Have you ever felt lonely? That's rhetorical, actually. Everyone is lonely sometimes. But have you ever felt uniquely lonely, as if you were the only one like you? As if you were the odd one out, not because you were wrong, but because you were right? I have. The other day I came home as discouraged as I've been in a while. I couldn't believe the examples of human behavior I'd seen that day, because, let's face it, each of us knows it's not true, but wants to believe that people are basically good anyway. I felt like I was the only Christian in the place, as if there was no one else in that room who even respected God, let alone knew Him. True, I acknowledged there probably was a Christian there besides me, but if so, it sure wasn't obvious enough. But then as I was airing my grievances my Mom reminded me of an important story, and that's what we're looking at today, because each of us has been discouraged and felt alone at one time or another, and the truth is, we're not.
Before we dive right in, let me give you the context of this story. We're in Biblical Israel again, under the reign of King Ahab, who happens to be one of the worst rulers in the history of the nation for sinfulness and idol-worship. It doesn't get much worse than him. But he has an opponent named Elijah, a prophet of the Lord. In a time where Israel has been opposed to God and his followers, he stands out as a man who will serve the Lord. Better yet, he's just shown to the king and Israel that God is the true God. Not a bad victory, overall. But look what happens. After Elijah has killed the "prophets" of Baal, Jezebel, the wife of king Ahab (who's even worse than he is), finds out about Elijah's victory.
1 Kings 19:1-10
"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs 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 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!” Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for 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.” (NKJV)
Before we dive right in, let me give you the context of this story. We're in Biblical Israel again, under the reign of King Ahab, who happens to be one of the worst rulers in the history of the nation for sinfulness and idol-worship. It doesn't get much worse than him. But he has an opponent named Elijah, a prophet of the Lord. In a time where Israel has been opposed to God and his followers, he stands out as a man who will serve the Lord. Better yet, he's just shown to the king and Israel that God is the true God. Not a bad victory, overall. But look what happens. After Elijah has killed the "prophets" of Baal, Jezebel, the wife of king Ahab (who's even worse than he is), finds out about Elijah's victory.
1 Kings 19:1-10
"And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs 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 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!” Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for 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.” (NKJV)
Do you see what has happened here? Elijah has just won a major spiritual victory (one chapter ago!) and yet he only needs one threat from the queen to send him packing. After running for his life, this thoroughly discouraged man wishes for death, a request God doesn't grant. Instead, He asks Elijah "What are you doing here", and Elijah's response is something that many of us relate to, at least, for the most part. "I alone am left. There's no one else here who loves You, God. What am I supposed to do? How can I possibly stand for You when I'm the only one left who even cares? I've tried to serve you, but I'm the only one!"
However, God doesn't respond to Elijah's complaint right away. Look at what happens next:
"Then He [God] said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “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.” 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. 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. It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:11-18 NKJV, boldface added)
God is all-powerful. The world shakes at His presence. He hung the moon in place. Nothing is beyond His reach or ability. He can create earthquakes, fire, and wind at His will. But He does not use these things to talk to Elijah, although they precede His words. When He talks to Elijah, He uses a still small voice. He is gentle. His question is repeated, and so is Elijah's response, "...I alone am left..." (v. 14, NKJV). What does God do? He gives the prophet a new mission. This may seem a bit hard on a man as discouraged as Elijah. Surely some sympathy should be given for him. But then God says, "Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (v. 18, NKJV) Why does He say this? Because Elijah needs to know that he is not alone. He's not the one and only God-fearing man left in his generation. There are others, however hard to find they may be. Not only is God with him, but there are still people "with" him as well.
So Elijah did as God told him to. Eventually he went to heaven. He didn't die, God just took him.
Elijah's encounter with God on the mountain is easily applicable to each one of us. Even after a victory, we can get quickly discouraged, especially if we feel overwhelmed or unable to beat the enemy. It's easy to get discouraged, but we have to remember we're not alone. There are people who love God and are serving Him, even in the midst of depravity and sin running rampant through our culture. Is it easy all the time? No, and discouragement may last a long time (over forty days for Elijah). But our God is on the throne at all times, and is sovereign over the earth, and He will hold us up and bring us into glory. In the meantime, let's give our best, trust Him with the rest, and we'll be able to have childlike faith in an adult's world.
(NKJV Means New King James Version)
(NKJV Means New King James Version)
