The presence of a prophet in Israel pre-supposes a condition of failure. Had God’s order operated as it should, there would have been no need for special divine intervention. When kingship was established in the person of David (after the complete breakdown of the priesthood) Jehovah intended that the king should henceforth be the link between Himself and the people. The king should be His mouthpiece to them. Kingship soon failed spiritually—even the richly-gifted Solomon led the way in idolatry; but God, who is never without resource, raised up prophets from time to time, who delivered His messages to the people independently of the king, from whose oppressive hand God’s faithful witnesses frequently suffered. What the conditions were in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during several reigns; we have seen; there was indisputably urgent need for a stern witness, and Elijah was the man chosen by God for this service.
The sovereignty of God in His choice of instruments for His work is noticeable throughout the Scriptures. Take the Scriptures themselves: the first writer had the status of an Egyptian prince, “and was mighty in his words and his deeds” (Acts 7:2222And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. (Acts 7:22)); the last writer was a Galilean fisherman; and between these two we find kings, priests, prophets, a military commander, a prime minister, a herdman, a tax-gatherer, and a doctor (besides others). We have seen that there was urgent need for a testimony to Israel in Ahab’s day, yet God did not send an Aaronite priest from Jerusalem, nor a man otherwise notable; His sovereign choice was a simple countryman without any official or social standing, and apparently without literary accomplishments. In the same sovereign way of acting, when God desired to send a peculiarly solemn testimony to Israel in the early days of our era, He did not use an apostle, but took Stephen from his humble service amongst the widows for His purpose (Acts 6).
Why did God employ Elijah? His flaming zeal for the glory of God, and his simple-hearted faith in His Word and in His power is the answer. It is interesting to observe that there are two Elijah’s noted in the Scriptures, and the contrast between them will help us at this point. The other Elijah is found in Ezra 10:2121And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. (Ezra 10:21). He was one of many priests of Aaron’s favored line who sinned against God after His merciful restoration of a Jewish remnant from the captivity in Babylon. In flagrant defiance of the Word of God this man had taken a strange wife. Where was zeal for God’s glory in such a one? What sense had he of the blessedness of special relationship to Jehovah? Also, what neglect, or rejection, of the lessons which he should have learned from the disasters which had fallen upon the nation because of their unfaithfulness to God! Thus, the instructed priest of Ezra 10:21 stands out as a model of disobedience to the known will of God. The very mention of him (although we would not ignore his repentance) makes us realize the more the loyalty and zeal of the humble Tishbite.
It was a great moment when Elijah walked into the king’s presence with his brief, but grave message: “As Jehovah the God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word” (1 Kings 17:11And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. (1 Kings 17:1)). What the Lord Jesus said of John the Baptist would have suited Elijah also; “What went ye out to see? A man clothed in delicate raiment? behold, they that wear delicate raiment are in King’s houses” (Matt. 11:88But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. (Matthew 11:8)). Elijah is described in 2 Kings 1:88And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. (2 Kings 1:8) as a man in “a hairy garment, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins.” John the Baptist dressed similarly (Matt. 3:44And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. (Matthew 3:4)). In such attire Elijah confronted Ahab and his court. What lay behind this amazing courage? For this we must inquire of the apostle James who wrote about our prophet nearly a thousand years after his day (James 5:1717Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. (James 5:17)). Elijah was pre-eminently a man of prayer. Being thus accustomed to have dealings with the Sovereign of the universe at His lofty throne he did not dread Israel’s petty sovereign sitting upon his throne, whatever might be the strength of the armed guard around him! Elijah’s God was a living God; and he lived, served, and testified in the consciousness of His presence.
If any would inquire why Elijah’s prayer is not mentioned in the book of Kings, the answer is that the Scriptures are one great whole, and it does not always please God to tell us all that could be told about any matter in a single book. Every detail has been placed in its own suited setting by the all-wise Spirit of God. Thus, in Num. 13 we have Jehovah commanding Moses to send twelve men to spy out the land of Canaan; but in Deuteronomy 1 we learn that the people in their unbelief demanded this. Both statements are true. Reading both we have God’s side and man’s side of the matter. In Deuteronomy 1. we have the record of the people’s unfaithfulness, and in Num. 13 we are reminded of God’s ceaseless interest in them, spite of their unbelief. Another example will be found in the life of the apostle Paul. The brethren in Antioch, after there had been much disputation with teachers who desired to put Gentile Christians under law, requested Paul and Barnabas, with some of their own number, to go up to Jerusalem about the question; but in Galatians 2:1, 21Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. (Galatians 2:1‑2) Paul says, “I went up by revelation.” There were thus two sides to the matter the brethren’s request, and the Lord’s direction.
In 1 Kings 17, we have Elijah’s public action, which probably startled all who heard it; and in James 5 we have his private dealings with God before he came forth into public. The connection in James’s epistle concerns us intimately; we are all exhorted to pray for one another, and the Apostle adds, “the ardent and energetic prayer of the righteous man has great efficacy” (Darby’s Translation). Let no one miss the seriousness of this. Every Christian has access to the throne of grace; but the man who would pray for others must be himself a righteous man; he must look well to his own conduct, and examine carefully his own ways, ere he ventures into the Sanctuary. Even then prayer must not be a mere utterance of words, the whole spirit of the man must be “ardent and energetic.” Here we have the secret of successful prayer.
Many years ago, a newly-converted Methodist was taken to the prayer meeting of some special friends of mine. After he had listened to three wordy prayers which told God many things that He knew already, and which asked for nothing in particular, the young man arose, and cried out, “O God, teach these good men how to pray!” The elder brethren were annoyed at the intrusion; but my sympathies are with the young man!
Prayer, to be of any avail, must come from prepared hearts, and be definite and pointed. “Elias was a man of like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit” (James 5:17-1817Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (James 5:17‑18)).
We must think of Elijah exercised before God in the solitudes of Gilead about the appalling condition of His people. The prophet’s words to Ahab, however unexpected and startling, were no mere spasmodic outburst. He had doubtless spent much time before God about the nation and its ways. He loved the people; he longed to see them right with God; but the grossest evils had become so deeply entrenched, that he felt something drastic was required in order to bring the people to their senses. So, he turned to prayer. Acceptable prayer must be based upon the Word of God, and the prophet doubtless remembered Deuteronomy 11:16, 1716Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you. (Deuteronomy 11:16‑17): “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods and worship them; and Jehovah’s wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and ye perish quickly from off the good land which Jehovah giveth you.” With such words before him, the distressed prophet cried out of the depth of his heart, “O God, stop the rain!” Being fully assured that he had the mind of God about the matter he went into the presence of Ahab, and said, “There shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” God responded to His servant’s faith, “and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”
When the disciples asked the Lord Jesus why they were unable to cast out a demon (although they had been sent forth with divine authority so to do Luke 9:11Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. (Luke 9:1)), He replied, “Because of your unbelief ... this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:10-2110And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. 14And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:10‑21)).
Elijah was a man of deep spiritual feeling; in communion with God he felt the evil of the circumstances around him. Are we like Elijah in this respect? The reader would be wise to lay down this book, and read Daniel’s ninth chapter throughout. That holy man of God “with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes,” prayed, and confessed the sins of his people and their rulers from the very beginning of their national history, and he appealed humbly to God for His mercy. Ezra and Nehemiah prayed on similar lines, each in the ninth chapter of his book. If these Old Testament saints could look back over 900 years of their people’s history, and confess their sins as their own, what have we to say concerning 1000. years of disobedience and unfaithfulness in the Church of God? Have we no responsibility concerning what lies behind us? Or are we so enslaved by denominational interests, and by the interests of “local assemblies,” that larger thoughts are quite foreign to our minds?
If we would be useful to God in these last days, we must train our souls to look at things from God’s point of view. The deep spiritual feelings of men of old are a rebuke to us, for these are days of shallowness and superficiality. Daniel, when told of judgments yet to come (in Chapter 7 of his book) says “my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me”; when further solemn things were made known to him, in his eighth chapter, he says, “I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days”; and in Chap. 10, when in prayer to God about His unhappy people, he mourned three full weeks, he ate no pleasant bread, neither flesh nor wine entered his mouth, neither did he anoint himself. Such deep spiritual exercise is well-pleasing to God; but are we up to it? In the light of what the Spirit has written concerning Elijah, Moses, Samuel, Daniel, Paul, Epaphras, and others, we may well ask ourselves. Have we yet learned how to pray?