Jesus Creator Savior Lord King #7 Jesus Encourages Elijah 1 Kings 19:1-18

 

Jesus Creator Savior Lord King #7 Jesus Encourages Elijah
Text: 1 Kings 19:1-18

 

Introduction:

Dwight Nelson told a story about a Romanian SDA pastor (a true one). He had a little black kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor pled, got warm milk, etc. The kitty wouldn’t come down. So he decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach the kitten.  He did all this, kept getting out to check, then figured if he went just a  little bit farther, the tree would be bend sufficiently to  reach the kitten. But as he did so, the rope broke. Of course, the tree went Boing! and the kitten sailed through the air  out of sight.  The pastor felt very bad. He walked all over the neighborhood, asking people if they'd seen a  little kitten. No. So he prayed  "Lord, I just commit this  kitten to Your keeping," and went on about his  business. But for the next few days he felt terrible about that kitten. No matter what he did he couldn’t help but feel sad.

A few days later he was at the  grocery store, and he met a church member and looked into her cart and he was amazed to see cat food, knowing she  hated cats. He  asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate  cats?" She replied, "You won't believe  this," and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. The little girl was upset that she couldn’t have a cat and the mother said she was getting so tired of the asking so a few days ago, the girl with tears in her eyes, pleaded, “Please, can I have a cat????” Finally, the mother broke down and said, "I tell you what, if God gives you a cat, you can keep it." She told the pastor, "I watched  my little girl go out in the yard, and get on her knees, and I knew she was asking God for a cat. And I know you won’t believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes.  Suddenly a little black kitten came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws spread out, and landed in front of her!"

Not all issues of life are so easily dealt with nor our prayers so quickly answered. In this life we often have to deal with the problems of stress, burnout, depression and even despair. Sometimes we need some encouragement from the Lord and He is always so faithful to His own. This morning, I want to look at one individual who really needed some encouragement from his God. Turn to I Kings 19:1

Depression and Despair After The Battle - 1 Ki 19:1–2

 Daring Deeds and Death Threats

Let’s set the stage before we read. In the previous chapter, Elijah had just wrought 2 great miracles before the King Ahab and the people of Israel on Mt. Carmel. First, he called down fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice that was laid upon the altar of God. Second, he prayed for rain after a 7-year drought and God sent it that very afternoon. On the power of those miracles, he called for capital punishment of the prophets of Baal. Does that sound harsh? Please keep in mind that that prophets of Baal practiced human sacrifice and the greatest sacrifice that could be given to Baal, Moloch, Astarte, or Chemosh was the life of an innocent child. They were worthy of death many times over.

 Elijah had to believe that after such great miracles, Israel and the royal house of Ahab and Jezebel would repent. The nation would destroy their idols and return to worshipping Jehovah the one true God. Elijah, in the power of God, runs to the palace and waits for news that the King has repented, but that is not what happened at all.

 Instead we read in 1 Kings 18:46 – 1 Kings 19:1-2 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.

Elijah hit a three-stage crisis in his life. Nationally, spiritually and personally everything seemed to crash at the same time.

Nationally his country was morally bankrupt, corrupt, idolatrous and hypocritical. Proclaiming that Jehovah is God but not changing any idolatrous practice or immoral lifestyle.

Personally, he saw himself as a failure, the great miracle working prophet of Israel, a man that God had used to show more miracles than any other man since Moses and yet those miracles or perhaps his leadership as a prophet had not resulted in a in Israel.

And spiritually he was simply spent, he was emptied out. He had been on the run from Ahab and Jezebel for 7 years, the same seven years that had brought a terrible famine in Israel, he had lived as an outlaw hiding out with a widow and her son, consisting mainly on nothing more than ground meal and olive oil.

Finally, after all those years, the Lord says its time to put in motion the great battle of faith on Mt. Carmel, there was a great, undeniable victory. The fire of God fell from heaven, the sacrifice was miraculously accepted by God and then 850 child murdering prophets of Baal had been slain, the rains returned and Elijah receives … not thanks from the King, not a revival from the people but instead an vow of death from the evil Queen Jezebel, the real power behind the throne of Israel. 1 Kings 19:2 So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.

What kind of mental, emotional and spiritual shape do you think you would be in, after all that?

Directive To Rest

Let’s start this sermon on encouragement by talking not about encouragement after depression or despair, but encouragement to prevent stress and burnout before it becomes despair. We all know that overwork, stress and fatigue can lead to depression, illness, and burnout. We know it but we don’t often do anything about it.

When I was a young boy in Central Height Missionary Baptist Church, I remember my pastor teaching my Sunday School Class and telling all us little 4th graders, “The Devil doesn’t take a vacation why should I?” That made sense to me for a long time, probably up until the first time I went through a period of burnout and then I realized, “Hey, you’re not supposed to be following the Devil you’re supposed to be following Jesus Christ and yes, He took vacations.” But they were called retreats.

There are at least 4 retreats or withdrawals from the stress of God’s work which Jesus took in the 3 years of his ministry. Withdrawal to Galilee, Withdrawal to the Sea, Retirement to Tyre and Sidon, Retreat to Ephraim and once in Mark 6 where he tried to get away and couldn’t. Not to mention several times when he left Jerusalem or Judea to move back to Galilee to avoid the Pharisees and opposition or sailed across the sea of Galilee to get away from the crowds, even though he was overtaken by more needs in the Demoniac of Gadara. 

Jesus understood that His disciple were going to burn out if he did not get them away for a retreat. Who are we following if we ignore His example?

 Illustration: Jesus Commands Rest At Completion of their Mission

Mark 6:31-32 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

Transition: Now then, what happens if you don’t retreat to rest.

Despair And Desertion – 1 Kings 19:3-4

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. 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

 Driven to Despair

Elijah had to get away. He had no reserves of fortitude or strength left, and so he ran. Some say he ran out of fear. I used to think that, but this was the man who God had protected from Ahab and Jezebel so incredibly that when Elijah found the kings servant and told him to bring Ahab, the servant was sure that the Spirit would simply take him up and away again.

I’m sure there had to be some fear, but I think Elijah “went for his life” as the Bible says, not so much out of fear but out of a need to restore, reclaim and reestablish his own spirit. He needed time away to reaffirm his life’s purpose, meaning, and especially his relationship with his God.

I’m not sure exactly why Elijah ran, but we do know where he ran, all the way out of northern Israel into the southern kingdom of Judah to Beersheba, which is on the southern border of Judah just before you enter the Negev wilderness. There he leaves his servant, perhaps in his mind because he would no longer need a servant.

When he got into the wilderness he sat down under a Juniper tree, a broom tree and basically said, “I can’t handle any more, LORD, take my life; for I am not better than my fathers. They failed and I have now failed.”

 He was stating the condition he was in. Time to quit trying, give up and turn it all over to the Lord. He would either act on Elijah’s behalf or ignore Elijah and let him die, … in the wilderness sitting under a broom tree. Now that’s a sad picture of despair.

Elijah may have been deep in depression and despair and done with serving the Lord but the Lord was through with Elijah. Aren’t we glad when we feel tired and ready to quit like Elijah that the Lord never gets tired of us and His love never quits. So the Lord comes and detour Elijah on his path to destruction.

Destruction Detour - 1 Kings 19:5-8

And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, (so we know this is The Angel of the Lord, this is Jesus coming to Elijah) and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

 Driven By Divine Guidance

Make sure you take notice that here in vs. 5-6 is the first mention in all of history of angel food cake. It had a different recipe, though because instead of making giving him a sugar rush, it gave him strength for a 40 day hike into the wilderness. Don’t you wish you had the recipe for that kind of angel food cake.

Seriously, take note that the Lord came as an angel to strengthen and encourage Elijah. Twice he comes and tells Elijah to do several specific things, eat, drink, rest, then go and as you go, fast. Now it was amazing food but after that 2nd meal, Elijah like the Lord Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness.

When Elijah was at the end of his strength, that was when the Lord began to pour out His strength into Elijah’s need. When we need strength to carry on, Jesus will always be there with an endless supply.

Remember what he promised the apostle and us in John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (Who knows he might even bring divine Angel food cake.)

Now Elijah goes on a soul, body and mind restoring journey, a quest to reclaim his life. It turns out that the trip to Mt. Horeb or Mt. Sinai, the mountain of God doesn’t take 40 days. Elijah traveled to Mt. Sinai, found a cave to live in and continued to fast for 40 days. I think all this was part of God’s plan to rescue Elijah from this severe discouragement.  He needed good food and water, good rest, good exercise, a good retreat and a good fast.

 Design for Detouring Depression

I believe that God has a plan for a rest for His people.

A Daily Plan. God designed our bodies and minds to rest every day.  Its called sleep, and at my age throw in an afternoon nap. I used to avoid them now I plan for them. You need sleep! You better be getting 6-8 hours of sleep day. Without it you run the risk of burn out, loss of energy, lower immunity, and weight gain. Depression and despair often follow these events.

You also need time alone with God when you are wide awake. This is a rest from the world, time away from the sin and suffering and time with God who knows all about the sin and suffering before it happened.

Weekly - God has ordained a day of rest. In the Old Testament it was called the Sabbath, today is the Lord’s Day. And God designed us to rest with Him on that day. The Lord’s day is not a side journey as you follow the Lord, it is the path you follow with the Lord. It is imperative. It is vital. It is worth sacrificing other things in your life and schedule for. If your schedule keeps you way from God’s house, you will sooner or later suffer in your relationship to the Lord and his people.

During The Year - In the Old Testament God set several times a years for retreat and not work. (The medieval peasant had more days off than the modern worker.)

 Passover, 15th-22d Nisan

 Unleavened Bread

 Pentecost, 6th Ciwan) Pilgrimage

 Tabernacles, 15th-22d Tishri) Festivals

 Firstfruits

 Feast of Trumpets, 1st Tishri

 Atonement, 10th Tishri

Sabbath Years, Every seventh year the land was to lay fallow and not be worked.

Jubilee -  Every 50th year the land was to lay fallow for both the 49th Sabbath year and since it was the seventh seven it was to lie fallow for the 50th year as well.

To detour your emotional, spiritual and mental down times look to the Word of your Creator as Elijah did.

Eat right, sleep right, exercise, fast when needed, get away regularly. These provide physical, mental and emotional rest. Then go to the Word of God and the Throne of God daily and to the House of God at least weekly. These provide spiritual rest and heavenly encouragement. These are vital in overcoming this world’s incessant attacks of stress, worry and anxiety.

Dwelling In The Dark - 1 Kings 19:9-10

And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

 Elijah Alone In the Dark

In the darkness of that cave we hear Elijah’s despair. He no longer is asking to die, but he is feeling very desperate. He believes all the prophets of God are slain and that he is the only one left and yes they want to kill him as well.

Then God intervenes…

And what an intervention it is.

Darkness Defeated - 1 Kings 19:11-13

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

 God’s Gives A New Day

This is an encouragement earthquake, a hope hurricane, a love landslide, a friend in need fire, a whisper of help and a question for commitment. The Lord doesn’t mess around when His people need help.

Elijah sits in the cave and yes he is despondent, depressed, down-trodden to the point of quitting the office of prophet. (BTW Elijah never considered suicide, he, just like Job asked God to let him die, but not he or Job ever contemplated taking their own life, nor would they ever considered it.)

Here now, for the second time God asks him “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

I think you have to look at God’s question in two parts. First, What are you doing? Why aren’t you active, why aren’t you doing what you are supposed to be doing as my prophet? The answer you are looking for, the restoring you are looking for will not come by hiding in a dark cave. It’s time to get out and get going.

Secondly, the end of the sentence, “What are you doing here?” Why are you in this place at this time? What purpose are you serving here in the wilderness away from Israel where I have commissioned and placed you?

His answer is the same as when God asked the first time, 1 Kings 19:14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Much of what Elijah said was colored by his emotional state. Yes, it was bad in Israel but it was not as bad as Elijah was seeing and stating it now.

Not all the children of Israel had forsaken the covenant there were some faithful people left, one of them was the King’s servant Obadiah who God had used to save 100s of other true believers. And of course, this meant that Elijah was not the only one left as God is going to tell him in just a moment.

Nevertheless, it is how Elijah felt in the present despair and darkness he was in. But God is going to set Elijah straight and give him a plan and a purpose. Its in vs 15.

Light For A New Day - 1 Kings 19:15-18 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

The new Light was a plan for Action.

Four commands were given, First Go! You can’t stay here in a dark cave and hope to overcome your situation or serve your God, your country or save your own life.

Second, anoint a new king in Syria. This would cause civil war in Syria and Ben-Haddad who had been such an terrible enemy to Israel would be killed and Hazael would reign.

Third, anoint a new King in Israel. Find Jehu, Ahab’s chariot driver, and anoint him to be King in Israel. This would begin the destruction of the house of Ahab and the end of Baal worship and the evil, queen advocate Jezebel.

Fourth, anoint Elisha, to be prophet in your place. It is ironic, I guess that would be the right word, that Elijah actually would see his prayer request granted. God would take his life, but instead of dying, God would take his life by flying him to heaven in a chariot of fire and Elisha the farmer’s boy would take up his mantle and become the new Prophet of God in Israel.

 God’s Plan For Our New Day

Let me apply Elijah’s situation and God’s solution to our own times of darkness.

Like Elijah’s time, this is a dark time for our nation.

Yes, we used to be a nation built on Christian principles but that is no longer true. The great majority of people in this country are religious atheists. That is, they are either outright agnostic and atheists denying God’s existence and certainly his right to rule in their lives or they are religious but their religion is no better than a pale atheism. They may call themselves Christians, but the way they live and believe makes them functioning atheists. Their lives and actions deny God’s very word, makes God a liar and God’s people agents of sin.

Our nation which was built on the principles of morality and truth found in God’s word is falling apart because people today don’t really believe in God, His word, or His truth. Families are a minority, true churches are dying and false worship in the form of mindless emotionalism and false prophet worship is growing like a malignant disease.

It’s easy to find ourselves in the dark. And though there was only one possible choice in the past presidential election, that person and all his appointments cannot lift this kind of darkness.

Also, like Elijah we may feel we’ve failed in our work, our calling or our purpose in life. Especially as we get older and look back and realize I never envisioned myself here not in my 40s, 50s 60 or 70s. When I look back I realize I don’t even know who that kid was but it sure isn’t me now.

And like Elijah we may feel that spiritually we are running on empty, we are spent due to the harsh events, the painful experiences, the brokenness we have endured.

Sometimes, many times it is only by hanging on by our fingernails that we made it through. Only by the skin of our teeth are we still here. Events can overwhelm us and our spirit is the shock absorber of our life and it seems like we need to get new shocks.

Just look at some of the things we have been praying for over the course of the past year or so, cancer, covid, car wrecks, pneumonia, death of loved ones, death of babies, death of faithful pastor and their families. How does your spirit deal with events and sorrow and pain like that?

And yet as Christians we all have and you know what, we will again. But it can and often does leave us feeling like Elijah, alone in the darkness telling God how bad this darkness is. That is no exaggeration, it is bad. You don’t get out of the darkness by pretending it isn’t dark. You’ll just get further lost in the cave. Don’t be ashamed to call out to God when you’re depressed, in despair and in the dark. Call out for God is listening and waiting for that call.

So, remember what God told Elijah to pull him out of his darkness and apply it to my own dark times.

First, remember God’s instruction, Get out of the cave!” Elijah had to get out of the cave. 1 Kings 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.

Nothing will change unless you step out of the darkness and listen to the Lord word. The worst thing any of us can do is choose to stay in the dark. The dark feeds on itself and grows even darker.

And when you go out remember that God wasn’t in the great wind, the terrible earthquake or the roaring fire. God was in the still small voice. Listen because in the Bible and know where else, you will hear, God’s still small voice speaking directly to you.  

Second, Remember God’s question, asked twice to emphasize its importance, “What are you doing here?” Where is your action, your doing? You can’t stay idle and get out of the dark. You must get busy,  you must get doing something and it should be for the Lord and others.

Alos remember the second part of that question, “what are you doing here?” Look where you are. A dark cave is no place to find light. Look where you are at in your physical location, your emotional location and especially your spiritual location. If you are in a dark place you need to move to a place where there is light. Alcoholics don’t turn their life around while sitting in a bar. Sinners don’t turn their life around sitting with a bunch of sinner. And God’s children don’t turn their despair around by staying in the dark.

Go where there is light. The light of God’s power, presence and people. You know where that is? Right where you are right now. Go to church for a dose of God’s light and love.

Third, Remember God’s solution.  Follow God’s plan and do something in the lives of others. He told Elijah to do four things, Go and contact 3 people.

The go part you need to do, but don’t take the anoint part literally here. It isn’t going to be received very well by your family and friends if you sprinkle olive oil on them instead of a salad. So look for another application here.

It’s really is about serving, in this case serving the Lord and serving others. By choosing Elisha, Elijah took on a successor and he became a mentor. Everywhere that Elijah now went Elisha went with him. He taught by example, he taught by instruction, he taught by his actions and Elisha became as great and in some cases a greater prophet than Elijah.

Want to come out of the darkness in your own life? Then find someone you can help, or teach, or be a blessing to as a parent, a grandparent, a friend, a church member, or as a faithful, giving, loving child of God.

Being a blessing by serving and helping others takes the light that God has sparked in you and fans it into a torch that you then can pass on to others.

Jesus’ Last Lesson - John 15:11-19

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

That is the New Testament equivalent of what we just read from the OT account of Elijah’s darkness.

The darkness of the world’s hate is overcome by loving others and obeying the Lord. It is not hard to understand, though in the depths of our darkness it will seem hard to do, but still do it. It is the Lord’s command, and it is the cure for the despair and darkness of this world and its sin.

Conclusion

 Don’t stay in the dark. If you find yourself in the dark, and we all do sooner or later, then look for the light of God’s Word, listen to that still small voice and then take the light and message and share it with others who are still in the dark. Even a candle overcomes the darkest night and a whisper overcomes the quietest silence. The Light of God’s Word and the Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be hidden by the darkness of sin in this world nor silenced by the deepness of despair. Look for the light, listen for the voice. The Lord is waiting to encourage you no matter how dark it may seem.