LIFE OF ELIJAH CHAPTER 3

I KI�GS 19 COMME�TARYWritten and edited by Glenn Pease

PREFACE

Many other authors are quoted in this study, and some are not named. Credit will be given if the

name of the author is sent to me. Some may not want their wisdom shared in this way, and if they

object and wish it to be removed they can let me know also at my e-mail address which is

glenn_p86@yahoo.com In this chapter I quote Arthur W. Pink almost excessively. He has the best

and most complete commentary on Elijah, and he has so much wisdom and insight that it is hard

to quit quoting him, but believe it or not, I still only quote a fraction of what he has written. I just

want to acknowledge how indebted I am to him, even though I sometimes dispute his comments.

Don't let my numbering system puzzle you. It is just a way to add new material without having to

change all the numbers each time I add a new paragraph.

I�TRODUCTIO�

1. John M. Loweie, “We accord to him ( Elijah) the reputation of a holy man ; yet can we not

approve of his entire spirit and character. We recognize him as a man of great zeal and boldness

in the service of his God ; yet was he not without the fears and misgivings and infirmities which

bring him down to the level of our own frail and erring humanity. He stands forth upon the

sacred page as one of the sternest reformers that ever called a guilty people to repentance; and

yet beneath that rugged exterior there beat a heart of the finest and tenderest sympathy for

human suffering, exemplifying a character, not seldom given in the Scriptures and found beneath

their teachings, where an inflexible and high-toned sense of right is joined to the warmest and

truest benevolence.

More perhaps than is true of any other character in sacred history, the life of this man of God

contains many checkered scenes and exhibits many wide extremes of feeling. Here we have zeal

as bold and fears as timid ; success as large and failure as decided ; faith as confident and yet

unbelief as dejecting and despondent, as can be easily found in any wide experience of other men.

2. A. W. Pink has a brilliant description of the radical change as we go from the last chapter to

this one. He wrote, "In passing from 1 Kings 18 to 1 Kings 19 we meet with a sudden and strange

transition. It is as though the sun was shining brilliantly out of a clear sky and the next moment,

without any warning, black clouds drape the heavens and crashes of thunder shake the earth.

The contrasts presented by these chapters are sharp and startling. At the close of the one "the

hand of the Lord was on Elijah" as he ran before Aha' s chariot: at the beginning of the other he

is occupied with self and "went for his life." In the former we behold the prophet at his best: in

the latter we see him at his worst. There he was strong in faith and the helper of his people: here

he is filled with fear and is the deserter of his nation. In the one he confronts the four hundred

prophets of Baal undaunted: in the other he flees panic-stricken from the threats of one woman.

From the mountain top he betakes himself into the wilderness, and from supplicating Jehovah

that He would vindicate and glorify His great name to begging Him to take away his life. Who

would have imagined such a tragic sequel?

In the startling contrasts here presented we have a striking proof of the Divine inspiration of the

Scriptures. In the Bible human nature is painted in its true colors: the characters of its heroes are

faithfully depicted, the sins of its noteworthy persons are frankly recorded. True, it is human to

err, but equally true it is human to conceal the blemishes of those we most admire. Had the Bible

been a human production, written by uninspired historians, they had magnified the virtues of the

most illustrious men of their nation, and ignored their vices, or if mentioned at all, glossed over

them and made attempts to extenuate the same. Had some human admirer chronicled the history

of Elijah, his sad failure would have been omitted. The fact that it is recorded, that no effort is

made to excuse it, is evidence that the characters of the Bible are painted in the colors of truth

and reality, that they were not sketched by human hands, but that the writers were controlled by

the Holy Spirit.”

Elijah Flees to Horeb

1 �ow Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and

how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

1. Pink describes how Jezebel was likely thinking as she awaited the return of her husband.

“Doubtless she cherished the hope that her priests had triumphed, and as the rain clouds blotted

out the sky would attribute the welcome change to some grand intervention of Baal in response to

their supplications. If so, all was well: her heart's desire would be realized, her scheming crowned

with success, the undecided Israelites would be won over to her idolatrous regime and the last

vestiges of the worship of Jehovah would be stamped out. For the troublesome famine Elijah was

solely to blame; for the ending thereof she and her gods should have the credit. Probably such

thoughts as these occupied her mind in the interval of waiting.

He would relate how Elijah had mocked her priests, lashed them with his biting irony, and held

them up to the scorn of the people. He would describe how he had put them to confusion by his

challenge, and how he, as if by some spell or charm, had brought down fire from heaven. He

would enlarge upon the victory gained by the Tishbite, of the ecstasy of the people thereon, how

they had fallen on their faces, saying, "Jehovah, He is the God; Jehovah, He is the God." That he

recounted these things unto Jezebel, not to convince her of her error, but rather to incense her

against God's servant, is clear from his designed climax: "and withal how he had slain all the

prophets with the sword." How this revealed once more what an awful character Ahab was! As

the protracted drought with the resultant famine had not turned him unto the Lord, so this

Divine mercy of sending the rain to refresh his dominions led him not to repentance. �either

Divine judgments nor Divine blessings will of themselves reclaim the unregenerate nothing but a

miracle of sovereign grace can turn souls from the power of sin and Satan unto the living God.”

2. Everything was going so great for Elijah until this blabber mouth king got his wife involved in

the fight. Ahab was a wimp, and just watched as all of his religious leaders were wiped out. He

never says a word to Elijah about this slaughter. Elijah treats him with respect, and he just keeps

silent as he races back to tell Jezebel what an awful day he has had. He was thinking that maybe

she would have some ideas on how to deal with this crisis. He was afraid to do anything for fear

the people might even turn on him, and so he ran home to mama. And we know when mama is

mad, nobody is happy, and this mama queen was raving murder mad. She had just lost 450

prophets who ate at her table, and you can imagine how many left overs that meant, but this was

not what made her angry. Elijah is the focus of her explosion of rage, and she let him know

immediately.

3. “Anyone hearing what had happened on that mountain would respond with awe at what God

had done, and change their minds about everything they had thought before about Baal and the

God of Israel, who was Jehovah. That is what we would assume, and we would expect a repentant

attitude that made people forsake their loyalty to this false god and begin immediately

worshiping the God who can send fire from heaven. Dr. Criswell put it this way, "And, when

Ahab told Jezebel all the things that happened on top of Mount Carmel, you would have thought

that Jezebel would have said, “Well, Ahab, my husband and my king, we've been mistaken. God

is not Baal and Baal is no god. Jehovah is God. And, let us adore him and worship him.” That is

how the scene would have played out if people had wisdom, but folly reigns in the hearts of fallen

people, and so it went just the opposite way. Jezebel seeks only revenge on the man who made her

religion look weak and worthless. Instead of repentence for her folly in trusting in an idol, she

sought revenge on the one who made it clear her idol was nothing but a dead end road to

nowhere. Showing people that their false religion is a farce is very seldom an effective method of

winning them to the truth.” author unknown

4. We as believers often have a very superficial idea that if God would only do more wonders and

miracles the people of the world would be more likely to believe and not stay in a state of

rebellion against God and his laws. Scripture, however, makes it clear that this is not so. God did

one of the greatest miracles ever in sending fire from heaven to consume the water logged

sacrifice of Elijah, and yet this seems to have had no impact on Ahab or his wife Jezebel. They did

not in awe bow down before the God of Elijah, nor did they bring Elijah to their palace and give

him the honor he deserved. They should have proclaimed him a national hero and threw a

national celebration in his honor as they called the nation back to the worship of Jehovah.

Instead, the goal was to kill him in revenge for killing the false prophets.

4B. Miracles do not impress people who refuse to believe. The Pharisees and the Saducees saw

the miracles of Jesus, which he did in abundance, and yet they still did not want to bow to him as

their Messiah. They hated his miracles and him, and they plotted his death in spite of the

wonders that he performed daily in their presence. There is no way that miracles are the key to

winning the world to Christ. They have little to no effect on rebellious unbelief. They never have,

and they never will, and so don't waste your time praying for miracles as a means of evangelism.

Love will get you more success than miracle ever will in winning people to trust in God and

receive his gift of eternal life in Christ.

4C. W. A. Criswell reminds us of a story in the Bible where a miracle is said to be of little worth

to persuade anybody. He wrote, "Do you remember the story of the rich man, Dives, down there,

burning in hell? And, he said: O Father Abraham, I wouldn believe in my lifetime, and I wouldn

repent in my lifetime, but if you would raise Lazarus from the dead and send him back to my

father's house, they'd believe. Do you know that great miracle of a man being raised from the

dead and testifying to them of that terrible place? Remember what Father Abraham said. He

said, They have the Book. They have Moses and the prophets. They have the testimony of God.

And, if a man won't believe and be converted by the testimony of God, neither would a man

believe the one who was raised from the dead. That's an astonishing thing, isn't it?"

2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the

gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time

tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of

them."

1. Mama was no pussycat like Ahab. She whipped off a letter to this fanatical prophet, and she

gave him a piece of her mind. It was an outright death threat, for she said to him that if she did

not have him killed by the next day, she wanted the gods to punish her for her delaying her

revenge for so long. In other words, she is saying you are on my most wanted list right now,and I

have given orders to all my people to kill you on sight. “You kill my people, and I kill you. That is

how it works in my kingdom.”

1B. “Ahab saw it all with his own eyes, and he may have been ready to admit they were being

foolish by worshiping this weak god of Baal, but he was not the one wearing the pants in that

marriage. He had to stand by and watch his wicked wife put out a contract on the man of God

who demonstrated that Jehovah was indeed the God of power, and the one they should be bowing

down to. �o one tells this woman what to do, however, for she has a Satan like ego, and she will

go after the very throne of God before she will put up with any opposition to her home made

gods.” author unknown

1C. Alan Carr, “Jezebel is a typical domineering woman. Her actions prove this to be true. First,

she made all the decisions in this matter. Second, she performed Ahab's job her way. Third, she

used scheming and intimidation tactics when she saw her puny little husband beginning to cave

into the pressure. Ahab, on the other hand is a true henpecked husband. He may have been the

king, but Jezebel wore the crown in that castle! She was the boss, he was her puppet!

2. Howat, “This 'daughter of Tyre' is aroused. The Gileadite again! — the very name deepens the

crimson on that painted face on which Ahab, cursed for a craven, and cowering like a child, can

read the concentration of all rage and scorn. Defied! Baal degraded before assembled Israel. His

priesthood butchered like so many cattle. And all by a wild Bedouin from the mountains — a

boor, a fanatic let loose among men. By all the divinities of Phoenicia it shall not be unrevenged.

And so, swearing a tremendous oath, like Saul at Aijalon,' or Hannibal by the deathbed of his

father, she cries, and cannot sleep that night till she has sent Elijah the words, — thinking him'

quite within her reach for the present, and that with the new day she shall the more effectually

accomplish her purpose..."

3. Pink, “Beware of resisting God and rejecting His Word, lest you be abandoned by Him and He

suffers your madness to hasten your destruction. The more it was manifest that God was with

Elijah, the more was Jezebel exasperated against him. �ow that she learned he had slain her

priests, she was like a lioness robbed of her cubs. Her rage knew no bounds; Elijah must be slain

at once. Boastful of the morrow, swearing by her gods, she pronounced a fearful imprecation

upon herself if Elijah does not meet the same end. The resolution of Jezebel shows the extreme

hardness of her heart. It solemnly illustrates how wickedness grows on people. Sinners do not

reach such fearful heights of defiance in a moment, but as conscience resists convictions, as light

is again and again rejected, the very things which should soften and humble come to harden and

make more insolent, and the more plainly God's will be set before us, the more will it work

resentment in the mind and hostility in the heart; then it is but a short time until that soul is

consigned to the everlasting burnings.”

3 Elijah was afraid [a] and ran for his life. When he came

to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,

1. Elijah did not just laugh it off, for he was not ignorant about the wrath of Jezebel. She was a

dangerous and determined woman who expected to get her own way, and especially when it came

to killing people she did not want around. Fear gripped him, and in fear he ran for his life. He

had just been running with a sense of joy over the victory that God had given him on Carmel, but

now he is running like a scared rabbit, for he did not know who and how many were on his tail

ready to slay him with the sword. He could face 450 Baal prophets with no fear at all, but now he

is facing Jezebel, and that is a different story. She has already killed a number of God's prophets,

and how could he know that he was not next on her list of successful assassinations? He was not

going to take a chance, and so he was on the run. He could stand and mock the 450 prophets of

Baal, but he is not going to stand before this angry woman and face her wrath head on. There is a

time to retreat, as any good general knows, and Elijah knew this was a good time to do so.

1B. “Elijah knows this queen from hell means what she says, and she will have her Gestapo at his

door step armed for the kill in the morning. He knew he would not sleep good anyway and so he

took off in the night running for his life. You can pretend that you would not run, but stand

bravely before this wicked witch of the East, but the odds are that it is you who would be the fool,

and not Elijah. He had a great history yet ahead of him, and you would likely have an early

funeral, for this woman was evil to the core, and she meant business when she said he would be

dead tomorrow. There is a time to run from an enemy when you know that the odds are in their

favor. Many a wise general has won a war by knowing the right time to retreat. Sometimes it is

wise to run away and live to fight another day.” author unknown

1C. “We need not wonder at his sudden flight. It is the price that strong, fervent spirits pay for

their very strength, that they suffer a correspondingly strong reaction. So it was with the

prophet's antitype, John the Baptist, when in the prison he lost his faith and sent to ask Him

whom God had Himself pointed out to him on the banks of Jordan, whether, indeed, He was the

Coming One. So it was with Peter also, who could venture on the waves, but only to cry, "Lord

save me, I perish"; who could draw his sword and smite the High Priest's servant, but only at

once to deny his Lord at the challenge of a servant maid. So now it was with Elijah. God's hand

had been outstretched at his call. He had shut up the heavens at his bidding and had nourished

him at Cherith and given him miraculous sustenance at Zarephath, and the widow's son back

from the grave. He had sent down His fire from heaven and delivered the priests of Baal into his

hand and opened the heavens at his prayer. But Elijah could not trust God, now, to deliver him

from a woman' s hate.”

Fresh from Carmel and the slaughter of the priests he was impatient of the continuance of evil,

and expected the miracles of Carmel to be but the harbinger of the greater miracle of the

conversion of the people to God in a day. When Elijah awoke on the morrow and found Israel

altogether as it had been yesterday, he was dismayed. Had then the triumph of yesterday been as

nothing? Was Jezebel still to lord it over God's heritage? What then availed it that the fire had

fallen from heaven? That the false priests' blood had flowed like water? That the rain had come

at his bidding? Was the hand of God outstretched only to be withdrawn again? Elijah loses heart

because God's ways were not as his ways. He cannot understand God's secular modes of

working; and, conceiving of His ways as sudden and miraculous only, he feels that the Most High

has deserted His cause and His servants. He almost feels bitter towards the Lord who had let him

begin a work which He leaves him without power to complete. Hence Elijah must go to the

wilderness to learn somewhat of the God he serves.” author unknown

1D. Believe it or not there is a word for the fear of women and it is Gynophobia. Elijah must have

had it, for nothing else could scare him, but the threat of a woman sent him into a panic, and he

ran like the wind to escape her. She was mean to the bone, and would not hesitate to kill a

powerful man of God, and so he had a right to fear her, but it seems excessive in the light of

God's protecting him from all other threats.

2. Howat, “fleeing from the threat of the Phoenician queen over the mountains of Jezreel and

Samaria, accompanied only by the Sareptan boy, and halting not till he has reached the southern

extremity of the land of Palestine. At first we are apt to imagine he might have remained in

Judah, whither so many of the faithful in Israel had gone, and where good King Jehoshaphat

reigned ; but we must remember, on the other hand, that Jehoshaphat was on terms of political

alliance with Ahab, and that Jehoram, his eldest son, had married the daughter of Jezebel.'”

But the flight of the prophet is not yet over. Although far from the palace of Israel, and with the

whole territory of the rival kingdom between him and implacable Jezebel, he cannot rest satisfied

and so, leaving the Sareptan boy at Beersheba, he plunges a day's journey into the wild,

uninhabited region beyond the boundary of Palestine, known as the Arabian desert. Broken-

hearted and alone, he wanders over the rocky waste. He has cut himself off from all human

sympathy, and he has none to expect from God. He is worn with travel, he is hungry for food, and

there is no grot of Cherith here, nor ravens to bring him a welcome meal.”

3.King Ahab was a piece of cake

He could face him without fear.

But the queen like an earthquake

Made her intentions clear.

He was number one on her hit list,

And she was not fooling around.

Elijah quickly got her gist,

And just as quickly covered ground.

His hero's heart now filled with fear

propelled him far away.

His prayer was, “Get me out of here!”

I want to live another day.

But very soon his tune would change,

And he would beg to die.

Even though out of Jezebel's range,

This was his feeble cry. Glenn Pease

4. He left his servant behind in Beersheba, for there was no reason he should be killed if some

posse caught up with them and killed them both. A companion would have been nice at this time,

but he did not want to risk the life of his friend for no good reason. He was on his own now, as a

fugitive of the state.

5. Pink, “But his eyes were no longer fixed upon God, instead they saw only a furious woman.

The One who had miraculously fed him at the brook Cherith, who had so wondrously sustained

him at the widow’s home in Zarephath, and who so signally strengthened him on Carmel, is

forgotten. Thinking only of himself he flees from the place of testimony. But how is this strange

lapse to be accounted for? Obviously his fears were excited by the queen’s threat coming to him

so unexpectedly. Was there not good reason for him now to be anticipating with great joy and

exultation the cooperation of all Israel in the work of reformation? Would not the whole nation,

who had cried, "Jehovah, He is the God," be deeply thankful for his prayers having procured the

much-needed rain? And in a moment his hope seemed to be rudely shattered by this message

from the incensed queen. Had he then lost all faith in God to protect him? Far be it from us so to

charge him: rather does it seem that he was momentarily overwhelmed, panic- stricken. He gave

himself no time to think: but taken completely by surprise, he acted on the spur of the moment.

How that gives point to "he that believeth shall not make haste" (Isa. 28:16).”

5B. Pink adds. “It is conspicuous that we have here a picture of one of the greatest and

courageous men of God in the Bible turning cowardly and running in fear from a godless woman.

It is out of character for this hero to be doing such a thing, and it reveals that the best of men are

men at best. Even a great man of faith can allow fear to take the controls of his life and act as if

he has no faith at all. This is such a negative view of a man who is seen as so positive an example,

and what we learn from this is that he who stands should beware lest he fall. In other words, it is

folly to think so highly of yourself that you think you can never be depressed, or filled with fear,

or feel like dying because life seems so bleak. History as well as Scripture reveals that these things

happen to the greatest men and women of faith. The best preparation for dealing with these dark

night of the soul type experiences is to be fully aware that they can happen to you. The proud and

arrogant believer who looks down at the failures of faith in others is the least prepared for when

it hits them. So the practical value of studying this chapter is to face the reality that it could be an

experience that we may have to endure. God wants us to see the down side that can come into a

great persons life, for to be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

6. Pink sees the weakness of Elijah in this chapter as being due to his pride. He saw the great

miracle of fire fall from heaven, and he had already seen God use him to raise a child from the

dead. He was a great hero, and he had seen things no man had seen in history to his day, with

ravens bringing him daily meals. Pink wrote, “If it was needful that the apostle should be given a

thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be "exalted above measure

through the abundance of the revelations" vouchsafed him (2 Cor. 12:7), then what need have we

to "rejoice with trembling" (Ps. 2:11), when we are elated over receiving answers to our

petitions?” And how much more so Elijah? It is speculation, but it makes sense that God had to

bring him down a few pegs to humble him and make him a more useful servant. Pride goes

before a fall, and Elijah had every reason to be growing in pride, and he certainly did take a fall

in this chapter.

7. Scholars debate the wisdom of Elijah fleeing from the city of Jezebel. “Professor Porter, who

remarks that flight in times of danger is not always a sign of cowardice, and that Moses fled from

Egypt, Paul from Damascus, and even our blessed Lord, on one occasion, from the temple.” He

and others say that he was justified in fleeing from this wicked queen. Others, like Howat, say

that it was a major mistake. He wrote, “But the highly critical condition of Israel at this moment

is forgotten. The monarch and people were indeed cowed by Jezebel ; and yet the presence of

Elijah daring her as he had done the priests, would probably have restored the popular, if not the

royal faith. The nation, never very resolute, had given way for the moment ; but what might not

have been accomplished, had Elijah stood forth as their leader, cheered them with words of hope,

and animated them with something of his own native force and fire? All this was lost by his flight,

— the whole work of Carmel was undone by that midnight rush through the gate of Jezreel.

Surely, if ever great things might have been expected from Elijah, it would have been now; and

yet he deserts his post.

Why did he not ask counsel on his knees ? Where was his confidence in Him who was greater

than Jezebel ? Where was the memory of past deliverances ? Could the God who had been with

him in six troubles, not be with him in the seventh ? Was His ear heavy that it could not hear. His

arm shortened that it could not save ? Why this yielding to faithless alarm, in view of the

promise : ' Wait on the Lord ; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart : wait, I

say, on the Lord.' In fact, there is so much mystery about this incident in the prophet's life, that

we are almost inclined to believe with some that, as in the case of Paul, after being 'caught up to

the third heavens,' Elijah was 'exalted above measure,' after the triumph of Carmel, and that the

richest ship being the pirate's prize, God permitted the temptation of the flight, to teach His

servant, what a poor, weak creature he was in reality, when left to himself.”

8. Pink “Alas, instead of spreading his case before God, he takes matters into his own hands;

instead of waiting patiently for Him, he acts on hasty impulse, deserts the post of duty, and flees

from the one who sought his destruction. "And when he saw that, he arose and went for his life,

and came to Beersheba which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there" (v. 3). �otice

carefully the "when he saw, he arose and went for his life." His eyes were fixed on the wicked and

furious queen: his mind was occupied with her power and fury, and therefore his heart was filled

with terror. Faith in God is the only deliverer from carnal fear: "Behold, God is my salvation: I

will trust, and not be afraid"; "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on

Thee: because he trusteth in Thee," (Isa. 12:2; 26:3). Elijah's mind was no longer stayed upon

Jehovah, and therefore fear took possession of him.

Hitherto Elijah had been sustained by faith's vision of the living God, but now he lost sight of the

Lord and saw only a furious woman. How many solemn warnings are recorded in Scripture of

the disastrous consequences of walking by sight. "Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of

Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere" (Gen. 13:10), and made choice thereof: but very

shortly after it is recorded of him that he "pitched his tent toward Sodom !" The majority-report

of the twelve men sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan was, "we saw the giants, the sons

of Anak, which come of the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were

in their sight (�um. 13:33). In consequence of which "all the congregation lifted up their voice,

and cried; and the people wept that night." Walking by sight magnifies difficulties and paralysis

spiritual activity. It was when Peter "saw the wind boisterous" that "he was afraid and began to

sink (Matthew 14:30). How striking the contrast between Elijah here and Moses, who "By faith

forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible"

(Heb. 11:27), and nothing but the eye of faith fixed steadily upon God will enable anyone to

"endure."

9. Gill, “"And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life"—not for God, nor for the good

of His people; but because he thought only of self. The man who had faced the four hundred and

fifty false prophets, now fled from one woman; the man who hitherto had been so faithful in the

Lord’s service now deserted his post of duty, and that at a time when his presence was most

needed by the people, if their convictions were to be strengthened and the work of reformation

carried forward and firmly established. Alas, what is man! As Peter’s courage failed him in the

presence of the maid, so Elijah’s strength wilted before the threatening of Jezebel. Shall we

exclaim, "How are the mighty fallen!"? �o, indeed, for that would be a carnal and erroneous

conception. The truth is that "It is only as God vouchsafes His grace and Holy Spirit that any

man can walk uprightly. Elijah’s conduct on this occasion shows that the spirit and courage he

had previously manifested were of the Lord, and not of himself: and that those who have the

greatest zeal and courage for God and His truth, if left to themselves, become weak and

timorous"

10. He was outrunning Jezebel, but not her master the devil. He was on Elijah's tail and bringing

on all the negative thinking he could inspire. Rich Cathers has an excellent paragraph describing

it. “After the victories, watch out for the attack Here has been Elijah's most triumphant moment.

He has been victorious over the prophets of Baal, and even has the ear of the king for a moment.

And then comes the attack. We see it in Peter's life. He first had a great revelation from God:

(Mat 16:16-17 KJV) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the

living God. {17} And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for

flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

And the next words that come out of his mouth:(Mat 16:21-23 KJV) From that time forth began

Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of

the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. {22}

Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be

unto thee. {23} But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense

unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Peter wrote

later,(1 Pet 5:8 KJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,

walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: The Scottish pastor Andrew Bonar (1810–1892)

said, “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.”

11. Patterson and Austel give the most negative commentary are Elijah's actions here. "Probably

Elijah had played into Jezebel's hand. Had she really wanted Elijah dead, she surely would have

seized him without warning and slain him. What she desired was that Elijah and his God be

discredited before the new converts who had aided Elijah by executing the prophets of

Baal.Without a leader revolutionary movements usually stumble and fall away.Just when God

needed him the most, the divinely trained prophet was to prove a notable failure."

12. It is easy to speculate about what would have happened had Elijah stayed and faced Jezebel.

God does not speak to the matter, but this does not hold men back from having a clear picture of

what would have been. An unknown author wrote, “Elijah should not have fled from his post of

duty. He should have met the threat of Jezebel with an appeal for protection to the One who had

commissioned him to vindicate the honor of Jehovah. He should have told the messenger that the

God in whom he trusted would protect him against the hatred of the queen. Only a few hours had

passed since he had witnessed a wonderful manifestation of divine power, and this should have

given him assurance that he would not now be forsaken. Had he remained where he was, had he

made God his refuge and strength, standing steadfast for the truth, he would have been shielded

from harm. The Lord would have given him another signal victory by sending His judgments on

Jezebel; and the impression made on the king and the people would have wrought a great

reformation.” It could be this is an accurate account of what might have been, but God does not

tell us, and when God does not speak to an issue, it is not wise to suppose that human speculation

is a valid basis for judgment. God treated him with love and compassion, and not as a loser.

Pastor Guzik rightly says, “We cannot say for certain if this was led of God or not. It is clear that

God wanted to protect Elijah, but we cannot say if God wanted to protect him at Jezreel or

protect him by getting him out of Jezreel. �evertheless, Elijah went about 80 miles south to

Beersheba.”

4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He

came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that

he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take

my life; I am no better than my ancestors."

1. The life of the fugitive did not fit Elijah at all, for he lasted one day on the run, and then was

ready to give up. After his experience of an all day battle on Carmel, and two days of running, he

was obviously exhausted. He probably felt like he was going to die anyway, and so he prayed for

the Lord to take him home, and get him out of this troubled world where there is no rest for the

righteous. He is not better than his ancestors, and they are dead, so why not have him join them

in the realm of the dead.

1B. Great Texts, “There is something in human nature which makes us feel more akin to men

who occasionally suffer defeat. If Elijah s pilgrimage along the way of life had been a series of

unfailing triumphs, and if the cloud of uncertainty had never gathered about his heart, he might

have seemed like a man of an alien race, having little or no kinship with the sons and daughters

of despondency and grief. When the Apostle Peter is very bold, daring even death in the presence

of the great ones of the earth, he appears very remote to the child of hesitancy and doubt ; but in

the hour of Peter s weakness, when he shrinks from the foes that beset him, he becomes one of the

common crowd. His impulsiveness makes even his martyrdom human. St. Paul s feelings of

wretchedness lend humanness even to his ecstasies, and his unspeakable revelations do not lie in

lands too remote. But, in spite of all this, the pity of the prophet s defeat ! He knew the strength of

his God, he had experienced the softened light of His guidance, he had had proofs innumerable of

His providential care, he had " tasted that the Lord is gracious," and yet here he is, in a season of

peculiar crisis, throwing up his ministry, and lying down with a desire to die. Has there never

been a time in our experience when we have grown baffled and weary with the greatness of our

tasks and the smallness of our success with them ? Have we never felt that we craved something

besides the feeling that what we were doing was worth doing and that we would prevail in the end

? Have we never had our hours of deep discouragement yes, and our seasons of defeat in which

we questioned with ourselves whether what we were doing was worth doing after all? Like Elijah,

perhaps, we played the man, and did it well.”

1C. I get a kick out of the way W. A. Criswell describes how he imagines Elijah will respond to

this threat of such a godless angry woman. He wrote, "What will Elijah do in the presence of this

ferocious lioness? What will he do in the presence of this furious woman? Well, I know what he

will do. Elijah stood in the presence of Ahab, fearless and unafraid. And, Elijah stood in the

presence of the 450 prophets of Baal, fearless and unafraid. That's what he did yesterday on the

top of Mount Carmel..........I know what Elijah will do. He will stand up there to her face and

he'll say, "You old hussy, you. You low down child of the devil, you. You female blasphemer,

you." I know what Elijah will do. That's what he'll do. �o woman's going to scare Elijah, no,

sir. Elijah's not afraid of all the devils in hell. He's not afraid of all that Satan himself and his

hosts can do. I know what Elijah will do. He'll look that woman in the face and say, "You child of

the devil, listen to the Word of God: Thus saith the Lord God. That's what Elijah's going to do."

But in contrast to what he expected he had to write, "I can't imagine it. I can't imagine it. That's

inconceivable. He can beat the lion to his face, and walk in a den, absolutely unafraid,

courageous, mighty in the Lord. And, before that woman, Jezebel, he turns to water and seeks to

hide himself in the sinking sand.I can't imagine it. And, he prayed that he might die."

1D. Steve Zeisler, “Despite the people's cheers, the next day they were no different. Yes, they had

cheered Yahweh as God, but they were as likely to worship Baal as the day before. Jezebel's

statement characterized the people's response; she was hardened and she was going to have his

head on a plate. He realized, "My nation will not change. There is no revival coming. Their hearts

are as stony as they've ever been." We know from subsequent history that the northern ten tribes

did not change, and their final judgment was to be carted off to exile and dismissed from

existence as a people. At this point Elijah experienced the crushing disappointment that God

seemed not to keep his part of the bargain. The prophet assumed that if they won the victory on

Mount Car- mel that God would therefore act to bring about a change in the people, but it didn't

happen. Resentment against God began to descend on Elijah's heart so that in despair he finally

said, "Let me die. It's not worth living. God, you've disappointed me too deeply. If I can give as

much of my life and my heart as I have to you and have it turn out like this, I don't want to live

anymore."

1E. “To someone who has never been in his position, that request might seem just a bit

melodramatic, but to anyone who has tried to stand for something in theface of great opposition,

his exasperation should not be something foreign. How often have we done all we could do to

share our faith with someone only to have them flatly reject the message we bring. We feel as

though all our efforts are in vain, that there is no use in going on. But it is important to

understand that when people reject the gospel message, or any other admonition from the

scriptures, they are not rejecting the messenger, they are rejecting the Lord. Jesus made it quite

clear that we would be hated by the world, yet we still despair when the world rejects the good

news of the kingdom.” author unknown

1F. David had been in this state of mind. “Psalm 42:5: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?

And why art thou disquieted in me?… O my God, my soul is cast down within me.” And, then, it

closes: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me?” �ow,

look at Psalm 69, a Psalm of David: Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I

sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, where the floods

overflow me. I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

Then, he continues in verse 14: Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be

delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the water flood overflow

me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. And, look at

verse 20: Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to

take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

1G. He says he is no better than his ancestors, and the implication is that before his depression he

thought he was better than his ancestors. Alan Carr speaks to this by writing, “What is Elijah's

problem? Pride! He was guilty of believing his own press! He was caught in the backwash of a

great victory and he may have felt as though he were invincible. He believed himself to be more

than he was and when he was reminded that he wasn't what he thought he was, he was thrown

into the pit of despair! The saint of God had better beware of those special times of great victory!

Of course, this is a problem that we all face from time to time! We are all guilty of believing that

we are greater than we are in reality. When the truth hits home, it can lead to depression and

times of spiritual drought. When we do hit bottom, we are often guilty of trying to rationalize our

behavior. We try, like Elijah, to convince ourselves that things are as bad as we think they are. In

truth, they never are, nor will they be, as bad as we think!.......Elijah's trouble stemmed from

thinking more highly of himself than he should have. This is a problem we are all encouraged to

avoid, 1 Cor. 10:12; Rom. 12:3.”

1H. David O. Dykes tells this story that illustrates Elijah's feelings: “It’s a joke in the South that

all Baptist preachers love fried chicken. But I heard of one pastor who couldn’t stand it. In fact,

he hated fried chicken. Once this pastor was preaching a week long meeting at another church,

and was eating in the homes of members before the services. Every night, he was served the same

meal (you guessed it) fried chicken. After five nights of fried chicken, he arrived at a home for the

final meal of the week. There in front of him was a big platter of crispy fried chicken. He could

hardly look at it. To make matters worse, the host asked him to pray the blessing. So the preacher

prayed this prayer: “Lord, I’ve had it hot and I’ve had it cold; I’ve had it young and I’ve had it

old; I’ve had it tender, and I’ve had it tough, But, thank you, Lord, I’VE HAD E�OUGH!”

Try to imagine this great prophet sitting under a solitary tree in the desert. Elijah just had one of

the greatest victories of his life. In response to his prayers, God sent down fire from heaven and a

three-year drought had been broken. He should have been be on top of the world, yet we find

him in the depths of depression, even begging God to let him die. We sometimes think these Old

Testament characters were superhuman, but they were just like us, and we are just like them.

Many of you know what it’s like to go from the mountaintop of happiness to the valley of

despair. Do you know why we have these stories from the Old Testament? They are written to

give us hope. Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to

teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have

hope.”

1I. Spurgeon, “ELIJAH, no doubt, expected that after the wonderful display of God’s power on

Carmel the nation would give up its idols and would turn unto the only living and true God. Had

they not confessed as with a voice of thunder, “Jehovah, He is the God! Jehovah, He is the God!”?

The Prophet trusted that the heart of Ahab might, perhaps, be touched and possibly, through

him, the heart of Jezebel. If she did not become converted, at least the manifest interposition of

Jehovah might check her hand from future persecution. The Prophet hoped that by an influence

thus established over the king and queen, the whole land would speedily glide back to its

allegiance to Jehovah. Then would his stern heart have been glad before the Lord.

When he found out that it was not so, his spirit fainted within him. The message from Jezebel,

that he would be slain the next morning, was probably not so terrible to him as the discovery that

came with it that his great demonstration against Baal was doomed to be a failure. The proud

Sidonian queen would still rule over vacillating Ahab and, through Ahab, she would still keep

power over the people—and the idol gods would sit safely on their thrones. The thought was

gall and wormwood to the idol-hating Prophet. He became so despondent that he was ready to

give up the conflict and to quit the battlefield. He could not bear to live in the land where the

people were so blindly infatuated as to honor Baal and to dishonor Jehovah. He resolved to leave

right away.”

1J. Steve Zeisler, “In the other part of verse 4 Elijah said, "Take my life; I am no better than my

fathers." This is a bit obscure, but I think it means this: the people of God had never had a

generation in which the righteous were victorious. Elijah looked back on the generations of

Israel, and every time something good happened, it was followed by something evil. Elijah had

thought that this time it would be different, but it wasn't.

He was basically saying, "You know, God, this big experiment of yours isn't working. It hasn't

worked in the past and I don't see it working now. It's no better now than it ever was. �ot only

am I worn out, but I am also beginning to conclude that you don't know how to run your

universe." Throughout the rest of this chapter God will minister to Elijah to change his mind

from this indictment to a place of faith again.”

1K. Tom Hayes has this series of reasons for why Elijah hit bottom. “The Reasons For Being

Overwhelmed

A. His famine - the lack - dry; the length - 3 1/2 years

B. His fight - Mt. Carmel: not a scuffle; a conflict; a confrontation

C. His fame - none could excel; extinguish: or explain him

D. His fear - he failed in his strong point; summary point

E. His frustration - no repentance: no revival; no restoration

F. His fatigue - physical; mental; emotional; spiritual

G. His forgetfulness - forgot God's ability; authority; activity

2. “' What greater minds, like Elijah's, have felt intensely, all we have felt in our own degree. We

have had our lonely hours, our days of disappointment, and our moments of hopelessness ; times

when our highest feelings have been misunderstood, and our purest met with ridicule, when our

heavy secret was lying unshared, like ice upon the heart. And then the spirit gives way; we have

wished that all were over, that we could lie down tired, and rest like the children from life, that

the hour was come when we could put the extinguisher on the lamp, and feel the last grand rush

of darkness.'” — Robertson of Brighton.

3. Howat, “We read in physical science that, by the side of mountains, the sea or lake is, generally

speaking, as deep as the corresponding height on the adjoining bank. In spiritual matters a

similar law would seem to prevail ; for it frequently happens that those are most liable to sink to

the depths of melancholy and depression, who have risen to the loftiest eminences of trust and

faith. It was the same David, for example, who had sung, ' Though an host should encamp against

me, my heart shall not fear,' who broke out into the wail, when insulted by Doeg, .' Woe is me,

that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar ! ' It was the same Job who, when

bereft of his property and children, could say, ' The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away,

blessed be the name of the Lord,' who, at a later period in his history, borne down by

accumulated distress, exclaimed, ' I will not refrain my mouth ; I will speak in the anguish of my

spirit ; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.' It was the same Peter, the man of fire and

impulse, whom nothing could daunt, and who had solemnly sworn to be the last to quit his

Master's side, who, overcome by weakness, and in despair at the failure of his hopes, ' began to

curse and to swear' — the old fisherman nature coming back for the moment, — and, charged

with the fellowship of Jesus, replied, I know not the man. And so it is Elijah, the brave and bold,

the man of iron limb and lion heart, whom we have now to find ' in the wilderness,' ' under a

juniper-tree,' ' requesting for himself that he might die :' It is enough ; now, O Lord, take away

my life, for I am not better than my fathers.' Truly saith the proverb, ' The best of men are but

men at the best,' and even Elijah is no exception.”

4. Howat continues, “Let us try to analyse the elements of the prophet's great grief. We shall have

to show his failings in the sequel ; but, ' subject to like passions as we are,' let us first do him

justice as a man. We must allow something for the anxieties and excitement through which he

had passed. There is a limit even to an iron frame ; the bow which is always stretched to its

utmost tension will break in the end. In a different form you see the same principle in the case of

Bunyan. ' His horrible internal conflicts,' says Macaulay, 'prove not that he was a worse man

than his neighbors, but that his fervor exceeded his knowledge, and that his imagination

exercised despotic power over his body and mind.' We must allow something also for his fear of

Jezebel; and indeed, in this world, there is nothing more to be feared than a wicked, ungodly,

revengeful woman. It is the great law of contraries. There is nothing so beautiful as woman's

love ; there is nothing so terrible as woman's hatred. The refuse of what is best is worst,' says the

Roman proverb.* The pretended mother in Solomon's days proposes to slay the living child.

Athaliah, to gratify her own ambition, ' destroys all the seed royal' The daughter of Herodias

solicits the Baptist's head. Jezebel vows to take Elijah's life.”

4B. Howat goes on, “Shall we inquire the thoughts of the prophet under the juniper-tree ? ' Oh !

the melancholy images,' says Krummacher, that pass before him. He sees the people reeling on

Carmel in their idolatrous orgies, the streets of Jezreel resounding with blasphemies against God,

and Jezebel drunk with the blood of the few believers who have fallen as victims to her revenge.'

At length, unable to bear up any more, he exclaims, ' It is enough ; now, O Lord, take away my

life.' What querulousness there is here ; as if he had not voluntarily, as well as wildly and

recklessly, plunged into his present position ! — what contradiction ; it was to escape death he

fled, and now he implores it ! — what unpreparedness to die ; for he can never be fit to meet his

God in the other world who cries to Him, like Elijah, to take away his life in this ! — what

Ignorance of his highest interests ; for, had his prayer been granted, what a crowning farewell to

earth he must, in his future translation, have lost ! How sad the resemblance between the prophet

and Job: Let the day perish wherein I was born!' and how striking the contrast between the

prophet and Paul : I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ,

which is far better : nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you ! And having this

confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of

faith! ' Weary, heart-sick prophet, teach us all that, however tried and tempted, with, fears

within or fighting without,' it is no light thing to wander from the path of duty, or the ways and

will of God.”

5. Elijah feels that God has forsaken him, and he is now on his own. All the miracles of the past to

protect him and shield him from dying of starvation and the sword of the king and his prophets

are forgotten. His present fear has taken over his mind, and all he can think of is that he is a

hunted man at the mercy of circumstances. How easy we lose our faith when we forget what God

has done for us in the past.

6. Spurgeon, “This was the man who never died, yet “he requested for himself that he might die.”

How gracious it is, on God’s part, not to grant the requests of his people when they are unwise, as

this petition of Elijah was! Had he known that he would go up by a whirlwind into heaven, riding

in a chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire, surely he would not have prayed after this fashion.

The man who did pray that he might die never died at all. How foolish he was to pray that he

might die, when God had intended that he should go to heaven by a whirlwind with a chariot and

horses of fire!”

Elijah failed in the very point at which he was strongest, and that is where most men fail. In

Scripture it is the wisest man who proves himself to be the greatest fool, just as the meekest man,

Moses, spoke hasty and bitter words. Abraham failed in his faith, and Job in his patience. So he

who was the most courageous of all men fled from an angry woman. Elijah could stand face to

face with that woman's husband. Yet he was afraid of Jezebel, and he fled from her and even

requested that he might die. This was to show us that Elijah was not strong by nature, but only in

the strength imparted to him by God, so that when the divine strength was gone, he was of no

more account that anybody else.”

6B. Spurgeon, “Another reason for the prophets depression was, no doubt, his intense love to

God, and his grievous disappointment with the people. He had hoped that the test he had

proposed would decide the great question. “If Jehovah be God, follow him: but if Baal, then

follow him.” He had staked everything upon that one issue.” But the people still were under the

power of Jezebel.

“I have known a man feel so bad that he thought he could not be a child of God; when really, the

main trouble was that he needed his dinner, for his spirits revived as soon as he had partaken of

proper nourishment. Certainly, one of the lessons this chapter teaches us is, that when we get

weary, or we suffer from some disease, so that the strength of our body begins to flag, then we are

apt to say,-

Tis a point I long to know,

Oft it causes anxious thought,-

Do I love the Lord, or no?

Am I His, or am I not?

He was running from Jezebel because she threatened to kill him, and now he foolishly prays that

he might die. Such inconsistency is the result of unbelief. He thought he was all alone and did

not recognize there were thousands who were believers. The folly is that if he was the only one

left and he died that would be the end of God’s people. Elijah was being very foolish at this

point. He should have been praying to live as never before.

7. Pink, “..the best of men are but men at the best. �o matter how richly gifted they may be, how

eminent in God’s service, how greatly honored and used of Him, let His sustaining power be

withdrawn from them for a moment and it will quickly be seen that they are "earthen vessels."

�o man stands any longer than he is supported by Divine grace. The most experienced saint, if

left to himself, is immediately seen to be as weak as water and as timid as a mouse. "Man at his

best estate is altogether vanity" (Ps. 39:5). Then why should it be thought a thing incredible when

we read of the failings and falls of the most favored of God’s saints and servants? �oah’s

drunkenness, Lot’s carnality, Abraham’s prevarications, Moses" anger, Aaron’s jealousy,

Joshua’s haste, David’s adultery, Jonah’s disobedience, Peter’s denial, Paul’s contention with

Barnabas, are so many illustrations of the solemn truth that "there is not a just man upon earth

that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccl. 7:20). Perfection is found in Heaven, but nowhere on

earth except in the Perfect Man.”

8. Pink goes on, “Those who rise high can also fall low, and this is the common experience of

depression that can hit believers just as well as unbelievers. Rarely can anybody live in this fallen

world without some bouts with depression. Usually they are short lived battles, and one returns

to a normal pattern of thinking and feeling. Sometimes, however, they are long drawn out

struggles that keep us in a state of gloom for weeks and even months. Elijah's was not so long a

battle, but it was deep and intense to the point of wanting his life to end. This is what we call

hitting bottom. You can't get any more depressed than to be in a state where you want your life to

end. You want out so bad that life itself has no value to you, and death seems a sweet release. This

is a state in which many people take their own life, for death seems like a pleasant escape from

one's misery. Believers can reach even this depth of despair, and knowing that prepares them not

to give into those feelings if they ever come.

You might wonder why God would not just skip over this part of Elijah's life, and move ahead to

better days, and just forget about this negative episode. God does not hide the facts of life, and

cover up the defects in his children and servants. It is important for all of God's people to

understand that hero worship is a form of idolatry when it is carried to the point of exalting any

man to such a high level that he takes on an authority that belongs to God alone. Jesus was the

only exception, for he was God in the flesh, but no other man, however great, was anything more

than a man. All God's great men and women of the Bible are shown with their flaws, defects, and

weaknesses in order to make sure they are not robbing God of the honor that only he deserves.

Christian history reveals that there have been men and women raised to the level of worship, and

it has been a form of idolatry, for people have looked to these saints for guidance and answers to

their prayers, rather than to Christ and their Father in heaven. God does wonders through his

vessels of clay, but he expects that "that no flesh should glory in His presence" (1 Cor. 1:27-29).

All glory should go to Him, and not to his servants. Paul put it, "so then neither is he that

planteth (the evangelist) anything, neither he that watereth (the teacher), but God" (1 Cor. 3:7).

Elijah did miracles, but it was the power of God working through him, and so with all the

marvelous things men and women of God have done, and will do. It is God who is the source of

the wisdom and power, and so he alone is to be praised. Men can be thanked for their cooperation

with, and yieldedness to, God, but he alone deserves the praise and glory.”

9. It is a big mistake for believers to think that a mountain top experience is all that is needed to

keep their faith strong. People have a great revival of their spirit and wonderful things happen as

the power and love of God flows through them, and they conclude that the rest of life will be so

free of doubt and trouble now. This is the folly of unrealistic expectations. �o matter how great a

spiritual experience is, and no matter how miraculous it is, it will not be all you need for the rest

of your life, or even the rest of the week. Emotions are unpredictable because life is

unpredictable, and we cannot rely on a high emotional feeling to be a lasting experience. One can

go from laughter to tears in a few moments, because life can take sudden turns, and it is

unrealistic to expect that one can live on the heights continuously. You have to be prepared to feel

lows as life changes, and not be thrown into shock because of them. They are valid emotions when

we feel the blues, and get depressed over negative events. We need to expect them, but not let

them rule our lives when they come. We need to fight them and strive to get back to the positives

that we know will win in the end if we do not give up the fight. Job hit bottom and wished that he

had never been born, but he did not give up. He fought through his depression to win the victory

in the end. He had every right to be depressed, and it was no sin to be depressed. It is a sin to give

up and cease to fight it like any other kind of evil that robs us of our joy in Christ.

10. Almost every preacher who deals with depression quotes the words of famous men of God

who have gone through this pit and fought their way out. The two most often quoted are Martin

Luther and Charles Spurgeon who were notorious for their bouts with deep depression. The

pastor of Redlands Baptist Church quotes them and refers to others with these words, "And, the

record of Church history underscores this truth because many great men, faithful servants of our

Heavenly Father, struggled with this emotional illness. For example, the great reformer, Martin

Luther, fought with depression on and off through his entire life. In 1527 Luther wrote, "For

more than a week I was close to the gates of death and hell. I trembled in all my members. Christ

was wholly lost....The content of the depressions was always the same, the loss of faith that God is

good and that He is good to me."

"The famous preacher Charles Hadden Spurgeon, whom God used to light the fires of the 19th

century revival movement, struggled so severely with depression that he was forced to be absent

from his pulpit for two to three months a year. In 1866 he told his congregation of his struggle

saying: "I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to

such extremes of wretchedness as I go through." He explained that during these depressions,

"Every mental and spiritual labor...had to be carried on under protest of spirit." Well, we could

go on and on citing examples of Godly individuals who have wrestled with this form of illness:

..John Bunyan, J. B. Phillps, even Rick Warren.

10B. C.H.Spurgeon was known to suffer at times from depression. From “Lectures to my

students” - page 167. “As it is recorded that David, in the heat of battle, waxed faint, so may it be

written of all the servants of the Lord. Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually

cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous,

the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.

There may be here and there men of iron, to whom wear and tear work no perceptible detriment,

but surely the rust frets even these; and as for ordinary men, the Lord knows, and makes them to

know, that the are but dust. Knowing by most painful experience what deep depression of spirit

means, being visited therewith at seasons by no means few or far between, I thought it might be

consolatory to some of my brethren if I gave my thoughts thereon, that younger men might not

fancy that some strange thing had happened to them when they became for a season possessed by

melancholy; and that sadder men might know that one upon whom the sun has shone right

joyously did not always walk in the light. It is not necessary by quotations from the biographies

of eminent ministers to prove that seasons of fearful prostration have fallen to the lot of most, if

not all of them. The life of Luther might suffice to give a thousand instances, and he was by no

means of the weaker sort. His great spirit was often in the seventh heaven of exultation, and as

frequently on the borders of despair. His death-bed was not free from tempests, and he sobbed

himself into his last sleep like a great wearied child.”

11. The point is, joy robbers are a part of life's battle. Jezebel was a joy robber for Elijah, and all

of us will have some joy robbers in life that make it hard to rejoice in the Lord always. Peter

understood this when he wrote in 1 Peter 1:6, "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a

little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials." We note that distress is to be

for a little while, and so the idea is that though it is normal and to be expected that believers will

go through times of trial and depression, it is expected also that they will work through it to a

place of rejoicing again as the dominant emotion of their lives. The Psalmist says, "weeping may

remain for a night....but JOY comes in the morning." Depression is a part of the dark and

gloomy night of life, which we all have to experience from time to time, but if we are functioning

normally we will come through it to a bright and shinning day. If not, we need medicine to get

our body back on track.

12. How can it be, such a mighty warrior turned into a wimp? How can it be, that such a whale of

a man is turned into a shrimp? Depression is not something that only weak people have to

endure, for it hits the strongest people as well, and Elijah was among the strongest ever. It takes

strength to cope with this emotional gloom, but sometimes people are just too tired to cope, and

they feel they are at the end of their rope. Most of us get through a bad day and recover nicely,

but sometimes the hole we feel we have fallen into is too deep to climb out of, and this becomes a

serious matter where we need a helping hand. The pastor of Redland Baptist Church wrote, "In

fact recent studies of more than 11,000 individuals found depression to be more physically and

socially disabling than arthritis, diabetes, lung disease, chronic back problems, hypertension, and

gastrointestinal illnesses. The only medical problem that is more disabling is advanced coronary

heart disease. So, battling depression is not an easy thing."

13. Pastor Chase Peeples wrote about the movie"For the Love of the Game." It's a movie with a

predictable plot and some weak dialogue, but it contains one poignant scene worth remembering.

The movie centers on Billy Chapel, a twenty-year veteran of the Detroit Tigers. Chapel is at the

end of his career as a pitcher. His pitching arm is tired and after an unheard of twenty years with

the same team, he is about to be traded. In the movie, the aging ballplayer ends up pitching a no-

hitter, which proves his critics wrong. Mixed in with the action of the game, we see Chapel

reflecting back on his life up until now. Specifically, his thoughts linger on the woman he loves

but has driven away because of his own stubborn pride. After the game ends, the scene changes

to Chapel weeping and alone in his hotel room. On what should be the greatest night of his life,

he realizes that his life is empty without anyone to share it with. It is ironic that some of the

greatest peaks in our lives are often followed by the deepest valleys. In today's scripture passage,

we find the prophet Elijah in a similar situation to that of Billy Chapel. He has just pitched a

prophetic no-hitter, but the game is over and he now has to run for his life."

14. J. Hampton Keathley, III stresses that Elijah was just a normal man. He wrote,"Elijah's

dynamic living, his courageous ministry and effectiveness against all odds was not the result of

certain innate super-duper qualities, nor was it in the absence of personal weaknesses,temptation,

failure, nor even fear. While Elijah was spiritually head and shoulders above most of his

contemporaries, he was at the same time normal and average from the standpoint of innate or

natural qualities and abilities. Elijah possessed a sinful nature just like ours with weaknesses,

fears and doubts. He faced the "I can'ts, the I don't feel like it syndrome just like everyone else.

In fact, his humanness will clearly emerge later in the record of his life and ministry. But, by the

strength of God through faith, Elijah rose above his weaknesses through the divine resources at

his disposal. The same resources are available to us in the Lord in even more abundant ways in

�ew Testament times through the ministry of the Holy Spirit." Most all of us in the same

situation would hit the road just like he did.

15. Thank God for unanswered prayer! Elijah in a down moment prays for God to take his life,

and if God answered all prayers as some foolishly say, this would be the end of the story for

Elijah. God had different plans for this man, however, and his plan was that Elijah would never

die, but be taken to heaven without going the route of death like all other people except him and

Enoch. There are many foolish prayer uttered by God's people, and we can all be thankful that

God does not follow our recommendations of what we think is the way to go. If God answered all

prayers the world would be in constant chaos, and the whole system of law by which God directs

the universe would be shattered. This would make the Creator the destroyer of his own wise

system. Asking God to do something that is contrary to his nature and will is an act of folly, and

we see Elijah being foolish in this prayer. God is not in the business of taking the lives of his

people for being depressed. If this was the case, there would be a great need for expanded

cemeteries. Someone pointed out that he did not really want to die, for that is why he was

running away from Jezebel. If he wanted to die he could have just stayed put and she would have

been glad to accomodate his death wish. Jonah is another example of stupid praying. He became

depressed and dehydrated by a scorching east wind that was sent by the Lord. In this fainting

condition he begged God with all his soul to let him die, saying, "Death is better to me than life"

(Jonah 4:8)." Again, thank God he does not cooperate with our folly.

16. Criswell wrote, "I am discouraged. I am blue. I am in despair. I am depressed. And that is a

universal experience. All of us fall into those black holes. We are sucked into it. And however we

may seek to fight against it, there are times in our lives when we are down, when we are blue.

There has always been, so far as I know, blues songs. "Sing me a somebody has done me wrong

song, blues. They've always been sung." He goes on to quote Job who also desired to die in his

despair. "Let that night be solitary, let no joyful noise come therein. Let them curse it that curse

the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning. Let the stars of the twilight be dark; let it

look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day. Because it shut not up the

doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. Why died I not from the womb?

Why did not I give up the ghost when I came out of my mother's body? [Job 1:7-11]... Wherefore

is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; which long for death, but it

cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures; which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad,

when they can find the grave? [Job 1:20-22].

17. Criswell goes on to quote other Bible passages that reveal deep depression. ".....listen to

David, in the forty-second Psalm: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou

disquieted in me? 'O my God, my soul is cast down' Deep calleth unto deep' All thy waves and

thy billows are gone over me " [Psalm 42:5-7]. And listen to him as he cries again, " Save me, O

God; for the waters are come in into my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I

am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is

dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for God." [Psalm 69:1-3]. "Deliver me out of the mire, and let

me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the

water flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth

upon me" [Psalm 69:14-17]. "Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I

look for some to take pity, and there was none, and for comforters, but I found none." [Psalm

69:20].

Criswell adds other men of God outside the Bible who have struggles with depression. "These are

men of God. And they are in bitterness of soul. They are in despair. �ow, when we come out of

the Bible and look at godly men through their generations I haven't time to recount the inward

story of the great saints of God, who lived in bitterness of soul, who were despondent. Martin

Luther, the leader of the great Reformation was so oftentimes down in the depths. William

Cowper, who wrote, "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood,"and many of the other great hymns

of the church, lived on the verge of taking his own life most of the time that he was grown.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon was the greatest preacher, eloquent, moving, powerful. There has

been none like him since the apostle Paul. Charles Haddon Spurgeon fell into such tragic

despondency, until he became ill. Sad of heart, deep down in the abyss. When John Bunyan

wrote Pilgrim's Progress, he was writing of the Christian life and experience. When Pilgrim

came to the Slough of Despond and found himself sucked down and wallowing in the mire. It's

been through all of the centuries, it's a part of human life."

17B. Elijah ran all this way and then wanted to die. That was a crazy thing to do, for if he wanted

to die he could have just stayed still, and Jezebel would have made his wish come true in 24

hours. Because death was an easy thing to achieve by doing nothing, it is obvious that he did not

really want to die. He felt like it with his weary and depressed spirit, but he did not really want

his life to end just then. He just wanted some escape from his burdens, and the negative thinking

that had captured his mind. After a good rest and special food he was full of life again, and ready

to take new orders from God.

The point is, what a person feels like, and what a person wants is often two different things.

Many people feel like escaping by means of death, but they do not want to die. This state of

ambiguity is still dangerous, for if they have no relationship to God, and no purpose for living,

they are candidates for suicide, and their expressing the desire to die needs to be taken very

seriously. Depression is often based on ignorance, as was that of Elijah. He thought he was all

alone in the world. It was a false understanding, for God had many more faithful people. People

who take their lives in depression are totally ignorant of the facts. They have no idea of the value

of their lives, and what God may do through them in their future. The possibilities are endless,

but in their ignorance they see only failure, and what this means is, those who take their own lives

are blind and ignorant to life's potential no matter how bad it is at the present.

18. The following is a brief study of depression, it causes and cures.

A. Depression has causes.

1. A physical cause can be fatigue. Elijah had been running hard for a long time, and he was

exhausted. He had not had adequate food intake, or enough water likely, and these things add to

the likelihood of depression. The spirit can be willing but the flesh is weak, and the result is the

body drags down the spirit. Many people get their bodies into a state where it effects the mind,

and they lose the will to life and fight the problems of life that they have to face. They get battle

weary, and do not do what their body needs to restore courage to the mind. I knew a woman

going through her change of life who wanted to die. I encouraged her to get a check up, and she

found that her body needed help. She stated taking a pill that restored balance to her body, and

the result was her mind was restored to hopefulness, and she was ready to continue fighting the

battles of life. Depressed people need to get their body in shape to overcome the negative thoughts

of the mind. A weak body will lead to a weak mind, and so we need to keep the body strong to

have a strong mind.

David Roper, in his great book Elijah: A Man Like Us, says this: "Elijah's comedown is classic.

Over adrenalized, overextended, and emotionally depleted, brooding over his feelings of

inadequacy and apparent failure, he collapsed into self-pity, withdrawal and self-destructive

thoughts." Workaholics often push themselves to the limit and go through this same kind of

depression.

1B. "Elijah doesn't need a counselor he needs a chef. It is not a time of prayer he needs but a time

of sleep. Often, you know we look for spiritual causes to our problems when in fact they are

physical. And it has to be said that often the worst culprits in this are those engaged in full time

Gospel work-ministers. They can be notorious in failing to take time off and working every hour

God sends. The result? Burn out. The 19th century baptist preacher C.H. Spurgeon put it like

this: "Other men look after their tools; a painter will wash his pencils; a smith will look after his

hammer... only scholars neglect their instrument-their brain and spirits.... a body which has long

been without exercise and a heart burdened by many cares, and we have all the elements for

preparing a seething cauldron of despair."

2. A social cause of depression is that of feeling rejected. Elijah was a hero to many, but Jezebel

hated him and was hostile toward him. When we are rejected by anyone it tends to depress us, for

we hate to be hated and rejected. We need to feel accepted by others or our mind tends to drag us

down with negative thoughts. When we serve God and seek to do what is just and right, we

expect all things to go our way. But here is Elijah on the run in fear for his life after being a great

servant of God in defeating the prophets of Baal. It is discouraging to have to suffer for doing

good. When we are faithful to God we expects all people to love us, and when they hate us

instead, it is frustrating and discouraging. It makes you feel alone, and the feeling of loneliness

will lead to depression.

3. A sense of personal failure will lead us to depression. Elijah felt so alone in his battle with the

evil of idolatry. He had just won a great victory but had little joy in it because he felt that he

alone was faithful to God. He did not know that God had a great host of people who were faithful

to him and had not bowed to Baal. He thought he had failed to win people away from Baal

worship, and so was no better than his ancestors who went astray after false gods. This sense of

failure will lead any man into the dumps. It was a false view of reality, but such false views lead

people to take their lives every day. They do not see the whole story that they are loved and cared

for by others. They feel so alone and worthless that they do not want to live in such a loveless

world. More information could save them from this despair.

4. Clovis Chappell, “Thus utterly wearied and his old intimacy with the Lord gone, the worst

naturally followed. All his hopes seemed to fall about him. There came to him a heart-breaking

sense of personal failure. He sobbed out the complaint: "I am no better than my fathers. They

allowed Israel to drift into idolatry. I have not been able to bring it back. I have accomplished

nothing. I toiled long and hard, dreaming that at the end I would clasp the warm, radiant hand of

success and victory, but in reality I only clasp the skeleton hand of failure."

Have you ever had a feeling that you were of no account and never would be; that in spite of all

that God had done for you, you were a failure? There are few things more fraught with heartache

and bitterness and discouragement than that. That is something that makes you want to sob and

give over the fight utterly. And there are a lot of folks that allow themselves to come to that

dismal conviction. They work, and nobody seems to appreciate it. They toil, and nobody

compliments them. Then they decide that they do not amount to anything, and they feel like

giving over the fight.”

B. Depression has cures.

1. Food is a cure often because the body needs it to function properly, and when it does not, it

leads the mind to be negative. A good mean can make all the difference in the world in how a

person feels about life and the battles he faces.

2. Facts are crucial to overcoming depression. People are thinking wrong in a depressed state.

Like Elijah, they are down on themselves, and feel so alone and unworthy. In verse 18 God gives

Elijah the facts that there are 7 thousand who have not bowed to Baal, and so he is not alone after

all, but has a large number of people on his side. God has not left the battle, but is continuing

with his battalions, and so don't give up as if all is lost. That is a lie of the devil that leads to

despair if you believe it.

Workmen of God! Lose not heart,

But learn what God is like;

And in the darkest battlefield

Thou shalt know where to strike.

Thrice blest is he to whom is given

The instinct that can tell

That God's on the field, when he

Is most invisible.

3. Work is a major cure to depression. We note in verses 15f, the Lord told Elijah to go back and

get to work anointing men to be kings. Sitting around by yourself having a pity party is not

conducive to beating depression. You have to get back to work. You have to be involved in some

activity that has meaning to get through the gloom of feeling like a failure. Activity is good for the

blood flow in the body, and it is good for the emotions, for they cheer up when there is a goal to

achieve. Serving God's purpose is a great booster to the soul that will help us overcome the down

times of our spirits. You cannot just tell yourself to stop feeling down. You need to act your way of

of feeling down. Emotions will not listen to your voice, but they will respond to your bodily

activity. The pastor of Redland Baptist Church wrote, "So, one thing we can do to help ourselves

out of depression is to DO non-depressive things even if we don't feel like doing them. Martin

Luther would agree with this treatment. He advised people with mild bouts of depression to

ignore the heaviness.” A good way to exorcize the Devil, he maintained, was to harness the horses

and spread manure on the fields. In other words, get to work! Do something productive and you

will feel productive because doing affects feeling." You don't feel your way into acting, but act

your way into feeling.

19. Alan Carr gives us this depressing list about depression in our country.

•Depression affects all classes, races, ages, groups and genders of people.

• •17.6 million Americans will deal with some form of depression this year.

• •One out of every 5 Americans can expect to deal with depression in their lifetime.

• •The rate of clinical depression is twice that of men. Statistics teach that one person out of

every seven in this very room will need some form of professional help in dealing with

depression in their lifetime.

• •The �ational Institute of Mental Health estimated that depression cost the nation

between $30-$44 billion in 1990 alone. In addition to that, over 2 million work days are

lost each year due to depression.

• •Depression is the leading cause of alcoholism, drug abuse, and other addictions.

• •Untreated depression is the number on cause of suicide.

• •Depression is not something to mess with! If you are dealing with depression, get help!

5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and

eat."

1. What a blessing it is to be able to sleep in times of deep distress, for this enables the mind and

body to regain strength and balance. Lack of sleep and food, plus enormous energy expended in

his running left him all out of balance. You can be a man of God, and still suffer greatly by

neglecting the natural needs of mind and body. You are not supplied with the things you need for

good health by miracle. You have to use your mind and make wise choices, or you will pay a price

in a body and mind that will fail you. God did come forth with a miracle for Elijah, but

remember, he was the miracle man, and most are not. He still paid a heavy price for neglecting

his needs until God came to his rescue with an angel messenger who also delivered groceries.

Don't count on this if you neglect you bodily needs. Grocery delivering angels are conspicuous by

their absence.

It is of interest that God cared for the physical needs of this lonely unmarried prophet than

anyone in the Bible that I am aware of. He fed him by ravens for a year, and another two years by

the miracle of a never ending supply in the home of the widow, and now by an angel in the

wilderness. He is the man who is seen eating more than anyone, and as far as we know he never

had to cook a meal in his life. Food just kept coming from any and every direction, and now he

has his angel cooking for him. Add up the number of meals that Elijah had dropped in his lap,

and you have a man who has the world record for the most free meals in history that came to him

by no human means. The widow did have to cook, but the ingredients came by miracle. There is

no record that the man had a dime to his name, but he did not need it, for all his meals were on

the house.

1B. “Then he laid down and fell asleep. The Bible doesn't say how long he "z-ed" out under the

tree, but it was probably a considerable amount of time. After all, he was not only emotionally

spent, but he was physically exhausted as well. But God intervened. He loved Elijah so much that

He would not let him continue where he was. Suddenly an angel touched Elijah and said, "Get up

and eat." Being nudged in the middle of the desert when you are running for your life would be

enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end! But not Elijah. He looked

around (didn't even sit up), saw some cakes of bread baking over hot coals and a jar of water by

his head. He didn't question anything-- didn't even scope out the situation. He merely ate and

drank and then lay back down again. What a zombie!” author unknown

2. Pink is full of good comments on this text. He points out something that most miss. “What an

amazing thing that so dignified a creature should be engaged in such a lowly task: that the

fingers of a celestial being should be employed in preparing and baking a cake! It would appear a

degrading task for one of those exalted beings which surround the throne of the Most High to

minister unto one who belonged to an inferior and fallen race, who was undutiful and out of

temper: to leave a spiritual occupation to prepare food for Elijah’s body - how abasing! Well may

we marvel at such a sight, and admire the angel’s obedience in complying with his Master’s

order. But more, it should encourage us to heed that precept and "condescend to men of low

estate" (Rom. 12:16), to regard no employment beneath us by which we may benefit a fellow

creature who is dejected in mind and whose spirit is overwhelmed within him. Despise not the

most menial duty when an angel disdained not to cook food for a sinful man.”

2. Pink, “How strikingly and how blessedly was 1 Corinthians 10:13, illustrated and exemplified

in the case of Elijah! It was a sore temptation or trial, when after all his fidelity in the Lord’s

service his life should be threatened by the wicked Jezebel, and when all his efforts to bring back

Israel to the worship of the true God seemed to be entirely in vain. It was more than he could

bear: he was weary of such a one-sided and losing fight, and he prayed to be removed from the

arena. But God was faithful and with the sore temptation "also made a way to escape" that he

might be able to bear it. In Elijah’s experience, as is so often the case with us, God did not remove

the burden, but He gave fresh supplies of grace so that the prophet could bear it. He neither took

away Jezebel nor wrought a mighty work of grace in the hearts of Israel, but He renewed the

strength of His overwrought servant. Though Elijah had fled from his post of duty, the Lord did

not now desert the prophet in his hour of need. "If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He

cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim. 2:13). O what a God is ours! �o mere fair-weather friend is the

One who shed his blood to redeem us, but a Brother "born for adversity" (Prov. 17:17). He has

solemnly sworn "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," and therefore may we triumphantly

declare, "The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Heb. 13:5, 6).”

3. Pink, “"Behold, then an angel touched him," gently rousing him from his sleep, that he might

see and partake of the refreshment which had been provided for him. How this reminds us of that

word, "are they not all (the holy angels) ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who

shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:14). This is something about which we hear little in this

materialistic and skeptical age, but concerning which the Scriptures reveal much for our comfort.

It was an angel who came and delivered Lot from Sodom ere that city was destroyed by fire and

brimstone (Gen. 19:15, 16). It was an angel which "shut the lions" mouths" when Daniel was cast

into their den (6:22). It was angels who conveyed the soul of the beggar into "Abraham’s bosom"

(Luke 16:22). It was an angel which visited Peter in the prison, smote the chains from his hands,

caused the iron gate of the city to "open of his own accord" (Act 12:7, 10), and thus delivered him

from his enemies. It was an angel who assured Paul that none on the ship should perish (Acts.

27:23). �or do we believe for a moment that the ministry of angels is a thing of the past, though

they no longer manifest themselves in visible form as in Old Testament times—Hebrews 1:14,

precludes such an idea.”

4. Criswell, "�ow, I want you to look for a moment at what God does with this despondent,

despairing, discouraged prophet. Verse 5: And as he lay and slept under that juniper tree [1

Kings 19:5], what does God do? Does God upbraid him? Does God curse him? Does God

dismiss him? Does God say words of reproach? �o. He is wonderfully tender with that

discouraged and despondent prophet, who is weary, who has quit, who is running away, who has

been disillusioned, thinking that he was successful. �ow that he sees all that he's done turned to

dust and ashes, how does God treat him? As he lay there, God sent an angel and touched him,

and said, "Arise and eat." [1 Kings 19:5]. And he looked and there was a cake baked on the

coals and a cruse of water. And he did eat and drink. And the angel came the second time and

said, "Arise and eat," [1 Kings 19:7]. [It was] refreshment of body and of soul. That's the first

thing God did for him-sleep, eat, rest, drink, and find strength and refreshment of spirit and

body.

Do you see the attitude of the Lord toward this despondent prophet? He is tender and kind and

sympathetic and understanding. I want to show that to you. You cannot know the number of

times, in my pastoral work, that I have been asked, If a man commits suicide, is he saved? Can a

man commit suicide and go to heaven? Especially, is that poignantly asked when I hold a

memorial service, a funeral service for somebody who has committed suicide. Is this man who

has committed suicide, is he saved? By committing suicide, taking his own life, is he thereby

damned in hell and shut out from God forever? Well, I've always answered in this one way, which

is the truth of God. Any man, any somebody, mostly it's young people who do it. Isn't that a sad

thing? It isn't old people that commit suicide. It's usually younger people. When I am asked

that, this is what I reply. Anybody that commits suicide is ill in their mind and heart. You can be

ill, you can be sick in your foot. You can be sick in your stomach. You can be sick in your lungs.

You can be sick in your eyes. You can be sick in any organ of your body. You can also be sick in

your soul. You can be sick in your heart. You can be sick enough to die.

Well, I ask, if a man is sick in his physical frame, does God love him any less because he is sick?

If a man is sick in his soul, if he's sick in his mind, sick unto death, to the extent that he took his

life, is God any less kind to him, or unsympathetic with him because he's sick in his soul, sick in

his mind? �o. God is pitiful to me when I'm sick in my physical frame. And he is no less

gracious and pitiful to me, if I am sick in my mind or sick in my heart. And you have a

marvelous, incomparable illustration of that in how God reacted to the despondency and the

despair of Elijah.”

6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of

bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and

drank and then lay down again.

1. Elijah was very careless about his eating, and so God had to do miracles to keep this man fed

and healthy. He was so often on his own in wilderness places where there was no access to food,

and so God had a private catering service for this lone ranger of the wilderness.

1B. Maclaren, “The meal to which an angel twice waked him was God’s answer to his prayer,

telling him both that his life was still needful and that God cared for him. Perhaps one of Elijah’s

reasons for taking to the desert was the thought that he might starve there, and so find death. At

all events, God for the third time miraculously provides his food. The ravens, the widow of

Zarephath, an angel, were his caterers; and, instead of taking away his life, God Himself sends

the bread and water to preserve it. The revelation of a watchful, tender Providence often rebukes

gloomy unbelief and shames us back to faith. We are not told whether the journey to Horeb was

commanded, or, like the flight from Jezreel, was Elijah’s own doing; but, in any case, he must

have wandered in the desert, to have taken forty days to reach it.”

2. Howat, “He lay and slept' Thanks for the blessed forgetfulness of slumber — riches to the poor,

and health to all. We wear out these bodies, and nightly comes the nurse to apply the soothing

draught, to close the eyelids, and unconsciously, as the dark hours pass, to restore the waste and

loss. O Sleep ! Sleep ! thou relic, like Love, of Eden, where Adam slept, how the sons of toil every-

where, after sweat of brow or brain, resign themselves to thy captivity, which is indeed but sweet

release ; how hundreds would give half their fortune to enjoy thee in upper chambers, where

foot-falls must be low, and utterance but in whispers ; and how, to the desolate in heart, thou

comest a balm from heaven, where the sorrow is forgotten, and the mysterious spirit wings its

way to the dream-land of melody and joy. It was even so with Elijah — nay, it was more. The

prophet had forgotten God, but God had not forgotten the prophet. He who sent an angel to

Hagar in the wilderness of Shur, sends an angel to Elijah in the wilderness of Idumea ; and He

who, in that extremity, provided 'the well, provides now, in this extremity, 'the cake baken on the

coals,! and the cruse of water at the prophet's 'head.”

3. Bob Deffinbaugh, “I love this text! Elijah lies down and goes to sleep, hoping never to awaken,

other than in heaven. He is awakened by a nudge from an angel, an angel who is none other than

the Angel of the Lord. Was Elijah in heaven? �ot really. But he was to receive a lesson from

heaven. Elijah is in no condition to be corrected at this moment, and this is why the angel has

only one command for Elijah: “Get up and eat.” He did, and then went back to sleep again. Good

food and sleep were essential to his physical recovery.

What a lesson there was for Elijah in this meal! Here is a prophet who, according to his own

words, is a failure. He is a man who seems to feel that his significance to God is somehow

dependent upon his success in ministry as a prophet. The angel’s presence is, in and of itself,

instructive and corrective. Did God care for Elijah, at the time of his greatest failure? God

provided Elijah with bread and water before, for three-and-a-half years. He was given “day old”

bread by unclean ravens, and then a very basic bread by the widow of Zarephath. This provision

came when Elijah was obedient and successful. But now, in his greatest moment of defeat, he is

fed hot-baked bread and water, served by none other than the Angel of the Lord. Did God care

for Elijah, even when he failed? I think we know the answer.”

7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and

touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is

too much for you."

1. God made the body, and he knows how important nourishment is for the health of the body,

and so he took special measures to assure that his man had what he body needed.

2. Pink, “And the angel of the Lord came again the second time," How wondrous is the Lord’s

patience! "God hath spoken once" and that should be sufficient for us, yet it rarely is so, and

therefore is it added "twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God" (Ps. 62:11). The

first time the cock crew Peter paid no heed to it, but "the second time it crew" he "called to mind

the word which Jesus said unto him . . . and when he thought thereon, he wept" (Mark 14:72).

Alas, how slow we are to respond to the Divine advances: "And the voice spake unto him again

the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common" (Acts 10:15). "Rejoice in

the Lord always:" surely the Christian needs not to have such a word repeated! The apostle knew

better: "Again I say, Rejoice!" is added (Phil. 4:4). What dull scholars we are: "When for the

time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again" (Heb. 5:12), and thus it has

to be "line upon line, precept upon precept."

"And the angel of the Lord came again the second time." It seems most probable that it was

evening when the angel came to Elijah the first time and bade him arise and eat, for we are told

he had gone "a day’s journey into the wilderness" before he sat down under the juniper bush.

After he had partaken of the refreshment provided by such august hands, Elijah had lain him

down again and night had spread her temporary veil over the scorched sands. When the angel

came and touched him the second time, day had dawned: through the intervening hours of

darkness the celestial messenger had kept watch and ward while the weary prophet slept.

2B. Pink continues, “"And said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee," May we

not perceive here a gentle rebuke for the prophet? "The journey is too great for thee." What

journey? He had not been directed to take any! It was a journey undertaken of his own accord, a

devising of his own self-will. It was a journey away from the post of duty, which he ought, at that

hour, to have been occupying. It was as though this heavenly messenger said to the prophet: See

what comes of your self-will; it has reduced you to weakness and starvation. �evertheless God

has taken pity on you and furnished refreshment: He will not break the bruised reed nor quench

the smoking flax. The Lord is full of kindness: He foresees the further demands which are going

to be made upon your frame, so "Arise and eat." Elijah had fixed his mind on the distant Horeb,

and so God anticipates his needs, even though they were the needs of a truant servant and

rebellious child. O what a God is ours!”

3.Alan Carr, “When the Lord comes to Elijah, there are no sermons, no lectures, no threats, no

reproaches and no rebukes. The Lord simply touches the prophet, meets his need and gently

speaks to him. Verse 6 also shows us the condition of Elijah's heart. �ote that when the Lord

appears to him, there is no repentance for the past, no gratitude for the present and no burden

for the future. Elijah is a man in desperate need of a personal revival! Yet, the Lord is so gentle

with this wayward man!”

8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that

food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he

reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

1. The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat,

for the journey is too much for you."So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food,

he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. This food

must have been something special, for it provided Elijah with enough nourishment to take him on

a 40-day journey of over 300 miles. We have energy drinks and energy bars today, but they are

nothing compared to this food prepared by angels. This is a hint of the kind of food we will have

in eternity, and the kind of energy our new bodies will have. He continued southward all the way

to the Sinai, coming at last to Mount Horeb, also known to us as Mount Sinai. It was here that

God had first appeared to Moses in the burning bush. It was to this place that Moses had first led

the Israelites after their escape from Egypt. It was here that God had given to Israel the Law.

There he went into a cave and spent the night.

1B. And I point out that God provided food for Elijah's journey, even when Elijah was going in

precisely the opposite direction to that which God wanted. So just because we feel nourished and

refreshed by the Lord's sustenance here today, this does not automatically guarantee we are

doing what God wants, or traveling in the direction God would have us. God is going to tell him

to go back the way he came, but God in mercy still fed him and brought water, for even a man

going the wrong way need energy. Why didn't God just tell him here to go back instead of letting

him go for over a month in the wrong direction? The text does not say, but obviously Elijah

needed to learn a lesson about seeking God's guidance daily, and not just once in awhile. Had he

prayed for guidance here, he may have saved himself a forty day and night journey. This looks to

me very much like one of God's practical jokes on his servant. He wants to go to Horeb, and God

supplies him with the food to get there, but then says why in the world are you here? I have

business for you way back where you came from. We don't hear Elijah saying, “Good one Lord,

you really got me that time.” But it seems like he would think it if he did not say it. In his mind he

must have thought, “Why did I not ask the Lord if he had a job for me a long way from where I

am heading?”

1C. Clarke, “So he fasted just the same time as Moses did at Horeb, and as Christ did in the

wilderness.” Some feel the food lasted him this long as a miracle, but Clarke is saying that he

fasted these 40 days. It could be, but he needed food desperately in his depression, so much so

that God sent a special angel to provide it. It does seem unlikely that he would just be revived by

food and then begin a 40 day fast.

2. Pink, “"Horeb the mount of God" was certainly a remarkable place for Elijah to make for, for

there is no spot on earth where the presence of God was so signally manifested as there, at least in

Old Testament times. It was there that Jehovah had appeared unto Moses at the burning bush

(Ex. 3:1-4). It was there the Law had been given to Israel, (Deut. 4:15), under such awe-inspiring

phenomena. It was there that Moses had communed with Him for forty days and nights. Yet,

though Israel’s prophets and poets were wont to draw their sublimest imagery from the

splendors and terrors of that scene, strange to say there is no record in Scripture of any Israelite

visiting that holy mount from the time the Law was given until Elijah fled there from Jezebel.

Whether it was his actual intention to proceed thither when he left Jezreel we know not. Why he

went there we cannot be sure. Perhaps, as Matthew Henry suggested, it was to indulge his

melancholy, saying with Jeremiah, "O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring

men; that I might leave my people, and go from them!" (9:2).

Strangely enough there are some who think that the prophet wended his way across the

wilderness to Horeb because he had received instructions from the angel to do so. But surely this

view is negatived by the sequel: the Lord had not twice uttered that searching and rebuking,

"What doest thou here, Elijah?", had he come thither in obedience to the celestial messenger.

That his steps were Divinely guided thither we doubt not, for there was a striking propriety that

he who was peculiarly the legal reformer should meet with Jehovah in the place where the Law

had been promulgated—compare Moses and Elijah appearing with Christ on the mount of

transfiguration. Though Elijah came not to Horeb by the command of God, he was directed there

by the secret providence of God: "A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his

steps" (Prov. 16:9). And how? By a secret impulse from within which destroys not his freedom of

action. "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water: He turneth it

whithersoever He will" (Prov. 21:1),—the waters of a river flow freely, yet is their course

determined by Heaven!

3. Bob Deffinbaugh, “One can hardly miss the parallels we see in this text. Elijah spends 40 days

and 40 nights in the wilderness before he reaches Mount Sinai (also known as Mount Horeb).

Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain when he was receiving the law. Our Lord

spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness as a part of His temptation.

There are striking similarities between Elijah, Moses, and our Lord (all of whom, incidentally,

were present at our Lord’s transfiguration), but there are also dramatic differences. I am inclined

to believe that Elijah was stationed at the same place where Moses stood when our Lord passed

by, revealing His glory (Exodus 33:17–34:9). Moses, however, requested to see this manifestation

of God’s glory; Elijah did not. Elijah was summoned to appear there, as I read the text. Our Lord

and Moses seem to have done without food and water for 40 days, as did Elijah, but in Elijah’s

case, the bread and water he was given by the Angel of the Lord seems to have had supernatural

qualities, strengthening Elijah for his journey. While our Lord was weakened and (seemingly)

more vulnerable to temptation by His 40-day fast, the food Elijah was given strengthened him, so

that he not only could make the journey to Sinai, but so that he was now able to think straight,

and thus be admonished and instructed. There is one more similarity and contrast. Just as the

Israelites of Elijah’s day (and before) had worshiped Yahweh by means of a golden calf (1 Kings

12:28-30; 2 Kings 10:29), so the Israelites worshiped Yahweh by means of a golden calf, thanks to

Aaron (Exodus 32). The difference is that when Israel sinned, Moses interceded with God on

Israel’s behalf (Exodus 32:11-14). It is amazing, but true, that Elijah did not intercede for Israel,

but pled with God against Israel:”

9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The LORD Appears to Elijah

And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you

doing here, Elijah?"

1. Howat, “'What doest thou here, Elijah.? The prophet has been followed to Horeb ; he has

forsaken God, but God is too merciful to forsake him. He was discovered under the juniper-tree ;

he is discovered also in the cave. There were ministrations then ; there is a voice now, and the

voice is the voice of God. �ot often has it been heard on earth ; but always when heard it has

spoken in words not soon to be forgotten. Thus, to Adam, Where art thou ? — to Eve, What is

this that thou hast done.?— to Cain, ' Where is Abel, thy brother ?' And so to the fugitive prophet

— the first direct utterance of God since he had left Jezreel, for it was an angel that spoke as he

lay under the desert broom — *What doest thou here, Elijah?

1B. Some commentators feel that God is questioning his being here because he had no orders to

be in such a place. One unknown author put it, “God met His tried servant with the inquiry,

"What doest thou here, Elijah? I sent you to the brook Cherith and afterward to the widow of

Sarepta. I commissioned you to return to Israel and to stand before the idolatrous priests on

Carmel, and I girded you with strength to guide the chariot of the king to the gate of Jezreel. But

who sent you on this hasty flight into the wilderness? What errand have you here?”

1C. Alan Carr, “"What doest thou here, Elijah?" This question is a rebuke of the prophet! What

God is asking is this: "Elijah, what are you doing in a cave on Mount Horeb? Did I not send you

to preach to my people Israel? Shouldn't you be in Israel leading my people in a great revival? I

didn't call you to run to this cave and hide yourself away. I called you to stand before kings, to

defy false gods and prophets and to be an example of righteousness for the people of Israel. So,

Elijah, what are you doing here?" It was a call for Elijah to examine his life and his priorities. It

was time for Elijah to come face to face with the fact that he had sinned against the Lord. Of

course, Elijah replies by reminding the Lord of all he has done and how alone he is. Basically,

Elijah is whining about what he thinks the problem is. By the way, if you must whine, resolve to

do it only to the Lord. He can take it! It just drives other people crazy!”

1D. Henry, “ What Elijah proposed to himself in coming to lodge here, I cannot conceive, unless it

was to indulge his melancholy, or to satisfy his curiosity and assist his faith and devotion with the

sight of that famous place where the law was given and where so many great things were done,

and hoping to meet with God himself there, where Moses met with him, or in token of his

abandoning his people Israel, who hated to be reformed (in the latter case, it agrees with

Jeremiah's wish, Jeremiah 9:2, O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men,

that I might leave my people, and go from them, for they are all adulterers) and so it was a bad

omen of God's forsaking them; or it was because the thought he could not be safe any where else,

and to this instance of the hardships this good man was reduced to the apostle refers, Hebrews

11:38. They wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

This is a reproof, 1. For his fleeing hither. "What brings thee so far from home? Dost thou flee

from Jezebel? Couldst thou not depend upon almighty power for thy protection?" Lay the

emphasis upon the pronoun thou. "What thou! So great a man, so great a prophet, so famed for

resolution--dost thou flee thy country, forsake thy colors thus?" This cowardice would have been

more excusable in another, and not so bad an example. Should such a man as I flee? �ehemiah

6:11. Howl, fir-trees, if the cedars be thus shaken. 2. For his fixing here. "What doest thou here,

in this cave? Is this a place for a prophet of the Lord to lodge in? Is this a time for such men to

retreat, when the public has such need of them?" In the retirement to which God sent Elijah (1

Kings 17:1-24) he was a blessing to a poor widow at Sarepta, but here he had no opportunity of

doing good. �ote, It concerns us often to inquire whether we be in our place and in the way of our

duty. "Am I where I should be, whither God calls me, where my business lies, and where I may

be useful?"

1E. Maclaren, “The history of Israel has never touched Horeb since Moses left it, and it is not

without significance that we are once more on that sacred ground. The parallel between Moses

and Elijah is very real. These two names stand out above all others in the history of the

theocracy, the one as its founder, the other as its restorer; both distinguished by special

revelations, both endowed with exceptional force of character and power of the Spirit; the one the

lawgiver, the other the head of the prophetic order; both having something peculiar in their

departure, and both standing together, in witness of their supremacy in the past, and of their

inferiority in the future, by Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. The associations of the place

are marked by the use of the definite article, which is missed in the Authorised Version,—‘the

cave,’ that same cleft in the rock where Moses had stood. �ote, too, that the word rendered

‘lodged’ is literally ‘passed the night,’ and that therefore we may suppose that the vision came to

Elijah in the darkness.”

2. Pink, “"And he came thither into a cave, and lodged there" (v. 9). At last the prophet was

contented with the distance he had put between himself and the one who had sworn to avenge the

death of her prophets: there in that remote mountain, concealed in some dark cave amid its

precipices, he felt secure. How he now employed himself we are not told. If he tried to engage in

prayer we may be sure he had no liberty and still less delight therein. More probably he sat and

mused upon his troubles. If His conscience accused him that he had acted too hastily in fleeing

from Jezreel, that he ought not to have yielded to his fears, but rather put his trust in God and

proceeded to instruct the nation, yet the sequel indicates he would have stifled such humiliating

convictions instead of confessing to God his failure. "The backslider in heart shall be filled with

his own ways" (Prov. 14:15): in the light of such a scripture who can doubt that Elijah was now

engaged in pitying and vindicating himself, reflecting on the ingratitude of his fellow-countrymen

and aggrieved at the harsh treatment of Jezebel?”

3. Pink continues, “"And, behold, the word of the Lord came to him" (v. 9). God had spoken to

him personally on previous occasions. The word of the Lord had ordered him to hide by the

brook Cherith (17:2, 3). It had come to him again, bidding him betake himself to Zarephath

(17:8, 9). And yet again it had commanded him to show himself unto Ahab (18:1). But it seems to

the writer that here we have something different from the other instances. As the fugitive lurked

in the cave, we are told, "and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him." That expressive term

does not occur in any of the previous passages and its employment here is the Spirit’s intimation

that something extraordinary is before us. On this occasion it was something more than a Divine

message which was communicated to the prophet’s ear, being nothing less than a visit from a

Divine person which the prophet now received. It was none other than the second Person of the

Trinity, the Eternal "Word" (John 1:1), who now interrogated the erring Tishbite. This is

unmistakably clear from the next clause: "and He said unto him." Very remarkable, very solemn

is this.

"And He said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?" (v. 9). Elijah had turned aside from the

path of duty, and his Master knew it. The living God knows where His servants are, what they

are doing and not doing. �one can escape His omniscient gaze, for His eyes are in every place

(Prov. 15:3). The Lord’s question was a rebuke, a searching word addressed to his conscience. As

we do not know which particular word the Lord accentuated, we will emphasize each one

separately. "What doest thou?": is it good or evil, for totally inactive, in either mind or body, man

cannot be. "What doest thou?": art thou employing thy time for the glory of God and the good of

His people, or is it being wasted in peevish repinings? "What doest thou?": thou who art the

servant of the Most High who hast been so highly honored, who hast received such clear tokens of

His aid and depended upon the Almighty for protection! "What doest thou here?": away from

the land of Israel, away from the work of reformation.”

4. “When Elijah reached his destination, he found a cave and spent the night. Some expositors

believe that this might be the very same "cleft of the rock" in which Moses was hid as he beheld

the glory of God. That idea is not so far fetched, when we realize that Elijah is about to receive

the same kind of experience. In his state of mind, he needs to hear directly and personally from

God. Wouldn't the miracle on Mt. Carmel have sufficed as an encouragement? Wasn't the great

display from heaven enough to keep him from losing faith? Obviously not. On the surface, great

displays of power and titillating experience seem to be sufficient to convince us of God's concern

for us, but in the long run, a personal encounter is much more effective.

The prophet is about to receive a lesson in knowing God's presence. He was commanded to stand

on the mountain and witness the passing by of the Lord, just as Moses did at the beginning of the

history of the Jewish nation. At that time, Moses could barely stand to look at the glory of God

and could only catch just a reflection. It was so glorious, that his face shone for the rest of his life

that, in order not to frighten the people, he had to veil his face. But the experience Elijah was

about to have was to be much different. As Elijah stood at the mouth of the cave, a mighty wind

came that literally tore the rocks apart. Was God there? �o, he wasn't. Then came a great

earthquake, and a fire, both awe inspiring occurrences of nature. Surely, they represented the

might and glory of God. �o, God was not in them either. What followed the fire was a gentle

whisper. Surely, that wasn't the mighty God of creation, was it?

The prophet knew beyond a doubt that it was God. Sometimes, in fact most of the time, God does

not speak to us in thunder and lightning and earthquakes. Instead, he chooses to come to us in a

way we can know on the inside: that still small voice. A gentle whisper from a loving Father, given

to encourage and instruct and, sometimes, to rebuke and discipline. But always in love and

concern for our well-being, and with the ultimate consummation of God's divine purpose in clear

perspective.” author unknown

10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD

God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant,

broken 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."

1. Elijah pours out his sob story to God. I have been faithful and zealous in doing your will, but

nobody cares, and now they are trying to kill me just like all the others they have murdered. I am

here to escape the revenge for my being faithful. I am the only one left on your side Lord. It is

lonely and miserable to be so alone, and that is why I am here to seek your presence.

1B. Henry, “He complains of the people, their obstinacy in sin, and the height of impiety to which

they had arrived: "The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, and that is the reason I

have forsaken them; who can stay among them, to see every thing that is sacred ruined and run

down?" This the apostle calls his making intercession against Israel, Romans 11:2,3. He had often

been, of choice, their advocate, but now he is necessitated to be their accuser, before God. Thus

John 5:45, There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, whom you trust. Those are truly

miserable that have the testimony and prayers of God's prophets against them.

He gives the reasons why he retired into this desert and took up his residence in this cave. (1.) It

was because he could not appear to any purpose: "I only am left, and have none to second or

support me in any good design. They all said, The Lord he is God, but none of them would stand

by me nor offer to shelter me. That point then gained was presently lost again, and Jezebel can do

more to debauch them than I can to reform them. What can one do against thousands?" Despair

of success hinders many a good enterprise. �o one is willing to venture alone, forgetting that

those are not alone who have God with them. (2.) It was because he could not appear with any

safety: "They seek my life to take it away; and I had better spend my life in a useless solitude

than lose my life in a fruitless endeavor to reform those that hate to be reformed."

2. Howat, “In some such paraphrase as this, we believe, lies the key to the interpretation of the

sublime but mysterious spectacle which immediately follows. Elijah's past life had been one of

tempest and storm. Much had there been of John the Baptist's boldness ; but little of John the

Evangelist's more persuasive love. The prophet must be taught the glory of gentleness, the moral

majesty of calm, the power of peace — hence the symbolic representation at the mouth of the

cave, and, in view of which, we may well say with Krummacher, How great, in the midst of his

errors, Elijah must have been, when, for his reproof and instruction, both heaven and earth are

moved, the rocks rend, and even the mountains fall.' “

3. Pink, “As we ponder these words we find ourselves out of accord with the commentators, most

of whom severely criticize the prophet for seeking to excuse himself and throw the blame on

others. That which impresses the writer first is the ingenuousness of Elijah: there were no

evasions and equivocations, but a frank and candid explanation of his conduct. True, what he

here advanced furnished no sufficient reason for his flight, yet it was the truthful declaration of

an honest heart. Well for both writer and reader if he can always give as good an account of

himself when challenged by the Holy One. If we were as open and frank with the Lord as Elijah

was, we could expect to be dealt with as graciously as he was; for note it well, the prophet

received no rebuke from God in answer to his outspokenness.

"I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts" was a statement of fact: he had not shrunk

from the most difficult and dangerous service for his Master and his people. It was not because

his zeal had cooled that he had fled from Jezreel. "For the children of Israel have forsaken Thy

covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword." Elijah had been

deeply distressed to behold how grievously the Lord was dishonored by the nation which was

called by His name. God’s glory lay very near his heart, and it affected him deeply to see His laws

broken, His authority flouted, His worship despised, the homage of the people given to senseless

idols and their tacit consent to the murder of His servants. "And I, even I only, am left." He had,

at imminent peril of his life, labored hard to put a stop to Israel’s idolatry and to reclaim the

nation; but to no purpose. So far as he could perceive, he had labored in vain and spent his

strength for naught. "And they seek my life, to take it away:" what then is the use of my wasting

any more time on such a stiff necked and unresponsive people!

11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in

the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass

by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains

apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the

LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an

earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

1. God can be quite dramatic in getting a point across, and here he uses nature to perform some

earth shattering illustrations of power, but even though they get your attention, they are not the

voice of God. We often think that natural disasters are God speaking and saying to mankind, “I

am angry and I am going to get you for your sins and folly.” God may not be saying anything by

such natural destruction that storms and earthquakes bring. It may not be his voice at all, but

just the laws of nature acting out what is built into their nature. We assume that such things are

so powerful that they must be God's judgment, but there is no evidence that they are. These that

Elijah saw were not God speaking at all, for the text goes on to say that God was not in any of

these events, but in the gentle whisper. God is so great and powerful that we assume that he only

talks to us through what is great and powerful, but it is not so. He is a God of gentleness as well

as power, and his preference is to speak softly.

2. David O. Dykes, “God wants to talk to you, but it could be there are so many tornadoes,

earthquakes, and noisy fires in your life that you can’t hear His voice. God is speaking, are you

listening? You don’t have to listen without to hear God’s voice. If you are a child of God, Christ

lives in you, and He speaks into your heart. John Fisher has written a beautiful poem entitled,

“Listen Deep Inside.” It says, “So let the noise subside, / And listen deep inside; / He will speak, /

He will speak. / But it won’t be an earthquake; / And it won’t be fire; / Or the whirling wind;

/Taking you higher. / It will be a still small voice; / And you’ll have no choice; / But to hear; /But

to hear.”Do you ever know for certain that God was speaking to you? You may be trying to listen

to the wind or the earthquake, and God is speaking softly and simply. He doesn’t have to use a

voice like I’m using, He communicates on the level of your spirit, not your ears. For instance,

God speaks most clearly to us in His Word, the Bible.”

3. We make a big mistake when we assume that an omnipotent God always works through the

most powerful events, and through the most powerful people in high places. Bob Deffinbaugh

tells this true story that illustrated the folly of not listening to God when he comes to us in garb

that seems not to be noteworthy. “Someone sent me a copy of this story, which appears to be

true.1 An older couple stepped off the train in Boston. The wife was wearing a faded gingham

dress, her husband a threadbare homespun suit. They walked from the train station to the

campus of Harvard University and found their way to the outer office of the president of the

University. The president’s secretary had the couple sized up in a second. She could tell that such

unsophisticated country folk didn’t belong at a renowned institution like Harvard, and probably

were not even worthy of a visit to Cambridge. She met their glances with a frown, the kind that

was meant to send them a message. “We want to see the president,” the man said softly. “He’ll be

busy all day,” the secretary snapped. “We’ll wait,” the lady replied.

For a good while the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become

discouraged and go away. They didn’t. The secretary finally decided to disturb the president,

even though it was a chore she always regretted doing. “Maybe if they just see you for a few

minutes, they’ll leave,” she suggested. The president was perturbed. Someone of his importance

obviously didn’t have time to spend with such people. But because he detested people in gingham

dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office, he sighed in exasperation and nodded

for his secretary to show the couple in.

The president, stern-faced, strutted toward the couple. The lady told him, “We had a son that

attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he

was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on

campus.” The president wasn’t touched; he was shocked. “Madam,” he said gruffly, “We can’t

put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look

like a cemetery.” “Oh, no,” the lady explained quickly, “We don’t want to erect a statue. We

thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.” The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at

the gingham dress and homespun suit, and then exclaimed, “A building! Do you have any earthly

idea how much a building costs? We have spent over seven and a half million dollars on the

physical plant at Harvard.”

For a moment, the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Perhaps now he would be rid of

them. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, “Is that all it costs to start a University?

Why don’t we just start our own?” Her husband nodded. The president’s face wilted in confusion

and bewilderment. And so Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford walked away and went to Palo Alto,

California, where they established the University that bears their name, a memorial to a son that

Harvard no longer cared about.” Pay attention to the little people, and the people who do not

seem to be important, for they may have a whisper from God that will be a great blessing.

12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was

not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

1. Howat, “There is a hurricane. ' A great and strong wind rent the mountains. Shivered are the

granite cliffs around ; driven about, like armies in battle, the clouds above ; raging, like ocean in

its fury, the sands beneath. It seems the giving of the Law over again. There is power here, but it

is the power of the tornado — awful and appalling. There is majesty here, but it is the majesty of

the simoom — alarming and distressing. There is no feeling of peace, or nearness, or calm, holy

joy. “The Lord was not in the wind.”

The Lord again ' passes by. Terrified by the tempest, the prophet, who has been standing at the

mouth of his cave, plants his foot firmly down on the mountain side, when lo! it sinks beneath

him, for there is *an earthquake.* The whole wilderness quivers ; the highest peaks of Horeb

rock and reel ; while away through the opening valleys rings the reverberating roar. * He looketh

upon the earth, and it trembleth. The everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills

did bow.* There was power here again, majesty here again, but only those of terror, not

tranquility — uproar of the fiercest and wildest, but no sweet communication from a covenant

God. ' The Lord was not in the earthquake.*

A furtive, frightened glance the prophet next steals ; but eyes of man are helpless to gaze on what

appears. There is * a fire. From every quarter of the heavens, around every summit and along

every ridge of Horeb, play the flash and flame. It is one incessant, universal blaze. It makes the

deepening shades of evening brighter far than noon. It stuns even him who was the prophet of

fire. The shafts from a convulsed and frowning firmament are leaping and gleaming in all

directions. And yet, while there is power here again, and majesty here again, there is no delightful

sense to Elijah that he has God by his side, or God in his soul : ' The Lord was not in the fire.*

These were THE terrible, but the terrible was not God ; nay, God is not there, till, the elemental

rage over, and borne on the desert breeze, there comes * the still small voice * — heard all the

more clearly amid the silence that succeeded the storm — ^to explain the dramatic symbols, give

them their great spiritual meaning, and by anticipation reveal Of what particular kind of sound

'the still small voice* consisted, whether articulate or otherwise, we do not know ; but one thing is

evident, it spoke louder to Elijah than all the previous storm and terror. These had roused his

fears, but they had never reached his heart He had looked on them amazed, but not in sympathy.

He had been riveted to the spot, but only as a spectator of nature's unaccustomed wrath. But no

sooner does he hear the whisper that indicates a special presence, than he wraps his face in his

mantle, like Moses when 'he trembled and durst not behold,* and stands before, rather beneath,

the cave to receive the message from heaven.”

1B. If God speaks in a whisper, then it is crucial that we learn to be quiet and listen. “Before

refrigerators, people used ice houses to preserve their food. Ice houses had thick walls, no

windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen, large blocks of

ice were cut, hauled to the ice houses, and covered with sawdust. Often the ice would last well into

the summer. One man lost a valuable watch while working in an ice house. He searched diligently

for it, carefully raking through the sawdust, but didn’t find it. His fellow workers also looked, but

their efforts, too, proved futile. A small boy who heard about the fruitless search slipped into the

ice house during the noon hour and soon emerged with the watch. Amazed, the men asked him

how he found it. “I closed the door,” the boy replied, “lay down in the sawdust, and kept very

still. Soon I heard the watch ticking.” God's voice is like that ticking, and it can only be heard by

those who study to be quiet and listen. God's speaking is of no value unless we are hearing, and

we can only hear this still small voice when we focus our eyes and ears on the Word of God, and

in quietness open our minds and hearts to the message his Word conveys to us.

�ot in the earthquake wind and fire,

The elements that tear and rage,

But in the still small voice is heard

God’s message to this troubled age.

But who can catch that voice of love?

Only the meek, the still, the small;

The loud, clamorous, the proud,

Cannot discern that low, sweet call.

And would we be its ministers?

Then must our fleshly striving cease.

We must become a still small voice

To bring to others heaven’s peace.

Max Reich

1C. Gill, “and after the fire a still small voice:

not rough, but gentle, more like whispering than roaring; something soft, easy, and musical; the

Targum is, the voice of those that praise God in silence; and all this may be considered as

showing the difference between the two dispensations of law and Gospel; the law is a voice of

terrible words, and was given amidst a tempest of wind, thunder, and lightning, attended with an

earthquake, (Hebrews 12:18,19) (Exodus 19:18) , but the Gospel is a gentle voice of love, grace,

and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Christ; and may also point at the

order and manner of the Lord's dealings with the souls of men, who usually by the law breaks the

rocky hearts of men in pieces, shakes their consciences, and fills their minds with a sense of fiery

wrath and indignation they deserve, and then speaks comfortably to them, speaks peace and

pardon through the ministration of the Gospel by his Spirit; blessed are the people that hear this

still, small, gentle voice, the joyful sound, (Psalms 89:15) .”

2. Pink, “How then are we to consider this manifestation of God upon the mount with regard to

Elijah himself? First, as the Lord’s dealing with him in grace. This should be evident from the

context. There we have seen the touching response which God made to His servant’s failure. So

far from forsaking him in his hour of weakness and need, the Lord had ministered most tenderly

to him, exemplifying that precious promise, "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord

pitieth them that fear Him" (Ps. 103:13). And Elijah did fear the Lord, and though his faith was

for the moment eclipsed, the Lord did not turn His back upon him on that account. Sleep was

given to him; an angel supplied him with food and drink; supernatural strength was

communicated to his frame, so that he was enabled to do without any further nourishment for

forty days and nights. And when he reached the cave, Christ Himself, the eternal "Word" had

stood before him in theophanic manifestation. What high favors were those! What proofs that we

have to do with One who is "the God of all grace"!

Of what has just been pointed out it may be said, True, but then Elijah slighted that grace:

instead of being suitably affected thereby he remained petulant and peevish; instead of confessing

his failure he attempted to justify the forsaking of his post of duty. Even so, then what? Why,

does not the Lord here teach the refractory prophet a needed lesson? Does He not appear before

him in a terrifying manner for the purpose of rebuking him? �ot so do we read this incident.

Those who take such a view must have little experimental acquaintance with the wondrous grace

of God. He is not fickle and variable as we are: He does not at one time deal with us according to

His own compassionate benignity and at another treat with us according to our ill deserts. When

God begins to deal in grace with one of His elect, He continues dealing with him in grace, and

nothing in the creature can impede the outflow of His loving kindness.”

3. Pink goes on, “That threefold negative is the Spirit saying to us, Elijah had "not come unto the

mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and

tempest" (Heb. 12:18). Rather was the prophet addressed by the "still small voice," which was

plain intimation that he had "come unto mount Zion" (Heb. 12:22)—the Mount of grace. That

Jehovah should reveal Himself thus to Elijah was a mark of Divine favour, conferring upon him

the same sign of distinction which He had vouchsafed unto Moses in that very place, when He

showed him His glory and made all His goodness pass before him.

Second, the method which the Lord chose to take with His servant on this occasion was designed

for his instruction. Elijah was dejected at the failure of his mission. He had been jealous for the

Lord God of hosts, but what had come of all his zeal? He had prayed as probably none before

him had ever prayed, yet though miracles had been wrought in answer thereto, that which lay

nearest to his heart had not been attained. Ahab had been quite unaffected by what he had

witnessed. The nation was not reclaimed unto God. Jezebel was as defiant as ever. Elijah

appeared to be entirely alone, and his utmost efforts were unavailing. The enemy still triumphed

in spite of all. The Lord therefore sets before His servant an object lesson. By solemn exhibitions

of His mighty power He impressively reminds Elijah that He is not confined to any one agent in

the carrying out of His designs. The elements are at His disposal when He is pleased to employ

them: a gentler method and milder agent if such be His will.

Third, the incident as a whole was designed for the consolation of Elijah. Terrible indeed were the

judgments which would fall upon guilty Israel, yet in wrath Jehovah would remember mercy.

The chosen nation would not be utterly exterminated, and therefore did the Lord graciously

assure His despondent servant, "Yet will I leave Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which

have not bowed unto Baal and every mouth which hath not kissed him" (v. 18). As the "strong

wind," the "earthquake," and the "fire" were emblematic portents of the judgments which God

was shortly to send upon His idolatrous people, so the "still small voice" which followed them

looked forward to the mercy He had in store after His "strange work" had been accomplished.

For we read that, after Hazael had oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz, "the Lord was

gracious unto them, and had respect unto them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac

and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast He them from His presence as yet" (2 Kings

13:23). Once again we say, how gracious of the Lord to make known unto Elijah "things to

come," and thus acquaint him with what should be the sequel to his labors.”

Fourth, the method followed by the Lord on this occasion was meant to furnish Elijah for further

service. The "still small voice," speaking quietly and gently, was designed to calm and sooth his

ruffled spirit. It evidenced afresh the kindness and tenderness of the Lord, who would assuage

Elijah’s disappointment and cheer his heart. Where the soul is reassured of His Master’s love the

servant is nerved to face fresh dangers and oppositions for His sake and to tackle any task He

may assign him. It was thus also He dealt with Isaiah: first abasing him with a vision of His glory,

which made the prophet conscious of his utter sinfulness and insufficiency, and then assuring him

of the remission of his sins: and in consequence Isaiah went forward on a most thankless mission

(Isa. 6:1-12). The sequel here shows the Lord’s measures were equally effective with Elijah; he

received a fresh commission and obediently he discharged it.”

4. Great Texts, “Does the writer of this story deny that, to those who had the prophetic gift of

interpreting nature, there were special messages from heaven in the storm and the earthquake ?

By no means. At another time Jehovah might have spoken to Elijah, as He spoke to Job out of the

tempest; but upon this occasion the prophet was to be shown that the highest revelations were to

be expected, not in the extraordinary, but in the ordinary, not in the most awful, but in the

gentlest and most familiar, manifestations of God in nature.

With kindlier mien, one said, "Go forth unto the fields,

For there, and in the woods, are balms that �ature freely yields ;

Let �ature take thee to her heart ! she hath a bounteous breast

That yearns o er all her sorrowing sons, and she will give thee rest."

6. It needs to be said and said quite clearly Elijah got it wrong. I have already explained that he

was in the wrong place, but also clearly he looked hard for the Lord in precisely the wrong

places. He looked in the great wind that blew, for that is where he expected, indeed wanted, God

to be. But he was wrong, God wasn't in the wind. And again Elijah would have expected God to

be in the earthquake, so he looked hard to find God in the earthquake. But he was wrong, God

wasn't there. And then the fire. Elijah surely would have expected God to be in the fire. But he

was wrong, God wasn't in the fire. God was in the sheer silence, where he would have least

expected it and where he least wanted God to be.

When we pray "Your kingdom come" do we not often expect, indeed want, that God will come in

an obvious way. And despite our prayers, it seems God does not come in an obvious way and I for

one have often been disappointed. It seems God leaves it up to us to make his coming obvious,

and with precious little divine help. Perhaps making the actions of God obvious to others is not

actually our task in life.But despite Elijah being wrong, on all these counts, he is taken up to

heaven in the chariots of fire and is with Moses on the mountain of the Transfiguration speaking

with Jesus.We too can find ourselves in the wrong place, and expecting God to act in the way we

perhaps want. God still reigns, and despite being wrong, the Lord can still use us for his purposes

and his will. If Elijah, without doubt one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament, can be

wrong about so many things, perhaps we can allow ourselves to also be wrong occasionally.”

7. “WI�D, FIRE, A�D STILL SMALL'VOICE. declares it to be a mistake as a means of eliciting

truth: he cites his own observation of the marked success of the opposite mode of questioning,

and maintains that, generally speaking, a quiet, gentle, and straightforward examination will be

the most adapted to elicit truth; the browbeating and blustering which are likeliest to confuse an

honest, simple-minded witness, being just what the dishonest one is the best prepared for. " The

more the storm blusters, the more carefully he wraps round him the cloak which a warm

sunshine will often induce him to throw off." We are told of Dr. Beattie, in his relations as a

professor with his class, that his sway was absolute, because it was founded in reason and

affection; that he never employed a harsh epithet in finding fault with any of his pupils; and that

when, instead of a rebuke, which they were conscious they deserved, they met merely with a mild

reproof, it was conveyed in such a manner as to throw, not only the delinquent, but sometimes the

whole class into tears. Fielding's boy-hero is at once in tears when the kind squire takes him in

hand, instead of the harsh tutor; his "guilt now flew in his face more than any severity could

make it. He could more easily bear the lashes of Thwackum than the generosity of Allworthy."

Mrs. Fry used to bear eager record of the docility she had found, and the gratitude she had

experienced, from female prisoners, though the most abandoned of their sex: kind treatment,

even with restraint obviously for their good, was so new to them, that it called forth, as Sir

Samuel Romilly says, " even in the most depraved, grateful and generous feelings." True to the

life is the picture Mr. Reade has drawn of the effect on the actress, of a young wife coming to her

as a supplicant, instead of inveighing against her,-.coming with faith in her goodness, and sobbing

to her for pity: "a big tear rolled down her cheek, and proved her something more than an

actress." In another of his books he illustrates the truth that men can resist the remonstrances

that wound them, and so irritate them, better than they can those gentle appeals which rouse no

anger, but soften the whole heart. " source unknown

8. “How full all this is of lessons to us! Let us at least not fail to learn from it: (1) That the cause

of God does not depend on our single arm to save it. "I, I only, am left," said Elijah, as if on him

alone could God depend to secure His ends. We depend on God, not God on us. (2) That the cause

of God is not dependent for its success on our chosen methods. Elijah could not understand that

the ends of God could be gained unless they were gained in the path of miracles of manifest

judgment. External methods are not God's methods. (3) That the cause of God cannot fail. Elijah

feared that God's hand was not outstretched to save and fancied that he knew the dangers and

needs better than God did. God never deserts His cause. (4) That it is not the Law but the Gospel,

not the revelation of wrath but that of love, which saves the world. Wrath may prepare for love;

but wrath never did and never will save a soul.” author unknown

9. “You see, if we really want to know God, experience his presence, then it is to his Word we

must come. For it is as we turn to the written Word that we encounter the living Word, the Lord

Jesus Christ, the only time when God became fully visible to human beings, clothed in human

flesh. It may seem unspectacular, we may prefer the impressive noises and sights of the spiritual

fireworks, but God is not there- he comes to his people in the way he always comes to his people,

by his Word, which is to be believed and obeyed. Do you remember what happened after Moses

had experienced a theophany like this one? He came down this mountain carrying the two tablets

of the law-God's Word written on stone by the finger of God. This was to be a testimony to God's

people of his love and faithfulness- we worship a God who says what he means and means what

he says.

Like Elijah we may look around us and see a society which is literally hell bent on its own

destruction, a church committed to compromise and we wonder if there is any future. We may

look to our statistical analysis, the church growth pundits for some indication of a way out. But

the message here is that there is only one we are to look to, and that is God and only one place we

are to turn to- his Word- that quiet still voice which endures for ever. When you are feeling down,

when you are having to face some trying time, when because of old age your powers are not as

they once were, what would you welcome most? Someone who boisterously comes in, slaps you on

the back, tells you to cheer up, get into the mood of the party? Or someone who gets along side

you, speaks gently and reassuringly to you, someone who has been through what you have and

knows what they are talking about and whose words contain reality and an inner strength? I

know which I prefer? And that is what we have with the Bible- God's Word.”

10. Criswell, "And, after the wind and the earthquake and the fire, there was a still, small voice.

You see, Elijah had it in his head that the only way God moved and the only way God worked

was in some kind of a great cataclysmic, catastrophic, vital demonstration, such as he had

witnessed on the top of Mount Carmel. And, God is going to teach Elijah that the Lord works in

other ways than in miraculous and catastrophic forms: if not in the strong wind, then in the

gentle zephyr; if not in the great earthquake, then, in a heartbreak; if not in the furious fire, then,

in the soft days of a summertime; if not in great thunder, then, in the still, small voice; if not in

the great crowd, then, in a lonely silent and sobbing soul; if not in a great convocation, then, in an

isolated disciple who pleads and agonizes before God in secret. For you see, Elijah thought the

only way that idolatry could be swept from the land was by a great wind; the only way there

could be a great moral reformation in the land was by a great earthquake; the only way there

could be a cleansing of the people was by a baptism of fire from heaven. It never occurred to him

that God could work and does work in simple and quiet and humble and small ways. And, after

the wind and after the earthquake and after the fire, there was a still, small voice, so very still and

so very small. And, God spoke in the quietness of the voice.”

11. Ron Ritchie does such an excellent job of expounding this verse that I want to quote a large

section of it. "And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the

rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind." In the past God had used the east

wind by the hand of Moses to bring the plague of locusts to the land of Egypt (see Exodus 10:13).

But he had also used the wind to stop the judgment of the flood in the time of �oah (see Genesis

8:1). God had used a great east wind to divide the Red Sea and hold up the water on both sides

like a wall as some six hundred thousand Jews walked across the sea on dry land into the

wilderness on their way to the Promised Land (see Exodus 14:21f). God had used the wind to

bring the quail to feed the Jews in the wilderness (see �umbers 11:31). God had used the east

wind to bring the rain on Israel only about forty days earlier, after Elijah's triumph over the

prophets of Baal.

God is always present like the wind, and he can use this wind to bring judgment or blessing. In

fact, the wind is also the symbol of spiritual life that Christ used to tell �icodemus of the presence

and power of the Holy Spirit, and it was through that medium that they experienced the presence

of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. But for Elijah God was not in the wind; that is, he

would not use the wind to judge Israel to bring the nation back into a relationship with him.

Then there was an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. God had used an earthquake

to judge the rebellion of Korah in the wilderness (see �umbers 16). Earthquakes are able to

shake all the physical foundations of this earth and bring down mountains as well as kingdoms,

as they will in the days of the great tribulation. Yet at this time God was not in the earthquake;

that is, he would neither judge Israel's sin nor destroy Israel's enemies in this way.

Then there was fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. In the past God had used fire to judge the

sin of Sodom and to judge the nation of Egypt with fire from heaven the likes of which Egypt had

never seen in its recorded history (see Exodus 9:22f). God had appeared before Moses in the

burning bush and on Mount Horeb in fire. As well, each night he was a pillar of fire to lead his

people through the wilderness. And fire came forth from the Lord and consumed the 250 men

who were offering the incense in the rebellion of Korah (see �umbers 16:35). Fire, as we saw

earlier, was a spiritual symbol of purity, judgment, and cleansing of sin. But God would not use

fire to bring judgment to Israel or her enemies.

Finally there was a sound of a gentle blowing (literally the tone of a gentle blowing). "Elijah,"

God was saying, "I am not going to use the wind, an earthquake, or fire to judge Israel or destroy

her enemies as I have in the past. This time I am going to use the gentle wind of my Spirit to

speak to each man's and woman's conscience." For when God had passed by Moses in this same

spot after the cutting of the second set of the Ten Commandments, he had proclaimed to Moses,

"The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in

loving kindness and truth; who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity,

transgression and sin...." (Exodus 34:1-9.) Elijah slowly began to understand that God was going

to deal with Israel in grace, mercy, and love through him, Elisha, and the seven thousand who

had not bowed their knee to Baal. He was to be an instrument of God's grace seeking by God's

message to draw the people back to the living God in the same way Jesus would, who said, "Take

My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find

rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29). Jesus would also tell his disciples, "Blessed are the gentle

[those whose strength is under the control of the Holy Spirit], for they shall inherit the earth"

(Matthew 5:5).

12. Howat, “we give the preference to the view already named, which finds in the hurricane,

earthquake, and fire the type of the prophet's past life, and in * the still small voice' the future

agency, the gentleness of which was to prove far more effective than all his stormy ardor.”

“Power is not necessarily demonstrative. Tumult is not necessarily strength. The greatest works,'

says one, ' like the temple of Solomon,^ have been achieved in silence.' Let nature be our teacher.

�ot by Alpine thunders on Alpine heights is the snow melted, but rather by the peaceful rays of

the summer sun. �ot by tempests and hurricanes comes verdure to the fields, bloom to the

flowers, foliage to the trees, ' and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness ;* but

rather by the evening dew, and the moisture from cloud and air, distilling we know not when or

how. Let Christ be our teacher. ' He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear His voice

in the streets.' He enters the world before Bethlehem is awake; He rises from the grave while

Jerusalem is asleep. How calm the majesty of moral greatness, even in its dangerous hour !

Let past gospel triumphs be our teacher. How melting the tenderness of the simple cross ! How

many hearts, like Lydia's, have been 'opened' by a childlike view of the love of Jesus, which had

remained for ever bolted and barred amid the most fearful denunciations of future woe — as

when Lot warned his sons-in-law of the fate of Sodom, and he only ' seemed as one that mocked.'

After all, there is no voice that will subdue man every- where so soon as ' the still small voice* of

the child of Bethlehem. Herein lies Christianity's power and the preacher's success. It is long

since Paul taught the Corinthian church that love is greater than miracles, greater even than 'the

hurricane, earthquake, and fire ;' and it is longer still since the ascending Savior commissioned

His sorrowing followers : ' Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.'

Let Sinai and Horeb fade therefore, and Calvary stand forth in full relief. What a mighty moral

lever this one word Christ has proved for the world ! There never was true liberty in the world

till Christ came, ' to give deliverance to the captives, and to set at liberty them that were bound.'

There never was true philosophy in the world till Christ came ; and the science of mind will never

reach its true height, nor wield its proper power, till it find its foundation-principle in Him who

knew what was in man.' There never was true refinement in the world till Christ came ; and if

the world would not go back to what was, at best, but the splendid barbarism of even classical

nations, she must be purified by the lofty ethics which Christ taught and preached. In one word,

there never was true philanthropy in the world till Christ came ; evil for evil was the creed of

Paganism — carved on the very front of Christianity we can trace these words, 'Bless thine

enemies, and love thy neighbor as thyself. This is what Christ and Christ's gospel have done ;

and it cannot be overlooked that, just as in the �ew Testament we have to thank the stern and

impassive Jude for that sweetest of all phrases, descriptive of gospel blessings, *the common

salvation, so here, in the Old Testament, we have to thank the stern and impassive Elijah for

affording us, in the midst of his errors, the noblest anticipation of that gospel itself — even 'the

still small voice' which has whispered through earth during nineteen centuries, and, with quiet

force unexhausted, is still 'the power of God, and the wisdom of God, to every one that believeth.'

13. Jim Whitton, “In some ways, Elijah may have most desired the powerful public

demonstrations of God’s power, like raising the widow’s son from the dead and witnessing fire

rain down from heaven. But God wanted Elijah to be no less attuned to His commands in the

silent times, when no outward evidence existed pointing to his divine commission. He wanted

Elijah to be able to detect His presence after the fire, to sharpen his senses, to listen for His

leading when all seemed lost.

Elijah had essentially asked God why he should bother continuing his work when it seemed to no

avail. In giving him food and drink to prepare him for the next part of his journey, God had

answered that question without uttering a word: he took care of him, sustained him, and

strengthened him physically even as Elijah struggled spiritually. Elijah had to press on because

his work for the Lord wasn’t finished. Even in his perceived failure, Elijah was being prepared

for what would come next.”

14. A. P. Staulty,

Tis not the whirlwind, o er our fair fields sweeping

That speaks God's present wrath :

This is but nature's course, for all men keeping

One indiscriminate path.

�or yet the earthquake, firm foundations shaking

Of houses long since built:

This is but fortune's chance, its havoc making

Without affixing guilt.

�or yet the fire, whate'er is near confounding

In blind remorseless flame:

This is but man s fierce ire, which all surrounding

Treats, good or bad, the same.

It is the still small voice within which speaketh,

When guilt's fierce gust is done,

That tells the doom God s righteous anger wreaketh,

Yet tells, that we may shun.

Gentle Lord, who like a friend reprovest,

Tender not less than true;

Thou our hard hearts by whispered warnings movest,

Their erring ways to rue.

Thou, whose pure eye like lightning might consume him,

On man with pity looked;

Thou who to fire, storm, earthquake, well might doom him,

With still small voice rebuked.

15. Spurgeon, “I call your attention to THE CHOSE� AGE�CY. �otice at the outset what it was

not. It was not the terrible, it was not the tremendous, it was not the overwhelming, but

something the reverse of all these. It was not a grand display of power, for God was in none of

those great things which Elijah saw and heard. That which conquered Elijah’s brave heart was

not whirlwind, was not earthquake, was not fire, it was the still small voice! That which

effectually wins human hearts to God and to His Christ is not an extraordinary display of power.

Men can be made to tremble when God sends pestilence, famine, fire and others of His terrible

judgments, but these things usually end in the hardening of men’s hearts, not in the winning of

them. See what God did to Pharaoh and his land. Surely those plagues were thick and heavy, the

like of which had never been seen before, yet what was the result? “And Pharaoh’s heart was

hardened.” So it usually is. These things are well enough as preliminaries to the Divine Gospel

which gently conquers the heart, but they do not, of themselves, affect the soul—

“Law and terrors do but harden

All the while they work alone.

‘Tis a sense of blood-bought pardon

That dissolves a heart of stone.”

The still small voice succeeds where “terrible things in righteousness” are of no avail. I do not

wonder that Elijah hoped that the terrible judgments would prevail with his countrymen, these

terrible things appear to be a rough and ready way for overcoming evil and, indeed, they would

prevail if men’s hearts were not so “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.”

Thanks be to infinite mercy, the Lord does not, at this present time , choose the terrible way of

action! He leaves the wind. He leaves the earthquake and the fire and He speaks to men in the

silence of their souls by a voice which, though it is as, “silence audible,” yet it is the power of God

unto salvation! But we are hard to convince that it is so. We still cling to the idea that outward

pomp of tremendous power would advance the Kingdom of God. We are not so ready to dispense

with the 12 legions of angels as our Master was. So far as our own action is concerned, we are

poor disciples of Him of whom we read, “He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear

His voice in the streets.” In our religious exercises we are too apt to rely upon carnal force and

energy. We are hopeful if we can make a noise, create excitement, stir and agitation. We are too

apt to identify the power of God with the heaving of the masses under newly invented

excitements!”

16. Great Texts, “It is difficult to realize that in the hush which followed the fire, the earthquake,

the wind, God really was. But if there is any meaning in this story, it is that the silence was more

really Divine than the noise, the flash, and the trembling which went before. And one of the

hardest lessons we have to learn is that God is in the quiet, the gentle influences which are ever

around us, working upon us as the atmosphere does, without any visible or audible token of its

presence. We must seek to discern God in the quiet and the gentle. It is perhaps because we fail to

discern Him there that He comes sometimes in the tempest. We do not find Him in health, and so

He comes in sickness. We do not find Him in prosperity, and so He comes in adversity. We do not

find Him in the stillness, and so He is compelled to come in the storm. But He would rather take

the gentle way.

God s greatest works are carried on in silence. All noiselessly the planets move in their orbits ; "

there is no speech nor language ; their voice cannot be heard " as they sweep on through their

appointed paths in space. �o sound attends the crystallization of the dewdrops on the myriad

blades of grass in the summer evenings; and while the crops are growing in the fields, so

profound sometimes is the stillness that all nature seems asleep. What greater revolution can

there be than that which recurs at every morning s dawn when night quits her "ebon throne "

and resigns her empire to the king of day ? Yet how quietly it is accomplished ! There is first a

streak of light along the edge of the eastern horizon, so faint that you wonder whether it has not

shot out from that brilliant star ; then a few stray gleams of glory, as if the northern aurora had

flitted to another quarter of the heavens; then a flush of ruddy beauty before which the stars

begin to pale ; and as we watch how one by one these faithful sentinels put out their lamps, the

sun himself appears, and becomes the undisputed monarch of the heavens. But it is all so silent

that the sleeper is not awakened on his couch, and the pale, sick one who has been longing for the

morning knows not it is there until through the shadowed casement it looks in upon him with its

benignant smile.

In the quietest force love there is most power. You have heard of the old fable which tells how the

sun and the wind strove with each other, which of them should first make the traveler divest

himself of his cloak. The more fiercely the wind blew, the more firmly the wayfaring man

gathered his outer garment about him. But when the sun shone warmly upon him he speedily

threw the weighty covering from his shoulders. So antagonism creates antagonism. If you attempt

to drag me by force, it is in my nature to resist you, and I will pull against you with all my might ;

but if you try to attract me by kindness, it is equally in my nature to yield to its influence, and I

will follow you of my own free will What the hammer will not weld together without fiery heat

and prolonged labor, the magnet will bring together and hold together in a moment. So in dealing

with men, the mightiest influence is love.”

17. There is so much wisdom in knowing that God prefers to speak in the still small voice of a

gentle whisper. The wind, earthquake and fire are rare in comparison of days with no such major

disaster, and it is sad to think God has nothing to say except when there is a natural disaster. God

wants us to listen to him every day, and not just when the headlines declare another colossal

disaster. God may or may not even be speaking in those events, but he is speaking all the time

through the silence of his Word, and we are to be listening daily to that gentle whisper. Even the

daily wonders of nature in all it peacefulness is a greater source of knowing God and his will than

the more radical displays, as the following quote says.

18. J. H. Jowett, “There is in many minds something which makes them crave for proofs of the

presence and power of God in remarkable interruptions of nature and providence rather than in

their orderly course. It is a perversion of the truth. If a miracle is sublime, how much more

sublime is the unity and greatness of the order which it seems, on some singular occasion, to

interrupt. The mind which has learned to see God in the daily course of nature and providence

comes nearer to the happy truth than that to which this order is meaningless, and which cries out

to Him to raise up His power and come and declare His presence by miraculous wonders. Is it not

better for us to learn that God is near in the daily exhibitions of His goodness than to look for

Him only hi those rare events in which we try to persuade ourselves that He has worked a

miracle in answer to our cry ? For one miraculous we enjoy a thousand customary gifts of grace

and kindness. Happy are we if in our deep hearts we consent that this is so, and that this is best.”

19. Great Texts, “There is the voice of the human Jesus. Was not Jesus God s " still small voice "

when in His human garb He walked the plains of Galilee, and declared His Father s glory and

His Father s will ? The bruised reed He never broke ; the smoking flax He never quenched. He

did not strive, nor cry, nor lift up His voice in the street. Despised in His littleness, that " voice "

was, nevertheless, the great power of Jehovah ; and, calm as were those loving lips, they uttered

the mandates that all worlds obeyed. Evil spirits cowered at His presence; sickness, and sorrow,

and death fled before Him. Against the dark background of the penal law, He declared the

Gospel s peace. And when, on the Mount of Beatitudes, that " voice," long silent, began, in its

own gentleness, " Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Sinai s

trumpet grew silent ! And when He stood, and called so lovingly, " Come unto me, all ye that

labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" who remembered, then, any more, the

blackness, and the darkness, and the tempest ? And when, at last, His dying lips spoke those

words of Godhead, " It is finished," did not every adoring angel, as he stooped to the sound,

confess that all the displays that had been made of God, in His own universe, were in

magnificence as naught to that one " still small voice " of Calvary ?”

I hear it often in the dark,

I hear it in the light,

Where is the voice that comes to me

With such a quiet might ?

It seems but echo to my thought,

And yet beyond the stars !

It seems a heart-beat in a hush,

And yet the planet jars !

Oh, may it be that far within

My inmost soul there lies

A spirit-sky, that opens with

Those voices of surprise.

Thy heaven is mine my very soul

Thy words are sweet and strong;

They fill my inward silences

With music and with song.

They send me challenges to right,

And loud rebuke my ill;

They ring my bells of victory;

They breathe my " Peace, be still ! "

They ever seem to say: "My child,

Why seek me so all day?

�ow journey inward to thyself,

And listen by the way." J. Campbell

20. An unknown pastor gives us this illustration: “ George Matheson was a pastor in Scotland in

the 1800’s. He died in 1906. Born with poor vision, Matheson’s eyesight gradually worsened un-

til he was almost totally blind. However, he was academically gifted, and his sisters learned Latin,

Greek, and Hebrew to help him study. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh (MA

1862), then became a minister. Due to his ability to memorize sermons and entire sections of the

Bible, listeners were often unaware he was blind. The hymn was composed in the manse of the

church he served in Argyleshire, Scotland. It was the 6th of June, 1882 and he was 40 years of

age. He was alone in the manse at that time. It was the night of his sister’s marriage, and the rest

of the family were staying overnight in Glasgow. He reflected on that writing and said, “Some-

thing happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe

mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever

did in my life. I had the impression of having it dictated to me by some inward voice rather than

of working it out myself. I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and

equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural

gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have ever written are manufactured articles; this came like a

day spring from on high.”

Psalm 13:5 “I trust in your unfailing love. My heart rejoices in your salvation.”

O Love that wilt not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,

I yield my flickering torch to thee;

My heart restores its borrowed ray,

That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day

May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,

I cannot close my heart to thee;

I trace the rainbow through the rain,

And feel the promise is not vain,

That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from thee;

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be.

21. Bob Deffinbaugh, “What was this object lesson all about? What was Elijah supposed to learn

from it? I believe he was supposed to learn a very simple but very important lesson: God is not to

be sought in the spectacular. The contest on Mount Carmel was spectacular. God proved that He

was God; He alone was God. But it would appear that Elijah expected that God would continue

to manifest Himself in a spectacular way. And when Jezebel sent the messenger to him with her

threats, Elijah was crushed and frightened. He seems to have expected that God would deal with

her in a most spectacular way. God occasionally “speaks” dramatically, as He did with the “fire

from heaven” on Mount Carmel, but this is not the norm. God speaks through His Word, and in

those days, through His prophets. It seems to me that Elijah heard the “still, small voice” of God,

but he was not content to be a “small voice.”

Let me say one more thing about this business of the spectacular. This is an issue which causes

much trouble in the church today. There are those who believe that God does speak through very

spectacular means. The problem is that some actually demand that He do so. If God does not

speak in a spectacular way, they are not sure He has spoken at all. And so they, perhaps like

Elijah, get all out of sorts when God does not meet their expectations and demands. On the other

hand, there are many Christians who do not believe that God may speak in a spectacular way

today. They not only doubt that such things can or will occur, they tend to deny that any such

thing has occurred. Sometimes they even resort to calling anything spectacular “demonic.” As

you can tell, I am referring to the tensions which exist between so-called “charismatic” Christians

and “non-charismatic” (or, perhaps more accurately in some cases, anti-charismatic) Christians.

When a belief demands that God not only can but must speak in a spectacular way, I say, “Shame

on you.” And when another believer refuses to even grant the possibility that God might speak in

a spectacular way, I say, “Shame on you.” Let us get this matter clear in our minds. God does not

always speak spectacularly, but He can and does do so occasionally. Whether He speaks softly or

loudly, let us be sure to listen. And let us never look down upon the still, small voice of God.”

22. Though all around me is darkness

And earthly joys are flown,

My Savior whispers His promise--

�ever to leave me alone. --Anon.

When we have nothing left but God, God is enough.

13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face

and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here,

Elijah?"

1. It seems that this repetition of the question was something of a rebuke to Elijah, but it is not

made clear. Pink gives his perspective like this: “The failure of Elijah had been of a different

character from that of Jonah. It does not appear that he had done any moral wrong in quitting

Jezreel; rather was his conduct in line with Christ’s direction to His disciples: "But when they

persecute you in this city, flee ye into another" (Matthew 10:23). They were not to expose

themselves rashly to danger, but if they could do so honorably, avoid it and thus preserve

themselves for future service—as numbers of our Reformers and members of their flocks took

refuge on the Continent in the days of wicked Queen Mary. God had given Elijah no express

order to remain at Jezreel and continue the work of reformation, and "where no law is, there is

no transgression" (Rom. 4:15). It was more a case of the Lord’s testing His servant with

"circumstances," leaving him to himself, to show us what was in his heart, allowing him to

exercise his own judgment and follow his own inclinations. Had there been something more

involved than this, had the prophet been guilty of deliberate disobedience, the Lord’s dealings

with him at Horeb would have been quite different from what they were.

What has been said above is not for the purpose of excusing Elijah, but to view his fault in a fair

perspective. Some have unfairly magnified his failure, charging him with that which can not

justly be laid to his account. We certainly believe he made a lamentable mistake in deserting the

post of duty to which "the hand of the Lord" had brought him (1 Kings 18:46), for he received no

word from his Master to leave there. �or can we justify his petulancy under the juniper tree and

his request for the Lord to take away his life—that is for Him to decide, and not for us at any

time. Moreover, the question put to him twice at Horeb, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"

evidently implied a gentle rebuke: yet it was more an error of judgment which he had committed

than a sin of the heart. He had felt at liberty to exercise his own discretion and to act according to

the dictates of his own feelings. God permitted this that we might know the strongest characters

are as weak as water the moment He withdraws His upholding hand.”

2. Clarke, “This he did to signify his respect; so Moses hid his face, for he dared not to look upon

God Exodus 3:6. Covering the face was a token of respect among the Asiatics, as uncovering the

head is among the Europeans.”

3. Gill, “Through reverence of the divine Majesty he perceived was there, and through shame and

confusion under a sense of his impurity, imperfections, and unworthiness, as the seraphim in

(Isaiah 6:2,3) , and as Moses, (Exodus 3:6) , and went out and stood in the entering in of the cave;

he attempted to come forth out of the cave upon the divine order, (1 Kings 19:11 ) , but was

stopped by the terrible appearances of the wind, earthquake, and fire, a little within it; but now

he came quite out, and stood at the mouth of it, to hear what the Lord would say unto him:

and, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, what dost thou

here, Elijah?

the same question is here put as in (1 Kings 19:9 ) , though there by an angel, here by the Lord

himself.”

4. Elijah, faced with the official and very active displeasure of King Ahab's wife, Jezebel, flees to

the mountain of God. Along the way the angel of the Lord has to come with food to enable him to

get there. After trekking 40 days and 40 nights he arrives at the mountain and climbs it. Finally

he reaches a cave at the top, only to be told by God that really wasn't where God wanted him to

be at all. You have got to hand it to the Bible, even it's greatest heroes have their moments of

complete deflation. Twice he is asked: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" - we are meant to get

the message. Where was he supposed to be? In fact, it was back where he had come from. He was

not called to hide in self-imposed exile worshipping God in some sort of continuous solitary

rapture. �o, he was sent back into the fray, right into the very center of political machinations,

anointing two new kings and someone to replace himself.

14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD

God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant,

broken 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."

1. God says, why are you hear?, and Elijah says in effect, the real question is where have you

been? The world is falling apart with Israel rejecting your covenant, the altars being broken

down, and your prophets being put to death, and my life is hanging by a thread. Where is the

wind, quake and fire to fall in judgment on this wicked land? I am out here all alone fighting a

fallen world by myself, and you ask my why I am here to plead for help? I can't do it anymore

without you assistance. It is not just a pit party as many call it, but a desperate plea for help. Pity

may be a part of it, but the point of it is that he can't go on without aid from God. So God

responds by giving him a new assignment that will shake things up good.

2. Steve Zeisler gives his perspective on Elijah's response: “Before the storm, the fire, and the

earthquake God had asked this question and received this answer. The first time the question was

asked and the answer was given Elijah remained petulant: "I'm the only one left. I've done

everything I can. It's not fair." This time, after God passed by in dramatic power and then finally

spoke in tenderness, Elijah confessed his sin. "Why are you here, Elijah?" He has to say it again:

I'm here be- cause I'm angry. I'm here because I was zealous. I'm here because I'm disappointed.

I'm here because I think I'm alone. I'm here because I think you let me down." In effect he was

saying, "I repent. I don't know what else to do." A marvelous, gentle dialogue ensued. God was

not issuing judgment from heaven like he did with �ebuchadnezzar. He did not speak in a

whirlwind like he did to Job. He was not riding the storm chariot like he did to see Ezekiel. God

met with his man and said in the tenderest of tones, "I care for you and what you've been

through. I'm committed to meeting your needs. I want you to understand my purposes. I have

not failed to act. I am not unconcerned about you or the people, but I am going to act differently

than you expect."

15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came,

and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there,

anoint Hazael king over Aram.

1. Here we see God's prescription for depression, for he tells Elijah to get back to work and do his

duty as a prophet. Go back and get some things done that need to get done now. You have places

to be and people to see. Your work is only half completed by getting rid of the bad guys. You need

to complete it by getting good guys in power. There has to be a balance in fighting evil. You

eliminate the causes of evil, but you need to also produce the causes of righteousness. You

remember the story of the demons who were cast out, but they came back and found that there

was nothing that took their place, and so they entered the man with even more demons. A

negative move needs a positive one to follow, or it is all for nothing. You can't just eliminate evil

and bad habits in your life. You need to add good habits to take their place, and godly behavior to

replace the ungodly. People who just give up evil, and do not add righteousness , are soon back

into evil behavior, for the empty spot left in their life is not filled with anything to keep them

motivated. Elijah, you have completed step one, but now you need to complete step two for your

mission to be accomplished.

1B. Clarke, “For what reason the Lord was about to make all these revolutions, we are told in

1 Kings 19:17 . God was about to bring his judgments upon the land, and especially on the house

of Ahab. This he exterminated by means of Jehu; and Jehu himself was a scourge of the Lord to

the people. Hazael also grievously afflicted Israel; see the accomplishment of these purposes, 2

Kings 8, and 9.”

2. John Simpson, “"The prophet was bemoaning the failure of all his efforts to glorify God, and

the obstinate determination of his people to continue in their apostasy. It was thus he spent his

time in the cave at Horeb, brooding over his disappointment, and lashing himself, by reflecting

upon the conduct of the people. A solitary place, with nothing to do, might be congenial with such

a disposition; it might foster it, but would never heal it: and thus Elijah might have succumbed to

a settled melancholy or raving madness. The only hope for persons in such circumstances is to

come out from their lonely haunts, and to be actively employed in some useful and benevolent

occupation. This is the best cure for melancholy: to set about doing something which will require

muscular exertion, and which will benefit others. Hence God directed Elijah to quit this present

lonely abode, which only increased the sadness and irritation of his spirit; and so He gave him a

commission to execute a long way off"

3. Pink, “When Peter repented for his great sin, the Lord not only for gave him, but

recommissioned His servant: "Feed My sheep" (John 21:16). So here, the Lord not only restored

the prophet’s soul, but appointed him to fresh work in His service. "And when thou comest,

anoint Hazael to be king over Syria" (v. 15). This was a high honour for Jehovah to confer upon

Elijah, such as He had bestowed upon Samuel (1 Sam 16:13). How gracious is our God! How

patiently He bears with our infirmities! Observe how these passages teach that it is not by the

people but by God that kings reign (Prov. 8:15). "There is no power but of God: the powers that

be are ordained of God," and therefore does He require of us, "let every soul be subject unto the

higher powers" (Rom. 13:1). In this "democratic" age it is necessary that ministers of the Gospel

should press this truth: "submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake:

whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for

the punishment of evildoers" (1 Pet. 2:13, 14). Said the apostle to Titus, "Put them in mind to be

subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates" (3:1).

We have already seen how tenderly Jehovah dealt with His erring servant in the wilderness, let us

now admire the grace He exercised toward him at Horeb. That which is to be before us reminds

us much of the Psalmist’s experience: the Lord who was his Shepherd had not only made him to

lie down in green pastures, but "He restoreth my soul" (23: 2, 3), he acknowledged. The One who

had refreshed and fed His servant under the juniper tree now recovers him from his useless

repinings, reclaims him from his wanderings, and raises him to a position of honour in His

service. Elijah was incapable of restoring himself, and there was no human being who could have

delivered him from the slough of despond, so when there was none other eye to pity him the Lord

had compassion upon him. And is it not thus, at some time or other, in the experience of all God’s

servants and people? He who first delivered us from a horrible pit continues to care for us, and

when we wander from Him He restores our souls and leads us back into the paths of

righteousness.”

16 Also, anoint Jehu son of �imshi king over Israel, and

anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to

succeed you as prophet.

1. This is radical change that God is placing in the hands of Elijah. Ahab is king of Israel, and

now Elijah is empowered to take him our of office and replace him with Jehu. That is power

beyond what anyone else on the planet has. There is also something of rebuke in telling him to

anoint Elisha as his successor. The implication is that you will not be my prophet forever Elijah.

In fact your days are numbered, and it is time to prepare for you also being out of office as my

chief prophet.

1B. Ellison, “"I have never been impressed by the view that the command to anoint Hazael, Jehu

and Elisha was the expression of God's disapproval of Elijah's flight from Jezebel, and that

thereby his prophetic work was as good as terminated. He had a considerable period of activity

still before him, and there is absolutely nothing in the story of his departure to justify such a

conclusion. For Elijah to anoint those who were to carry on his work, whether he did it

personally or by proxy, is rather to stress with what authority they would act, when they brought

judgment and destruction on Israel."

2. Howat, “the prophet of the rocks receives three commands. Hazael, in room of Benhadad, is to

be 'anointed* king of Syria ; Jehu, in room of Ahab, king of Israel ; and Elisha, the godly

ploughman of Abel-meholah, his own successor — to complete, with less terrible but none the less

active energy, the work of reform which he has begun.” “Of the three commands, it is worthy of

remark that Elijah only accomplished the last, the two others being carried out by Elisha — in

the case of Hazael (2 Kings viii. 7-15), and in the case of Jehu (2 Kings ix. i-io).”

3. Pink, “Infidels have raised an objection against our present verse by pointing out that Jehu

was anointed, not by Elijah, but by a young prophet under the direction of Elisha (2 Kings 9:1-6).

This objection may be disposed of in two ways. First, Jehu may have been anointed twice, as

David was (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:4); or, as "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

though Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples" (John 4:1, 2), so Jehu is said to be anointed

by Elijah because what took place in 2 Kings 9 was according to his orders.”

4. Steve Zeisler, “The second thing he did was to give Elijah a son, a disciple who would share in

the joys and sorrows of his ministry. A big part of Elijah's heartbreak was that he was alone;

there was no one to confide in or help him. God said, "You will find and anoint the man Elisha.

You will disciple him, walk alongside him, and he will be your successor." The last thing God said

to him was "You say you're alone, but you're wrong. There are 7,000 that you don't know about.

You can't see everything I'm doing, You have to trust me that your view is not the great view, that

I have 7,000 of my servants throughout the nation doing my will. I am accomplishing what I

intended, and I don't need to report to you. I am at work in ways that you can't see." That must

have been restorative to Elijah too. He realized that God was at work among others as well.

5. Alan Carr, “When Elijah went into the wilderness, he left his servant behind in Beersheba, v. 3.

He was all alone. God knew this was not good and He gave him a man named Elisha. Elisha was

to be a companion to Elijah and would take Elijah's place when his ministry ended. God gave

him a man who was like minded. Elisha was a man with whom Elijah could fellowship. They both

shared a common call from God and they both wanted to see the Lord honored and glorified.

These were men who could fellowship together. Thank God for the fellowship of the saints! I

really don't think any of us know just how desperately we need one another. Far too many

Christians want to be like the "Lone Ranger", forgetting that even he had a "Tonto". My friends,

God called none of us to ride the range alone! He called us to be active in His work, seeking

fellowship with His people, Heb. 10:25.

17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of

Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the

sword of Jehu.

1. Basically, Elijah is appointing a death squad who will take care of all those who continue to

corrupt the people of God with their idolatry. It was a time of judgment, and Elijah on Carmel

was just chapter one in the elimination process of cleansing the land of evil.

2. Clarke, “We do not find that Elisha either used the sword, or commissioned it to be used,

though he delivered solemn prophecies against this disobedient people: and this is probably the

sense in which this should be understood, as Elisha was prophet before Hazael was king, and

Hazael was king before Jehu; and the heavy famine which he brought on the land took place

before the reign either of Jehu or Hazael. The meaning of the prophecy may be this: Hazael,

Jehu, and Elisha, shall be the ministers of my vengeance against this disobedient and rebellious

people. The order of time, here, is not to be regarded.”

3. Gill, “which may be understood either literally of the forty two children cursed by him, in

consequence of which they were destroyed by bears, (2 Kings 2:24 ) or rather figuratively by his

prophecies, see (Hosea 6:5) who foretold the slaughters made by Hazael and Jehu, as well as

others, see (2 Kings 8:12 ) (9:7,8) , these several things were not done in the order in which they

are here put; for what Elisha did was before Hazael and Jehu, and Jehu before Hazael; these

words therefore do not respect the exact order of time in which they should be done, only that

each should do the part appointed and assigned unto him, and what could not be so well done by

the other; thus Hazael was to destroy those that came out to war; and Jehu Ahab's family that

did not; and Elisha the children of idolatrous parents at Bethel, that came not within the reach of

either; though it may be observed, that Hazael began to distress Israel before Jehu appeared,

(2 Kings 8:28,29 ) and the prophecies of Elisha might not have their full accomplishment until afterHazael and Jehu had done what was appointed for them.”

4. Pink, “Elijah had wrought faithfully, but Israel had to be dealt with by other agents too: the

three men whom he was bidden to anoint would in their turn bring down judgment upon the

land. God was infinitely more jealous of His own honour than His servant could be, and He

would by no means desert His cause or suffer His enemies to triumph as the prophet feared. But

mark the variety of the instruments which God was pleased to employ: Hazael, king of Syria;

Jehu, the rude captain of Israel; and Elisha, a young farmer—great differences here! And yet

each one was needed for some special work in connection with that idolatrous people at that time.

Ah, "the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have

no need of you" (1 Cor. 12:21). Yea, as some of the smaller and frailer members of the body

perform the most useful—and essential offices, so it is often by the most unlettered and

apparently unqualified men that God accomplishes the chief exploits in His kingdom.

We may also perceive here how God exercises His high sovereignty in the instruments He

employs. �either Hazael nor Jehu was a pious man: the former came to the throne by foully

murdering his predecessor (2 Kings 8:15), while of the latter we read, "But Jehu took no heed to

walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of

Jeroboam" (2 Kings 10:31). It is often His way to make use of wicked men to thrash those who

have enjoyed but spurned particular favors at His hands. It is indeed remarkable how the Most

High accomplishes His purpose through men whose only thought is to gratify their own evil lusts.

True, their sin is neither diminished nor condoned because they are executing the decrees of

Heaven; indeed, they are held fully accountable for the evil, yet they do only that which God’s

hand and counsel determined before to be done, serving as His agent to inflict judgment upon His

apostate people.”

18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees

have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have

not kissed him."

1. What a shock this had to be to Elijah. He had just informed God that he was the only believer

left in the land, but God corrects his math, and says he was off by 6, 999. That was more than a

slight error, and he had to be humbled by such a figure. Believers are always assuming that they

are in the minority and that most people in the world are unbelievers, but God is working in the

lives of people that we know nothing about. We are not likely to think we are the only one left,

but we feel we are alone in many situations where it appears to be controlled by unbelief. Don't

assume that God does not have partners of which you are unaware.

2. This new and encouraging information put new life into Elijah, and he ran off again to do the

will of God with joy and enthusiasm. It was his ignorance and needless fear that led him into the

dumps. �ow that has been cleared up, and he is refreshed and ready to serve the Lord with

renewed energy. If only we could see the big picture we would not let the little scenes that we

imagine take us down in despair. I am all alone in this battle with enormous forces is how he felt.

�ow that he knows he is just one of a good size army of comrades in the faith, he is ready again

for the fight. Ignorance is not bliss, but rather a blister on the soul that lays us up in a pity party

of me, myself, and I. It is depressing to feel all alone in a world where it seems that nobody but

you cares about anything that matters. All of us would be depressed with that conviction. That is

why we need fellowship, and the assurance that we are never alone, and that we have human

partners as well as the partnership of God. People need the Lord, but they also need people.

3. Howat, “Let us pause for a moment and gather up the truth. The spiritual Israel are far more

numerous than any one knows. Whence does this arise ? Sometimes from their obscurity of

worldly station. The seven thousand were in the caves ; and so very sad mistakes are frequently

made as to the people of God, because many of them occupy but humble positions. When

Constantine the Great was converted to Christianity, when Charlemagne embraced it a few

centuries later, when Lord Rochester was reclaimed from infidelity, when Wilberforce, from

being ' the joy and crown of Doncaster races, became a penitent sinner at the foot of the cross, —

the facts in each case were speedily known, from the eminence of the different individuals. But

every Christian man is not the cynosure of a thousand eyes ; all have not the publicity of rank

and wealth ; cottages are more thickly spread than palaces, huts than lordly halls — and hence,

in our computations of the righteous, we overlook many a name.”

4. Pink has a totally different view of this passage from the majority of commentators, and a good

deal of evidence to support his perspective. He wrote, “On this verse we take decided exception to

the interpretation given by the great majority of the commentators, who see in it a Divine rebuke

unto the prophet’s dark pessimism, supposing it was God’s reply to his despondent "I only am

left," when in reality there was a multitude in Israel who refused to join in the general idolatry.

For several reasons we cannot accept any such view. Is it thinkable that there could actually be

thousands in Israel who remained loyal to Jehovah and yet the prophet be totally unaware of

their existence? It is not surprising to find one writer of note saying, "It has often been a subject

of wonder to me how those seven thousand secret disciples could keep so close as to be unknown

by their great leader: attar of roses will always betray its presence, hide it as we may" - but he

creates his own difficulty. Moreover, such a view is quite out of harmony with the context: why,

after bestowing honor upon the prophet, should the Lord suddenly reprove him?

The careful reader will observe that the marginal reading opposite "Yet I have left Me seven

thousand" is, "Yet I will leave me seven thousand." The Hebrew allows of either, but we much

prefer the latter, for it not only removed the difficulty of Elijah’s ignorance (which the former

necessarily involves), but it accords much better with the context. The Lord was graciously

comforting His despondent servant. First, the Lord informed the prophet that another should

take his place and carry on his mission. �ext He declared He was by no means indifferent to the

horrible situation, but would shortly make quick work of it in judgment. And now He assures

him that, though summary judgment should be visited upon Israel, yet He would not make a full

end of them, but would preserve a remnant for Himself. �or does Romans 11:4 in anywise

conflict with this, providing we change the word "answer" to "oracle" (as the Greek requires!),

for God was not replying to an objection, but making known to Elijah things to come.

It will thus be seen that we take an entirely different view from the popular interpretation not

only of verse 18, but of the whole passage. Every writer we have consulted regards these verses as

expressing the Lord’s displeasure against a refractory servant, that He dealt with him in

judgment, setting him aside from the honored position he had occupied by appointing Elisha in

his stead. But apart from the gentle rebuke implied in His question, "What doest thou here,

Elijah?", there is nothing to signify the Lord’s displeasure, but much to the contrary. Rather do

we regard these verses as a record of God’s comforting answer to the prophet’s despondency.

Elijah felt that the forces of evil had triumphed: the Lord announces that the worship of Baal

should be utterly destroyed (v. 17 and cf. 2 Kings 10:25-28). Elijah grieved because he "only was

left": the Lord declares "I will leave Me seven thousand in Israel." So desperate was the

situation, they sought to take the life of Elijah: The Lord promises that Elisha shall complete his

mission. Thus did Jehovah most tenderly silence his fears and reassure his heart.”

5. Clarke, “Idolaters often kissed their hand in honour of their idols; and hence the origin of

adoration-bringing the hand to the mouth after touching the idol, if it were within reach; and if

not, kissing the right hand in token of respect and subjection. The word is compounded of ad, to,

and os, oris, the mouth. Dextera manu deum contingentes, ori admovebant: "Touching the god with

their right hand, they applied it to their mouth." So kissing the hand, and adoration, mean the

same thing-thus Pliny, Inter adorandum, dexteram ad osculum referimus, totum corpus

circumagimus: �at. Hist. lib. xxviii., cap. 2.-"In the act of adoration we kiss the right hand, and

turn about the whole body." Cicero mentions a statue of Hercules, the chin and lips of which were

considerably worn by the frequent kissing of his worshipers: I have seen several instances of this,

especially in the paintings of old saints: the lips and mouth of beautiful paintings literally worn

away by the unmerciful osculations of devotees.”

6. Henry, “The comfortable information God gives him of the number of Israelites who retained

their integrity, though he thought he was left alone (1 Kings 19:18): I have left 7000 in Israel

(besides Judea) who have not bowed the knee to Baal. �ote, 1. In times of the greatest degeneracy

and apostasy God has always had, and will have, a remnant faithful to him, some that keep their

integrity and do not go down the stream. The apostle mentions this answer of God to Elijah

(Romans 11:4) and applies it to his own day, when the Jews generally rejected the gospel. Yet,

says he, at this time also there is a remnant, Romans 11:5. 2. It is God's work to preserve that

remnant, and distinguish them from the rest, for without his grace they could not have

distinguished themselves: I have left me; it is therefore said to be a remnant according to the

election of grace. 3. It is but a little remnant, in comparison with the degenerate race; what are

7000 to the thousands of Israel? Yet, when those of every age come together, they will be found

many more, 12,000 sealed out of each tribe, Revelation 7:4. 4. God's faithful ones are often his

hidden ones (Psalms 83:3), and the visible church is scarcely visible, the wheat lost in the chaff

and the gold in the dross, till the sifting, refining, separating day comes. 5. The Lord knows those

that are his, though we do not; he sees in secret. 6. There are more good people in the world than

some wise and holy men think there are. Their jealousy of themselves, and for God, makes them

think the corruption is universal; but God sees not as they do. When we come to heaven, as we

shall miss a great many whom we thought to meet there, so we shall meet a great many whom we

little thought to find there. God's love often proves larger than man's charity and more extensive.

The Call of Elisha

19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of

Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he

himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him

and threw his cloak around him.

1. The act of throwing it over the shoulders of Elisha was a symbolic act denoting his summons to

the office of prophet. It denoted that the gifts of a prophet would be placed upon Elisha. It was a

trivial thing that changed his life forever because he responded to it. Jean Pierre Caussade writes

in the book "Abandonment to Divine Providence" "God speaks to every individual through what

happens to them moment by moment." He goes on - "The events of each moment are stamped

with the will of God.... we find all that is necessary in the present moment." Again: "We are

bored with the small happenings around us, yet it is these trivialities - as we consider them -

which would do marvels for us if only we did not despise them." If we focus on the things that

happen to us daily as possible ways that God is calling us to his service, we would see

opportunities daily to do so, and be partners with God in achieving his purposes in our lives.

1B. “�ever were there two individuals more opposite than these two lights of this age in Israel,

alike in training and in mental temperament. The one was the rough child of the desert, without

recorded parentage or lineage ; the other is trained and nurtured under the roof of a genial home,

mingling daily in the interchange of domestic affection, loving and beloved. If we are most

familiar with the one in rocky wilds, caves, deserts, mountain solitudes, we are so with the other

among the home- steads of Israel, or leading a city life, as a foster-father, among the schools of the

prophets. If the one has been likened to the sun, the other has the softened lustre of the moon, or

of the quiet evening star. ... In a word, the one was the Boanerges of his time — **a son of

thunder;" the other was Barnabas — "the son of consolation." * — Dr. Macduff's Prophet of

Fire”

1C. Gill, “Jewish writers generally understand it, there were twelve ploughs, and a yoke of oxen

to each, and a ploughman to attend everyone, and Elisha attended the twelfth; or was with one of

the twelve, as the Targum, and might have the oversight of them all; Kimchi thinks, and so

Abarbiuel after him, that this signified that he should be leader of the twelve tribes of Israel:”

2. Howat, “O contrast in sacred Scripture — neither Jacob and Esau, Ruth and Orpah, Peter and

John, Martha and Mary — is either so striking or so complete, as the contrast between Elijah

and Elisha. When Elijah appears on the scene, it is suddenly, without the slightest warning, and

with a previous history of which nothing is known. Elisha, on the contrary, is a domesticated

man, at home with his father and mother, and having spent all his life amid the rich pasture-

lands of the Jordan valley. Elijah is emphatically The Desert Prophet — in the grot of Cherith,

the wilderness of Arabia, the solitudes of Horeb. Elisha, on the other hand, resides at Jericho, is a

frequent visitor at Shunem, has his own house in Samaria,' and lingers now and again among the

schools of the prophets. In externals, we find Elijah with a rough skin mantle and long shaggy

locks ; we find Elisha attired in the ordinary dress of the period/ and with a shaven crown at

which the young men mocked.' On his introduction to work, Elijah begins with a miracle ; but it

is a miracle of judgment, — ' There shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my

word.' Elisha also begins with a miracle ; but it is a miracle of mercy, — ' There shall not be from

thence any more death or barren land.

Elijah is to a large extent solitary; Elisha is almost invariably surrounded by companions.* When

Elijah appears in connection with kings and courts, it is uniformly as their opponent — ^Ahab,

Jezebel, Ahaziah.' When Elisha appears in the same connection, it is only as 'guide, counselor,

and friend :' predicting victory for the three kings,* curing �aaman, applied to by Benhadad,

crowning Jehu,* and giving his dying instructions to Joash. Elijah was fierce, furious, and stem,

'the hurricane, earthquake, and fire.' Elisha was gentle, peaceful, and calm, — the earliest

fulfillment and first embodiment in living form of * the still small voice* of Horeb. With Elijah

there were many maledictions and few benefactions ; with Elisha there were many benefactions

and few maledictions — and with reference to the two of the latter class that might be quoted, it

is sufficient to say, with Stanley, * The leprosy of Gehazi is but as the condition of the deliverance

of �aaman ;* and again, as to the cursing of the young men of Bethel : ' The act itself, and its

dreadful sequel, are exceptional in the life of Elisha ;' while over against both are to be placed the

'healing' of the waters at Jericho,^ the increase of the widow's oil,* the restoration of the

Shunammite's son,* the antidote to the poisoned pottage,* the prophecy of miraculous plenty,*

and even the life-giving power of his sepulchre, — for 'when the man was let down and touched

the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet. Other points of contrast between the two

great prophets might easily be raised. It was the work of Elijah's life, for example, to protest

against idolatry ; but Elisha never seems to have interfered. Elijah passed up into glory without

'tasting of death.' Elisha went * the way of all the earth,' and, according to Josephus,' had a

splendid funeral.”

3. Howat continues, “We have here, once more, the high honor put upon honest labor. As Moses

was called from * the flocks,* Gideon from 'the thrashing-floor,* Matthew from the custom-

house of Capernaum, Peter and John from their fishing-boats, so Elisha is called from 'the

plough to do God's work in Israel. �o occupation which is worthy of a believing man, need either

unfit him for the cultivation of a religious spirit, or hinder him in the reception of highest

spiritual blessing. Even the Master, with the sweat standing in bead-drops on His noble brow,

wrought hard at a carpenter's bench.”

4. After the rain the farmers were back in the fields getting the soil ready for the first crop in

years. There was hope again, and people were busy taking advantage of the changes in the

weather. Elisha was just a farm boy. David Legge wrote, “We don't know what age Elisha was in

this scene. We don't know where Elisha was born, but we do know the place where Elisha was

living at this particular time. It says in verse 16 that he was the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah.

Abelmeholah - that is a place that really means 'The Valley of Dances'. It was a valley of dances;

it was a festival place. It was a place where there would be many parades and successions, and

festivities and celebrations, for that particular community, right there in the Valley of the

Jordan.”

5. David Legge goes on, “It seems that Elisha was from a wealthy family because we read, in

verse 19, that Elisha had 12 yoke - 12 teams of oxen - that was a lot for someone in those days. We

see also that Elisha was in a place of authority over this great wealth that his father had, because

he was in charge of the twelfth team, the twelfth yoke of oxen. He's bringing up the rear; he's in

charge, which is a sign of his authority. But we also see, like many today, Elisha's wealth and

family wealth did not breed idleness. Because right from day one his father had Elisha out in the

field, ploughing the field, doing the work, bringing growth to that farm.”

6. Legge continues, “They were two very different people. �ot very much difference in their

names, and sometimes we get them mixed up - there's a difference of a 'j' and an 's' - Elijah and

Elisha. Elijah appears on the scene in the Bible - in the scriptural record - he appears quite

abruptly, it seems out of nowhere. But we are given in this passage, Elisha's domestic situation.

He was a man who lived at home with his father and with his mother. He lived in the rich valley

of Jordan.

Elijah comes to us through the word of God as a solitary, haunting individual who lives in the

rocks and the mountains and the grooves and the caves. He eats strange food. He wears strange

clothing. Yet Elisha comes across as an ordinary man from Jericho, a man who lives in his own

home, and even has his own house in Samaria. Elijah is robed in sheepskin. He is a man with a

mass of long shaggy hair. Yet Elisha is a man who seems to wear ordinary dress and a man who,

in fact, is bald (remember, the young men came to him and mocked him for his baldness). Elijah

was fierce and furious. He was a strong, stern, unbending man. But Elisha was a humble, gentle,

peaceful, calm, approachable person.” “I want to suggest to you this morning that Elisha was

like our blessed Lord. Just as John the Baptist prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ, Elijah

was now preparing the way for Elisha. He was preparing the way for these great signs and

wonders that would take place across the whole land.....we know from the word of God that the

number of miracles that Elisha did was second only to the Lord Jesus Christ.”

7. Clarke has extended comments on this calling of Elisha. He has divided them into 6

paragraphs that I will quote in their entirety except for a concluding section of paragraph 5,

which did not seem relevant.

O� the call of Elisha, I may make a few remarks.

1. Elijah is commanded, 1 Kings 19:16 , to anoint Elisha prophet in his room. Though it is

generally believed that kings, priests, and prophets, were inaugurated into their respective offices

by the right of unction, and this I have elsewhere supposed; yet this is the only instance on record

where a prophet is commanded to be anointed; and even this case is problematical, for it does not

appear that Elijah did anoint Elisha. �othing is mentioned in his call to the prophetic office, but

the casting the mantle of Elijah upon him; wherefore it is probable that the word anoint, here

signifies no more than the call to the office, accompanied by the simple rite of having the prophet's

mantle thrown over his shoulders.

2. A call to the ministerial office, though it completely sever from all secular occupations, yet

never supersedes the duties of filial affection. Though Elisha must leave his oxen, and become a

prophet to Israel: yet he may first go home, eat and drink with his parents and relatives, and bid

them an affectionate farewell.

3. We do not find any attempt on the part of his parents to hinder him from obeying the Divine

call: they had too much respect for the authority of God, and they left their son to the dictates of

his conscience. Wo to those parents who strive, for filthy lucre's sake, to prevent their sons from

embracing a call to preach Jesus to their perishing countrymen, or to the heathen, because they

see that the life of a true evangelist is a life of comparative poverty, and they had rather he should

gain money than save souls.

4. The cloak, we have already observed, was the prophet's peculiar habit; it was probably in

imitation of this that the Greek philosophers wore a sort of mantle, that distinguished them from

the common people; and by which they were at once as easily known as certain academical

characters are by their gowns and square caps. The pallium was as common among the Greeks as

the toga was among the Romans. Each of these was so peculiar to those nations, that Palliatus is

used to signify a Greek, as Togatus is to signify a Roman.

5. Was it from this act of Elijah, conveying the prophetic office and its authority to Elisha by

throwing his mantle upon him, that the popes of Rome borrowed the ceremony of collating an

archbishop to the spiritualities and temporalities of his see, and investing him with plenary

sacerdotal authority, by sending him what is well known in ecclesiastical history by the name

pallium, pall, or cloak? I think this is likely; for as we learn from Zechariah 13:4, and ; 2 Kings 1:8 ,

that this mantle was a rough or hairy garment..........”

6. It seems, from the place in Zechariah, quoted above, that this rough cloak or garment became

the covering of hypocrites and deceivers; and that persons assumed the prophetic dress without the

prophetic call, and God threatens to unmask them. We know that this became general in the

popish Church in the beginning of the 16th century; and God stripped those false prophets of

their false and wicked pretensions, and exposed them to the people. Many of them profited by

this exposure, and became reformed; and the whole community became at least more cautious.

The Romish Church should be thankful to the Reformation for the moral purity which is now

found in it; for, had not its vices, and usurpations, and super-scandalous sales of indulgences,

been thus checked, the whole fabric had by this time been probably dissolved. Should it carry its

reformation still farther, it would have a more legitimate pretension to the title of apostolic. Let

them compare their ritual with the Bible and common sense, and they will find cause to lop many

cumbrous and rotten branches from a good tree.”

7. Pink, “The summons which Elisha received to quit his temporal avocation and to henceforth

devote the whole of his time and energies to God and His people is noted in, "So he departed

thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before

him, and he was with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him" (1

Kings 19:19). Observe how that here, as everywhere, God took the initiative. Elisha was not

seeking Him, but the Lord through Elijah sought him out. Elisha was not found in his study but

in the field, not with a book in his hand, but at the plow. As one of the Puritans said when

commenting thereon, "God seeth not as man seeth, neither does He choose men because they are

fit, but He fits them because He hath chosen them." Sovereignty is stamped plainly upon the

divine choice, as appears also in the calling of the sons of Zebedee while "mending their nets"

(Matthew 4:21), of Levi while he was "sitting at the receipt of custom" (Matthew 9:9), and Saul

of Tarsus when persecuting the early Christians.

Elisha means "God is Savior" and his father’s name Shaphat signifies; "judge." Abel-meholah is

literally "meadow of the dance" and was a place in the inheritance of Issachar, at the north of the

Jordan valley. Elisha’s father was evidently a man of some means for he had "twelve yoke of

oxen" engaged in plowing, yet he did not allow his son to grow up in idleness as is so often the

case with the wealthy. It was while Elisha was usefully engaged, in the performance of duty,

undertaking the strenuous work of plowing, that he was made the recipient of a divine call into

special service. This was indicated by the approach of the prophet Elijah and his casting his

mantle—the insignia of his office—upon him. It was a clear intimation of his own investiture of

the prophetic office. This call was accompanied by divine power, the Holy Spirit moving Elisha to

accept the same, as may be seen from the promptness and decidedness of his response.

Before we look at his response, let us consider the very real and stern test to which Elisha was

subjected. The issue was clearly drawn. To enter upon the prophetic office, to identify himself

with Elijah, meant a drastic change in his manner of life. It meant the giving up of a lucrative

worldly position, the leaving of the farm, for the servant and soldier of Jesus Christ must not

"entangle himself with the affairs of this life" (2 Tim. 2:4). (Paul’s laboring at "tent-making" was

quite the exception to the rule and a sad reflection upon the parsimoniousness of those to whom

he ministered.) It meant the breaking away from home and natural ties. Said the Lord Jesus, "He

that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or

daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37). If such immoderate affection was

an effectual bar to Christian discipleship (Luke 14:26), how much more so from the Christian

ministry. The test often comes at this very point. It did so with the present writer, who was called

to labor in a part of the Lord’s vineyard thousands of miles from his native land, so that he did

not see his parents for thirteen years.”

8. J. Hampton Keathley, III Throwing it over the shoulders of Elisha was a symbolic act denoting

his summons to the office of prophet, but it was also a sure sign of God’s gift that enabled him to

fulfill the prophetic office and ministry. This act by Elijah was a prophetic announcement that

the gift of prophecy had been given (or would come) to Elisha. It was immediately understood by

Elisha even without words. While some will disagree, I do not believe God calls believers in the

same way today. Today, every believer is a priest of God (1 Pet. 2:5, 9) and is in some sense called

to full-time service to represent the Lord even if their occupation is secular. As believers in

Christ, we are God’s representatives and called to ministry according to the gifts God gives us.

Part of this occurs in the work place, part in the home, part may occur in the church, and part

may occur with a neighbor, etc. Every believer has a spiritual gift (or gifts) and this represents at

least a portion of the mantle of God’s call on one’s life.”

20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me

kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I

will come with you."

"Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"

1. The implication of the cloak was that Elijah wanted Elisha to follow him and become his

student in learning the will of God. It was his call to ministry, and he did not hesitate, but asked

to at least kiss his parents good-by. The assumption being that he would be gone for some time in

following Elijah. Elijah seems to feel somewhat guilty by calling the boy away from his home and

duties without any contact with his family. Elijah was a man on his own, and could come and go

with no thought of anyone else. It dawned on him that Elisha could not do that, for he had

relationships with other people and needed to take them into account, and not just skip out on

them with no notice. Elisha woke him up to the reality that not everyone is so independent as he

is.

2. Howat, “Without the utterance of a word, Elijah strips off his sheep-skin mantle, throws it

over the shoulders of the youthful ploughman, claims him for his spiritual son, invests him with

prophetic office, demands from him immediate acquiescence, — all of which are implied in ' the

throwing of the mantle' in the narrative, as among the Brahmins and Persian Soofees at the

present hour. Elisha is the first of the seven thousand of whom the fugitive prophet had been told

in the cleft of Horeb, and his divinely commissioned successor when his work is over. Go, return,'

said God at Sinai, 'anoint the son of Shaphat to be prophet in thy room;' and in the symbolism of

the mantle, we have both ordination and call.”

3. Pink, “There was no jealous resentment that another should fill his place: as soon as Elisha was

encountered Elijah cast his mantle upon him—indicative of his investiture with the prophetic

office and a sign of friendship that he would take him under his care and tuition. So indeed the

young farmer understood it, as is evident from his response. And he left the oxen, and ran after

Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee"

(v. 20). The Spirit of God moved him to accept the call, so that he at once relinquished all his

worldly expectations. See how easily the Lord can stir men up to undertake His work in the face

of great discouragements. "Had he consulted with flesh and blood, he would have been very

unwilling to be in Elijah’s situation, when thus hunted in those dangerous times, and when there

was nothing but persecution to be expected. Yet Elisha chose to be a servant to a prophet rather

than master of a large farm, and cheerfully resigned all for God. The prayer of Divine grace can

remove every objection and conquer every prejudice" (Robert Simpson). "And he said unto him,

Go back again: for what have I done to thee?" (v. 20). Very beautiful is this: there was no self-

importance, but rather total self-renunciation. Like John the Baptist (who came in his spirit:

Luke 1:17) he was sent to usher in another, and his language here was tantamount to "he must

increase, I must decrease." Blessed humility !”

4. Henry, “An invisible hand touched his heart, and unaccountably inclined him by a secret

power, without any external persuasions, to quit his husbandry and give himself to the ministry.

It is in a day of power that Christ's subjects are made willing (Psalms 110:3), nor would any come

to Christ unless they were thus drawn. Elisha came to a resolution presently, but begged a little

time, not to ask leave, but only to take leave, of his parents. This was not an excuse for delay, like

his (Luke 9:61) that desired he might bid those farewell that were at home, but only a reservation

of the respect and duty he owed to his father and mother. Elijah bade him to back and do it, he

would not hinder him; nay, if he would, he might go back, and not return, for any thing he had

done to him. He will not force him, nor take him against his will; let him sit down and count the

cost, and make it his own act. The efficacy of God's grace preserves the native liberty of man's

will, so that those who are good are good of choice and not by constraint, not pressed men, but

volunteers.

It was a discouraging time for prophets to set out in. A man that had consulted with flesh and

blood would not be fond of Elijah's mantle, nor willing to wear his coat; yet Elisha cheerfully,

and with a great deal of satisfaction, leaves all to accompany him. Thus Matthew made a great

fast when he left the receipt of custom to follow Christ. 4. That it was an effectual call. Elijah did

not stay for him, lest he should seem to compel him, but left him to his own choice, and he soon

arose, went after him, and not only associated with him, but ministered to him as his servitor,

poured water on his hands, 2 Kings 3:11. It is of great advantage to young ministers to spend

some time under the direction of those that are aged and experienced, whose years teach wisdom,

and not to think much, if occasion be, to minister to them. Those that would be fit to teach must

have time to learn; and those that hope hereafter to rise and rule must be willing at first to stoop

and serve.”

21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of

oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing

equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and

they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his

attendant.

1. Pink, “But Elisha’s acceptance of this call from God not only meant the giving up of a

comfortable worldly position and the breaking away from home and natural ties; it also involved

his following or casting his lot with one who was very far from being a popular hero. Elijah had

powerful enemies who more than once had made determined attempts on his life. Those were

dangerous times, when persecution was not only a possibility but a probability. It was well then

for Elisha to sit down and count the cost; by consorting with Elijah, he would be exposed to the

malice of Jezebel and all her priests. The same is true in principle of the Christian minister.

Christ is despised and rejected of men, and to be faithfully engaged in His service is to court the

hostility not only of the secular but of the religious world as well. It was on religious grounds that

Jezebel persecuted Elijah, and it is by the false prophets of Christendom and their devotees that

the genuine ministers of God will be most hated and hounded. �othing but love for Christ and

His people will enable Elisha to triumph over his enemies.

"And he returned back from him and took a yoke of oxen and slew them and boiled their flesh

with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people and they did eat." This farewell feast

was a token of joy at his new calling, an expression of gratitude to God for His distinguishing

favor, and the burning of the oxen’s tackle a sign that he was bidding a final adieu to his old

employment. Those oxen and tools of industry, wherein his former labors had been bestowed,

were now gladly devoted to the celebration of the high honor of being called to engage in the

service of God Himself. Those who rightly esteem the sacred ministry will freely renounce every

other interest and pleasure, though called upon to labor amid poverty and persecution; yea, they

who enter into the work of our heavenly Master without holy cheerfulness are not at all likely to

prosper therein. Levi the publican made Christ "a great feast in his own house" to celebrate his

call to the ministry, inviting a great company thereto (Luke 5:27-29).

Then he arose and went after Elijah and ministered unto him" (1 Kings 19:21). That was the final

element in this initial test. Was he prepared to take a subordinate and lowly place, to become a

servant, subjecting himself to the will of another? That is what a servant is: one who places

himself at the disposal of another, ready to take orders from him, desirous of promoting his

interests. He who would be given important commissions must prove himself. Thus did God

approve of Stephen’s service to the poor (Acts 7:1, 2). Because Philip disdained not to serve tables

(Acts 6:2, 5) he was advanced to the rank of missionary to the Gentiles (Acts 8:5, 26). On the

other hand, Mark was discontented to be merely a servant of an apostle (Acts 13:5, 13) and so

lost his opportunity of being trained for personal participation in the most momentous

missionary journey ever undertaken. Elisha became the servant of God’s servant, and we shall

see how he was rewarded.”

2. Howat, “..the son of Shaphat returns to his paternal fields, and like David in the thrashing-

floor of Araunah, that the plague might be stayed, performs a hurried but symbolical act. A yoke

of oxen is slain. With the wood of the agricultural implements, termed in the narrative ' the

instruments of the oxen,' a fire is kindled. The field labourers are called round. His father and

mother were in all probability also present. A farewell feast is given ; and there, amid the

dripping bullocks and the burning ploughs, Elisha testifies his entire renunciation of a happy

home, and an affluent calling, to enter with the self-consecration of a life upon the higher,

doubtless, but unquestionably at that moment the perilous office, to which through Elijah he had

just been summoned. . Elisha the ploughman is now Elisha the prophet.”

3. Howat continues, “According to Josephus, ' he began to prophesy presently. He followed Elijah

on his northern journey, remained with him for a period of seven or eight years, and was

popularly known as his ' disciple and servant,in the cities of Samaria and the schools of the

prophets. Pause here, again, and gather the spiritual lessons that lie close at hand. Self-sacrifice

for God is here plainly inculcated. In the case of Elisha, we read of no struggle between duty and

convenience, between personal interest and obedience to the unmistakeable will of Heaven. There

was compliance at once, hearty and unreserved ; and of his surrender to Elijah it may be said, as

of the disciples with reference to a higher Master, he ' left all and followed Him.' The example is

lofty, and the imitation becomes us all. We are not asked to relinquish our homes, and our

friends, and our substance to anything like the same extent ; but if the sacrifice in our case be

easier, it should be all the more willingly and cheerfully made. Why speak of unreasonable

demands in relation to Him, who gave what even He could never exceed in gift — 'that whosoever

believeth should not perish, but have everlasting life?'

4. Bob Deffinbaugh, “It does not appear that Elisha belonged to the “school of the prophets” (see

1 Kings 20:35; 2 Kings 2:7; 4:1, 38; 5:22; 6:1; 9:1), but he does appear to be the son of wealthy

parents. (How many people have 12 pair of oxen, all plowing the same field at the same time? In

today’s terms, Elisha would be behind the wheel of the twelfth massive four-wheel-drive tractor.)

From the description we are given of Elisha, he is a man of real character. When singled out by

Elijah, he goes to his home and announces his calling and departure. He then returns to offer a

sacrifice, using the oxen he had been plowing with—an expensive meal, indeed. And he burns the

yoke and the harness to cook as fuel for the sacrificial fire. It is as though he had said, “I’ve made

this decision to follow God, and Elijah, as a prophet, and I have no intention of turning back.”

Today we would say, Elisha burned his bridges. What a humble thing for the son of wealthy

parents to do—he left his family and took up the life of a prophet, becoming Elijah’s servant.”

5. J. Hampton Keathley, III Elisha had developed biblical values, priorities and eternal

perspectives that had captured his heart which then controlled what he did with his life. As a

result, he acted on his faith by following God’s call. He was willing to be uprooted from his quiet,

peaceful, and rural life with its financial security to follow the Lord. Obviously he knew what his

nation needed was the Word of the Lord. Like the sons of Issachar, he understood the times and

knew what he must do (1 Chr. 12:32).But I think it is also important to note where Elisha was

when Elijah found him. Though he belonged to a prominent family, he was at work in the field

with the rest of the field hands. Though wealthy, he was not irresponsible or lazy. This didn’t

make him a leader, but it certainly demonstrated he had already developed the kind of character

needed for leadership. �ot only did hard work build character, it gave him a testimony to those

around him.”

6. It appears that Elisha owned the equipment himself. He was in partnership with his father, and

by burning his equipment he was saying that he left nothing to fall back on, for he was going all

the way with the Lord. His present life was abandoned, and he was committed to be a student of

Elijah at any cost. It seems like a waste of good livestock and equipment that could be given to

someone else, but dad already had a ton of equipment, and he did not need it, and so it was sort

of a symbolical act of making it clear that he was not coming back to the farm. The old has

passed away and the new has come, and so Elisha starts his ministry with an all out dedication of

his life and all he possessed to the purpose of God.