Prophet On His Knees

1 Kings 19 - Prophet on his knees

Nina LaCour in a book entitled “Hold Still” wrote these words:

The sun stopped shining for me is all. The whole story is I am sad.

Hold Still is not an easy read and I would not recommend it if you wanted a happy read either. It is about someone coming to terms with their best friends suicide. When I found this quote I thought of Elijah in our passage this morning. For Elijah the sun has stopped shining.

In chapter 18 we met Elijah the brave prophet who confronted the 450 prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel. Elijah whose faith was strong, who was the helper of Israel and on that mountain top prayed for God’s victory and God’s glory. We met an Elijah who witnessed the mighty hand of God deliver victory against Baall’s false prophets. Buoyed by that we read in verse 46 that he outran the chariot of Ahab back to Jezreel and so begins chapter 19.

Chapter 19 is a stark contrast to chapter 18. In this chapter we encounter Elijah who is full of fear and in despair for his life. He deserts his post and calling. He flees panic stricken in to the wilderness and prays for God to take his life. What has happened to this prophet, this man of God?

Let me suggest to you that Elijah’s experience of chapter 19 is all too familiar to many of us this morning, Maybe this morning you identify more readily with the Elijah in chapter 19 than the Elijah in chapter 18.

Let me also at the beginning of this sermon give you the reasons for Elijah’s despair in chapter 19. He changed his focus. His focus changed from God to circumstances, from faith to sight and from God’s glory to self-pity. The change of focus led to the man we encounter in chapter 19. So let us look a little more closely at chapter 19.

Elijah has arrived ahead of Ahab in Jezreel (18:46). I wonder was he expecting Ahab to give him a heroes welcome. After all the people have declared the Lord as God of and over Israel. Baal has been shown to be a worthless idol and his prophets slaughtered. Surely, now will be the day of the beginning of the spiritual renewal of Israel led by Elijah. That is not going to be the case.

19:1 - Ahab goes in to the palace and note “he told Jezebel all that Elijah had done.” Did you catch that? All that Elijah had done, not all that God had done on Mt Carmel. Quite a revealing comment by aha. Even thought he had witnessed the power of God his heart has not changed and he assigned the slaughter of the prophets to Elijah.

I wonder was Jezebel expecting to hear of a great victor for the 450 prophets of Baal that she had brought with her? Was she all ready to hear the good news of this “troublesome Elijah” humiliated and defeated once and for all? Quite a shock to be told her prophets lie slaughtered in the valley and the people proclaiming the Lord is God. We do not have to wait long to see her reaction - verse 2.

She vents her anger towards Elijah and sends a messenger to him to convey the death threat. Verse 2 shows the illogical thinking that occurs in anger. After all, if you were planning to kill someone why give them forewarning and an opportunity to escape? And escape Elijah did.

Verse 3 he flees for his life. We read that he was afraid and he flees to Beersheba in Judah, 100 miles away. Not the wisest of places as it is ruled by Jehoshaphat whose son had married Ahab’s daughter. Elijah leaves his servant in Beersheba and he travels another day in to the wilderness, not intending to return.

Jezebel’s threat to his life was enough to make the brave prophet of chapter 18 desert his post, flee his calling and go hide in the wilderness. Why? Because he changed his focus from God to his circumstances. Because he changed his focus from walking by faith to walking by sight. Because he changed his focus from the glory of God to self-pity.

Verse 4 - he sits down under a broom or a juniper tree and look at what he says in prayer:

It is too much Lord… I cannot cope anymore

I am the only one left… I am all alone

I am no better than my ancestors… I am no good

Take my life… I would like to end it all.

You know the unspoken complaint in all this is Why have you allowed this to happen to me?

Have you ever thought such a thing of God? Have you ever given voice to Elijah’s prayer? Of course you, you may even be giving voice to right this moment in your head and heart. It is not an uncommon experience and it is especially not an uncommon experience after we have had the Mt Carmel victory experience. It is not uncommon for us to experience a terrible low after a spiritual encounter with God’s power and victory over sin and idolatry.