Calling and Purpose 38—When Life Gets Harder 2--Elijah
Elijah is called by God to be His Prophet to speak His Truth to the people of Israel—during the reign of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Elijah is given great power to perform miracles—from calling forth rain, causing the widow of Zarephath’s flour and oil to not run out during a prolonged drought, and raising the widow’s only son from the dead (1 Kings 17), all the while warning the king and queen of God’s coming judgment for their failure to worship the Hebrew God Yahweh alone.
Then, Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. One Hebrew prophet against 450 of Baal and 400 of Asherah. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah issues this challenge: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” The specifics involve a contest to prove who is God and who is not. The Baal/Asherah priests pile up wood, slaughter a bull and place it on the pile, and call upon their gods to rain down fire to burn up the sacrifice. Nothing happens—over hours and hours of their ranting. Then, Elijah piles up wood with a bull sacrifice on top—but adds a twist: he digs a deep trench around the pile and asks that large jars of water be poured all over the offering and the wood—three times. Everything is thoroughly soaked—enough for water to be on the alter and fill the trench.
“At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again’” (vs. 36-37).
The Lord sends fire down on the sacrifice such that the fire burns up the bull, the wood beneath it, the stones and the soil beneath the wood, and the water in the trench. The people respond in fear and worship: “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”
And, rain comes as Elijah predicted and pronounced. A powerful moment. God overcomes. Elijah singlehandedly routs the hundreds of false prophets. Truly a mountain-top experience.
However, in the very next chapter (1 Kings 19), Queen Jezebel—who worshipped those idols threatens to kill Elijah for overcoming her prophets. Verse 3 says “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.” He runs to Beersheba and then travels a day’s journey into the wilderness (or desert). He sits under a bush and prays that God would take his life. He is completely and utterly exhausted and discouraged. He seems to be profoundly depressed.
Elijah falls asleep. Instead of a “get up and move on” response, God sends an angel who wakes him and provides him bread and water and allows him to rest again. This waking and eating sequence happens a second time and then Elijah has the strength to journey to Mount Horeb—known to him as the mountain of God. He stops in a cave for the night.
In this more rested, more rejuvenated state, Elijah hears from God. God simply asks him what he’s doing where he is. Conversation not condemnation.
“[Elijah] replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’
The Lord shows His power and His gentleness to Elijah and then the Lord tells Elijah to return the way he came. God also says Elijah is not the only faithful one—there are seven thousand in Israel who worship only Yahweh. And, God provides an assistant in the form of Elisha whom Elijah is to anoint as his successor—God intends to provide support for and to continue Elijah’s ministry.
· Have you ever had a mountain-top type of faith experience and then been profoundly discouraged not long afterwards?
· What encouragement do you take from the story of Elijah—in his discouragement, God cared for his needs instead of reprimanding him?
· Who can you think of who helps support and encourage you and/or walks alongside you like Elisha does with Elijah?
Additional Resources:
• Downloadable Resources--See Sample List of Interest Areas; Your Spiritual Gifts—A Study Guide; Knowing Your Unique Calling and Purpose Study Guide; Whole-Life Ministry: A Form of Worship, Grace-Giving, and Living into Your Calling.
Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and law enforcement leadership for over 30 years. Shirley has been EquipConnectServe Director at First Pres Boulder since 1999. She has worked with leaders and organizations in 47 of the United States as well as having clients outside the U.S. Contact Shirley.
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Photo (c) Wallace E. Giles, All rights reserved.