We find ourselves at an interesting time of history. Perhaps, more than any other time, we find ourselves polarized as a people. During the world wars the country seemed to come together in patriotic unity, but with the absence of war, and the influx of prosperity, we seemed to have lost the common causes that once united us as a people. Now we find ourselves at different poles: black and white, young and old, male and female, right wing and left wing, conservative and liberal, republican and democrat, evangelical and radical. We are faced with being in a culture with more that divides us than unites us. That was the situation in Israel during the time of Elijah. The nation was completely polarized with people who followed the true God on one pole, and those who worshiped the pagan gods on the other.
Our story begins with Jezebel, the queen of Israel’s King Ahab, putting the prophets of the Lord to death. She was committed to bringing the worship of the evil, pagan god Baal to Israel. The worship of Baal was a fertility cult and involved gross immorality and human sacrifice. Baal was also the storm god. The images of Baal have him holding a lightning bolt in one hand. He could send fire from heaven and the storms which would follow. Because of Jezebel’s wickedness, Elijah the prophet appeared to King Ahab and said: “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Over the next few years God would show that he, not Baal. was the ruler of rain. They could worship their storm god all they wanted to but there would be no rain. Elijah himself would be fed by ravens as he lived by the brook Kerith. At the end of three years Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a duel. Both Elijah and Baal’s prophets would set up altars with a sacrifice and call upon their respective gods to consume it.
At the beginning of the contest Elijah said to the people: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” And then we read the words: “But the people said nothing” (1 Kings 18:21). With that the contest began. The 450 prophets of Baal began to dance and pray. They cut themselves hoping it would move Baal to pity, but the heavens were silent. From the side Elijah began to taunt them and make fun of their god. The Bible says, “At noon Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed” (1 Kings 18:27-28).
Finally Elijah offered a simple prayer and the sacrifice on his altar was consumed by fire from heaven. A lightning bolt came that the people might have expected from the storm god, one like Baal carried in his had in the images that were made of him. The fire consumed the sacrifice and even licked up the water in the ditch that had been poured over the sacrifice. When the people saw it they fell on their faces and cried: “The Lord — he is God! The Lord — he is God!” (1 Kings 18:39). And then Elijah did to the prophets of Baal what Jezebel had done to the prophets of the Lord.
Then Elijah said to King Ahab: “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain” (1 Kings 18:41). The drought was about to end. Elijah went back up to the top of Mt. Carmel and bowed himself with his face between his knees and said to his servant: “Go and look toward the sea.” His servant came back and said, “There is nothing.” Only the hot sun shone in the sky. After the seventh time, his servant came back and said, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea” (1 Kings 18:44). In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a tremendous storm.
What more dramatic proof was needed that the Lord God of Israel was Lord of storm, rain, crops and the Creator of all nature. Elijah was sure that this was the end of all Baal worship in Israel. He was so elated that he ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way back to Samaria and waited for Ahab to tell the wicked Jezebel all that the Lord had done that day. Elijah thought that when King Ahab told her that her prophets were dead and that the people promised loyalty to the true God, she would fold under this overwhelming victory. But instead of Jezebel surrendering the fight, admitting defeat, and saying with the rest of Israel: “The Lord he is God,” she premised to kill Elijah if it was the last thing she did. And Elijah was as discouraged as he had been elated before.
Here is the first lesson we learn from the story of Elijah: Discouragement comes when we focus on the problem instead of God. It must have taken Elijah by surprise, because the same man that stood before all Israel and single-handedly challenged 450 prophets of Baal, at the rebuke of a single woman tucks his tail between his legs and runs. In spite of the power of God that he had seen working a short time before, he now sees the power of Jezebel, this political leader, as the one holding the real reigns of real power. How quickly his focus changed from God to the problem. Elijah ran until he came to the southern border of Israel and then prayed to die. He prayed the prayer of self-pity: “I have had enough, Lord, take my life” (1 Kings 19:4). When God did not take him home, he ran all the way to Mt. Sinai in the wilderness to get away from everyone and be alone. Perhaps he was hoping to die of exposure or starvation.
He came to the same mountain on which Moses had stood to receive the ten commandments as God surrounded the mountain in thunder and fire. Perhaps he hid in the same cave in which Moses stood as the lord walked by. And God said to Elijah, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And Elijah said, “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 Kings 19:9-10). The Lord said to him, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” The Lord was about to change his focus from the problem to God.
The second thing that we will see which the story of Elijah tells us is that: Discouragement comes when we focus on the wonders of God instead of the Word of God. As Elijah sat on Mt. Sinai, a tremendous storm split the mountains and broke the rocks around him, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after that an earthquake shook the mountain at its roots, but the Lord was not to be found in the earthquake. And then a consuming fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. But then came the still small voice. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in this coat, for he knew he was in the presence of a holy God. And once more came the embarrassing question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Has the Lord ever had to ask you that question: “What are you doing here?”? What are you doing in hiding? What are you doing in this place of withdrawal? What are you doing at this place of discouragement? Sometimes it is easy to feel like Elijah: “Lord, the world hates you and everyone has turned against you. There isn’t a sincere Christian left in the world — except me. I’m the only one who is standing for what is right. I’m the only one left who is really trying to serve you. No one else really cares, and it is pretty discouraging to be the only one left.”
Then God has to tell us what he told Elijah, “There are millions who have not given in to the ways of the world. There are millions who follow me — you are just not aware of them.” The problem was that Elijah had just come from the greatest victory of his life — his contest with the prophets of Baal. He had shown to the world that the Lord God of Israel was the only true God. He had expected the whole nation to then turn to God, but instead he found himself running for his life from those who refused to understand and believe.
I remember what it was like when I first became a Christian. I thought surely that if everyone just understood what it really meant to be a Christian that they would all want to be a Christian too. And I thought nothing of telling people what I had experienced. It was hard for me to comprehend why they didn’t understand, why they didn’t want the wonderful experience of becoming a Christian like I had. It is a rude awakening when you realize that as great as it is to be a Christian, for one reason or another, not everyone wants to be a Christian.
Some of the greatest disappointments can come after the greatest victories in your life. Just when you think that the whole world is coming your way the bottom drops out, and you find yourself going from complete elation to complete depression. And sometimes it is over the smallest thing. Elijah had stood up to all of Israel and all the prophets of Baal, something that took tremendous courage, and he won. He was sure that everyone would now follow the Lord. It was the high point of his whole life, but in just a few hours he was completely defeated by one little person. The world had looked so beautiful just before, but now it looked totally black, and Elijah lost his desire to live. A man of such tremendous faith was now lost in the wilderness of doubt and discouragement, because he focused on the wonders of God instead of the Word of God.
The final thing that the story of Elijah tells us is that: Discouragement comes when we focus on our inadequacies instead of God’s resources. Why is it that sometimes it is so easy to have faith, times when you even surprise yourself, and then something comes along that you really should be able to handle and it completely undoes you? Not long before Elijah had been helping people to see that God was still alive, but now he is sitting under a juniper tree wanting to die. He had been able to pray fire down from heaven, but he could not change the heart of Jezebel. Through his prayers he could demonstrate the power of God, but it did not seem to make any difference in the lives of the people he was trying to reach. The people then, like the people of today, were reluctant to believe God and follow him. They placed their faith in the power structures they could see. God had to encourage him and help him to realize that God had not changed in those few short hours, only Elijah’s emotions. God’s resources were as powerful as ever. God was not depending on Elijah, Elijah had to learn to depend on God. Elijah’s inadequacies were irrelevant to a God whose resources were unlimited.
When you live on emotions you forget about God’s resources and focus on your inadequacies. You think the whole world is as discouraged and depressed when you are. You think that your outlook is extremely realistic, even though it is extremely pessimistic. You may even think that God is as discouraged as you are. You think God has changed like your emotions have changed. Surely if God could consume the sacrifice on Mt. Carmel he was able to keep Elijah from Jezebel’s murdering hands. Why couldn’t Elijah believe Good for that? He had more faith in Jezebel’s power than in God’s power at that point. He could believe God for the spectacular, but he could not believe God for the little things. He found it difficult to hang in there for the long haul.
Then on Sinai, God had to show him that the power of God was not in the forces of nature like Baal was supposed to have. His power was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire. His power was in His Word — the still small voice of God for which Elijah had not stopped to listen. And that quiet whisper of God was so holy that it put Elijah on his face. It was so powerful that it changed his whole focus. What a God we have! The world in its madness has gone after the spectacular, but the real power of God is in that quiet whisper of God’s voice — if only we stop long enough to hear it. One word from God is more powerful than all the armies the world can muster. One word from God created the whole world and one whisper could turn it back to dust. He is in control no matter how big the problem seems, no matter how unbelieving the world is, no matter how inadequate we are — God wins all the time. The hymn tells us: “This is my Father’s world, I rest me in the thought.” When Elijah heard the whisper of God, he learned the greatest lesson a person can learn: No matter how discouraged you are, God is never discouraged. We do not have to defend God; he is fully capable of defending himself, and he will answer.
What was God’s prescription for Elijah’s discouragement? First, God gave him rest. The Lord put him into a deep sleep. Then God woke him and gave him something to eat. Fresh bread was baking on hot coals, and there was water for his parched body. God took care of his physical needs. Then he slept some more and arose again to eat. Then the Lord led him to a place where he could be alone with God. The Lord got him to talk and pour out his heart. He did not judge him or criticize him — he just listened. Then once again, God displayed his power before Elijah, but he reminded him of where the real power was — in his Word. He spoke in a quiet whisper and it was more powerful than the crash of thunder. Then God gave him a job to do. There was a king to anoint who would wipe out every trace of Ahab and Jezebel — new hope for Israel. And finally, God gave Elijah a friend and companion in Elisha — someone to share the load.
These are the prescriptions for discouragement. Get plenty of rest and nourishment. Get alone with God — you will not find God in a hurry-up world. You will never hear the quiet whisper of God if there is no time to listen and no quiet place to hear. Like Elijah, you need to talk about what is discouraging you. Find someone who will listen and not condemn you for the way you feel. Don’t look for some supernatural display of power to solve your problems, get into God’s Word. Hear God speaking to you there. And as you read, ask God for some meaningful work that you can do to serve others and take your mind off your own problems. And finally, take the risk of developing new friendships. Eventually, God called Elijah out of the cave and sent him to be with people again.
Always remember that God is never discouraged. God is still in control. The wheat and tares, good and evil, have grown up together and the time of harvest is almost here. We don’t have to worry, for the same God who made the world is returning to claim the world, and his kingdom will never end. He cares for his own, for the Bible says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
The great hymn proclaims:
Though the cause of evil prosper,
Yet ‘tis truth alone is strong.
Though her portion be the scaffold,
And upon the throne be wrong:
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow
Keeping watch above his own.
Rodney J. Buchanan
April 30. 2000
Mulberry Street UMC
Mt. Vernon, OH
www.MulberryUMC.org
Rod.Buchanan@MulberryUMC.org
GOD’S Rx FOR DISCOURAGEMENT
1 Kings 19:1-15a
“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 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 Kings 19:12-13).
The story of Elijah tells us that:
1. Discouragement comes when we focus on ____________________ instead of _____________________ ____________________________________________________ .
2. Discouragement comes when we focus on ____________________ instead of _____________________ ____________________________________________________ .
3. Discouragement comes when we focus on ____________________ instead of _____________________ ____________________________________________________ .
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION (Apr 30, 2000)
1. What are the sources of discouragement as listed in the sermon? Can you think of others?
2. Think of a time when you were really discouraged. Did it come from any of the sources mentioned? How would your attitude have changed if you had realized this truth?
3. Review the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18-19. Was Elijah justified in feeling discouraged? What did God do to turn his emotional state around?
4. What was different before and after Elijah’s meeting with Jezebel? Why?
5. What is the solution when you feel afraid or all alone and no one understands you?
6. Read 2 Thessalonians 3:13. Why is this so difficult?
7. How did God ultimately reach Elijah? How was this different from his experience with God on Mt. Carmel?
8. What do you think Elijah wanted God to do? Why didn’t he do it?
9. Read John 12:37-38. How do you think Jesus felt here?
10. Read Philippians 1:12-14. How did Paul turn difficult circumstances around? What can we learn from him?
11. In what ways do you need to learn to listen for the small voice of God rather than his miraculous displays of power?
12. Read Galatians 6:9. How can we make this spiritual principle a reality in our lives?
