Strength for Life

There is beauty in simplicity.  When we read and share the word of God we must avoid the trap of oversimplification.  Attempts to simplify can remove critical information to aid our understanding of God, ourselves and our situation.  For instance, I have heard many people criticise the prophet Elijah for despairing of life after he was threatened by Jezebel.  "After seeing the miraculous power of God provide fire from heaven and the great victory over the prophets of Baal, why did Elijah flee because of Jezebel?"  Oh, I think we could look at our own lives and find contradictions concerning faith in God and fear of man.  The trouble is, this hardly touches on what was really going on in Elijah's heart, and we can know this without a doubt because Elijah himself said so.

Whilst it is true the murderous threat of Jezebel prompted Elijah to go into the wilderness, this wasn't the half of it.  Remember what Elijah had endured to this point:  he had been pursued by king Ahab, had survived a drought with a woman and her son, and witnessed a nation in severe spiritual decline over many years.  Elijah showed symptoms of depression as he left his servant behind and 1 Kings 19:4 says, "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"  Elijah and others had fought tenaciously against idolatry, resisted wicked rulers who led God's people astray and yet there was no visible change.  The fickle people would go back to Baals, and new prophets of Baal would be ordained by Ahab and ruthless Jezebel.  Elijah finally reached an end of his strength and resolve.

The passage in 1 Kings 19 then follows an intriguing pattern:  and angel touched Elijah and told him to eat and drink because the journey would be too much for him.  This happened twice.  Then after Elijah traveled 40 days to Horeb God asked, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" and Elijah repeated the same answer twice.  Elijah responded in 1 Kings 19:14:  "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."  Jezebel's threat upon Elijah was a culmination of many things which preoccupied the mind and heart of Elijah for some time.  His zeal, righteous example and godly exhortations had been ignored.  He was deeply grieved because God's people were guilty of forsaking God's covenant, destroying His altars and killing His prophets.  Notice Elijah does not say "she" (Jezebel) but "they," the children of Israel being a main subject of his complaint.  The corrupt, wicked government had many spies among the people and Elijah was exhausted, depressed and felt all alone:  "I alone am left."  I am sure many of God's faithful people can identify with feeling like Elijah did.

1 Kings 19:15-18 says, "Then the LORD said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. ¹⁶ Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. ¹⁷ It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. ¹⁸ Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."  While Elijah focused on the problems of the nation, his own inability to do anything about it, he felt alone and like giving up, God had all in hand with a plan that included Elijah.  God would have him anoint two kings:  Hazael over Syria and Jehu over Israel.  They would be God's instruments of justice upon the wicked rulers of the nations.  Elijah was to anoint Elisha a prophet in his place, and little did he know Elisha would have a double portion of the Holy Spirit!  Elijah felt all alone, yet God reserved a great remnant of 7,000 people who were faithful to God with whom Elijah shared this common ground.  By faith in God Elijah continued on, despite the threats of Jezebel and the idolatrous condition of the people.  God knew all about everything, and in God Elijah found sufficient grace to press on in obedience.

When the angel touched Elijah and told him to rise and eat "because the journey is too great for thee," Elijah found baked flatbread and a jug of water to drink.  This fits well with the picture of Jesus being the Bread of Life who gives the Living Water of the Holy Spirit who refreshes us during our pilgrimage on earth.  Without death threats we can easily be overwhelmed by the same things which troubled Elijah, the least of which was feeling alone in doing his best to honour God.  The depressed prophet prayed to die rather than live, yet God provided Himself as the reason for choosing life in obedience to Him.  You are not alone, believer, and God has great plans.  We are safe, and the future is bright in His hands.  Though wickedness and darkness at times seem to prevail, when we look to the LORD we find strength and endurance for the road ahead wherever God leads.