Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever had to ‘run for your life’? I mean… have the circumstances of your life ever become so complex, so fearful, you actually felt the best thing you could do was pack up and move to a new place? Or maybe the situation you were in was so urgent you simply ran or drove away as fast as you could? That is exactly what happened to the old prophet Elijah!
But wait a minute!! How could that be? Yesterday we witnessed one of the most amazing displays of God’s power, as God sent a ball of fire from heaven in response to Elijah’s prayer and the prophets of Baal were shamed and defeated. (1 Kings 18:36-40) So why would the prophet Elijah run away in fear?
Because word came to Elijah that wicked Queen Jezebel was so angry about the slaughter of her 450 prophets of Baal, that she was determined to kill Elijah, immediately. This amazing part of God’s Grand Narrative is found in 1 Kings 19.Would you turn there with me?
But first, please notice in 1 Kings 18:41-46 that God did as He had promised and sent rain to end the several year droughts. That was another demonstration of God’s supreme power over all creation and in response to Elijah’s prayer! And did you notice a third miracle in that story?
We don’t exactly know how old Elijah was at the time but I’m imagining he’s probably in his 60’s, and while I have a friend who’s in his 70’s and still runs marathon races, what Elijah did stuns me! The power of God came upon old Elijah and he ran from Mount Carmel all the way to Jezreel. That’s about 17 miles!
More impressive is the fact that Elijah outran King Ahab in his chariot! Ahab and Jezebel had a ‘country palace’ in the beautiful valley of Jezreel and Ahab was rushing home to report to Queen Jezebel what had happened on Mount Carmel! Now pause and let that soak in as you watch old Elijah run by and Ahab whipping his chariot horse trying to keep up to God empowered old Elijah! (1 Kings 18:44-46)
Question: How do you recognize the unleashing of God’s unlimited power into your life, especially when you feel inadequate or overwhelmed by life’s circumstances? Don’t rush past that question, think about it! Answer it!
1 Kings 19:3 makes a bold statement: “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.” What? In the past two chapters of the Bible, 1 Kings 17 & 18, we’ve seen several remarkable, unexplainable miracles of God that involved Elijah, so why would a death threat from Queen Jezebel so terrify Elijah that he ran away, afraid for his life?
Oh, my friends, you and I do this all the time don’t we? We experience God’s goodness, His provision, His protection, His miracles…and then suddenly an unexpected problem confronts us, fear overwhelms us, and we set aside the evidence of God’s involvement in our lives. We disregard the past power of God, and we choose to worry or maybe we even panic! Honestly now, when was the last time you did that?
Elijah ran, literally, for his life, away from Jezreel and Queen Jezebel, heading south, all the way to Beersheba. Depending on the route Elijah took, that’s about 90 miles! We don’t know how long it took him, but I imagine he traveled day and night as fast as he could go.
Once in Beersheba, Elijah left his servant there and headed further south, alone, into the Negev wilderness. There, exhausted, the record tells us Elijah collapsed under a scrub brush tree ready to die. In fact, Elijah said words that maybe you’ve thought or said: “I have had enough LORD, take my life, I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:3-5) Have you noticed deep discouragement, worry, even paralyzing fear often comes immediately after a great personal victory in your life? Why?
This is a fundamental spiritual truth we must understand: It’s the dark kingdom lashing out against you and me, opposing our victories and seeking to undermine any confidence or progress we made, especially spiritual progress in our relationship with God. The dark kingdom, under the authority of Satan who hates God, CANNOT be inactive when spiritual progress is being made, anywhere in the world.
When our hearts are celebrating the supremacy, the glory of God, the dark kingdom MUST respond in opposition! Perhaps at no time in his life had Elijah experienced so many powerful encounters with God, miracles, then in the weeks prior to this moment as recorded in 1 Kings 17& 18. Thus, the dark kingdom could not sit by idle allowing such radical evidence of God’s supremacy to go unchallenged! While Elijah had experienced the undeniable supremacy of God over all things, Elijah also knew the wicked power of Ahab and Jezebel, and he allowed fear to overwhelm him!
Under that scrub tree in the wilderness, actually hoping to die, Elijah was met by an angel who not once but twice came to him with food, water and encouragement from God! (1 Kings 19:5-7) Energized by those encounters with God’s messengers, Elijah headed south, into the wilderness. For 40 days and nights Elijah traveled, finally arriving at the place his ancestor Moses had met with God... Mount Horeb!
By the way, depending on his route, Elijah traveled about 270 miles from Beersheba to Mount Horeb and it is very rugged, exhausting terrain! Question: What was Elijah thinking about, maybe praying about as he hiked those 40 days in the wilderness toward Mount Sinai? (Yes, Sinai & Horeb are two names for the same mountain)
I assume Elijah replayed in his mind and heart, over and over, the life journey he had walked with God and the power of God he had so many times experienced. You and I need to do that OFTEN, my friends. Taking time to remember, to journal, to tell our God stories to others, especially our children and grandchildren. Doing so will strengthen our spiritual vitality, deepen our faith roots, and build our defense against those dark kingdom attacks!
The remainder of 1 Kings 19 is Elijah’s firsthand report of the life changing encounter Elijah had with God on Mount Sinai. It’s very similar to the encounter Moses had on that same mountain 600 years before! (Exodus 3) I urge you to read through Elijah’s account carefully and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand the significance of God’s power demonstrations on that mountain, and God’s words of correction and commission to Elijah.
Elijah walked away from Mount Sinai with a totally different perspective. Elijah was not alone, God had thousands of other courageous, obedient followers like him. God had yet much more He wanted to accomplish in the future, and He had men prepared to take up the leadership challenge from Elijah, ready to continue the battle for the moral high ground in Israel.
I believe you and I may be in very much the same place today, needing a fresh perspective, a fresh challenge, a fresh commissioning from God for the journey God knows is ahead for each of us in a world that so boldly is rejecting God!
So, take time to slowly read through 1 Kings 19 asking God to meet with you as He met with Elijah. Have your journal and pen ready for what God will say to you! The study notes in the Grand Narrative link below will be very helpful for you in this process, as will the new Elijah worship song I have found. And I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 19.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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