Has Elijah Given Up?

Posted On May 26, 2021

I Kings 19: 1-18

Following the clear demonstration of God’s power in the rain of fire at Mt. Carmel, one would assume that all would now be well in Israel. Furthermore, we might think of reading that Elijah was lauded as their hero – parades, a day in his honor, etc.  But none of that took place!

Instead, Ahab and Jezebel still ruled; other false prophets appeared; and, once again Elijah (who had stood alone so strongly time after time) was forced to flee amid the death threats of Jezebel (19:1-3).

This time, the Lord sent him to Beersheba – a journey of slightly over 100 miles. From there, he went alone into the wilderness. His prayer there was short, simple and sad: “I pray it be enough, O Lord. Now take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” (19:4). Before someone should pass this off as the weary groaning of a tired, old man; or think of rebuking a man of such faith for falling into a pit of despair; or even chastising him for not being grateful for all the blessings he has received from God – let’s remember what he was seeing before him. Although this was the Lord’s work, Elijah might very well be feeling that excruciating agony of having given his all yet beholding little evidence that the work had been done. Outwardly, the conditions he first encountered were yet present and he felt guilty – he had done “no better than my fathers”.

Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Jeremiah – to name a few – all expressed that heaviness from having disappointed their Lord. The evils and faithlessness they were battling remained even after they were gone. We will recall that even after Jesus gave His life to trample down death on the cross and rose from the dead to grant eternal life, the devil and his demons still roam the world and evil in all forms is a continuing foe.

But God would have none of that from His servants – then or now. We sense the depth of the Lord’s compassion in the verses following. We are blessed, along with Elijah, to be reminded that our God understands our feelings and shortcomings. In the words of a gospel song from years ago, “He looked beyond our faults and saw our need”.

At that point, the Angel of the Lord (an Old Testament reference to the Son of God) came with food and further directions for the prophet. Remember in an earlier study. “God loves us like we are, but He loves us too much to leave us like we are”. So now, Elijah is about to experience what David did years earlier: “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth – Praise to our God” (Psalm 40: 1-3). 

The call was to Mt. Horeb (also Mt. Sinai) about 200 miles from Beersheba. There, nearly 600 years earlier, Moses was burdened with these same feelings as he struggled with a people who “forgot” the miraculous exodus and parting of the Red Sea, complained about their provisions in the wilderness, and were even willing to return to slavery in Egypt to exchange their freedom for an “easier” life. We may wonder whether Elijah made the connection in his mind.

So, what happened there at Mt. Horeb? He found a cave and the Lord found him there. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (vs. 9). Although the Lord knew, Elijah needed to say it. “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 a sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” (vs. 10). Without a word of rebuke or anger, the Lord called Elijah out of the cave to stand on the mountain before Him.

Perhaps Elijah expected a deafening, trembling, burning message of God’s anger. However, the wind, earthquake and fire, while signs of God’s power, were not weapons of His wrath. What reached Elijah’s ears and heart was the still, small voice. It was the sound of nearness; the sound of compassion; the sound of understanding; the sound of love.

Then, the question came again, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (vs. 13).  The obvious answer was that God had sent him, but the question doesn’t seem to be about a place on a map, nor the altitude of a mountain, nor even fleeing from Jezebel. No, perhaps the Lord was asking “What are you doing here in your heart where there is just the two of us?”. The prophet repeated his previous answer. I am driven to believe that, this time, those words came from his “broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17) which God will not despise.

The Lord’s response was quite unexpected, and just what Elijah needed. As he was wrestling with those negative feelings of letting God down, it was as though the Lord said, “Elijah, you’re still My man. You have done the work I gave you. But you are not quite finished.” “Now, go return on your way to the desert of Damascus (about 350 miles); and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria …. and Jehu as king over Israel. And Elisha, the son of Shaphat …. you shall anoint as prophet in your place” (19:15,16). How gracious of the Lord to assure Elijah that He had not given up on him and He did not want Elijah giving up either!

What appears almost as a postscript from the Lord must have lifted Elijah’s spirit even more. “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (vs. 18). It surely was comforting to Elijah – and should be to us – that God will indeed have His people to continue the work even when one generation passes on.

What a beautiful reminder to us all! No matter where we are in our journey with Christ and the service to which He has called us, we may be assured that He is constantly watching over us. When we do our best, regardless of the consequences, He knows all about it. From the pen of St. Paul, “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10).

I ask your forgiveness for a personal note. In reflecting on this passage, the words of an old gospel song came to mind,

               “If when you give the best of your service.

               Telling the world that the Savior has come,

               Be not dismayed when men don’t believe you,

               He’ll understand and say, “well done”.

May God continue to lift you up and put a song of praise in your mouth.

Fr. Andrew and Kh. Dannie