full of mariaclous things for us. Keep in mind scripture says Ahab ate after the big fire but Elijah went up on the mount waiting for the rain.  Then he ran all the way to Jezereel beating a chariot to go on to Beer-Sheba ditch his servant and walk another days journey into the wilderness where the angels fed him two meals.  As far as we know in the past three days while running and walking all day long he has not eaten.  He is a God of mariacles and He does give us strength to perform His will.

 

He journeys on to Mt. Horeb and gets in a cave. "and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?"  And he tells the LORD,

"I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. ¹¹ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks 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 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? ¹⁴ And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. ¹⁵ And the LORD said unto him, Go"

 

I didn't want to paraphrase that because it is important to see the Word in it's glory.  I cannot do justice to God's word.  I noticed he gave his answer twice and God asked twice.  Each time Elijah remains speaking to the LORD.  I pictured Elijah huddled in that cave repenting for complaining to the Lord but afterwards I see the relationship between he and God.  He simply tells his feelings to God and I also noticed God came to him after in obedience he followed God's directions even though he was running for his life.  I thought of the song, "The day God ran."  The thought occurred to me why would the Holy God run to me?  That is just a song some man made up and I don't remember God ever running to anyone.  Who is to say God didn't run to that cave?  Different day, different prospective, different spirti makes a world of difference in our thought patterns.  Now I see God putting his arm around Elijah's shoulders and saying in that still small voice "Go" Elijah.  You got it now.  And Elijah went.  He came running from Jezebel, watched the storm and the earthquake then heard the still small voice of the Lord and went with the promise of 7000 men that had not bowed to Baal and to annoint the prophet that would take his place.  In deed our God is an awesome God and when He says be still and know that I am God.  We best be still and just maybe we will see God run.