crumbs58

 

Crumbs from the Master ‘s Table 58

Elijah

Scripture 1Kings19:3-5 NIV  Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

1 Kings 19: 12-18 NIV 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Crumbs

In Luke 9 our Lord meets with Moses and Elijah on a mountain. They represent two great strands of Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets. The Lord Jesus fulfilled both strands . The folk through whom the revelation was given were not without their problems. Christianity does not offer immunity from mental ill health anymore than it does from the common cold.

We are witnessing a pivotal point in God’s dealings with Elijah. Horeb in Sinai is the mountain of God. Forty days and nights was period of divine judgement and dealings.

1. Humanity: Elijah’s State of Mind I am amazed that here in Holy writ , Elijah’s little speech is recorded twice whereas the words of the Almighty only once. Elijah expresses feelings that are not unknown to us in the 21^st century : fear, isolation and a horror at things that are going on. His self esteem is at rock bottom and he wants to die

2. Divinity : God’s response Before God deals with His depressed prophet He provides sustenance for the trial and suitable accommodation. Often we long that God might rend the heavens and come down. We long for the wind, the earthquake or the fire but that is not always God’s way. He chooses the weak to confound the mighty. We look for the miraculous but God is speaking in the mundane . God starts with the question “ What are you doing here ?” It’s a question we might ask ourselves. Elijah is then told to go back the way he came. Sometimes we have to face mistakes of the past so we can go forward. God then gives Elijah some work to do which leans on His mighty power and finally Elijah is assured that he is not on His own.

3, Remedy
Elijah is confronted by the same pains as we have today and is comforted by the same gracious and loving God

Questions

1. What pastoral lessons are there for us in how God deals with Elijah ? 2. Comfort do we derive from this account ? 3. What in this account deals with issues we face today ?