AFTER the triumphant vindication of the God of Israel on Carmel, it is not surprising that Elijah should suffer a severe reaction, or that when he received the message from Jezebel he should flee from the scene of conflict. Yet, was this merely or only through fear of death? I venture to think that another feeling was operating.
Experience will often provide a golden key to unlock what otherwise would present a different conclusion to the mind of a servant of God, Elijah had openly challenged Baal and all his priests; he had fearlessly met Ahab; he had opened the windows of heaven by his prayer of faith. Why then should he show signs of fear and flee for his life? Does it not rather indicate that he was perplexed at heart to understand the mysterious dealing of his God? Was God going to permit so faithful a servant to be put to death by an alien idolater, a wicked woman? Is site to subvert the purpose of Jehovah? Where then is justice? Shall right be defeated and wrong prevail?
Every true servant of God sooner or later finds himself in a similar position; and knows what it is to pass with Elijah into utter dejection and solitariness to reason out the problem with God and himself. The pathway to the Juniper tree has by this time been trodden hard by many weary feet. Is all service to end in failure? Is treachery to reign triumphant over right? Has God forgotten? Is He unkind, unjust? Has He overlooked or under-valued my honest purpose of integrity? Is the majestic triumph and beauty of Carmel to die away under a Juniper bush?
Yes: it is even so, O man of God! It is God’s decree for thee, for me, for His Own Son. Listen! “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught and in vain.” Jesus is the Speaker here. He has trodden the path to make it quite plain to thee, to me, to Elijah, to Stephen, to Paul.
Why should the disappointed Moses die on Pisgah, in sight of the Promised Land? And why should not the disappointed Elijah die when he wanted to give up his life? Because God meant to answer the prayer of each, not in the explicit terms of the petition, but in the implicit terms of His Own wisdom and love. Listen again: “Behold, there talked with Him two men, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory!” (Luke 9.) Two disappointed servants of the Living God, one after fifteen centuries, the other after nine hundred years, in glory with Jesus. A “goodly mountain” indeed, ineffably more beautiful than either Pisgah or Carmel.
God will ever be “His Own Interpreter,” and always in His Own way and His Own time. Therefore, O man of God, be quiet. Eat the cake the Angel brings thee, drink the cooling water from the cruse, weep it all out to God, and have a refreshing sleep. He understands. The glory of Tabor will more than compensate the pain of Pisgah; and fifteen hundred years of waiting will not be worthy of a thought.
William Wileman.