1 Kings 19: Last Man Standing
So, hey everyone. Since I can't attend church tomorrow, I figured I will just catch up on my reading of tomorrow's Scripture and give my thoughts on it.
1 Kings 19 comes off a great victory on the LORD's side. Elijah had just faced off against 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, the gods of the Sidonians - and the LORD showed his sovereignty over all 'gods' by fire from heaven, which licked up the entire altar of stone and dried up the trench of water around it. In the defeat, Elijah took the opportunity to capture and wipe out the false prophets who had committed perjury against the LORD. At the same time, rain came once more to Israel after 3 years of drought, indicating the end of God's judgement on Israel - at least for the time being.
Now, status report - Elijah had made it to Samaria along with a very drenched Ahab, in a great victory for the LORD. However, a victory on one end indicated a defeat on the other - and the queen Jezebel, having suffered shame of defeat by her gods' inability was also dealt a huge blow by the death of all her main prophets. To this, the queen sent a direct threat to Elijah - may her gods deal with her severely if by the next morning he was not killed like her prophets were killed.
This news rattled Elijah quite greatly. Coming off a great victory, it was possible that he was still in the aftermath of the entire event, and so this sudden threat caught him off-guard. At the same time, Jezebel was renowned for her cruelty to the LORD's prophets, having initiated the onslaught against them when she was instated as queen. There was only one thing left to do - run for his life. The queen would no doubt pursue him, and in his weakened state he could hardly hope to be spared.
And so Elijah ran - he ran until he could run no more. Stopping at Beersheba and in a desert, he sat down and made his last prayer. He was spent, worn out and weary after the three years - he, a settler, was no better than the people before him. Having started the revolution, he was content to die and asked for it. The servant of the LORD had reached his maximum burden.
After a short while of sleep, Elijah was awokened by an angel, who had brought some food with him - hot cakes on coals and a jug of water. He got up, ate and drank and went back to sleep. The angel of the LORD, the pre-incarnate Godhead, came again and told him to eat - for he had a journey to undertake. He finished the meal - thus strengthened, he traveled forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, the mountain of the LORD, where he spent the night in the cave. Now Mt Horeb is symbolic to the presence of the LORD, the first place where the tribes of Israel saw the thunder clouds and lightning of the Presence, and the place where the Ten Commandments were given.
Elijah was still shaken by the encounter - in his prayer, he expressed great concern for his people's ignorance. He felt alone in the entire battle, and now they were seeking his death too. The LORD did not answer him directly, but asked him to go outside and wait for the LORD to pass by.
The LORD then sent three powerful elements down - a great wind, a powerful earthquake and a wave of fire. However, God did not pass in these elements, but in a gentle whisper. Elijah recognised the whisper, covered his face and came outside. The same question was posed and the same answer was given. The LORD did not comfort him, but instead revealed his plan to him - he was to anoint three key people who would bring destruction to the idolaters of Israel. Yet he was not alone, 7 000 people had chosen the same path, to not bow to Baal or worship his image.
Thus encouraged, Elijah went out and anointed Elisha. Elisha's reaction was a direct indication of obedience - after saying goodbye to his town folk, he cut up his entire group of 12 oxen indicating an absolute cut-off from his previous profession. He would from then on be Elijah's attendant and successor.
At times in our lives, we will face great persecution - based on our secular and spiritual choices, we may be forced to run for our lives. It is easy to think at the point that it is hopeless, that we are the only ones left to protect the truth in the world yet we are the ones being targeted. At the point of time, it is comforting to know this:
1. The LORD sustains His servants - He will not leave us nor abandon us again. Just like old times, Christ is always with us, filling us with His goodness, mercy, kindness and grace. He will give us strength for the road ahead.
2. The LORD is gentle - though powerful to bend the elements to His will, He is gentle in dealing with His children. He does not deal with us as our sins deserve, but deals with us as a Father to His children.
3. We are never alone - there is always the people who belong to the "seven thousand" who, like us, are fighting a battle seemingly alone.
Therefore, let us not give up "doing good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph 2:10). Let us continue to serve the LORD, to do His will - He has prepared judgement for our captors. All He asks of us is to continue to walk in His favour and do His will as the situations present themselves.
1 Kings 19 comes off a great victory on the LORD's side. Elijah had just faced off against 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah, the gods of the Sidonians - and the LORD showed his sovereignty over all 'gods' by fire from heaven, which licked up the entire altar of stone and dried up the trench of water around it. In the defeat, Elijah took the opportunity to capture and wipe out the false prophets who had committed perjury against the LORD. At the same time, rain came once more to Israel after 3 years of drought, indicating the end of God's judgement on Israel - at least for the time being.
Now, status report - Elijah had made it to Samaria along with a very drenched Ahab, in a great victory for the LORD. However, a victory on one end indicated a defeat on the other - and the queen Jezebel, having suffered shame of defeat by her gods' inability was also dealt a huge blow by the death of all her main prophets. To this, the queen sent a direct threat to Elijah - may her gods deal with her severely if by the next morning he was not killed like her prophets were killed.
This news rattled Elijah quite greatly. Coming off a great victory, it was possible that he was still in the aftermath of the entire event, and so this sudden threat caught him off-guard. At the same time, Jezebel was renowned for her cruelty to the LORD's prophets, having initiated the onslaught against them when she was instated as queen. There was only one thing left to do - run for his life. The queen would no doubt pursue him, and in his weakened state he could hardly hope to be spared.
And so Elijah ran - he ran until he could run no more. Stopping at Beersheba and in a desert, he sat down and made his last prayer. He was spent, worn out and weary after the three years - he, a settler, was no better than the people before him. Having started the revolution, he was content to die and asked for it. The servant of the LORD had reached his maximum burden.
After a short while of sleep, Elijah was awokened by an angel, who had brought some food with him - hot cakes on coals and a jug of water. He got up, ate and drank and went back to sleep. The angel of the LORD, the pre-incarnate Godhead, came again and told him to eat - for he had a journey to undertake. He finished the meal - thus strengthened, he traveled forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb, the mountain of the LORD, where he spent the night in the cave. Now Mt Horeb is symbolic to the presence of the LORD, the first place where the tribes of Israel saw the thunder clouds and lightning of the Presence, and the place where the Ten Commandments were given.
Elijah was still shaken by the encounter - in his prayer, he expressed great concern for his people's ignorance. He felt alone in the entire battle, and now they were seeking his death too. The LORD did not answer him directly, but asked him to go outside and wait for the LORD to pass by.
The LORD then sent three powerful elements down - a great wind, a powerful earthquake and a wave of fire. However, God did not pass in these elements, but in a gentle whisper. Elijah recognised the whisper, covered his face and came outside. The same question was posed and the same answer was given. The LORD did not comfort him, but instead revealed his plan to him - he was to anoint three key people who would bring destruction to the idolaters of Israel. Yet he was not alone, 7 000 people had chosen the same path, to not bow to Baal or worship his image.
Thus encouraged, Elijah went out and anointed Elisha. Elisha's reaction was a direct indication of obedience - after saying goodbye to his town folk, he cut up his entire group of 12 oxen indicating an absolute cut-off from his previous profession. He would from then on be Elijah's attendant and successor.
At times in our lives, we will face great persecution - based on our secular and spiritual choices, we may be forced to run for our lives. It is easy to think at the point that it is hopeless, that we are the only ones left to protect the truth in the world yet we are the ones being targeted. At the point of time, it is comforting to know this:
1. The LORD sustains His servants - He will not leave us nor abandon us again. Just like old times, Christ is always with us, filling us with His goodness, mercy, kindness and grace. He will give us strength for the road ahead.
2. The LORD is gentle - though powerful to bend the elements to His will, He is gentle in dealing with His children. He does not deal with us as our sins deserve, but deals with us as a Father to His children.
3. We are never alone - there is always the people who belong to the "seven thousand" who, like us, are fighting a battle seemingly alone.
Therefore, let us not give up "doing good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph 2:10). Let us continue to serve the LORD, to do His will - He has prepared judgement for our captors. All He asks of us is to continue to walk in His favour and do His will as the situations present themselves.