Sermon Study # 267
subtitle: RUNNING AWAY FROM THE NOISE
1 Kings 19:1-21
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. [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."
[3] Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, [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." [5] Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." [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.
[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." [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. [9] There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
[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." [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. [12] After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. [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?"
[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."
[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. [16] Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. [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. [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. Elijah was afraid (What creates fear in us? Finances, health¡K )
2. Elijah ran away (What do we run away from? Ministry, relationship, promise, confession, intimidators¡K)
3. Elijah pleaded to die (Have you ever been at a place where death was a better alternative?)
4. Elijah felt asleep (Sleeping spiritually? Sleeping physically ¡V dreaming away your problems?)
5. Elijah was blessed (Awaken by a blessing ¡V provision)
6. Elijah slept again (Doubt & fear even after God¡¦s blessing and provision?)
7. Elijah was awaken again and given instructions (What is God asking from you?)
8. Elijah traveled for a season to reach the meeting place with God (How long are we willing to wait to meet with God?)
9. Elijah had an encounter with God:
„« A mighty wind tore the mountain apart and shattered the rocks ¡V BUT GOD WAS NOT IN THE WIND
„« Then an earthquake ¡V BUT GOD WAS NOT IN THE EARTHQUAKE
„« Then a fire ¡V BUT GOD WAS NOT IN THE FIRE
„« then a gentle whisper ¡V GOD WAS IN THE WHISPER. (Not in the noise ¡V but in the whisper ¡V God is searching for a relationship with Him which is intimate ¡V near¡K )
Additioanl Ref: John 10:3 The watchman (gatekeeper) opens the gate for him (the Shepherd), and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice."
It¡¦s not about the experience ¡V it¡¦s about the relationship.
The relationship is about faith.
Faith is not about what we see ¡V but what we don¡¦t see and still believe.
