1 Kings 19.
IT is not surprising that Jezebel should be filled with rage on hearing from her weak husband that Elijah had killed her favorites, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Elijah, however, hitherto so courageous, so faithful to God, was not equal to this occasion; we see him now walking by sight after the manner of men. He went at once to Beersheba in Judah, and left his servant there, going on himself a day’s journey further, into the great wilderness of the south. There we find the discouraged prophet wishing to die, and God sending an angel to look after him and give him food. From this first halt on the southern border of the land of Israel, Elijah went on for forty days to Horeb, the mountain where the law was given to Moses. The word of God now came to him in the cave into which he had betaken himself, utterly unhappy:
“What doest thou here, Elijah?”
Why had he deserted the post of testimony, the field of service? Because of Jezebel’s threat to kill him and because his ministry had not been as fully accepted as he expected. Poor Elijah’s thoughts were of himself, and this is shown by his two answers to the inquiry: he had been “very jealous” for the Lord, and he and he only was left, and his life was sought. This was not the language of faith.
We are here shown another lesson in the life of this honored servant of God;—now alone on the mountain where no human eye saw him, he learned that God could use many agencies to carry out His will, even the small, still voice which brought him with his face wrapped in his mantle to the mouth of the cave. After all, Elijah, faithful and honored as he had been, was only an instrument in the hands of God.
His desire to die would presently be met (in a most wonderful way), but just now Elijah was to go back whence he came, to anoint a new king over Syria, and a new king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat to be prophet in his stead. Yet, he now learned God had left to Himself seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed to Baal. It was humbling to think that there were seven thousand upon whom the eyes of God had rested, but Elijah knew not at all. If he had been nearer to God, he would surely have known some of them, or have better known Him who knew them.
The servant of God now descended the mountain in a very different spirit than that in which he had climbed it; he had learned that he was only one of seven thousand, instead of being the only servant God possessed. We hear no more of his complaints, but we shall see more of Elijah ere his days were ended. He found Elisha busy plowing, and threw his mantle on him. Elisha. followed Elijah presently, but seems to have returned home, for we next learn of him in 2 Kings 2, when Elijah was about to be taken away.
ML 08/28/1927