But Elisha answered, I swear by my loyalty to the living Lord and to you that I will not leave you. So they went on to Jericho. Keeping our focus on the Lord and our minds relating to God in the midst of a fallen and evil world that says, happiness, security, significance, (i.e., your needs), are found in the details of life, is not easy. When we proudly protect our own turf, when we get our eyes on people and what they have done or said, we fail to see God at work. Elijahs situation was different. After several days on the run, Elijah collapses exhausted, lonely, frightened, and feeling utterly defeated. 4Tell my lord, King Benhadad, that I agree; he can have me and everything I own, Ahab answered. . In other words, while there are physical causes, and these should be checked out, the most common causes are spiritual. 18(J)Yet I will leave seven thousand people alive in Israelall those who are loyal to me and have not bowed to Baal or kissed his idol., 19Elijah left and found Elisha plowing with a team of oxen; there were eleven teams ahead of him, and he was plowing with the last one. Share The final season of "Girls" kept us guessing. They say: As psychiatrists we see more people suffering from depression than from all other emotional problems put together . . In the section before us we see the cause of the change in Elijah. At Elijahs word, kings trembled, the rains stopped, a jug of oil never ran dry, a boy was raised from the dead, fire fell from the sky, revival broke out, and hundreds of idolatrous prophets of Baal were executed. The Lord has made these prophets of yours lie to you. On the other side, Elijah asked Elisha, what can I do for you before I am taken from you? (2 Kings 2:9). They will be there about this time tomorrow., 7King Ahab called in all the leaders of the country and said, You see that this man wants to ruin us. 18He ordered, Take them alive, no matter whether they are coming to fight or to ask for peace.. (b) He began to think of himself and his ministry as indispensable to the Lords cause. Debbie Przybylski, Elijah and the Miracle of Fire from Heaven (7) One of the most common causes, however, is in the area of the spiritual, mental, and emotional. Ultimately, Elijah reached Mount Horeb, and God spoke to him, giving him new tasks and generally making it clear that he wasnt finished with Elijah yet. If we get a headache, we take medicine. Whether in victory or despair, we can trust the Lord to know exactly what we need and to meet our every need in His sometimes, miraculous ways. Spiritual stability is one of the blessings of our salvation in Christ. 1 Kings ends with the death of Ahab, and 2 Kings starts with the story of Elijah calling down fire. It is worth noting that Enoch is commended in Hebrews 11:5 for his great faith. Further, our expectations can easily slip into a sense of a demandingness--demanding that things work out the way we think they should. 31His officials went to him and said, We have heard that the Israelite kings are merciful. Just like the rest of us, he experienced the problem of depression--that mental and emotional condition marked by feelings of discouragement, worthlessness, dejection, guilt, apprehension, and failure. Turn around and pull out of the battle!, 35While the battle raged on, King Ahab remained propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. God did not forsake Elijah. Sometime after Ahaziahs death, Elijah passed his title on to Elishain a particularly dramatic way. He went up the hill, fell on his knees in front of Elijah, and pleaded, Man of God, be merciful to me and my men. He was looking for a real turnaround in the spiritual conditions of the kingdom and his expectations may have moved into the realm of a sense of demandingness. I offered to buy his vineyard or, if he preferred, to give him another one for it, but he told me that I couldn't have it!, 7Well, are you the king or aren't you? Jezebel replied. Its about time someone commissioned a new epic about one of the Old Testaments other truly great heroes. I will get you Naboth's vineyard!, 8Then she wrote some letters, signed Ahab's name to them, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the officials and leading citizens of Jezreel. We see this in his words, the sons of Israel have forsaken . The Israelites looked like two small flocks of goats compared to the Syrians, who spread out over the countryside. I have commanded a widow who lives there to feed you. 10So Elijah went to Zarephath, and as he came to the town gate, he saw a widow gathering firewood. Unable to hurt the Lord, Jezebel did what Satan and people always do. If the Lord is God, worship him; but if Baal is God, worship him! But the people didn't say a word. You shouldn't say that! Jehoshaphat replied. . We bring it on ourselves by wrong thinking and wrong choices, and for some reason we unconsciously choose to get depressed. King Ahab had been privileged to see the mighty power of God displayed, the name of Yahweh vindicated, and the prophets of Baal severely defeated and destroyed. Then, when I tell Ahab that you are here and he can't find you, he will put me to death. Depression, as we have been discussing it here, is not something we catch like a virus, something that is unavoidable. Life is much like a roller coaster--full of ups and downs. Christina Patterson, Lessons from Elijah During Times of Testing Elijah and Elisha set out from Gilgal, 2and on the way Elijah said to Elisha, Now stay here; the Lord has ordered me to go to Bethel.. 45In a little while the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind began to blow, and a heavy rain began to fall. By the same token, never use activity to narcotize the pain. They say his flight down to Beersheba and beyond was not a flight for his life, but a trip to get alone with God since he saw conditions were not going to change. In this season of hiding, the Lord graciously cares for Elijah at every turn. As the metaphorical Elijah, John called people to repentance and a life of obedience, preparing the people of his generation for the coming of Jesus Christ, the One who had come "to seek and to save what was lost" ( Luke 19:10) and to establish the ministry of reconciliation ( 2 Corinthians 5:18 ). Did you come here to remind God of my sins and so cause my son's death?. Elijah was perhaps the most powerful of God's prophets in the Old Testament. Condemning Ahab for Naboths death (1 Kings 21). 13Meanwhile, a prophet went to King Ahab and said, The Lord says, Don't be afraid of that huge army! 17Then the Lord said to Elijah, the prophet from Tishbe, 18Go to King Ahab of Samaria. (c) James statement that Elijah was a man of like nature with us undoubtedly came from Elijahs actions in this chapter. 23Elijah took the boy back downstairs to his mother and said to her, Look, your son is alive!, 24She answered, Now I know that you are a man of God and that the Lord really speaks through you!. Later in the chapter, God illustrates that to the Prophet. Attack! Micaiah answered. All I have is a handful of flour in a bowl and a bit of olive oil in a jar. The fire was followed by rain ending the long drought, further showing God's grace. It was that he did so without Gods direction and without God as his primary shelter. She sent a messenger with her threat. 19Tell him that I, the Lord, say to him, After murdering the man, are you taking over his property as well? Tell him that this is what I say: In the very place that the dogs licked up Naboth's blood they will lick up your blood!, 20When Ahab saw Elijah, he said, Have you caught up with me, my enemy?, Yes, I have, Elijah answered. Elijah and Elisha - Bible Story Verses and Summary - Bible Study Tools For some things we dont need Gods intervening direction. But you will receive it if you see me as I am being taken away from you; if you don't see me, you won't receive it.. Therefore, this house is going to follow Him. Instead, he ignored the facts about the Lord, and called attention to the acts of Elijah--how he had mocked the Baal priests, confused them, and eventually had the people help kill them. Elijah challenges Ahab to a demonstration of his deity, Baal, versus the God of Elijah at Mount Carmel. We need to know we are complete in Christ and have been given gifts of grace to serve Him (Col. 2:10; Rom. This is seen as we examine 19:4, 10, and 14. We will not always live the victorious Christian life we see in inspirational stories. Spare our lives! Depression is simply a man-made and temporary solution to our pain. He is also one of two prophets who appear with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. To top the event off, Elijah had all the priests of Baal killed. 19Give the boy to me, Elijah said. I will do the same with the other bull. The story continues as Elijah confronts the evil king, Ahab, about being the cause of problems for the people of Israel. Since he has done this, I will not bring disaster on him during his lifetime; it will be during his son's lifetime that I will bring disaster on Ahab's family.. Not only is the Lord omnipresent, but how comforting to know He has promised to never leave nor forsake believers no matter what we face (Ps. All right you; or Go on, but come back, because what I have just done to you is important. He was tired, exhausted, and in the wilderness by himself without food and water. 6They answered, We were met by a man who told us to come back and tell you that the Lord says to you, Why are you sending messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? 47The land of Edom had no king; it was ruled by a deputy appointed by the king of Judah. It may also be caused by such things as drugs, low blood sugar, glandular disorders, allergies, brain tumors, and chemical imbalances. As detailed in the next section, Elijah went through a period of discouragement after things didnt go quite as he expected following this big success. Elijah and Hayley first fell in love with each other when he found out that she was carrying his brother Klaus' (Joseph Morgan) child. (1) Moses and Elijah are seen as possibilities for the two witnesses due to the specific miracles that John says the witnesses will . And so it can be with us. Worst failures: Fearing Jezebel, Elijah flees into the desert and asks the Lord to take his life. I think not! Elijah is first introduced in 1 Kings 17 as the prophet who predicted a three-year drought in the land. A spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, The Originals premiered on The CW in 2013. At the end of these years without rain, Elijah calls a national contest on Mount Carmel between the Lord God, creator of heaven and earth, and the wicked pagan gods of Baal and Asherah. My father! After his great triumph atop Mount Carmel, however, Elijah fears Queen Jezebels vow to take his life by about this time tomorrow (1 Kings 19:2). The situation becomes a mountain and the Lord becomes in our sight like a mole hill. God had let him down, and no one would stand with him in the fight. Like most prophets mentioned in the Old Testament, Elijahs job involved condemning sinful leaders and foretelling the punishments that God would bring if people didnt repent. One of the great causes of discouragement is the lack of apparent progress, yet progress is not always obvious especially in spiritual matters, at least not to us. 8/29/2017 in Personal. Heb. Some principles we can glean from this negative focus and response of the prophet: (1) We should never walk by sight--as things appear to us. The lateDavid Sanfords book and Bible projects were published by Zondervan, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson, Doubleday, Barbour, and Amazon. Scouts sent out by Benhadad reported to him that a group of soldiers was coming out of Samaria. 3:18-4:2). Elijah the Prophet - Life, Hope and Truth 45Everything else that Jehoshaphat did, all his bravery and his battles, are recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah. Rest, relaxation, and solitude with the Lord needs the balance of involvement in work and ministry, but always out of a spirit of faith, never just activity. (b) The immediate context of Jezebels actions supports the view that Elijah was running for his life. . 37So died King Ahab. 18Then they returned to Elisha, who had waited at Jericho, and he said to them, Didn't I tell you not to go?, 19Some men from Jericho went to Elisha and said, As you know, sir, this is a fine city, but the water is bad and causes miscarriages.. Why won't you eat?, 6He answered, Because of what Naboth said to me. Elijah did as the Lord commanded, 5and the messengers returned to the king. Money definitely does not buy happiness. 10(S)If I am a man of God, Elijah answered, may fire come down from heaven and kill you and your men! At once fire came down and killed the officer and his men. In the next lesson, we will look in more detail at verses 5-19. Indeed, He sought him out and ministered to him. Why did God take Enoch and Elijah to Heaven without them dying? Good News Translation (GNT). They both served in the northern kingdom of Israel. . He also spoke out against Ahabs successor, Ahaziah. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. How Can Christians Know if They're Trapped in Culture Wars? 32With these stones he rebuilt the altar for the worship of the Lord. All rights reserved. The world offers many solutions for relief, but they are not only temporary and shallow, but they invariably lead us away from Gods solutions. Elijah and Hayley meet in New Orleans after he discovers that she is being held hostage by witches. There is one last important moment in Elijahs life, which came at the end. What about our strategies? At the present time, one American in 20 is medically diagnosed as suffering from depression . 7As Obadiah was on his way, he suddenly met Elijah. . Turning Point - Dr. David Jeremiah, Elijah 17:14). The challenge is to offer sacrifices to their respective deities and see which starts a fire to prove their divinity. 39Everything else that King Ahab did, including an account of his palace decorated with ivory and of all the cities he built, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. In Romans 4:16, Abraham is called the father of faith. We can only guess. What Is the Thorn in the Flesh Paul References in 2 Corinthians 12:7? The Syrians fled, with the Israelites in hot pursuit, but Benhadad escaped on horseback, accompanied by some of the cavalry. Elijah had expended a great deal of energy--both physical and spiritual. You areyou and your father. Please bring me a drink of water, he said to her. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. 27The Israelites were called up and equipped; they marched out and camped in two groups facing the Syrians. People want to feel better and to be comfortable. Elijah was a prophet of Israel during the Old Testament period. This is what some call burnout. Because it stresses our vulnerability as Bible-believing Christians. 17When Ahab saw him, he said, So there you arethe worst troublemaker in Israel!, 18I'm not the troublemaker, Elijah answered. Biography of Elijah, Old Testament Prophet - Learn Religions 3:5-9), and He does so in different degrees (Matt. In other words, Elijah is depressed out of his mind. 18After some time, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, Go and present yourself to King Ahab, and I will send rain. 2So Elijah started out. When Elijah returned the boy to his mother, the woman could recognize that Elijah was a man of God and was amazed. The chariots and horsemen of Israel! (2 Kings 2:12). Were told nothing more, not even who his parents were. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Then, a chariot of fire pulled by fiery horses appeared, coming between Elijah and Elisha. But 1 Corinthians 13:7 also says, love bears all things, . 2King Ahaziah of Israel fell off the balcony on the roof of his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. Ahab repented and God decided to hold off the family lines destruction for a generation. Elijah answered, All right, go back. 13Once more the king sent an officer with fifty men. 35At the Lord's command a member of a group of prophets ordered a fellow prophet to hit him. . 13:24), and according to His timing (Eccl. 14For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The bowl will not run out of flour or the jar run out of oil before the day that I, the Lord, send rain.. But something really shattered Elijahs focus and his faith. 4The brook will supply you with water to drink, and I have commanded ravens to bring you food there.. Let us go and look for your master. In the New Testament, quick references to Elijah appear in Matthew 11:14, Matthew 16:14, Matthew 27:47-49; Mark 6:15 and Mark 8:28; Luke 1:17, Luke 4:25-26, Luke 9:8, and Luke 9:19; John 1:21 and John 1:25; Romans 11:2; and James 5:17-18. After that, Elijah apparently got a message that God was going to take him away, which other prophets also knew. 20King Benhadad of Syria gathered all his troops, and supported by thirty-two other rulers with their horses and chariots, he marched up, laid siege to Samaria, and launched attacks against it. Elijah was expecting revival and reformation, but instead he experienced rejection and a threat against his life. In other words, he was seeking his significance, his value on his life, from his success in terms of outward results. Sometimes we put forth effort, put forth effort, and put forth effort . Would you say the bamboo tree grows in six weeks or in five years? The problem of burnout in the ministry among missionaries and pastors is huge. When people focus on people, one of two things happen: (a) either they brag about the person they admire, which may bring temptation to that person and encourage others to glory in man, or (b) they attack and criticize bringing persecution and heartache. She attacked the instrument and gave vent to her hatred and malice. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed all your prophets. 2He sent messengers into the city to King Ahab of Israel to say, King Benhadad demands that 3you surrender to him your silver and gold, your women and the strongest of your children.. Heres an overview of this fascinating mans life. That will be our last meal, and then we will starve to death., 13Don't worry, Elijah said to her. But it's not clear if that means he dies a spectacular death in the chariot or lives and goes to heaven. But no answer came. (c) Finally, he saw himself as an absolute failure, as worthless, as no better than his fathers who had allowed the nation to fall into this condition. Lets look at the text and see what we can learn. Sometime later, the widow's son became ill and passed away. Why mention all of this in connection with Elijah? Despite having gone through a national drought for disobeying God and seeing Gods power in a dramatic way on Mount Carmel, Ahab apparently didnt learn to behave better. Elijah was a prophet of God from the region of Gilead, on the eastern side of the Jordan River. 4:17-21). 19:7-9; 93:5; Rom. You have devoted yourself completely to doing what is wrong in the Lord's sight. Good News Translation (Todays English Version, Second Edition) He ate and drank, and lay down again. 40At his death his son Ahaziah succeeded him as king. Like so many today he was completely absorbed with a man and as a result misrepresented the truth of what had actually happened. A voice said to him, Elijah, what are you doing here?, 14He answered, Lord God Almighty, I have always served youyou alone. Why do we choose it? When we focus on our expectations and make the results we want the source of our happiness, security, or significance, we end up in the Elijah syndrome--fearful, ready to run away, and engulfed in feelings of failure and depression or fear and frustration. She reacts with vengeance and threatens Elijahs life. and nothing seems to happen. Though it would highlight several ideas: (a) our expectations, (b) our focus, (c) our strategies, and (d) the consequences, it would show how our focus (how we see a situation) can empower and encourage us, or neutralize and turn us into whimpering complainers or discouraged discontents. But, what if Clary created a new rune that would let them be together? 1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice. Also note she was still trusting in her gods that had been thoroughly exposed as impotent and futile. Depression occurs two times more often in females, than males, and it occurs three times more often in higher socio-economic groups. The Lord will give you victory., 13Meanwhile, the official who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, All the other prophets have prophesied success for the king, and you had better do the same., 14But Micaiah answered, By the living Lord I promise that I will say what he tells me to!, 15When he appeared before King Ahab, the king asked him, Micaiah, should King Jehoshaphat and I go and attack Ramoth, or not?, Attack! Micaiah answered. 11The king sent another officer with fifty men, who went up[g] and said to Elijah, Man of God, the king orders you to come down at once!. Bring him to me, Ahab ordered. Each decade of age has its own special susceptibility to depression. As Proverbs teaches us, there is a way that seems right unto man, but its end is the way of death (Prov. 14Who will lead the attack? Ahab asked. 20The Lord asked, Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and be killed at Ramoth? Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else, 21until a spirit stepped forward, approached the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. 22How? the Lord asked. Of all the chapters on the life and ministry of Elijah, 1 Kings 19 is, in my opinion, the most instructive and, in many ways, the most encouraging because we can all so easily identify with the prophet and his failure. People stubbornly cling to their self-made gods be it humanism, materialism, power, or whatever. He will kill me!, 15Elijah answered, By the living Lord Almighty, whom I serve, I promise that I will present myself to the king today., 16So Obadiah went to King Ahab and told him, and Ahab set off to meet Elijah. It belongs to us! 4And Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?, I am ready when you are, Jehoshaphat answered, and so are my soldiers and my cavalry. We might expect depression in this kind of person. How this manifests the blindness and stubbornness of the human heart. Elijah flees into southern Judahs wilderness, collapses under a tree, and begs the Lord to take him before Jezebels men find and slaughter him. One ancient translation Let us go and look; Hebrew You go and look. We become apathetic and faithless. Depression occurs most often in the fourth and fifth decades of life, but may occur during any stressful period from infancy to old age.29. Some ancient translations his brother; Hebrew does not have these words. Shame and guilt will launch an all-out attack on our confidence if we allow doubtful, worrisome, and anxious thoughts to spin into a destructive tornado. reath of the Spirit Ministries - Barbie Breathitt, The Life of Elijah: Someone Like You Have you ever been there, in the gloom of despair and defeat when all your expectations exploded in your face? answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.. You will not recover from your injuries; you will die!. 14So how can you order me to go and tell the king that you are here? 4:19). 21Near King Ahab's palace in Jezreel there was a vineyard owned by a man named Naboth. A lack of sleep, improper diet, vitamin deficiency, exhaustion are among the more simple causes. 22Then Elijah said, I am the only prophet of the Lord still left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. He said it while others were seeking to do him harm, even within the Christian community. Kristi Woods, 4 Things You Might Not Know about Elijah If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. There, he issued a challenge: built an altar and see which god set it on fire. Elijah never has anything good to say about wicked tyrants. After being miraculously fed by ravens, he later stayed with a widow and her son, and that family experienced God . And then he sends him out again with a powerful demonstration of his power, with a quiet word to his heart, with a new commission, and with the assurance that many others also were on his side. Meeting God at Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19). Or maybe he's sleeping, and you've got to wake him up! 28So the prophets prayed louder and cut themselves with knives and daggers, according to their ritual, until blood flowed. Why Should We Confess Sin if It Is Already Forgiven? But when he cried out, 33they realized that he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped their attack. 139; Heb. If she knew where he was, why didnt she send a platoon of soldiers to kill Elijah? Suddenly the Lord spoke to him, Elijah, what are you doing here?, 10(G)He answered, Lord God Almighty, I have always served youyou alone. After seven years of drought, Elijah had King Ahab bring the 450 priests of Baal and 400 priests of Asherah to Mount Carmel. 13:1-2; Rom. Set in New Orleans, the series focused on vampire/werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) and his siblings Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Rebekah (Claire Holt) as they try to take back the city they built and prepare for the . 20Then he prayed aloud, O Lord my God, why have you done such a terrible thing to this widow? 6Now, however, I will send my officers to search your palace and the homes of your officials, and to take everything they[d] consider valuable. was wearing with; or was a hairy man and wore. 22There was peace between Israel and Syria for the next two years, 2but in the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to see King Ahab of Israel. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - Bible Story, The Ten Commandments - Bible Verses and Importance Today, Parable of the Prodigal Son - Bible Story, The Resurrection of Jesus - Bible Story and Prophecy. Ahab's prophets pray for hours to Baal but nothing happens. Are we trying to meet our needs and wants by our own solutions according to our own timing rather than by Gods? He is a god! . How like human nature. 5:7; Ps. (2) Rather, it means we are to stay focused on the Lord and seek to look beyond the problems through the eyes of faith. 3:15-16). 29Then King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to attack the city of Ramoth in Gilead. Some of these causes are: Elijah had experienced a great victory on Mount Carmel with a long-time goal accomplished. 13:5-6). 13:33 and Heb. Another set of 50 troops were sent, Elijah called down fire from heaven again.
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