1 Kings 19:1-181And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 2Then 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. 3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. 4But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. 9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:1‑18)
When King Ahab told his wife, whose name was Jezebel, what Elijah had done on Mt. Carmel, she was very angry. She had always lived in a land of idols, and did not believe in the Lord, nor rejoice that He had given rain. She sent word to Elijah that he should be killed the next day.
The queen’s message made Elijah so afraid that he forgot how God had kept him safe in the three years past, and he fled with all his might to a land south, and on into a wild desert where he thought no one could find him.
There were low bushes there, called juniper, which in our land are a pretty, overhanging evergreen, but it is said that in such desert places they are just bare branches. But there was no other place of shade from the hot sun, and Elijah was tired and sad, so he laid down under a bush and wished to die.
Poor Elijah! he would soon have died in that lonely desert without food or water. But there was One who saw him, and while he slept, God, sent an angel to make him a cake, and take him a bottle of water, and call him to arise and eat. Elijah ate the cake and drank the water, then he slept again. Later, the angel again called him to rise and eat.
Then Elijah had strength to go on many days, until he reached a mountain, far south, where he stayed in a cave, sad, alone, and afraid.
But the Lord saw Elijah there, too, and spoke to him and showed him of His great power; first by a mighty wind, breaking rocks in pieces; then an earthquake came, cracking the earth beneath; next came fire; but after those, he heard “a still, small voice.”
It was the Lord speaking gently, calling his name, and ready to comfort him.
The Lord told Elijah that there were many yet of Israel who had not bowed to idols, although Elijah thought he was the only one. And the Lord said he should have a helper, and should go again to take His messages to kings.
God’s words gave Elijah courage to go back again to Israel’s land.
We do not go to a mountain for help, but we hear God’s “still, small voice” when we read His holy Word.
The mountain where Elijah stayed is called Sinai, and the whole range of mountains there is called Horeb. It was from the same mountain that God gave the Ten Commandments. If you find the name, Sinai, on a map of Arabia, you will see that Elijah went a long way from Mt. Cannel (Ex. 19:2020And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. (Exodus 19:20)).
ML 03/26/1939