(James 5:17) "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months."
This series of lessons is a devotional study on the life of the prophet Elijah. As a man of like passions with us, his life sheds light on the greatness of the God of the Bible, His purposes, and His love and care for His people in a world in desperate need of the saving message of Jesus Christ. The story of Elijah also reflects the need of God's people to walk with Him by faith through the privilege of prayer and the knowledge of His Word.
I. The Man Elijah
A. He was a remarkable man.
1. He was so remarkable in fact that many Christians are inclined to look upon him as a kind of superhuman being.
2. He lived a busy and useful life; and after his ministry was ended, God took him to heaven without his dying.
3. Nearly a thousand years later, this man came back to earth and visited the Lord Jesus Christ on a mountain.
4. I personally believe that this same man will come back and minister on earth for a short time just prior to the Second Coming of Christ.
B. He was, just a man.
1. His name is Elijah, a man whom we are inclined to set apart from ordi-nary servants of the Lord.
2. He was, after all, a human being like the rest of us.
3. He had emotions and problems; he experienced the same ups and downs in his life that all of us face.
4. When we compare Elijah's life with David's, we find that David had many faults; yet he was called a man after God's own heart.
5. Elijah, on the other hand, had very few weak-nesses or sins recorded against him, but we are told that he was a man of "like passions".
C. God's Viewpoint
1. God knows our frailties and inability's.
2. We are only weak human flesh, something we must recognize if we want to keep a proper perspective on life.
3. We must realize that in ourselves we are nothing and that any success we have in our spiritual life and ministry is due to God.
4. Left to themselves, David or Elijah would have been complete failures, just as we would be.
5. Both men became great because they trusted God.
6. They committed themselves totally to do His will.
a. David, of course, knew how to deal with his faults in the light of God's truth and how to trust God for great things.
b. We're told very little about Elijah's personal life, but a close study reveals that he was a human being like the rest of us.
c. He was a man of like passions, or nature.
1) The word "passion" in this context does not mean he had evil habits in the sense of gross sins, but he had feelings that we would expect in a human being.
2) He was like us because he was afraid at times, and because of his fear he fled.
3) Once he was discouraged almost to the point of death.
4) Because he was taken from this world without dying, some of us hesitate to look at him as a pattern for our own spiritual lives.
7. From both David and Elijah we must learn to look not at the merits and abilities of a man but at the grace of God.
a. God has His own standard of greatness, and both David and Elijah measured up to that standard.
b. Elijah was a righ-teous man.
1) He was a man who prayed, a man who believed and a man who received answers from God.
2) He received some outstanding answers to prayer, for he dared to believe what God told him.
II. The Name Elijah
A. Elijah's name means "Jehovah is my God."
1. I believe this indicates that God was Elijah's strength and power.
2. There is a vast difference between the two ideas that the Lord strengthens me and that the Lord is my strength.
3. Paul emphasized this latter fact in Ephesians 6:10: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."
4. The apostle did not say that we should ask God for power to overcome this or to give strength for that, but we are to simply trust God to be the strength and power needed.
5. Christ is made unto us whatever our need is.
a. If we need strength, He is our strength.
b. If we lack holiness, He is made unto us holiness.
c. If we need righteousness, He is our righteousness.
d. If we want life, He is our life.
e. He is what we need.
B. Elijah's Background
1. Elijah is first introduced to us as the Tishbite in 1 Kings 17.
2. We are simply told that he was an inhabitant of Gilead.
3. The record indicates that Elijah was a powerful man physically, a person strong of mind and earnest in spirit.
4. His birthplace was the little town of Tishbeh, a small, obscure village in the mountains.
III. The Problem of Elijah: Idolatry / Baalism.
A. Understanding Baalism.
1. 'Baal' a means "lord, master, or owner,"
2. He was the chief god worshipped by the Canaanites at the time of Israel's entrance into the land.
3. There were some 70 different gods that were worshipped in Canaan, but the most popular of these gods was called Baal.
a. Baal was the most popular because he was considered the god of fertility in all aspects of life--human, animal, and vegetable.
b. Production and prosperity were dependent on Baal.
c. Baal was considered as the god who has power over rain, wind, clouds, and therefore over fertility.
d. Baal was also worshipped as the weather god, the god of storm, of rain and good crops.
e. As you can see, this is very important to the background of 1 Kings 17-19 with the story of the drought and the contest on Mount Carmel.
4. Worship was localized so that each area worshipped its own Baal.
a. A name from the city or place where Baal was being worshipped was frequently added.
b. This resulted in a variety of names like Baalmeon (Nu. 32:38), Baalhermon (Jg. 3:3), Baalhazor (2Sa. 13:23), Baalzebub (2 Ki. 1:2), and Baalpeor. (Nu. 25:3-5)
5. In Elijah's time, Israel worshipped Baal at Tyre. 6. Jezebel, a Tyrian princess, introduced the worship of Baal into Israel.
B. Baal worship included the following:
1. The offering of incense and burnt sacrifices (Jer. 7:9)
2. Sometimes the offering of human sacrifices (Jer. 19:5)
3. It especially included licentious sexual activity--including sodomy (cf. 1 Kgs. 14:23-24; 15:12; with 22:46).
C. This was one of the darkest hours of Israel's history.
1. Jezebel killed all the prophets of God she could put her hands on (1 Kings 18:4-13).
2. Others had to flee for their lives.
3. At one time Elijah thought he was the only prophet left, until God told him that there were 7,000 others who had not bowed their knees to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).
4. Leading in idol worship were some 850 priests of Baal and of the goddess Asherah (1 Kings 18:19).
5. This was the condition in Israel when Elijah's minis-try began.
IV. The Prayers of Elijah
A. Elijah knew the Word of God.
1. He began to pray in the light of God's promises.
2. He knew, for example, what Moses had stated in De.11:13-17
3. Knowing the conditions God said would prevail if the Israelites practiced obedience and knowing what He had promised as judgment if they were disobedient, Elijah prayed that it would not rain.
(1 Ki 17:1) "And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."
4. And it did not rain for a period of three and a half years.
5. He prayed again that it would rain, and it did.
(1 Ki 18:45) "And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel."
6. These are good examples of the prayer of faith, for true prayer is claiming what God has said in His Word and asking Him to do as He has promised.
B. We are told, "He prayed earnestly" (Jas. 5:17)
1. This literally means he prayed in prayer, or we might say, "He really prayed."
2. His prayers were for the ears of God and not for the ears of people.
3. Sometimes people remark, "So and so prays beautifully", but such prayers do not necessarily mean a thing to God.
4. God hears prayer directed to Him and not to people.
C. Elijah prayed for the best for Israel.
1. Elijah prayed that rain would cease to fall, which, of course, meant that drought would come.
2. This may seem like a cruel thing to do.
a. It would cause much suffering.
b. Crops would fail, herds would die, and people would die as well.
c. But Elijah believed God's Word.
(Deu 11:16-17) "Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; {17} And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you."
3. Since God said this was good for His people if they left Him, then it would be good and not wrong to pray for such chastisement to fall on them.
4. Its purpose was to bring God's people back to Him.
a. People need to know that God is the living God.
b. In Elijah's day idols were worshipped, but they were dead objects.
c. Some-one needed to demonstrate that God was alive and powerful on behalf of His people.
d. The Israelites needed to know that God's words were not empty utterances and that God would enforce His judgments.
e. Up to that moment God had with-held judgment, but the time was ripe for God to show His hand (see Psalm 50:21,22).
(Psa 50:21-22) "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. {22} Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver."
5. Elijah prayed that God might be proven to be God before the eyes of His people.
V. The Prophet Elijah
A. Elijah had a true sense of values.
1. As a prophet of God he knew what God desired, and he knew that what God desired was best for Israel.
2. We may think that we could never pray as Elijah did.
3. Remember, God tells us he was a man of "like passion" (Jas 5:17).
4. He was a human being like the rest of us, and he faced discouragement and dismay.
5. The big difference between Elijah and most of us is that he boldly spoke out for God most of the time.
6. A prophet had to walk alone, for few persons wanted to walk with him.
a. By a prophet, we do not mean just one who foretells...
b. But one who tells out God's message.
c. The prophets were not accredited by the religious systems of their day
d. They did not belong to those systems and did not seem to care that they were not endorsed by them.
e. Very often the prophets were despised, persecuted and hated by religious leaders.
f. The prophets had a special message and a mission to perform in arousing the slumber-ing conscience of God's people.
g. They were also sent to com-fort the people of God, but only a remnant believed them.
B. Even though Elijah came from an obscure background, he was called of God to stand before a king. (1 Ki. 17:1)
1. Elijah could stand before Ahab because he first stood before God.
2. To stand before God we must be cleansed by Christ's blood, reconciled to God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
3. We must constantly wait on God, being committed to Him, always ready to obey His slightest command.
4. We must be at God's disposal to do little things or big things, whatever He calls us to do.
5. Our concern must be for the Lord and not for ourselves.
6. This was Elijah's attitude, for he was jealous for the Lord God of hosts.
(1 Ki 19:14) "And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because 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."
VI. The Boldness of Elijah
A. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours.
1. He had a remarkable ministry, but he was still human.
2. He had special gifts from God and was set apart to perform a special ministry.
3. The difference between him and us is due to the special work God had for him and the fact that he was fully submitted to God.
4. When he relied on his own resources, he became as weak as a child.
a. At one period in his life he was discouraged almost to the point of death.
b. Renewed by God, he was as bold as a lion.
B. He dared to stand before King Ahab and pronounce the judgment of God on him and his kingdom.
1. The first thing that Elijah did when he stood before Ahab was to remind the king that the God of Israel is a living God. (1 Ki. 17:1)
a. This was in direct contrast to the dead idol of Baal.
b. Jezebel had brought Baal worship into Israel and had 850 priests leading in the worship of idols.
c. It was also stated in preparation for what Elijah would prove at a later time on Mount Carmel.
d. That event was still three years in the future, but it was the Living God who acted and demonstrated His power.
2. Elijah dared to believe God.
a. He pronounced judgment on the basis of God's Word.
b. He did not just pray, but he said, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word" (1 Kings 17:1).
c. He was able to say this because he knew God and believed Him.
3. Elijah faced Ahab with the news of God's judgment, the drought had existed for six months.
a. This lack of rain was the result of the direct prayer of Elijah who based it on God's statements recorded in Deuteronomy.
b. The prophet had not gone to see Ahab immediately but had waited until Ahab and the nation were in dire need of rain.
c. Then he told Ahab that there would be no dew or rain-not only for months but for years until he, Elijah, gave the word.
4. Elijah was in a place of danger when he stood before Ahab.
a. The evil woman the king had married sought the life of every servant of God that she could find.
b. Elijah had no prestigious position or wealth that might have made Ahab hesitant about destroying him.
c. Yet the prophet stood before the king and claimed the six-month drought was due to his intercession before God.
C. The Secret of Elijah's Strength
1. The first part of his secret was his prayer life.
2. Elijah had a knowledge of God.
a. He not only knew the names of God and His mighty the names of God and His mighty works...
b. But he had a personal inner knowledge of Him.
3. His knowledge of God was a growing knowl-edge.
a. He spent time at the Brook Cherith and learned to know God intimately.
b. He then spent time in Zarephath, where God wonderfully supplied his needs in the home of a poor widow.
c. This was God's program for Elijah until He called him home to be with Himself.
4. Another reason for Elijah's strength was his knowledge of God's presence.
a. God was not someone whom he had met on some previous occasion, perhaps in Gilead, perhaps in some mountain hideaway.
b. Instead, He was the Lord God of Israel "before whom I stand."
c. Elijah recognized he was always in the presence of God.
d. The knowledge of this truth has a remarkable effect upon a person's thinking and actions and character. Note: We who belong to the Lord are always in His presence. He has promised, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5). We do not see Him with our physical eyes, and we may even be unaware of His presence, but He is with us.
e. Elijah knew that even while he stood in the presence of King Ahab, he was also standing in the presence of the Almighty God.
5. Elijah was the man he was because he was a man of faith.
a. Remove the element of faith from him even for a moment, and you will find him to be weak, fearful, discouraged and wishing to die.
b. This was his experience after the great victory at Mount Carmel.
c. He was threatened by Jezebel, and he fled for his life. d. Instead of keeping his eyes on God, he wanted to give up.
e. But God was faithful to him, and He encouraged and sustained His servant.
(John 15:5b) "... for without me ye can do nothing."
(Phil 4:13) "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
VII. Elijah at Cherith
A. One Step at a Time
1. Obeying God always comes first. Then He reveals the next step.
a. Too many of us, in doing the work of God, want to see the end result immediately.
b. But that is not trusting God, that is trusting sight.
c. Faith does not see; it trusts and obeys.
2. When Elijah had delivered His message to Ahab, the Lord told him what his next step was to be.
3. Note the examples:
a. Saul of Tarsus who became Paul the apostle.
1) As we are obedient and search the Scriptures, God will show us the next step we are to take in our spiritual lives.
2) This is always God's way of working.
3) When Saul was on his way to Damascus, he suddenly saw a great light.
4) He realized that he was face to face with the Lord and said, "... Lord, what wilt thou have me to do..." Acts 9:6
5) "...And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
6) Saul had to take a step of obedience.
7) He waited three days, and then the answer came.
b. Joshua.
1) When Joshua led the people of Israel into the land, God assured him:
(Josh 1:3) "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses."
2) This is what we call the law of appropriation.
3) Every step Joshua took claimed more of the land for him and the Israelites.
4) God was not going to give the Israelites the land all at once.
5) They had to appropriate it one step at a time.
6) It was at the moment the priests entered the Jordan River that it parted.
7) It was as the Israelites completed their walking around the city of Jericho that the walls collapsed.
8) In obedience to God they went forward step by step, and then God gave them what they needed.
B. Elijah trusted God absolutely.
1. God asks our absolute trust
a. We learn also from Elijah's experience that the servant of God must trust Him absolutely.
b. God told Elijah to go to the Brook Cherith and stay, for He had commanded the ravens to feed him there.
c. At no other place would the ravens feed Elijah except at the Brook Cherith, at the spot designated by God.
d. Are we where God wants us?
e. Are our troubles the result of our being out of the will of God?
f. We will always face troubles in this world, but this should not discourage us because God provides grace to help us.
g. Some troubles, however, are caused by our not being where God wants us.
h. These kind of troubles are remedied only as we obey God.
(Prov 3:5-6) "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. {6} In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
C. Elijah's Faith is Tested
1. As Elijah stayed by the brook, the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning bread and meat in the evening, and he drank of the waters of the stream.
(1 Ki 17:6) "And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."
2. But a time of testing arose, for the brook dried up.
3. It, too, was affected by the lack of rain.
4. Elijah began to experience the results of his own prayer.
5. Why would God test him like this after having directed him to go to this brook?
6. Why didn't God keep the water running in a miraculous way, if necessary?
(John 6:5-6) "When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? {6} And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do."
7. God knew what He was going to do with His prophet, and it was all for his spiritual well-being.
(Isa 28:16) "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."
8. Apparently Elijah knew this truth and obeyed it.
9. When things seemingly go wrong, we should wait on God and not be in a hurry.
10. Why did God allow the brook to dry up?
a. One reason may have been to teach Elijah, and us, not to trust in the gifts that God gives but always to trust in God Himself.
1) We must keep our eyes on God, not on things, not on gifts, not on blessings.
2) There is a strong tendency today for some believers to focus on the gift instead of the Giver.
3) It must have been hard for Elijah to sit by the brook and watch it disappear, but God was teaching him to turn his eyes from the failing stream to the unfailing God.
4) Then just when the brook dried up completely, the word of the Lord came to him again and told him where to go.
Note: Unbelief looks at the circumstances and forgets God's power (the 10 spies). But faith looks at the circumstances through God. (David and the giant).
b. Another reason why God tested Elijah's faith at Cherith was that His servant needed this private schooling in order to meet further situations.
1) He was already noted for his zeal and for the effectiveness of his prayer life.
2) He had asked God that rain be withheld from Israel, and God had answered his prayer.
3) Since Elijah was like us, he might have become proud.
a) He could easily have begun to gloat over his success in prayer.
b) The Lord knew this, whether Elijah did or not, and He knew that Elijah needed further schooling.
c) The Apostle Paul had a similar experience.
(2 Cor 12:7-10) "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. {8} For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. {9} And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. {10} Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
4) Before God could use Elijah further, He had to train him.
5) His seclusion was to provide more than protection from Ahab.
c. God had placed Elijah there, and he was not going to move until God told him to.
1) Where He leads me I will follow...
2) What He feeds me I will swallow!
3) To the Israelite the ravens were unclean birds.
4) Nevertheless, God used them, thus showing His absolute sovereignty in His choice of instruments.
5) God does not always choose the person who seemingly has all the potential for great service.
6) God, in His sovereign purpose, chooses whom He will to do His work.
(Psa 135:6) "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places."
7) All nature obeys Him. Do we?
8) God used both the natural (brook) and the supernatural (ravens).
(Phil 4:19) "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
9) There is no point in our trying to find out how God will do this; our responsibility is to believe that He will.
VIII. Elijah at Zarephath
Because Elijah was a man like us, he undoubtedly won-dered what God had in store for him when he saw the brook beginning to dry up. Since he was trusting in God, however, he believed and help arrived. "The word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee" (1 Kings 17:8,9). Elijah was to arise, go to Zarephath and dwell there. Only at Zarephath would a widow provide food for him. The word Zarephath means "refining" or "smelting place." The Lord was preparing a clean vessel for the next great step in His plan of deliverance and cleansing for Israel.
A. Elijah arose and went to Zarephath, v10
1. Elijah had traveled over 100 miles by foot, through a drought stricken country, to come to Zarephath.
2. When he arrived at the city, he didn't look for a place to rest or refresh himself.
3. Instead, he found the person he was looking for.
B. The Widow was Tested by Elijah..
1. Her name was not given nor were any other details.
2. Whether she was rich or poor, a Jewess or a Gentile was not told him.
3. The definite article indicates that this was the woman God had in mind.
4. Elijah did not know this at first but tested her to see if she was the one. V10-12
a. He asked her to bring him a little water in a vessel that he might drink.
b. As she went to get him some water, he called after her to bring him some bread as well. Note her response in V12
1) She was poor and destitute.
2) She had no resources except a handful of meal and a little oil.
3) Yet God said, "This is the one."
4) Elijah had learned to trust God for his provision.
5) He had also learned that God often used unconventional ways and circumstances to accomplish His will.
c. Then he tested her faith. v13-14
1) On the surface this third test by Elijah may seem selfish.
2) She was to bring him something before she or her son was served.
3) Elijah was testing the woman's heart.
4) Would she believe the promise of v14?
5) Faith acts and expects the results to follow.
6) When God commands, we are to obey, even if what God has said is opposed to what we would expect.
7) Faith goes ahead and trusts God for the results.
8) Often we want to see the end from the beginning, but faith is content to accept what God says.
9) Faith is not occupied with the difficulties but with the Lord with whom all things are possible.
10) Faith is not caught up in the circumstances but is occupied with the God who controls the circumstances.
"O FEAR THE LORD, YE HIS SAINTS: FOR THERE IS NO WANT TO THEM THAT FEAR HIM." (PSA 34:9)
"FOR THE LORD GOD IS A SUN AND SHIELD: THE LORD WILL GIVE GRACE AND GLORY: NO GOOD THING WILL HE WITHHOLD FROM THEM THAT WALK UPRIGHTLY." (PSA 84:11)
Elijah and the widow and her son would look to God and encourage themselves in His greatness. Then the widow would go to her barrel and find sufficient meal for that day. She would take what was needed, believing that, because of God's greatness and power, there would be sufficient meal in the barrel again the following day. The same was true with the oil.
d. Another test for the widow.
"AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS, THAT THE SON OF THE WOMAN, THE MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE, FELL SICK; AND HIS SICKNESS WAS SO SORE, THAT THERE WAS NO BREATH LEFT IN HIM. AND SHE SAID UNTO ELIJAH, WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH THEE, O THOU MAN OF GOD? ART THOU COME UNTO ME TO CALL MY SIN TO REMEMBRANCE, AND TO SLAY MY SON?" (1 KI 17:17-18)
1) Her son fell sick to the point he was no longer breathing.
2) This means that he was dead!
3) She was afraid that this was judgment upon her for some past sin.
4) Elijah met this difficult situation with a calm assurance.
"AND HE SAID UNTO HER, GIVE ME THY SON. AND HE TOOK HIM OUT OF HER BOSOM, AND CARRIED HIM UP INTO A LOFT, WHERE HE ABODE, AND LAID HIM UPON HIS OWN BED." (1 KI 17:19)
a) Elijah had been falsely accused by the widow.
b) Elijah had spent much time in the presence of the Lord; so the death of this young lad and the unfair accusation by his distraught mother did not affect his spiritual poise.
c) He took the boy in his arms and prayed.
"AND HE CRIED UNTO THE LORD, AND SAID, O LORD MY GOD, HAST THOU ALSO BROUGHT EVIL UPON THE WIDOW WITH WHOM I SOJOURN, BY SLAYING HER SON?" (1 KI 17:20)
d) The Lord had sent him to that widow's home, and she had graciously taken care of him for many months, possibly a year or more by then.
e) Elijah wondered why God had permitted this to happen.
f) Then, we are told:
"AND HE STRETCHED HIMSELF UPON THE CHILD THREE TIMES, AND CRIED UNTO THE LORD, AND SAID, O LORD MY GOD, I PRAY THEE, LET THIS CHILD'S SOUL COME INTO HIM AGAIN." (1 KI 17:21)
5) It is clear that Elijah fully believed that God would answer his prayer.
a) He did not pray in a public gathering, for some matters are best discussed with God alone.
b) Some things are accomplished only as we wrestle privately in prayer.
6) Elijah showed perseverance.
a) He did not give up but stretched himself upon the child three times.
b) We are inclined to give up too soon.
c) We ask God once or perhaps twice, and then, because we receive no answer, we stop asking.
(LUKE 11:8-9) "I SAY UNTO YOU, THOUGH HE WILL NOT RISE AND GIVE HIM, BECAUSE HE IS HIS FRIEND, YET BECAUSE OF HIS IMPORTUNITY HE WILL RISE AND GIVE HIM AS MANY AS HE NEEDETH. {9} AND I SAY UNTO YOU, ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU; SEEK, AND YE SHALL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU."
d) Jesus admonishes us to be persistent in our praying.
e) When we're praying in God's will, we should keep on asking.
7) Elijah was asking for something that had not been previously recorded in all human history.
a) There is no record of God's having raised anyone from the dead from the time of Adam to the time Elijah prayed for the widow's son.
b) Elijah was asking for something new in human experience, but he could ask this because he knew God.
(EPH 3:20) "NOW UNTO HIM THAT IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US,"
c) Life flowed into the boy's body again, and Elijah put him in his mother's arms.
(1 KI 17:24) "AND THE WOMAN SAID TO ELIJAH, NOW BY THIS I KNOW THAT THOU ART A MAN OF GOD, AND THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD IN THY MOUTH IS TRUTH."
d) Wouldn't it be great if that were our testimony?
e) Perhaps it would if we would only trust and obey God, showing the same spirit of trust and submission that Elijah did.
IX. Elijah Approaches the Day of His Triumph
A. Elijah was the man God had chosen.
1. Three and a half years went by before word came to the prophet that the end of the famine was in sight.
(1 KI 18:1-2) "AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER MANY DAYS, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ELIJAH IN THE THIRD YEAR, SAYING, GO, SHOW THYSELF UNTO AHAB; AND I WILL SEND RAIN UPON THE EARTH. {2} AND ELIJAH WENT TO SHOW HIMSELF UNTO AHAB. AND THERE WAS A SORE FAMINE IN SAMARIA."
2. The moment of Elijah's triumph was fast approaching.
3. Elijah was in danger of his life in approaching Ahab after three and a half years of famine.
4. He had needed to be hidden away in order to spend time with God as well as to be protected from the vindictive Ahab.
5. Elijah was a man of obedience.
a. When God said to him, "Hide thyself' and sent him to the Brook Cherith, Elijah went.
b. When the brook dried up, God said to him, "Arise, get thee to Zarephath . . . I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee" (v. 9).
c. Again he obeyed and was blessed in his obedience.
d. The third command and promise was "Go, shew thyself unto Ahab- and I will send rain upon the earth" (18:1).
e. In each case there was a command and a promise.
f. As the command was obeyed, the promise was fulfilled.
g. Elijah met the condition of obedience promptly in each case.
6. Obedience to the instructions of God is an act of faith where the person involved commits himself entirely into the Lord's hands.
a. It involves committing the human will and purpose into the keeping of a sovereign God.
(PSA 37:5) "COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD; TRUST ALSO IN HIM; AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS."
b. No greater illustration of obedience to God is to be found than that of our Lord Himself when He said, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me" (John 4:34).
c. Elijah had learned the Master's secret, and that was to listen to His word.
d. He had also learned that he must believe God, which was demonstrated by his actions.
e. Listening to God was first, and believing Him was next.
f. Then, when he obeyed God, the results He promised followed automatically.
7. Life for us is also a life of faith.
(GAL 2:20) "I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST: NEVERTHELESS I LIVE; YET NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME."
a. If we will commit ourselves to the Lord completely and without reservation, He will work in us in such a way that His purposes will be fulfilled in our lives.
b. Obedience to God is the key to His blessings upon us.
c. The Israelites had suffered for 3 ½ years because of their disobedience, but because of the obedience of a man of God, the Lord's judgment would be lifted.
B. Elijah and Obadiah. V3-7
1. The first man Elijah met was Obadiah, the governor of Ahab's household.
2. All that we know about Obadiah is given to us in this chapter.
a. His life, like Elijah's, is very instructive for us.
b. Obadiah was a God-fearing man who held a very influential position in Ahab's household in Samaria.
c. Obadiah was shocked when he saw Jezebel kill the prophets of God, and his conduct in preserving a number of them was highly commendable.
d. Apparently Obadiah's faith was kept concealed from those around him.
e. Do we conceal our faith? cf. Mt. 5:16
3. Ahab and Obadiah had divided the land between them in their search for pasture.
a. While Obadiah was searching, Elijah met him.
b. He greeted the prophet with these words: "Art thou that my lord Elijah?" (1 Kings 18:7).
4. Obadiah's Fear v8-14
a. Elijah commissioned Obadiah to tell Ahab that he was looking for him.
b. Obadiah's response was one of fear.
c. When the commission was given, he was reluctant to obey.
d. He was afraid that Elijah would vanish before he could return with Ahab and that Ahab would then slay him.
e. But Obadiah finally accepted Elijah's commission and carried the message to his master.
C. A View of Ahab's Character
1. We have already seen Ahab to be an infidel, a blasphemer, even though he was king of the ten tribes of Israel.
a. As far as his homelife was concerned, he might be described as a "henpecked husband."
b. It is apparent that his strong-minded wife, Jezebel, ran his life.
c. We have already seen that she imposed her religion on her husband and on his kingdom.
2. While Elijah was on his way to see Ahab, the king had also set out on a journey.
a. Elijah was on an errand for the honor of God, the God of Israel.
b. Ahab was searching for food for his horses and mules.
c. He had no concern about God.
d. You would think that Ahab, as king of Israel, would have been more concerned about his people than about his ani-mals.
D. Elijah's Boldness v15-16
1. It was with God-given boldness that Elijah went forth to meet with Ahab.
2. The attitude that characterized Elijah, was that he was God's servant and cared only about the mind and will of God.
3. Elijah had been alone with God.
a. He had been tested and trained and taught.
b. He knew his God and was ready for whatever Ahab might try to do.
4. Elijah meets Ahab. V17-18
a. Ahab made a foolish accusation.
b. He accused Elijah as being the one who was the cause for all the trouble.
c. Even though Ahab's bodyguards were with him and would have slain Elijah at the king's command, Elijah was going to deliver the message of God.
d. He made it simple and direct. V18
e. Elijah's charge against Ahab and his household was that they had departed from God and had rejected His Word.
f. Any group or nation that does this ends up in trouble, as Ahab and Israel did.
1) Ahab would not allow God to rule over him nor his house nor his people.
2) This is the attitude of many people today.
3) Unfortunately, it is the attitude of many of us who would not verbally deny the lordship of Jesus Christ.
4) We may not reject His rulership in so many words, but our actions show we reject it.
5) Our lack of surrender indicates it.
6) Our failure to give our life to Him unreservedly is proof that we are not allowing Him to rule over us.
7) We do not refuse Him as per-sonal Savior, but we refuse Him the place of Lord and Master.
(Luke 6:46) "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
5. Elijah challenges Ahab. V19
a. Elijah, as the representative of God, issued orders to Ahab, and the king complied.
b. This was an unusual situation.
c. Here was a man without a government position.
d. The king looked on him as a mortal enemy.
e. Ahab wanted to arrest and kill him.
f. But now God, by signs and wonders and mighty deeds, was going to overthrow Baal in one day.
6. Ahab complies. V20
a. Ahab dared not disobey.
b. Though he had been seeking Elijah's life, when Elijah stood before him, he was afraid.
c. The king saw that Elijah was a man of God and that the power of God was with him.
d. So Ahab sent for the people of Israel and gathered the prophets of Baal together with them on Mount Carmel.
X. The Hour of God's Triumph
It had been three long years since Elijah had first stood before King Ahab and pronounced God's judgment upon his kingdom. Tonight we will look at the mighty victory on Mt. Carmel. An altar to Baal had been erected on Mount Carmel. However, long before that one had been erected to the Lord, but for many years it had been in ruins. This place was prominent and accessible. God was about to do something very amazing to prove who He was to a nation that had followed after false gods…He wanted all to see it and learn. Mount Carmel is located on the northwest corner of Palestine. It rises out of the Mediterranean Sea, and the traditional site where Elijah and the priests of Baal held their contest was about 500 feet above the sea. Prominent in that place in Elijah's time was an altar to Baal. Carmel was known as "the place of the burning." Near Mount Carmel ran the river Kishon, which never went dry in its last few miles near the sea.
A. Elijah's Challenge to Israel v21-24
1. Seven times during the course of that great day, Elijah spoke.
2. His first words were addressed to the people of Israel, not to the prophets of Baal: "How long halt ye between two opinions?" (v. 21).
a. Ahab and his subjects had all been trained in the knowledge of the true God.
b. Most of them, however, including Ahab, had turned to the worship of Baal.
c. Others were undecided.
d. The word "halt" means "to hesitate, hobble, limp."
e. The vast majority of them were hesitating between following Baal or following Jehovah.
3. Elijah demanded a definite decision on their part.
a. There was only one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the great I Am.
b. There was no other God. c. He will not accept a divided heart on the part of His people.
4. We have a decision to make in this day.
a. We must decide between the gods of this world and the God of grace.
b. The individual who is not for Christ is against Him.
(Josh 24:15) "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
(James 1:8) "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
c. Will we, like the people of Israel, not answer a word when challenged?
d. Indecision is actually unbelief. There is no neu-tral ground with regard to Christ.
e. When Elijah challenged his fellow countrymen, they feared Ahab and the priests of Baal and were not ready to commit themselves.
5. Note: 1 Kings 18:22-24
a. In saying that he was alone, Elijah did not mean that God was not with him.
b. He meant that there was no other prophet to help him.
c. The prophets of Baal were many, and he gave them first opportunity to see if their god would answer by fire.
d. They were put in the position of complying with the challenge or acknowledging that Baal was an impostor.
B. Sowing and Reaping
(Gal 6:7) "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
1. According to Galatians 6:7, a person reaps whatever he sows.
a. God will not be mocked.
b. Elijah was sowing to the Spirit and could not fail to reap of the Spirit.
c. The prophet knew what God's answer would be.
2. Ahab and all Israel knew that God had withheld rain from their land for three and one-half years.
3. What is more, the prophets of Baal had been able to do nothing about it.
4. The next test was to be a test by fire.
5. Baal was considered to be the lord of many aspects of nature.
6. If any god could answer by fire, surely Baal could.
7. His prophets could not refuse this challenge without admitting they were imposters.
C. Summary of Fire in the Bible
1. First of all, fire is a symbol of the presence of God. (This we saw when God appeared to Moses in the burning bush.)
2. Fire is also an indication of God's acceptance of a sacrifice. (On a number of occasions in the Old Testament, God showed that He was pleased with certain sacrifices by sending fire from heaven to consume them.)
3. In the New Testament the work of the Holy Spirit is some-times symbolized as fire. (Acts 2:3).
4. Fire will also be used with regard to God's judgment on unbelievers at Christ's Second Coming. (2 Thess.1:8,9)
5. In the book of Revelation, the destiny of the lost is also connected with fire. (Re.20:14,15).
6. Finally, fire is connected with God's judgment of the believer's works. (1 Co. 3:13-15).
D. Purpose of Fire on Mount Carmel
1. The fire Elijah called for was to fall on the slain bullock on the altar.
a. The slain animal symbolized the substitute for the sins of the people of Israel.
b. If no substitute was sacrificed for the people's sins, they would have to bear the fire of God's wrath themselves.
c. Sin had to be judged either in the person of the sinner or in a substitute.
d. Only Elijah's God, however, could send such fire.
2. For God to answer by fire was also to be an evidence of answered prayer.
3. The fire was to make clear who was the true God-Elijah's God or Baal.
E. The prophets of Baal chose a bullock and dressed it, but as Elijah had warned, they put no fire under it. V25-29
1. As the majority group they had been given first chance.
a. As is often the case in matters that pertain to God, however, the majority was on the wrong side.
b. When Elijah admonished these idolatrous priests not to put any fire under their offering, he was warning them that he would not stand for any tricks.
c. They had often deceived people, but what they were now doing was out in the open with many eyes watching them.
d. There was no opportunity given to these tricksters and impostors to use fire on the altar to Baal.
e. The prophets of Baal were doomed to failure.
2. Baal's Frenzied Priests
a. The frenzy of Baal's prophets reached its height at noon.
b. Elijah very effectively used the wea-pon of sarcasm to expose the intentions of these evil men and at the same time to insure emotional stability among the observers.
F. Elijah Prepares the Sacrifice. V30-35
1. Elijah called the people of Israel to come near him, and he repaired the altar that had been broken down.
2. The people were invited to come close.
a. Because he wanted them to witness every move.
b. Elijah wanted them to see that no trickery was involved in what he was doing.
c. Truth does not fear the closest investigation.
3. The broken altar was a silent witness of the broken fellowship between the people and their God.
a. It first had to be repaired.
b. Before God could remove the judgement of the drought, their sin had to be taken care of. c. Note: 2 Chron. 7:12-15
4. Israel's broken altar should remind us of the danger of our altars being broken down.
a. What is our relationship with God?
b. Is it kept intact daily?
c. Or is there a lack of repentance in our hearts?
d. Before any of us can do anything for the Lord we must be in right relationship with Him.
5. Once the altar was repaired, Elijah dug a trench around it and had water poured on the sacrifice and the wood until the trench was full.
6. The significance of the altar.
a. The altar itself spoke of prayer and surrender.
b. The trench around the altar stood for complete separation from any man-made rituals.
c. The wood spoke of the cross and pointed forward to the crucifixion of our Lord.
d. Finally, fellowship between God and His people could be restored only when the proper sacrifice was accepted by Him through fire ... Jesus is that sacrifice.
e. The fact that it was poured over the bullock and the wood and filled the whole trench insured that no ordinary power would be able to consume the sacrifice.
f. Elijah told the people to pour water on the altar not once but three times.
G. Elijah's Prayer v36-37
1. This short prayer has only 63 English words, and it takes about 20 seconds to speak them.
2. But the prophets of Baal had prayed to their idol for several hours and had received no answer at all.
3. Elijah prayed for 20 seconds, and God answered by fire.
4. Let's analyze the prayer of Elijah.
a. He addressed it to the unchangeable God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or Israel.
b. Then Elijah asked God to make it plain to the people that he, Elijah, was God's servant.
c. Elijah's prayer differed in character and sincerity from that of the prophets of Baal; his prayer was motivated by his desire to see God honored.
d. James described it when he said, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avail-eth much" (James 5:16).
H. God Answers. V38
1. It is only as we ask according to the will of God that God hears us.
(1 John 5:14) "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:"
a. Elijah was on Mount Carmel in the will of God, and his prayer pleased the Lord.
b. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the offering, the wood, the stone and the dust and licked up the water in the trench
c. There was no long wait for this answer.
d. The prophets of Baal had prayed for hours with no results.
e. Elijah spoke this brief prayer and God answered.
2. Elijah had called to the people to come near where he was standing by the altar, and they obeyed.
a. Then the fire fell and consumed all that was on and around the altar, but none of the people were touched.
b. This was no ordinary fire but one that exhibited the wrath of Almighty God.
c. It first consumed the offering of the sacrifice: the death of the substitute for man's sin.
1) God in His righteous wrath could have consumed the people, but He consumed the sacrifice instead.
2) This reminds us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
d. The offering was consumed before the wood that was intended to burn the offering.
1) This was God demonstrating His wrath against sin and at the same time His love for sinners.
2) The very stones of that altar were consumed by the fire.
3) Even the dust and the water in the trench were licked up by the flames.
4) Nothing could resist this fire from God.
5) So it will be when God's final judgment falls on those who have rejected the mercy provided through Christ's death.
6) Nothing can stop that judgment when it comes.
3. Elijah acted in faith when he prayed as he did.
a. He had God's Word on which to base his prayer.
b. That is what made it a prayer of faith.
c. He asked God to answer in such a way that the people would know he was God's prophet, acting according to God's Word.
It is no wonder that the people of Israel at Mount Carmel fell on their faces when the fire came down and said, "The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God" (1 Kings 18:39). The great controversy between Baal and God was now ended. Three and a half years of waiting for the drought to end was now over. They bowed before their God and Creator.
XI. Judgment and Mercy 18:40-46
Since God had answered Elijah's prayer by fire and the people had shown at least a surface repentance, only one more step was necessary before God could send rain. This was the removal of the prophets of Baal from Israel. They had been holding the people in spiritual bondage and were a constant threat to the future development of God's people. The Israelites belonged to God, and the presence among them of priests and prophets of a false religion was an inva-sion of God's territory. To have allowed the prophets of Baal to continue living and exercising all their evil practices would have exposed the Israelites to further corruption. It would have left the impression in the minds of these priests as well as the Israel-ites that the prophets of Baal, though agents of apostasy, were immune from judgment. God said that they were all to be destroyed. Not one of them was to escape.
A. Elijah obeyed the Lord and killed the prophets of Baal. v40
1. We don't know exactly how this was accomplished.
2. But it was in some form of mass execution.
3. This signaled God's hatred for idolatry and His determination to purge His own people.
(Deu 13:5) "And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee."
4. The false prophets of Baal certainly met the qualifications of the above verse.
B. Elijah instructs Ahab to prepare for the coming rain. v41-42
1. This was a testimony to the faith of Elijah.
a. There were no clouds in the sky, no thunder and lightning, nothing that gave visible proof that rain was imminent.
b. There was not a physi-cal sign anywhere that rain was on the way.
c. Elijah's statement was based on his faith in the Word of God.
2. Once again, Ahab obeys the word of Elijah and leaves the mountain.
3. Elijah went to prayer there on Mt. Carmel.
C. Elijah Prays for Rain. V42b-44
1. When Elijah declared that there was the sound of abun-dance of rain, no rain had as yet fallen.
2. Elijah knew that the Lord was the Creator and that rain was possible only as He allowed it.
3. God sent judgment on the world in Noah's time through rain, but He also used the lack of rain as judgment.
(Amos 4:7) "And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered."
4 This was why it did not rain for three years and six months when Elijah prayed earnestly that it might not rain.
5. It also explains why, when he prayed again, "the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit" (James 5:18).
6. He did not hang around to receive the congratulations of the people on the successful outcome of his contest with the prophets of Baal.
7. Once more, he needed to be alone with God.
D. Elijah was looking for God's answer. V43-44
(Heb 11:1) "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
(Heb 11:6) "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
1. Elijah had his servant with him when he went to the top of Carmel to pray, and after he had interceded he told him to go look for signs of rain.
2. When his servant came back saying that there was nothing, Elijah's faith was not shaken.
3. He told him to continue to go.
4. On the seventh time the servant saw just a little cloud, but that was enough to assure Elijah that God had answered his prayers.
5. He sent his servant to deliver another message to Ahab.
6. He instructed Ahab to get to Jezreel.
E. The race is on. V44b-46
1. Ahab was urged to journey swiftly to his destination.
2. The little cloud the size of a man's hand was only the first of the tremendous clouds that were to cover the sky and pour out their waters.
3. Not only did Ahab ride toward Jezreel, but Elijah ran before him to the entrance to the city.
a. The rain poured down, and without a doubt, most of the people who were at Carmel were soon thoroughly drenched.
b. In light of the drought conditions that had existed for so long, they would have all been thankful in spite of the fact that they were thoroughly soaked.
4. The scene as depicted here is remarkable.
a. Ahab was probably still surrounded by his nobles, riding in all his pomp to Jezreel- at least 16 miles away.
b. Then the rain began to fall, and ahead of the king ran Elijah in the power of the Lord.
c. The hand of the Lord was on His prophet, and Elijah outran the chariot to the gates of the city.
XII. A Mighty Man Falls
A. Introduction 1 Kings 19:1-4. The events on Mount Carmel had provided a day of tri-umph for God's servant.
1. Following the miracle of the fire that fell and consumed the offering, the rain came and ended the drought in answer to Elijah's prayer.
2. As Ahab raced toward Jezreel in the pouring rain, Elijah, under the power of the Lord, outran the king's chariot for at least 16 miles. Ahab went home and told Jezebel all that had transpired on Mount Carmel. This included how Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal with the sword. The queen then sent a message to the prophet: She was not intimidated by Elijah or by God's demonstration of great power on Mt. Carmel. She threatens to kill Elijah in the same manner that her prophets were executed. Elijah heads for the wilderness in fear of his life.
a. Spiritual warfare must begin and be carried on in humility.
b.The Lord taught us, by example, that we are to live and serve, not in pride but in humility.
c. Elijah was undoubtedly hoping for a revival in Israel.
d. He wanted to see what would happen when news of these events came to Jezebel, who was, in reality, the cause of idolatry in Israel.
e. Perhaps, he thought that she would turn to God as the people had when they cried out, "The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God" (1 Kings 18:39).
f. Ahab had consented to the death of Baal's prophets.
g. Elijah must have felt there was the possibility of a real revival.
h. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done but not what the Lord had done.
1) The difference is simply this: Ahab was convinced that Elijah was a prophet of God.
2) But he could not see that the events on Mount Carmel were the Lord's doing.
3) Ahab praised a man.
4) Jezebel determined to destroy that man.
B. Jezebel's Threat
1. Jezebel's vicious and vindictive character showed up in the message she sent to Elijah.
2. She was the foreshadowing of the religious woman spoken of in Revelation 2:20
(REV 2:20) NOTWITHSTANDING I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST THEE, BECAUSE THOU SUFFEREST THAT WOMAN JEZEBEL, WHICH CALLETH HERSELF A PROPHETESS, TO TEACH AND TO SEDUCE MY SERVANTS TO COMMIT FORNICATION, AND TO EAT THINGS SACRIFICED UNTO IDOLS.
3. Here she is used as a symbol of an evil seducer, leading God's people astray:
4. Jezebel was insensitive to the presence of divine power
5. She knew she could not harm the Lord, but she sought to take her revenge on God's chosen servant.
C. Jezebel's Fear
1. Jezebel knew that God was almighty, and in spite of the fact that she threatened God's servant, she was afraid of him.
2. She had the authority to send soldiers to take his life immediately, but her announcement gave him 24 hours to flee.
3. Apparently she hoped that her threat would make him leave the country.
4. Elijah's reaction to Jezebel's threat was not consistent with his character.
a. We would have expected him to demonstrate confidence in God.
(Isa 26:3-4) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. {4} Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
b. But Elijah had no peace of mind or heart. He ran for his life.
c. Previous to this when he was confronted with danger, the word of God came to him very clearly.
d. God warned him to hide himself, and when the brook dried up, he sent him to Zarephath.
e. These orders were all clear and definite.
f. But no word came to him from God concerning this threat; he was left on his own.
D. Three possible reasons why God did not specifically instruct Elijah in this matter.
1. He did it for Elijah's own sake.
a. He did not want His servant to become a victim of pride and be useless to Him.
b. Elijah needed to see that by himself he could not do the work of God.
c. Pride is subtle, and unless it is checked it can end our usefulness.
2. God intended to discipline Israel because they had not returned to Him with their whole heart.
a. They had to reap the fruit of their own sowing.
b. If Elijah had stayed with them, his presence might have stood in the way of their just punishment.
3. God possibly wanted to take Elijah to a solitary place where He could speak to him alone and reveal Himself to him in a fresh way.
a. Elijah reached a decision before God's will was made clear to him.
b. This is why he ran.
c. Elijah was not forsaken, God simply set him aside to deal with him.
4. Elijah traveled on foot about 95 miles to the southern border of Judah, then he went another day's journey into the wilderness.
a. This was outside Ahab's kingdom.
b. By that time he was completely exhausted.
c. Then he continued a day's journey into the wilderness,
d. He had remarkable physical strength and endurance, but he had extended himself to the breaking point.
5. Elijah sat down under a juniper tree and asked God to let him die.
E. God ministers to Elijah. V5-7
1. God dealt gently with His servant and sent an angel to awaken him and have him eat.
a. Elijah was refreshed and strengthened and lay down and slept once more.
b. Elijah was instructed the second time the angel came.
2. Elijah must have realized then that he had depended on himself rather than waiting on God.
3. We need to depend on God's wisdom, not our own.
a. Lot made the wrong choice.
b. Ten spies made the wrong choice.
c. Elijah had made the wrong choice.
d. All too often we make the wrong choice.
XIII. God's Kindness to Elijah.
A. When Elijah was discouraged, he received God's love in a very special way.
1. God did not rebuke him, but provided food, rest, protection, comfort and strength through an angel.
2. If he had not learned it before, Elijah learned that God's love is constant.
3. The love of God never changes, even though our awareness of it does.
4. Like the sun behind the clouds, we may not always be aware of God's love, but it always surrounds us.
B. After he had rested and was refreshed, Elijah was ready for the next phase of his ministry.
1. Elijah arose and ate and went in the strength of the food provided for 40 days and 40 nights.
2. When he reached Horeb, the mount of God, he found a cave and went in.
3. God asked him a question, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9).
4. This question, like many questions asked by God, was designed to stir up Elijah's thinking about his present situation and future ministry.
5. Elijah was not in the will of God when he fled from Jezebel, but apparently the Lord directed his steps to Horeb in order to make him useful again.
XIV. Elijah at Horeb
A. While he was alone in the cave, possibly thinking that he was forsaken, God asked him, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9).
1. God was right there with him in spite of all the fear and strain that Elijah had labored under.
2. The passage says that the "word of the Lord" came to Elijah.
B. The question "What doest thou here, Elijah?" was an appeal to the conscience.
1. This type of question leads to self- examination.
2. We should open our hearts to the Lord and let Him ask this same question of us.
3. He has a right to ask, "What are you doing here?"
(Prov 16:3) "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established."
(2 Chr 16:9) "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars."
C. Elijah's answer to God's inquiry was very frank.
1. He did not seek to evade the question.
2. Note: 1 Kings 19:10
3. Everything he said was true, but he did not know the truth about everything in connection with his own life.
4. He was not aware of God's far-reaching plan for himself and Israel.
5. He had to learn that God does not necessarily fulfill His whole plan in the lifetime of one man.
a. One servant may add one part to God's work, and another may add another part.
b. All of these parts put together make up the whole.
c. This was what God was getting ready to teach Elijah.
D. God's reply to Elijah's answer was to go forth.
1. Note: 1 Kings 19:11-12
2. Elijah remained in the cave during the time of this great storm and earthquake and fire, all of which demonstrated the power of God.
3. Note v11, "And behold the Lord passed by…"
4. God, however, did not speak in the wind or in the earth-quake or in the fire.
5. The still, small voice speaks of God's grace.
a. Now the Lord is ready to recommission him.
b. Though God spoke through the great demonstrations of nature, He was still going to speak to His people in grace.
c. Too often we seek great demonstrations, crowds and all kinds of activity, but God brings about revival through dealing with the individual in the quietness of grace.
E. Elijah is Re-commissioned By God v13-18
1. God spoke to Elijah as He did in order to prepare him for a new commission.
2. He was to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: This man was going to be a rod to chastise Israel.
3. He was also to anoint Jehu to be king over Israel: What Hazael left, Jehu was to finish.
4. The third part of the commission was that Elijah was to anoint Elisha to be a prophet in his place.
5. Elijah's work was not yet finished, but God had chosen a particular person to carry on the work that he began.
F. Elijah and Elisha Laborers Together
1. The fact that no one sees all the plan of God and no one sees all the fruit of his labors for God in his lifetime is taught very clearly in Hebrews 11.
(Heb 11:37-39) "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; {38} (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. {39} And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:"
2. Though they were all faithful and true to the Lord, they did not see the complete results of their labors in their life-time.
3. It takes all of God's people from the begin-ning of time to the very end to fulfill all that He has planned.
4. Elijah was not consciously run-ning from God, neither was he bitter.
a. He was disappointed and depressed because he saw no national revival among the Israelites.
b. He did not see the future as God saw it.
c. Others would reap where he had sown.
5. Once Elijah was restored to fellowship with the Lord, he was recommissioned.
a. Elijah had to go back the way he had come to fulfill this commission.
b. He had a long journey ahead of him.
c. This is true of anyone who has temporarily stepped out of the direct will of God.
d. They must go back to the place where God's will can be followed once more.
e. Elijah's journey would take him back through the desert, on through Jezebel's homeland and all the way to Damascus.
God uses various instruments to do His work. Hazael, the king of Syria, brought ruthless judgment upon Israel. Jehu became a scourge to the house of Ahab and to the followers of Baal. Elisha, by his use of the Word of God and the power of God, slew the enemies of the Lord and comforted His people. God sometimes uses wicked men to discipline His own children, but when these men overstep the boundaries God has set for them, judgment falls on their heads also. God also reminded Elijah that there were 7,000 persons left who had not bowed to Baal. This was all in God's dealing through the still, small voice of grace. It brought comfort to the prophet's heart. It assured him that the good work he had begun would be consummated under the hand of God and in God's time. Elijah did not see the fruit in his day, but he was promised a fruitful harvest for the future.
XV. Elijah Announces Ahab's Doom 1 Kings 21
Following the appointment of Elisha, five or six years passed before Elijah's ministry was again public. He was not inactive during this period but seems to have been form-ing schools of the prophets, schools in which the Bible was taught to young men who were in turn to be instructors and teachers of the Word of God. Elijah was a spiritual father and the teacher of many of these young servants of God. During this same time, great wars occurred between Israel and Syria. Then one day God again told Elijah to appear before Ahab to announce that monarch's doom.
A. The Terrible Deed 1 Kings 21:1-16
1. In the city of Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab, was a vineyard owned by Naboth.
2. The king wanted this vineyard for himself and asked Naboth to sell it.
3. Naboth, stated that he was forbidden of the Lord to sell the vineyard, for it was his inheritance from his fathers.
4. Ahab acted like a spoiled child when he returned to his palace.
a. He went to bed and turned his face away from his servants and refused to eat.
b. When Jezebel learned of his sulking and childish behavior, she questioned him to find out its cause.
c. Her cruel mind soon devised a solution, and she told her husband to arise and be cheerful, for the vineyard was as good as his.
d. She put her plan into action.
1) Through forged letters and false witnesses and a trial that was a mockery, she had Naboth put to death with the sanction of law.
2) Apparently his sons were also murdered at this time, though we are not given the details concerning their deaths.
(2 Ki 9:26) "Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD."
3) Though the scheme was Jezebel's, the guilt was shared by her weak and pouting husband.
B. The Confrontation. 1 Kings 21:17-20
1. Faithful to the trust committed to him by God, Elijah wasted no time in presenting himself before the king.
2. Note Ahab's first words to him.
(1 Ki 21:20) "And Ahab said to Elijah, hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee; because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD."
3. Jezebel and Ahab may have thought they had covered up their crime quite well, but God had seen what they had done.
4. Nothing was hidden from God's eyes.
(Psa 121:4) "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."
(Heb 4:13) "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
C. God always denounces sin.
1. Ahab soon learned of God's displeasure and anger at this terrible deed.
2. God's warnings today are just as clear and definite.
3. We can all be sure that our sins will find us out.
4. Ahab was jointly responsible with his wife for the murder of Naboth.
5. He could not escape the eye of God.
(Jude 1:14-15) "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, {15} To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
D. The Judgments of God 1 Kings 21:21-29
1. Because Ahab had sold himself to do evil, God said through Elijah that He would bring evil upon him.
2. But not only upon him, his family would also suffer as a result of his sin.
3. The judgment against Jezebel is given as well.
4. Ahab postponed his judgment by his response to the message. V29
5. Ahab's death was, nonetheless, a violent death.
a. Three years later he was severely wounded in battle and died as a result. 1 Ki. 22:34-35
b. The prophecy was fulfilled. 1 Ki. 22:37-38
6. Jezebel did not escape God's judgment either.
a. Several years later, when Jehu came to Jezreel, divine retribution fell on Jezebel.
b. Again, the prophecy was fulfilled. 2 Ki 9:30- 37.
c. This was a fearful judgment, but she was an unrepentant rebel against God.
d. She had introduced Baal worship into the palace and into the kingdom.
e. She simply reaped what she had sown.
7. Ahab's family was judged.
(2 Ki 10:7) "And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel."
(2 Ki 10:10-11) "Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah. {11} So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining."
a. God's judgments are sure.
b. Ahab's sin was threefold.
1) First, he provoked the anger of God by sinning against Him.
2) Then he made Israel sin.
3) And third, he sold himself to work wickedness.
c. God's future judgment will be severe against men such as Ahab.
E. Elijah's Last Task 2 Kings 1
1. This incident gives us insight into the character of Ahab's children.
2. It is also the last public act of the Prophet Elijah.
3. Judgment upon Ahaziah.
a. Following Ahab as king was Ahaziah his son.
b. His rule was very brief, and his death is an illustration of God's judgment on rebels who persist in defying God.
c. This begins with his falling through a lattice work in his upper chamber in Samaria.
d. The fall was apparently severe, for he was very ill and wondered if he would recover.
e. He sent messengers with these instructions:
(2 Ki 1:2) "And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease."
1) Baal-Zebub was the name under which Baal was worshiped by the Philis-tines.
2) He was the god of medicine and also the god of the flies.
3) This was the same false worship that had brought disaster on Ahab and Israel.
f. Elijah went to meet the messengers with a message from the True and Living God. v3-4
g. Elijah immediately departed after delivering this message.
h. This was the last task God gave him.
i. Just as the prophet had been sent to rebuke Ahab, now he was sent to rebuke Ahab's son.
j. Ahaziah's response. V5-8
1) The king immediately identified the man as Elijah the Tishbite.
2) He was not ignorant of the part Elijah had played in the history of Ahab and Israel, but in spite of his knowledge, he sent a captain and 50 soldiers to take Elijah prisoner. V9
k. God demonstrated His power and protection of His prophet.
1) Fire from heaven consumed the first detachment. V10-12
2) There was a repeat for the second detachment.
3) The third captain came with a whole different attitude. V13-15
4) Elijah pronounced judgment upon Ahaziah. V16-17
F. The Translation of Elijah 2 Kings 2:1-11
The closing incident in Elijah's life was perhaps the most exciting of his whole ministry. He was translated to heaven without having to die. His ministry covered 15 or 20 years, but the public aspect of it was much briefer than that. At a time of great depression in his life, when lying under a juniper tree, he had prayed for death, but when the time of his translation came, he was thankful that God had not answered that prayer. The prophet's translation was to be at a special, desig-nated place. Elijah had learned long ago that absolute obedience to God's directions was necessary for God's blessings. So Elijah knew how essential it was to be in the right place in order to see the fulfillment of God's promises.
1. The test of Elisha v1-2
a. Elijah's journey began at Gilgal.
b. This place is noteworthy because one of Elijah's schools was there.
c. This was the place where Elisha was first tested when he stated that he wanted to follow Elijah.
d. Elisha was given the opportunity to stay at Gilgal, but he chose to go with Elijah.
2. The Arrival at Bethel. V3-4
a. Elijah said the Lord had sent him from Gilgal to Bethel.
b. His had been a life of receiving direct orders from God and obeying them explicitly.
c. How would Elisha measure up in these things?
d. That was the test, but Elisha did not hesitate.
3. On to Jericho. V5
a. The prophets questioned Elisha.
b. They knew what was happening and was talking with Elisha about it, but he didn't want to talk.
4. To the point of lift-off: Jordan v6-7
a. Elisha chose to go with Elijah to Jericho just as he had chosen to go with him to Bethel.
b. But now their journey took them even farther.
c. Elijah asked Elisha to stay at Jericho and again he refuses to do so.
d. Together they arrive at Jordan.
e. Fifty of the prophets in training are afar off watching.
5. The Principle of Faith
a. Elijah did not stand on the banks of the river waiting for God to do something.
b. True faith results in action.
c. The river had to part, and Elijah struck it with his mantle.
1) God had parted the river for Joshua and the Israelites long before this; so this particular miracle was not new.
2) What God did once, surely He would do again.
d. The waters parted as Elijah desired. V8
1) The water suddenly stopped as though someone had built a dam.
2) No dam was visible just as the hand of God is not visible.
3) Each of the steps in which Elisha journeyed with Elijah was a matter of faith.
6. Elisha's Request. V9-10
a. Elijah's question had unlimited potential.
b. Elisha was first to ask what he wanted Elijah to do for him.
c. Elisha showed what was deep in his own heart.
d. There was an unlimited potential before Elisha, and he wasted no time in making known his God-given desire.
7. Elijah grants Elisha's request based upon his faithfulness to be with him till the end. V10-11
a. Elijah said it was a 'hard thing'.
b. Elijah knew what it would mean to Elisha
c. As they walked and talked God took Elijah up in a chariot of fire. v11
8. Elisha is Given Elijah's Mantle v12-15
a. Elisha had sat at the feet of Elijah for about 10 years.
b. He had seen what it meant to be a servant of God, to have a surrendered heart and a holy life.
c. He had passed many tests from the day that Elijah had cast his mantle on him, (1 Kings 19:19)
d. Elisha confirmed that God had given him the power and spirit of Elijah. V14
e. Fifty young prophets stood by the river watching, but they did not see what Elisha saw. V15-18
1) They had not seen the translation of Elijah.
2) What they saw was Elisha returning across Jordan in the same fashion as had gone with Elijah.
3) They immediately understood that God had given Elisha the power and spirit of Elijah.
4) They asked for permission to look for Elijah, but they couldn't find him.
The translation of Elijah parallels the rapture of the living believers. We will be caught up in the clouds to be with Him. The account of Noah's deliverance is an illustration of those who are saved during the tribulation. They will feel the force of the storms, but are safe within the Ark, Jesus Christ