The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is a familiar one. What follows is not so familiar.
With the 450 prophets of Baal dead, and the people of Israel declaring, “The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God”, Elijah thinks he has performed well. Ahab returned home, and there he related to Jezebel what had happened. Had Jezebel been open to the truth, she would have denounced her idols and turned to God. Had Ahab realized that the idols he had allowed in his kingdom were false gods, he would have “cleaned house” and declared Jehovah God the true God. Neither turned from their evil ways.
Jezebel responded by sending word to Elijah that by the next day she would take his life or die. Elijah reacted by running away. This was understandable since his life was in danger.
Out of Ahab’s jurisdiction, he lay exhausted under a juniper tree. He slept there until an angel woke him and gave him a cake and water. A second time an angel woke him and told him to eat, because he was going on a long journey.
His journey took him 40 days and 40 nights, and he found himself in a cave where the Lord appeared to him and asked him what he was doing there. He answered that he had done what he could to change the people of Israel. He had torn down the altars of their false gods, killed the prophets of Baal, and “I, even I only, am left.”
Elijah was a sad, desperate man who wanted God’s people to be faithful and serve only Him. It took a strong wind, and earthquake, and a fire to get his full attention. But it was the still small voice that brought him to his senses.
God asked him a second time what he was doing there, and Elijah answered him the same way, including the statement that he was the only one left who served the God of heaven.
It seems that Elijah was frightened by Jezebel’s threat and ran away because he was afraid to die. Maybe he was; but I believe there was more to it than that. I believe he was discouraged. He thought his powerful illustration of God’s power would have convinced the people to turn to God. It did for some for a short time, but obviously Jezebel brought them back under her control. He truly believed only he, from the thousands of God’s chosen people, was faithful to God. God had to tell him that there were 7,000 that had not bowed to Baal or kissed the statue of Baal.
God let him know he still had work to do, and He sent Elijah back to anoint a king of Syria, a king of Israel, and to anoint his successor. Spending some time alone with the Lord made him realize God was not done with him. He still had things to do before he left the earth.
There are things we can learn from this Old Testament story. First, when we are discouraged, we should talk to God about it. Elijah didn’t ask God before he ran away, and that might have saved him from a very long journey.
Second, we won’t always find God in places of power. It is the still, small voice that we find the answers we seek. It is in the quiet time with God that we can remove the doubts and fears we feel and allow God to speak to us through His Word.
Third, we are never alone. There will always be those who continue to serve God. There will always be access to the Bible, and the church will never be destroyed. God gives us that promise.
Lastly, as long as there is breath in us, we have a job to do for the Lord. We may need to search for a way to serve God when we are sick or unable to do the things we used to do. Maybe we can only be an influence to those around us; but God will let us know when He is done with us, just like He did with Elijah.
Even in Elijah’s last hours on this earth, He served God. When Elisha asked for a portion of Elijah’s spirit, Elijah told him that would be up to God. His faith had grown. His attitude had changed, and he continues to serve as an example of faithfulness to us today.
Sandra Oliver