Days of Elijah

 Elijah— his very name elicits mental pictures of strength and courage. He had the courage to face down Jezebel's prophets of Baal in the 'contest on Mount Carmel' and he showed the people that 'Jehovah, he is God'.

Did he think Jezebel would take defeat lightly? Did he think Ahab would be the leader he should have been? Neither of those things happened.

"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then 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. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But 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." (1 Kings 19:1-4 KJV)

"And 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? And 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. (1 Kings 19:13-14 KJV)

It may have been a lapse in faith. The key may lie in Elijah's answer:

•  It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
• And 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. 

Some times when we want to make a difference in the world, strife and conflict reminds us we are all but human beings, earthen vessels if you will. Elijah explodes onto the scene back in I Kings 17 where he confronts weak King Ahab. In Melchizedek fashion he has no parentage or earthly lineage. His name Elijah = Eliyahu or 'My God is Yahweh'. We don't know who his 'father' was, only who his God is. We know that Elijah has been jealous for the Lord, and Elijah thinks it's all over. Perhaps he thinks he has failed. Failed God and himself. 

This reminds me of Joshua when Israel is defeated at AI; and God's answer to Joshua:

7)"And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord Jehovah, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? would that we had been content and dwelt beyond the Jordan! 
8)Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Israel hath turned their backs before their enemies! 
9)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will ... cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do for thy great name? 
10)And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore art thou thus fallen upon thy face? 
11)Israel hath sinned;..." (Joshua 7:7-11 ASV)

God gently tells Elijah he's not finished yet. God commissions Elijah to anoint Hazael King over Syria, anoint Jehu to be king in Israel, and anoint Elisha prophet after Elijah. God tells Elijah:  

"And 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. Yet 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 19:17-18 KJV)

To be continued.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!