Do you remember the story of the long, long drought in the land of Israel and then the downpour of rain? Elijah was the prophet whom God used for this miracle, but the power came from God Himself. When the false prophets called for rain that didn’t come, Elijah said to them, Call louder! Maybe your god is asleep! To the people he said, If the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.
Then the prophets who called on their false god were all killed by the command of Elijah. God’s judgments are serious.
Those false prophets served the queen. When she heard they were all dead, she was so angry with Elijah that she planned to kill him. As queen, she could certainly do this, if God didn’t protect him. Elijah seemed to remember her power, but not God’s power.
Which power is more important to you? Maybe someone is doing bad things to you, or maybe a serious disease looks fatal for you. But think about this—God has power to cast you into hell forever! Which of these powers is the most important—a person, a disease or God?
It is God’s own Son who has died for our sins, and right this very moment He is ready to save you. Hell is for the devil and his angels and for unsaved sinners, but it is never, never for anyone who has trusted in Jesus. His arms are wide open to save you now.
Elijah ran for his life. He left his servant in a city, but he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and sat down under a juniper tree and prayed. Here is his prayer: It is enough! Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers!
What do you think of that prayer? Elijah certainly was praying to the right Person. He cared more about God than about the queen. But it seems that up to this point he thought he was better than his fathers, and now he is in despair. Will God take away his life? Oh, no! God tenderly cared for him, just as He will do for you if you come to Him.
Elijah fell asleep under that tree. Then God sent an angel to provide bread and water for His tired, hungry servant. It was fresh bread, baked right there beside him. The angel touched him and said, Arise and eat. Elijah ate and slept again. A second time the angel touched him and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. Elijah ate and drank again. Now here is a surprise: That was the last food he ate for forty days, and it lasted him until he reached Mount Horeb!
But Elijah still had not learned his lesson. He found a cave to stay in on Mount Horeb. Then God sent a very strong wind that tore into the mountain and smashed rocks, then He sent an earthquake and then a fire. It was all terribly frightening, but it still didn’t change Elijah’s thoughts.
After the fire came a still, small voice, and the Lord said, What are you doing here, Elijah?
Elijah answered, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets. I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to kill me too!
That was not a good answer. We should not tell God how bad His people are. Remember that God loves them, and He loves you too. Elijah had a lot to learn about God’s love. If God has given you food today, it is because He loves you. And He loves those other people too. Don’t tell God how bad they are. Instead, tell those people how good God is!
Elijah didn’t know that there were 7,000 men who had not worshipped the false god Baal. Do you know where there are other Christians? Share the love of God with them, and don’t think you are the only faithful one.
If we think Elijah had something to learn, let’s remember that we have more chance to learn than he did. “God is love” (1 John 4:1616And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16)). “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). It will be awful for unsaved sinners to spend eternity without the love of God.
Read this story for yourself in 1 Kings 19 and see what happened next.
ML-03/23/2008