Ever feel like you are the only one in your surrounding world walking with God? Feel like you did exactly what God asked you to do only to find yourself in the middle of persecution? Feel like everyone or everything is against you, causing you to despair?
If you said yes, then you are not alone. Even the great prophet Elijah had those perceptions and feelings. So, what then, do we just give up? In fact, that is what Elijah wanted. His despair was so great that He even requested for himself that he might die in I Kings 19:4. So what happened in Elijah’s life that he would reach such a point of despair?
To make a long story short, I will paraphrase it, however you can read it for yourself in I Kings chapters 18 and 19.
The story begins with an evil King named Ahab. I King 16:33 “And Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.” To provide some background, at this point in the story, God had already sent a famine in the land where Ahab was King, and God was honoring Elijah’s prayer to hold back the rain for three years. A decree to kill all of Israel’s prophets had also been given. We pick up at the end of the three years where God is now sending Elijah to speak to King Ahab directly.
So, what happens next?
Elijah meets with Ahab and God proves he is the one and only God to everyone. How?
- Elijah challenges Ahab, his prophets and his Gods. The challenge – build an altar and “call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God.”
- Elijah tells Ahab to bring his 450 prophets and build an altar to their gods
- Ahab’s prophets spend all day, even until the evening sacrifice, calling on their gods but nothing happens; no fire
- Elijah then builds an altar to the Lord and calls on his God. Immediately the altar is consumed by fire.
Well when the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. Proving He is the only God. Seizing the opportunity, Elijah commanded the prophets of Baal to be gathered and he killed them all. With the land now cleansed, Elijah prays for the rain to return and it does.
Meanwhile
Ahab runs to Jezebel (an evil and feared queen). Ahab tells her all that Elijah did including how he killed 450 of their prophets. Jezebel is so anger that she vows to have Elijah killed just like the 450 prophets within the next 24 hours.
Here is where Elijah’s persecution and despair set in. When he heard what the queen had declared against him, he arose and ran for his life. This is the same man that just finished doing the will of God and witnessing first-hand the power of God. Yet he fled in fear for his life until he felt safe and laid down under a juniper tree to rest. So, was God angry with him? I don’t think so, he actually sent an angel who gave Elijah food to eat and water to drink. Taking care of his physical needs. Elijah then got up and kept moving. He eventually reached a cave where he stayed. However, during his entire journey and angel gave him food to eat and water to drink.
He went from calling down fire to hiding in a cave
Now Elijah is hiding in a cave. He went from calling down fire to hiding in a cave. God, being the incredible kind God that He is, took care of Elijah’s needs and gave Elijah time to rest. Then when the time was right, God asked Elijah, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” In order words, hey Elijah what’s up, what’s going on with you? Then Elijah, like all of us, begins to tell his side of the story. 1 Kings 19:10 “And Elijah said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for 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.”
How did God respond to Elijah?
Basically, God said, come to me. He told Elijah to come stand on the mount before the Lord. Then the Lord passed by the cave where Elijah was. A strong wind passed by braking the rocks, then an earthquake, and then fire, but God was not in any of them. Instead, after the fire He came in a still (calming) small voice. So, Elijah covered his face and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. And again God said to him, “What doest thou here, Elijah?”
Misery loves company
Then Elijah, like all of us, begins to tell his same story again. 1 Kings 19:14 “And Elijah said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for 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.”
Next Assignment
Now God, didn’t even respond to Elijah’s pity party, but instead begins by giving him his next assignment. You see God knows who He is and that all things are subject to him, even Elijah’s life. The thing that Elijah temporarily forgot. You see, God reminded Elijah of his power when he passed by in the wind, the earthquake and the fire. And of their relationship when He spoke to him in His still small voice.
So what happened next, God gave Elijah his next assignment. Verse 15, “and the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
Moving On
Now, Elijah went from calling down fire, to hiding in a cave, to moving on from his fear and despair.
How did he do it? Well, three things happened to Elijah in this story.
- He was reminded of the power and deity of God
- He was obedient and went to God for help when he stood on the mount before God
- He let go of what happened, the past, and moved onto his next assignment
This is truly how you move on when are you faced with adversity, persecution, or despair. Remind yourself of who God is, the King of the World. Be obedient and submit yourself to Him in prayer, for He will also be there for you. And finally, shake it off, let it go, and get busy with your next assignment.