We may perhaps wonder that Elijah, a man so morally superior to Ahab, should run before his chariot from Carmel to Jezreel no mean journey. He would “honor the king,” as we are exhorted to do in 1 Peter 3:1717For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. (1 Peter 3:17). This is always the becoming attitude of God’s saints towards the supreme ruler, irrespective of what his personal character may be. The ruler, whoever he may be, at any time, or in any land, is God’s representative. He may be too ungodly to understand this himself; but faith understands it, and acts accordingly.
We picture the prophet arriving in the city drenched with rain, very hungry and very tired; but should he have gone there at all? He doubtless meant well, even as Paul in his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 21). The express word of Jehovah took Elijah to Cherith, to Zarephath, and twice into Ahab’s presence; but the word of Jehovah is not mentioned in connection with his run to Jezreel. Had he forgotten Jezebel? That violent woman was a force to be reckoned with, but not at all to be feared by a man of faith conscious that God was directing his steps. The Lord taught it is disciples to pray, “lead us not into temptation” (Matt. 6:1313And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13)); for we do not realize how weak we are until we are tested. If it be urged that “the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah,” thus giving him strength for the journey, that does not prove that Jehovah was sending him. For an angel was sent from heaven to provide a meal for him when he was fleeing to Horeb, a journey which was most certainly not undertaken by the word of Jehovah.
Poor weak Ahab, on his return from Carmel, told Jezebel all that had taken place there, and particularly the destruction of the prophets. In her fury, Jezebel sent a message to Elijah: “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” (1 Kings 19:22Then 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. (1 Kings 19:2)). This appears to have followed quickly, and thus the messengers would find, the prophet at a low ebb physically. He seemed unable to view the threat calmly, or even to spread it out before Jehovah. A little reflection would have suggested to him that the threat was practically empty; for why should Jezebel give him a day’s notice of her intention to kill him? Her messenger could easily have slain him at once, as Herod’s executioner beheaded John the Baptist (Mark 6:2727And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, (Mark 6:27)). It rather looks as if Jezebel’s real aim was to drive Elijah out of the country, lest his influence became too strong to suit her evil purposes. Public opinion was in favor of the prophet at this juncture, and it might not be polite to murder him! It is said of Chrysostom of Constantinople that when the Empress Eudoxia sent him a threatening message, he replied, “Go, tell her Majesty that I fear nothing but sin.” But nothing of this seemed possible for Elijah at this critical moment. It has been truly said that faith in us is never more feeble than immediately after a great victory. We see this in David. He gained a moral triumph over himself in 1 Sam. 26, when he had Saul in his power, and refused to hurt him; the next thing we read is: “David said in his heart, I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines” (1 Sam. 27:11And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. (1 Samuel 27:1)).
What a collapse of faith! God had carried David safely through many perils; now confidence seemed at an end! So with Elijah in 1 Kings 19. With calm courage he had confronted multitudes on Mount Carmel; now he is terror-stricken by the voice of a woman! Peter was bold enough in the garden in the presence of soldiers; but became an abject coward when amongst the servant-maids! Real danger he faced boldly; where no danger appears to have been, he feared the worst!
What poor creatures we are! King, prophet, and apostles thus broke down! Are we better than they? Let us watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation (Matt. 26:4141Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)). Certain Pharisees approached the Lord Jesus one day, saying: “Get Thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill Thee.” God’s perfect Servant saw through the move. Herod himself had inspired that message. He wished to get rid of Jesus out of his borders; but he had no wish to repeat the crime of murder, for the death of John the Baptist still troubled his conscience. But the Lord refused to be deflected from the path of duty (Luke 13:31-3331The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. 32And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. 33Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. (Luke 13:31‑33)). When the last evening arrived, He went, as He was wont, to the Mount of Olives, well knowing what awaited Him there (Luke 22:3939And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. (Luke 22:39)).
Jezebel’s threat overwhelmed Elijah. “When he saw that, he went for his life.” Unlike Paul, who said: “None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself” (Acts 20:2424But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)). “I am ready to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:1313Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 21:13)).
“When he saw that!” Everything depends upon what our eyes see whether we are strong or weak. The sight of the glorified Christ strengthened Stephen to suffer and die; and Paul to suffer and live (Col. 1:1111Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (Colossians 1:11)). Elijah was no longer able to say, “As Jehovah the God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand.” For the time being, his eyes were not upon God. His departure from Jezreel was no mere retirement, as when our Lord went into the country in John 11:5454Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. (John 11:54); it was panic! It did not even occur to him to seek shelter in the dominions of pious King Jehoshaphat. He rushed through the kingdom to Beersheba in the far south. There he left his servant, and went still further, right outside God’s land altogether!
Let us not miss the lesson of this. It is always possible for a man’s personal faith to be unequal to the greatness of his testimony. In that case, the pressure of painful circumstances will cause a break-down sooner or later. Do we really mean all that we say? Is God indeed to our souls all that our preaching would suggest? These are serious questions, which every witness for God should face. We must watch and pray lest circumstances arise which would reveal that we are not the men of faith we seem to be.
Elijah having gone a day’s journey into the wilderness sat down under a juniper tree and spoke to God probably his first word of prayer since he left Jezreel. “He requested for himself that he might die.” Unbelief is always unreasonable and inconsistent. If the prophet really wished to die, why did he flee from Jezebel? Why not die a martyr’s death in the midst of the people of God? Jehovah was no longer uppermost in his thoughts. The divine glory was not before his mind, but some fancied advantage for himself. Life was now a disappointment! His work in Israel had gone all wrong! How gracious of our God not to take His poor perverse servants always at their word! It was His intention that Elijah should not die at all; that he should have an exit from the world such as no one ever had before, or has had since! Paul in Philippians 1 took a totally different line from Elijah. His work also had gone wrong (as men would judge), and he was in prison, with martyrdom threatening. Calmly in the presence of God he considered the situation. He was in a great “strait.” If he put his own interest first, he would desire to depart and be with Christ, which would be happier for him than the happiest experiences here. But he thought of the need of the saints; therefore he desired to remain on earth a little longer; but in any case his one ambition was that Christ should be magnified in his body, whether by life or by death.
Elijah’s prayer was brief and pointed as his manner was. “It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” In the concluding words perhaps is contained the secret of his failure. Who ever said that he was better than his fathers? Possibly his success on Mount Carmel had inflated him. All alone he had accomplished great things for God. Did this really make him feel somewhat important and even indispensable? This is a condition of mind which can easily develop in any of us; but it is fatal to our usefulness. Many years ago, the writer called to say farewell to an aged servant of Christ just passing into the presence of his Lord. As we clasped hands at parting, he said: “Good-bye, beloved brother; remember, few men are important, and none are necessary.” Wholesome words, not to be lightly forgotten! It is an unspeakable honor for the great God to make use of any of us in His work; but let us never imagine that He cannot do without us.
Elijah fell asleep. Well he might, for surely he was badly overwrought. After some time (not too soon, we may be sure) an angel touched him, saying, “Arise and eat.” Looking around, he saw a cake baked on hot stones, and a cruse of water; having refreshed himself, he slept again. Here we have a truly wonderful manifestation of the kindness of God. An angel sent from heaven to provide a meal for a faulty servant who had forsaken an important post of duty, and who was now completely outside the path of God’s leading!
“To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!”
When we compare this angelic ministration with the prophet’s experience at Cherith the conclusion is this:—when he was right with God, it was simply the need of his stomach which had to be considered, and the ravens sufficed for that service; but when he was all wrong with God, something more serious than his stomach was in question; God would reach his heart. The attentions of the angel would be a definite assurance to Elijah that Jehovah loved and cared for him still, spite of his deep failure. Elijah should have learned from this, God’s feelings towards His erring people Israel. Thee prophet’s complaints at Horeb will tell us that he did not feel towards the people as God did. A second time the angel awoke him, saying, “Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” A journey that he should never have undertaken!
John 21 furnishes with another instance of a meal provided by divine love for disobedient servants. It was not an angel, but the Lord Jesus Himself, who prepared that fish breakfast. Cold, wet, and hungry, the seven disciples who went fishing in self-will instead of waiting patiently for their expected Lord, were warmed and fed with no word of censure from His holy lips!
It is a precious thought that God never gives up His saints, however faulty they may be. At a Bible Reading long ago where it was being taught that the believer in Jesus stands in the eternal sunshine of God’s favor, the question was asked, “But what if I turn my back upon Him?” The reply was given, “He will shine on your back!” God knew that His poor servant Elijah was physically overwrought, and He handled him in suitability to his condition. Our contemptible foe delights to attack the children of God at such times, and too often he gains an advantage. The Lord Jesus had been forty days without food when Satan approached Him in the wilderness, and suggested to Him to make stones into bread, but he had no success with God’s Holy One. Whether full or hungry, He refused to act in the smallest matters without a word from God (Matt. 4:44But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)).
These pages are being written during times of greater stress than men have known since the world’s foundation. Many beloved children of God are overwrought. Frequent alarms; destruction of property; loss of loved ones; combined with lack of help in the duties of daily life, are telling their tale. With lowered physical vitality, the temptations of the Devil are serious; faith can only be maintained at its true level by moment by moment dependence upon God. No circumstances are too serious for His abounding grace.