Prelude
Elijah’s persecution has been echoed by many ancient prophets and modern preachers. Purpose: What can we learn from this faithful messenger’s recovery from a bitter experience? Plan: Let’s look at his story in 1 Kings 19:1-21.
He Arose and Ran
After his powerful confrontation with the false prophets of Ba’al, God’s remarkable intervention, and the subsequent capital punishment of these men who betrayed Israel’s God and were probably complicit in the massacre of His prophets, a time of severe depression seems to have taken hold on Elijah.
1 Kings 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs 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 broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
Even in the church age, a Jezebel is pictured, “who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” So serious is this sin that, even in the church age, capital punishment is called for her children (Revelation 2:18-29).
Faithful preachers today still teach God’s truth and fight modern false prophets, heresy and apostasy. Like the ancient Jezebel, modern church leaders seek to protect those who promote the worship of contemporary versions of Ba’al. The battle against idolatry occurs across the spectrum of Christian teaching, and preachers who are faithful to the Word of God are always going to be a target. What happened to Elijah is a familiar story in Christian history as well.
Arise and Eat
1 Kings 19:5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.
When we are in the midst of persecution, sometimes a good meal and a long journey to the mountain of God is best. Whether our message is to hill tribes somewhere in Asia, or a western church that has lost its way, we will face opposition. Whether the threat is to life and limb or status and membership in a local church, we will be hated if we preach the truth and not water it down. Whether the menace is from the progressive left, the legalistic right, or the wishy-washy middle, it will come, angrily in your face at times, and covertly behind your back at other times.
What are You Doing Here
1 Kings 19:9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
In the midst of depression and a desire to escape for our lives, God may also come to us and ask what we are doing here. Like Elijah, we too may state that we have worked passionately in God’s service, and that God’s word has been ignored and we are being mistreated. There is nothing new under the sun.
The Lord Passed By
1 Kings 19:11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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.
There is a place for hellfire and brimstone preaching, where the preacher stomps up and down the stage shouting a warning to a wayward church. It is not, by Jesus’ own example, something that is necessary every week. However, Jesus did speak about hell more often than anyone else in the Bible. But, He also comforted people quite often. Good preaching covers both ends of the emotional continuum between warning about hell and encouragement about heaven.
One misapprehension that hellfire and brimstone preaching might leave us with is the thought that God is always like a tornado, earthquake or wildfire. Here we see that God can also be a still small voice, a gentle whisper, especially to faithful servants who are disheartened by the ugly side of church life.
What are You Doing Here
1 Kings 19:13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
This was not a strong rebuke coming crashing down upon Elijah, but an admonition nonetheless, given in a gentle, quiet manner. There was still work to do. A pastor who has had difficulties with an evil attack has two choices, either to stay and lose his life (Luke 17:33) or to shake the dust off his feet (Matthew 10:14) and move on. For the sake of peace, moving on may often be the better option. Every faithful pastor will face times like this and feel like saying, “I alone am left.” The future work will often be unknown at first, but after some rest and recovery, God will eventually give a new direction. The wounded soldier of the cross still has a valuable place in God’s army.
Return, 7000 Have not Bowed
1 Kings 19:15 Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. 18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
An old saying is, when you fall off a horse, get back on. The Lord told Elijah to return to the ministry. There was work to do. He also said something that we should never forget. When we are at our loneliest, feeling like nobody else is facing the false accusations of the devil with us, let’s remember the seven thousand in Israel, who also had not bowed the knee to Ba’al.
There are many faithful Christians in horrible persecution in North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia and Libya who are facing imminent death, loss of income and starvation for their faith. There are many faithful Christians in America and Europe who face ostracism from family and demotion on the job because they refuse to compromise their faith or engage in dishonest practices. Spiritually, we stand shoulder to shoulder with brothers and sisters around the world, who love God like we do.
Elisha Followed Elijah
1 Kings 19:19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.
So Elisha cooked up two steers for his family and friends. That’s quite a large farewell party. What a blessing to find someone teachable that we can mentor. Many in churches have talents and abilities that could fit well within God’s service, but their attitude prevents them from being used. They may be arrogant, self-willed or know-it-alls, who like Paul are persecuting Jesus and need a Damascus Road experience (Acts 9:1–9; 22:6–11; 26:9–20). Humility is such a wonderful attitude to find, and Elijah found it in Elisha. The simple words tell the whole story, “he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.” When we find a true servant, who just wants to help, without a hidden agenda, we are so blessed.
Postlude
Persecution of ancient prophets and modern preachers is part of life. We must be ready for it, and look to God for help. It doesn’t end with one bad experience. Take time to rest, even wipe the dust off our feet. Then listen to God‘s quiet whisper. May He give us strength to continue on to the next divine appointment.
New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
