|
Elijah
has been called the ‘Prince of Prophets’ and it seems that
there was only one prophet born of women greater than he, and
that was John the Baptist, who ministered in the spirit and
power of Elijah.
He was one of the only two
men in the Bible, who did not die, the other being Enoch. Gen.
5:24. Elijah was taken up into heaven in a whirlwind. 2Kings
2:11. It would seem that his ministry is not finished yet, as
it is possible that he may be one of the two witnesses of
Revelation chapter 11. Also he had the honour of being present
along with Moses, when the Lord Jesus was transfigured before
His disciples. Luke 9:27-36.
There they are seen talking
with the Lord Jesus about His death, that He was soon to
accomplish at Jerusalem. Whether they knew about it before
that time, or whether it was revealed to them by the Lord
Jesus, then, we are not told.
Yet in spite of all these
honours and unique favours, he is said to be, “A MAN,
SUBJECT TO LIKE PASSIONS AS WE ARE” James, 5:17. This is
written lest you and I give way to ‘hero worship’, and it
raises the challenge with us, that if God could use Elijah in
this way, what can He not do with us?
APPEARS ABRUPTLY ON THE
SCENE.
Elijah is introduced to us in 1Kings 17:1, simply as Elijah
the Tishbite. There seems to be some debate over this, as to
its meaning, and several suggestions have been made as to the
meaning of Tishbite. However the simplest explanation is that
he came from a village called Tishbe.
It seems that he was born in Gilead,
but as the result of the slaughter that took place at Gibeah,
he probably escaped to Gallilee, where he was known as the
Tishbite. It seems that his previous history is kept secret,
but in all his experience he had come to know Jehovah the God
of Israel intimately, and was in the habit of communing with
Him.
This holds
instruction for us even today. If we would be used of God in a
mighty way, then we must cultivate the habit of living our
lives before Him, of communing with Him. Elijah was not
trained in any prophetic school neither did he claim to be
anything. We are not told his age when he appeared before King
Ahab, but he obviously had a certain conviction that God had
sent him. He knew (as the widow later discovered), that the
“word of God in his mouth was truth”. There were many that
professed to be prophets at that time, and they were obviously
officially known, because Jezebel slew many of them. But
Elijah was not of their number. He denied himself the luxuries
that were available to such, and he lived a simple life of
rugged self- discipline. He was unlike many who profess to be
‘prophets’ today. There are many such men that are famous, and
use their position to surround themselves with luxury, and
wealth. But position and fame were no part of Elijah’s agenda.
Let us follow his example!
He stood before the Living God, (the gods
of Jezebel and Ahab, were dead idols), before ever he stood
before Ahab. Thus he could proclaim with boldness his message
of judgment. “There shall not be dew nor rain these years,
except by my word”.
Perhaps Ahab thought that he was some
cranky, or eccentric person, and probably dismissed him as
such. But in time he had cause to fear that same Elijah.
HE PRAYED THAT IT MIGHT NOT RAIN.
It was the years
of his secret relationship with God that prepared Elijah for
this ministry, and enabled him to discern the will of God. He
did not just get a bright idea, and then seek to twist God’s
arm, to grant what he requested.
Some think that
the words of the Lord Jesus in Mark 11:24, are a blank cheque
for us to claim from God whatever we may lust after or covet.
This is surely not the case, but according to John, (who heard
the Lord Jesus utter these words), we must first understand
the will of God as to any matter, and then ask according to
that will. Such prayer is assured of a positive answer. 1
John, 5:14-15. God will never encourage covetousness, but
always honors contentment and submission to His will. Heb.
13:5.
Here lies the secret to the power of
answered prayer, we surely need such power today. It is
evident that Elijah labored in prayer. He was fervent, and his
prayer was backed up by a righteous life. Thus we read in Jas.
5:16, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man,
availeth much”. We are told later that when Elijah prayed on
the summit of Mount Carmel, that he put his face between his
knees. This was a posture of the greatest humility, and
reverence, and reveals great earnestness, fervency.
I fear that I, and many of my brothers and
sisters take prayer far too casually and lightly. We say
prayers, but how often do we pray, “In the Holy Spiri?”Jude:20.
ELIJAH
SUFFERED BECAUSE OF HIS OWN PRAYER
Elijah was not
permitted to remain in the capital, but was sent back to the
land of his birth, to hide himself beside the Brook Cherith,
possibly to live in a cave there. God conveyed to him the
humiliating message that the ravens would feed him there, and
he was to drink of the brook. It is fairly easy to pronounce
judgment or difficulty for others, but how many of us are
willing to suffer along with those to whom we minister? To
taste that which we serve up to others?
Those who truly
serve the Lord, are to be completely dependant upon Him for
everything. Jehovah was the prophet’s only means of support.
He made these birds, that were unclean themselves, to act
contrary to their inbred nature. It is normal for ravens to
feed on carrion, (decaying flesh), and to devour all that they
can. It is not natural for them to carry anything away to any
other creature. But God was able to use even such birds to do
His will and to feed His servant.
It is not
uncommon today for many who call themselves God’s servants, to
receive, and even to demand a healthy salary from those to
whom they minister. Such do what Paul refused to do, “Make a
trade (or business), of the word of God. 2Cor.2:17, (J.N.D.
Trans). Where the servant depends upon man, they become the
servants of men, and have to answer to men. There is a saying
in English, that “He who pays the Piper, calls the tune”.
We are not told
where the ravens obtained the bread and flesh that they
brought both morning and evening. Some have suggested that it
came from Ahab’s table, others that it came from the homes of
some of the seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to
Baal. God does not tell us these things, so let us not
speculate. It is sufficient to note that God supplied the
needs of His servant that trusted in Him.
As the drought
continued, that came in answer to Elijah’s prayer, the brook
dried up, and Elijah was told to leave his hiding place, and
to go to Zarephath that was in Sidonia, the very area from
which the wicked Jezebel came, and where her father was King.
There he was to suffer further humiliation, as he was to be
supported by a widow. Not just by any widow, but by one chosen
by God for this service. I do not doubt, that as he traveled
that journey of more than 100 miles, Satan would constantly
remind him of the terrible thing that he was about to do. He
would take the very bread out of the widow’s mouth.
The Lord Jesus
said that there were many widows in Israel at that time, but
Elijah was not sent to any of them. There was only one person
to whom He would entrust the care of His servant. It was not
for Elijah to question or to complain, just to obey. This is a
lesson for the servants of God in every age. “Trust and obey”.
When he reached
the village, there he found the widow gathering sticks for a
fire. He did not need to have some sign from heaven to confirm
that she was the right person, he just trusted God, and he
knew. Without any introduction, and he a complete stranger, he
asked the woman to do something that was quite unreasonable.
He asked her to bring him a little water in a vessel, and also
some bread in her hand. This request revealed the desperate
condition in which the woman was, but it also revealed the
wonder and the accuracy of God’s timing.
The widow had a
son, and they had both reached the end of their resources. She
was gathering sticks to make a fire, to prepare what was to be
their last meal. After eating what she prepared, it seemed
that they would both die of hunger. The prophet then made what
seemed to be a most unreasonable request. “Fear not, go and do
as thou hast said. But make me a little cake first, and
bring it unto me, and afterwards, make for thee and thy
son.”
To any fair
thinking mind, this was a most unreasonable request; he was
about to take the last bite out of the widow’s mouth. But he
knew what God was going to do. It brings to mind what John
said about the Lord Jesus in chapter six of his Gospel. “This
He said to test him, for He knew what He would do”. Verse 6.
This was a test of the widow’s faith, and also of her
obedience. All the prophet could give her was the assurance
that came from the word of the Living God. Was she willing to
trust Him, to rely on His word alone? She was equal to the
test, and this led to obedience that resulted in her salvation
from death by starvation, and also for her son, and God’s
servant.
She could not
trust the gods of the Zidonians, they had failed her many
times, but somehow she had come to know the Living God,
Jehovah, and she was prepared to stake all on His word alone.
Without a question or complaint, she just did as the prophet
asked. Perhaps to obey would mean that it would hasten her
death, and her son’s death also. However she trusted the word
of God that came from the prophet. After all it was the word
of Jehovah, the Great God of Israel. Little did she know, that
to give up the little that she had would save her life and
that of her son as well.
The result was
that God’s word came true, the meal in the barrel was not ever
used up, and the oil in the cruse never failed, until the day
that God sent rain upon the earth. It seemed that the barrel
was never full of meal, and the cruse was never full of oil,
but as she trusted God each day, each time she went to prepare
a meal, there was always enough for their need. This is the
way that faith operates it just trusts God moment by moment,
knowing that He has promised to supply our needs.
There is a hymn
that is often sung that says that the hour of prayer, bids us
to make “All our wants and wishes known”, at the Father’s
throne. However the scripture does not support such a notion.
The Lord Jesus said that our “Heavenly Father knows that we
have need of these things”. He has promised to supply our
needs, not our wants and wishes.
In the prayer
that the Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He used the
words, “Give us this day our daily bread”. Affluence and
abundance tends to destroy our simple daily trust in God. May
He give us the grace to take Him at His word, and to trust Him
moment, by moment and day by day
LIFE FROM
THE DEAD.
However this
miraculous supply of their needs did not cause God to overlook
the past sins of the widow’s life, because her son died. She
saw this to be the hand of a righteous God calling her
attention to things that she had done, and that still remained
on her conscience. She accused the prophet of calling her sin
to remembrance, and of slaying her son. It was in kindness
that God allowed this to happen. He saw how that the sin,
(whatever it was), troubled the woman’s conscience. God wanted
that troubled conscience to be at rest, and at the same time
to manifest His wonderful power of resurrection. He wanted the
woman to possess her son in a new and lasting manner.
Though God is
righteous, yet He does not willingly afflict the children of
men. And for the believer in Christ, those who love God, and
are called according to His purpose, He makes all things,
work together for their good. Rom. 8:28. It is well for us
when trouble comes, to examine ourselves and to see whether
there is some un-confessed sin in our lives. We are told that
“He that covereth his sin shall not prosper, but he that
confesseth and forsaketh it shall obtain mercy”, Prov. 28:13.
The prophet then
took the dead boy from his mother’s arms, carried up, and laid
him on the prophet’s own bed. Then he cried to the Lord,
almost accusing Him of being unkind, of bringing evil on the
widow that had been so kind to him. Here we see the prophet’s
weakness, the manifestation of the same fallen nature that we
possess. Though God is just and righteous He is not unkind.
Sometime we may think so when things don’t turn out the way we
expect, but there is kindness in all His ways, He intends only
that we may experience His goodness and blessing.
The prophet then
stretched himself upon the child three times. This was total
identification. He sought to impart his own warmth to the
boy’s lifeless body. Then he prayed once more, to his own God.
“O Lord my God” were his lovely words. He did not seek to
coerce God into answering his prayer, but humbly asked that He
might cause the boy’s soul to come into him again. Then it is
said that “The Lord heard his voice”, his prayer was answered,
the boy’s soul came into him again, and he revived, (came back
to life). Elijah then took the living child into his arms, and
carried him down and returned him to his mothers arms once
more, with the words; “See thy son lives!”
His action
brings to mind the occasion when the Lord Jesus raised the son
of the widow of Nain, from the dead. After raising him, it is
said that the Lord Jesus “Gave him back to his mother”.(J.N.D.
trans.), Luke, 7:15. There is the demonstration of pure human
kindness in that action. Thus it was with Elijah, though
outwardly a stern and austere man, yet his heart was full of
love, pity and kindness.
FAITH
STRENGTHENED THOUGH TESTING.
When the widow
received her son, now living into her bosom, she testified
that all her doubts about God and His servant were gone. So
too was that lingering sense of guilt that had troubled her
conscience for so long. She now testifies that if she doubted
before whether this austere stranger was really a man of God,
those doubts were gone. Her confidence and trust in the
reliability of God’s word was strengthened, her doubts were
gone. We hear her say, “Now by this I know that thou art a man
of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth”.
She is suitably rewarded for the kindness that she had shown
to Elijah. Not only was her life spared, her son given back
from the dead, her sense of guilt forever gone. But thereafter
for many days she had the privilege and honor of enjoying the
company, and the ministry of her distinguished guest.
She was probably sad when the
day came that Elijah was instructed by God to go back to
Israel, and to show himself to the wicked Ahab. I wonder what
became of her? Some Jewish scholars have advanced the theory
that the son whom Elijah raised from the dead, later became
none other than the prophet Jonah. This is an interesting
speculation, but one on which we cannot build any doctrine. If
it is so, then the widow must have later moved to Gath Hepher,
because Jonah came from there. But this we will never know,
until we reach the glory.
GO SHOW THYSELF TO AHAB.
As the years of famine
dragged on, so the hostility of Satan and those under his
control increased. The wicked Jezebel blamed the disaster on
Jehovah and turned her fury on those who claimed to be His
prophets. She had all who made such claims to be slain with
the sword. However God had placed within her own one of His
loyal servants, and Obadiah was the Governor of Ahab’s house.
He hid 150 of the ‘prophets’ in a cave, and sustained them
with bread and water, which he probably took from Ahab’s
supplies.
What a contrast there was
between Obadiah and Elijah? The one content to serve Ahab, and
enjoy a comfortable position of power in his household: The
other preferring to stand before Jehovah, and to serve Him,
whatever it may cost him. Yet God made use of both. We could
not support Obadiah’s position of compromise, in which he
assisted in the organization of Ahab’s wicked system. Yet it
pleased God to put him there, and to use him, even in such a
position of compromise, to protect some of His prophets. In a
similar way today, we find true believers in situations of
compromise. They accept and go along with so much that grieves
the Holy Spirit, and the heart of God, yet sometimes it
pleases God to use them there in the accomplishment of His
will and purpose. God’s way are past finding out, yet He makes
no mistakes.
It is clear that we are not
to compromise ourselves as to truth and righteousness, yet we
must leave others that do, with their Master. They must answer
to Him, we are not to be their judge. We are responsible for
our own life, ministry and associations. We are challenged in
Rom. 14:4 with these words, “Who art thou who judgest another
man’s servant ?….God is able to make him stand”. When Elijah
was told to return and to show himself to Ahab, Obadiah was
the first person he met. Perhaps God was showing Elijah, that
in spite of the apostasy that was evident publicly in Israel,
yet still He had those who feared Him, as again later he
revealed to him.
Though Ahab despised Elijah,
yet Obadiah treated him with great reverence, and respect. He
revealed to him both the thoroughness of Ahab’s search for
him, but also the completeness of God’s protection of His
servant. Obadiah feared to go to Ahab with the news that
Elijah was now discovered, lest God should take him away
somewhere.
THE EFFECTS OF ELIJAH’S
PRAYER.
The result of Elijah’s prayer
was, that the heavens were shut up. God turned His back on His
people, and He let them reap the fruit of their sin. Under
Jezebel’s influence, they had turned away from the Living God,
and instead of worshipping Him, obeying His word and trusting
in Him, they had gone after the Baals and the Phoencian godess
of lust, Ashtoreth. This godess was claimed to be the consort
of Baal. Baal was held to be the god of the fruitful seasons,
the one who sent the rain etc.
Jehovah had to teach His
people that He was the One who controlled the seasons. It was
He that gave or withheld the rain from heaven. He was the
source of their blessing, not the mighty demon Baal, after
whom they had turned aside.
The result of Elijah’s prayer
was that there was famine throughout the land, year after
year, until their very existence was threatened. Ahab and
Obadiah had divided the land between them, in the hope that
near the watercourses that once flowed, they might find some
grass to save the horses and mules from starvation. The
Psalmist said, “Thou hidest thy face and they are troubled.”
Psalm 104:29. Thus not only the people suffered for their sin,
but they caused the animal creation to suffer as well.
God is a gracious God, but
sometimes He has to allow His people to pass through troubles
so that He may teach them to trust, to love, and to serve Him
only.
ELIJAH MEETS AHAB.
When Elijah met Ahab, the
king proceeded to put the blame for all the trouble through
which he and Israel were passing on Elijah. But Elijah was
quick to point out who was to blame. He did not fear the king,
or what he might do to him, but faithfully showed the real
cause of the plight in which the nation was.
Elijah then took control, and
gave orders to Ahab as what he was to do. Ahab meekly
submitted, though he did not realize what the outcome would
be. It is clear that ( though we are not told), Elijah had
been shown by God, just what God wanted him to do. “Gather to
me all Israel to Mount Carmel” and prophets who ate at
Jezebel’s table, 850 men. It is clear from this statement,
that though the people suffered, yet these servants of Satan
were not suffering any need. How often this is so even today.
As an example India’s streets, busses, trains etc are the
places where many beggars can be seen. A land of great
poverty, social discrimination, and injustice. While
idolatrous priests, ‘holy men’, gurus etc. live in luxury.
Even in some sections of “Christianity”, men that claim to be
the servants of God, take huge sums of money from poor people.
IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO SHAL
BE AGAINST US.
What was one man, against
850, priests, and representatives of the nation? What could
Elijah hope to do in such a hopeless situation? But it has
been said that “One man with God, is a majority”. Thus it
proved to be in this case. When all were gathered, Elijah
proposed a very reasonable test. He was the lone prophet of
the Living God, and they were 850 men. They would be given two
bullocks, the idolatrous priests and prophets would have first
choice, he would take the one that they rejected. Altars would
be erected, the animals would be sacrificed, but no fire would
be put. The God that answered by fire then let Him be the God
of Israel. The people’s response was that it was well spoken.
However first Elijah challenged the people as to why they
continued to halt between two opinions. Though they went along
with the worship of Baal, yet still they claimed to belong to
Jehovah, and that He was their God. Like so many today, they
sometimes go to Church, and would call themselves “Christian”,
yet they follow those things that God hates, things that
challenge His rights over them. They will take and enjoy those
things that God gives them, yet serve sin, and live for the
Devil. However the people remained quiet, they had no real
answer to the prophet’s clear challenge. Thus
half-heartedness, or unfaithfulness can never be justified.
The proposal being accepted,
those in the majority went to work, built their altar, and
offered their chosen bullock. The they began to call vainly on
Baal to hear and answer them, while Elijah mocked. They jumped
on the altar, cut themselves with swords and lances until the
blood gushed out, but all to no avail. There was no answer, no
fire. Elijah mocked on, urging them to shout louder. He
suggested that their god may be talking, pursuing, journeying,
or sleeping. All this is very interesting, because in India
where idolatry is practiced, there are bells that the devotees
ring at the temples where they worship, and they do this to
attract the attention of the god.
All this continued until 3
PM, when Elijah then invited the people to come near, while he
rebuilt the altar of Jehovah, which had been broken down. He
recovered the twelve stones out of the dust and rubbish, he
did not build a new altar in a different place but rebuilt the
old one. It is important to notice this, because it is God’s
way. These days so much is made of the word ‘change’, people
are constantly trying to introduce something new. New and
‘exciting’ forms of worship, ‘worship teams’ etc. But God
would have us return to that which He has laid down for us in
His holy word. Timothy was instructed to “Continue thou in the
things which thou hast learned, knowing of whom thou hast
learned them”. 2Tim. 3:14. Let us learn from Elijah’s
example.
Elijah invited the people to
draw near, and to watch what he was doing. In so doing he was
teaching them God’s way of recovery. He was preparing their
hearts to return to God, and to the way of worship that they
had left.
He then dug a trench around
the altar that would contain about two measures of seed. This
is an interesting comment, because it does not give a liquid
measurement, but mentions seed. This reveals to us that the
prophet was expecting a harvest. However there would be no
harvest until the heavens opened. The prophet then arranged
the wood on the altar, and the wood would be very dry and easy
to ignite, because there had been neither dew nor rain for
three and one half years.
THE SECOND BULLOCK.
Elijah then took the second
bullock, the one that had been rejected by the idolatrous
priests.
At Pilate’s judgement hall,
the people were asked to make a choice also. It was either
Jesus Christ, or Barabas, and they chose Barabas. The prophet
Isaiah says, “He is despised and rejected of men”, Isa. 53:3.
But the One that men rejected was the One who alone was
acceptable to God. So the prophet took the bullock that had
been rejected by the many, he shed its blood, removed its
skin, then cut it into pieces and laid it on the wood on the
altar.
He then told the people to
fill four barrels with water, which was done three times and
their contents poured over the sacrifice, the wood, and the
altar. This water would then remove any dirt that had been
attached to the sacrifice, thereby revealing its purity and
perfection. It would saturate the wood, making it very hard to
ignite, and it would also cleanse the stones of the altar. For
years they had lain buried in rubbish, dirt and debris. The
water ran down until the trench was filled also, perhaps
pointing to what God was about to do, in opening His heavens
once more, and pouring out His blessing on the parched land,
and on a restored people. The fact that it was done three
times, would remind us of the death burial, and resurrection
of the Lord Jesus, the only basis on which the blessing of God
can come to lost and sinful, but repentant, men.
We may wonder where they
would get the water from as most of the streams had dried up
during the drought. Mount Carmel, where all this took place,
is on a prominence that runs out into the sea. At its
northern base, the torrent Kishon empties into the
Mediterranean Sea. It is doubtful that this stream dried up,
as it is a permanent watercourse, but if it had, then they
would have brought the water from the sea.
THE FIRE OF GOD FALLS.
Elijah waited until God’s
appointed time, the ninth hour, the time when the evening
sacrifice was to be offered, the hour of prayer. He then
publicly called on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel,
the Living God, before whom he stood, and whose power and
faithfulness he had proved, in answering his prayers.
He asked for three things.
First that God would let it be known that He was God in
Israel. Secondly that God would show that he (Elijah), was
God’s servant, and thirdly, that he had not done these things
from his own heart, but in obedience to God’s word alone. In
the presence of God and the people who stood around, he
pleaded that He would hear him, and exercise His right over
His people, and that Jehovah had turned their heart back again
to Himself.
O may God give us men like
Elijah today! Men, who will stand before God! Men who will
suffer along with those to whom they minister! Men who will
act in obedience to the word of God alone! Men who will be
used of God to turn the hearts of His people back to Himself!
As he prayed and waited, (he
did not resort any of the fanaticism of the idolatrous
priests), the fire of Jehovah fell. It consumed the sacrifice,
the saturated wood, the cleansed stones, and licked up the
water that was in the trench.
In this action, God did
several things. He vindicated His servant. Elijah could never
be accused of acting according to his own will, nor could he
be accused of deceiving or misleading the people. Unlike many
self-proclaimed prophets today! God also showed that the
sacrifice was acceptable to Him, just as God testified to His
satisfaction with the finished work of Christ on the cross, by
raising Him from the dead.
He also demonstrated that His
people, once cleansed of the filth of their idolatry, and
their backsliding, were acceptable to Him. (The stones
representing the twelve tribes were consumed along with the
sacrifice). And He revealed that it was His will, and His
hearts desire that His people might turn again to Him. He was
willing to change their hearts, if they were willing to yield
their hearts to Him.
JEHOVAH, HE IS GOD,
JEHOVAH, HE IS GOD!
Confronted by such a clear
and powerful testimony of the presence, power and will of God,
while the deceivers, the corrupters looked on, they saw the
people fall on their faces, in reverence, and adoration. They
heard them cry, “Jehovah He is God, Jehovah, He is God!
Then on the basis of their
declaration, Elijah commanded them to seize the prophets of
Baal, to allow none to escape. They were then brought down to
the brook, (or torrent) Kishon, and Elijah there used the
sword to execute the judgment of God on those deceivers. Thus
in His wrath, through His servant, God avenged the wicked act
of Jezebel, in slaying all the prophets of Jehovah.
This was no mean feat for
Elijah, who was now an old man. To slaughter un-aided 850
persons, called for strength greater than his own. But God
gave the needed strength to accomplish His will, and He will
give the needed strength to all who have the courage and
desire to obey His word, and to do His will.
All this took place while the
wicked Ahab looked on helplessly. He was not in control now,
but the man that he dismissed as a crank or a fool, the
servant of the Living God was in control. Elijah then turned
to him, and told him to go up to eat and drink, for there was
a sound of abundance of rain. However it was only Elijah that
could hear that sound, and that was because of his faith. The
fierce rays of the sun burned down from a clear sky, yet the
faith of the prophet could discern that God was about to send
rain on the earth.
While Ahab prepared to go
away to celebrate the end of the crisis, Elijah left the scene
of the slaughter of those wicked men, and went to the top of
the Mountain to pray. Another thing we notice is that Elijah
now has a servant. Perhaps this man was amongst the crowd that
halted between two opinions. The crowd that was gathered on
Mount Carmel, that witnessed the power of God, manifested
through His feeble servant. Perhaps this display brought this
man to a decision to yield his life to Jehovah, to spend his
remaining days in the service, and the company of Elijah.
ELIJAH PRAYS AGAIN.
After reaching the top of the
Mountain, the very place where the power of God was
manifested, where the fire fell. Elijah fell to his knees.
There was no crowd present now to witness, he was alone with
his God, except for his servant. But Elijah was no showman.
Most of his prayer was in secret, when he was alone with his
God. He put his head between his knees, (not a very
comfortable posture for an old man) and once again he ‘prayed
with prayer’. Evil had been judged, nothing now stood in the
way of the fulfilment of the will of God. He knew that it was
the will of God to send rain upon the earth, because God had
revealed it to him through His word.
This is always the way that
God takes to reveal His will. Elijah had no Bible. The five
books of Moses, Job, and the Psalms, were then in existence
but we are not told that Elijah had a copy. Even if he did, we
are told in 1 Cor. 13, that the Old Testament was a dull
mirror. But now the perfect mirror has come, and now God
speaks through His word. The gift of supernatural knowledge
has been removed. It is as we daily read the word of God that
He speaks to us, and reveals his will to us. When we “ask
anything according to His will we know that He heareth
us, and if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that we desired of Him”. 1John,
5:14-15. The promise of Psalm 37:4, is conditional on our
delighting ourselves in the Lord. The promise of the Lord
Jesus in Mark, 11:24, must be understood in the light of these
other scriptures. It is not a blank cheque for the believer to
claim whatever they may lust after. It was never spoken by the
Lord to encourage covetousness.
The answer to Elijah’s prayer
did not come immediately. This was to test His faith, and to
encourage him to persist. God did not do this to prove
anything to Himself about Elijah’s faith, but he did it so
that we may have this example to follow. Each time he prayed,
he sent his servant to see if there was any sign of an answer.
Six times he went, but his answer was the same,(“There is
nothing”), but the seventh time he returned with the report
that there was a little cloud, “like a man’s hand”, arising
out of the sea. But what could he expect from such a little
cloud in a time of fierce drought? However in that little
cloud, Elijah’s faith could see the mighty hand of Jehovah.
He then sent his servant to
warn Ahab to get home before the coming storm hit. Then
Jehovah’s hand was on Elijah, He gave him superhuman strength
and endurance, he ran before the chariot drawn by galloping
horses, to the entrance of Jezreel.
JEZEBEL’S THREAT.
God’s intervention did not
please the wicked Jezebel. She did not rejoice in the relief
of the suffering of the people. She was angry that Baal had
been dethroned, and that Jehovah the Living God had exercised
His right over His people. Those whom she favoured and
supported, had been slain, her system of idol worship lay in
ruins. She would wreak vengeance on the man who stood alone
for God. The one who had been God’s chosen instrument in all
this. So she sent a messenger to Elijah, threatening to murder
him within twenty four hours. Little did she know, that she
could not touch the prophet, while ever he was in the will of
God. However Elijah did not take her threat lightly. He knew
her to be a very wicked and powerful woman. The fear of man
crept into his soul, and he ran away. Here we see what James
meant when he said that he “was subject to the same passions
as we are”. Along with the fear of man, came depression and
doubt. He asked himself, “What’s the use, why must I suffer
thus?” He had stood alone against 850 prophets and priests. He
never cringed before Ahab, yet he ran away at the threat of
one woman. Such is man, such are we! Poor failing creatures
that we are.
ELIJAH
RUNS AWAY.
Thus it was that
this mighty prophet failed, and retired from the scene of his
service, where he had been so mightily used of God. So he
arose and went south to Beersheba, (the well of the oath). So
it seems that even here God was seeking to draw his attention
to His own immutable promise, but Elijah left his servant
there, and went into the wilderness of doubt and depression.
We never read of that servant again. Was he stumbled by
Elijah’s failure?
However God was
not taken by surprise at the prophet’s demise, He saw the
whole of his life before he was born. He never lost patience
with him, but tenderly bore with him.
Elijah was
filled with self-pity, he requested that he might die. We hear
him say, “it is enough”, meaning “I can’t take any more”,
“please take me away, let me escape from all this”. After that
prayer of self-pity, he went to sleep.is
ownHHHH
The same man
that in the strength given by God could run before the chariot
of Ahab, drawn by galloping horses; has now retreated into
himself, and is overcome by tiredness. This tiredness is the
result of self-occupation, and defeat. Perhaps someone reading
this has had the same experience! Once you were keen, active,
and used of God in His service, but things are different now.
You have taken rest, (retired), from that service. You thought
it was not worth the trouble it brought. You too have gone to
sleep, have become unconscious of your situation, and the need
of perishing souls around you. You have retired into the
wilderness of doubt and depression? My dear disappointed
brother or sister, God loves you, He understands your weakness
and disappointment, and He bids you to awake, to arise from
amongst the dead that surround you. Eph. 5:14, Rom. 13:11-14.
Jehovah sent an
angel to minister to his depressed servant. This heavenly
visitor touched the sleeping prophet and he awoke. O may it
please the Lord to grant you and I a heavenly touch! The
prophet awoke to find a cake baked on hot coals, and a cruse
of water at his head. He heard the heavenly invitation, “Arise
and eat, for the journey is too great for thee”.
In the beginning
when he was hiding by the Brook Cherith, God sent the ravens
to him, with bread and flesh, twice daily. But God did not
send the ravens now, but sent an angel to minister to the
needs of His disappointed servant. Elijah did as he was
bidden, he ate and drank, but he laid down again and went to
sleep once more. God did not chide or rebuke His failing
servant, but graciously waited while the prophet slept. What a
loving and patient God we have! How often He has waited
patiently on you and I, as we slept in our complacency, our
inert, unconscious state, waited for us to wake up.
We are not told
how long the prophet slept, but this time God did not just
send any angel, but came Himself to minister to His beloved
servant. (In most cases where the Scripture uses the
expression, “The angel of the Lord”, or” the angel of God”, it
is a reference to God Himself appearing in angelic form). The
prophet was touched by the hand of his Master, as he slept. He
was thus awakened and God spoke to him. “Arise and eat. For
the journey is too great for thee”. Any journey that we may
take, however short it may be, that is outside the will of
God, is too great for us. Elijah awoke once more, he ate and
drank of the heavenly provision. From that food he received
super-human strength, but he used it to continue in the wrong
direction, he was intent on going even further into the barren
wilderness, of doubt and depression. But he went in the
strength of that heavenly nourishment for 40 days and 40
nights, until he came to Horeb, the mount of God. It is sad to
notice that the disappointed prophet used the strength that
God gave him to continue the pursuit of his own will. He went
further and further away from the place where God had used him
so mightily. We may ask what was he seeking? Did he want to
experience more of the presence of God? Why God had come to
him right there, while he slept under the Juniper tree. It
seems that he craved to be in a place of loneliness and
isolation. Perhaps someone reading this may be in a similar
situation. The patience that God showed to Elijah, is just as
available to you and I. He wants to bring His servants back to
a place of power and usefulness.
HOREB, THE
MOUNTAIN OF GOD.
It was at this
mountain that God revealed to Moses, the glory of His great
goodness. Moses was hidden in a cleft of the rock and covered
with Jehovah’s hand, while His glory passed by. Was Elijah
seeking a similar revelation of God’s glory? He was going back
to past experience, but God had moved on now. The law that He
had given there was never given again. God now expected
obedience to that law from His people, and His servants.
There is nothing
magic or awe-inspiring about that place. I have personally
climbed to the top of Mount Horeb, (now known as ‘Jebel Musa’,
‘Moses’ Mountain’). I slept there overnight, and watched the
sunrise early the next morning. But I can honestly say, that I
felt no nearer to God there, than down on the plain, or in any
other place. But Elijah found a cave there, and intended to
make it his residence. Perhaps he thought that God would again
send His angels to feed and minister to his needs, but he was
out of the will of God now. God will never encourage anyone to
continue in the path of their own will, their own choosing. It
is true that the Lord Jesus walked with those confused and
saddened disciples that had decided to leave the company of
His disciples. To go back home, to think matters over. Though
He made as if He would go even further, yet His purpose was to
restore those disappointed disciples to fellowship with their
brethren once again.
WHAT OEST
THOU HERE ELIJAH?
God did not come
to the cave where Elijah was to condemn him, or even to
criticize him, He simply asked the question, “What doest thou
ere Elijah?” Why was he where he was, who told him to come
there, how did he manage to get into this predicament? This
gentle question drew forth from Elijah an exaggerated
appreciation of his own faithfulness, and a harsh condemnation
of Jehovah’s people. Ending up with the claim that he was more
faithful than all, that he was the only one left, and now his
life was under threat. God patiently listened to his speech,
without a word of rebuke, or criticism. He told Elijah to go
and stand in the mouth of the cave, where He was to display to
his disappointed servant, a little of His awesome power in
judgment, or destruction.
First a great
and strong wind that rent the mountains, and broke the rocks
in pieces; the wind was followed by an earthquake, and lastly
by a fire. But though these were all dramatic and terrifying,
yet God was not in them. This was the display of God’s awesome
power in judgment, but judgment gave Him no pleasure, it was
His strange work. Isaiah, 28:21.
A STILL,
SMALL VOICE.
After the fire,
there came a still small, (or a soft gentle), voice. This did
for Elijah what the other more dramatic and terrifying things
could not do. It touched his saddened heart, made him
conscious of the very presence of the Living God of Israel.
He wrapped his face in his mantle, in reverence, and perhaps
in shame. He had no right to be where he was, he went out to
the mouth of the cave, to hear what God would say to him.
That soft gentle
voice spoke again, the same question was asked, “What doest
thou here Elijah?” This drew forth once again the same old
story, but God would not listen now but instead commanded
Elijah to retrace his steps. He was to return on the way that
he had come. He was to return once more to the path of God’s
will, the path of obedience. This must have been a humbling
thing for the prophet to do, but do it he must.
At the same time
God revealed to Elijah, that He knew more about His people
than Elijah did. Elijah had mistakenly thought that he was the
only one left that was really faithful to God, and obedient to
His word. Self-occupation, and self-pity, are dangerous
things. They will always lead us to wrong conclusions. They
will make us to think that we are more faithful to God than
others. They will give us an exaggerated sense of our own
imagined faithfulness, and will give us a warped view, of the
unfaithfulness of others.
Elijah must have
felt humbled when God told him that He still had 7,000 in
Israel, all the knees that had not bowed to Baal, and every
mouth that had not kissed his image. In the New Testament we
read these words, “The Lord knoweth them that are His,” but in
the same verse we are told that those who name the name of the
Lord must “Depart from iniquity”. Perhaps when we reach the
Glory, we will be surprised to find some people there, but we
can be sure that not one will be missing that truly belongs to
the Lord.
A TASK IS
GIVEN.
Elijah was told
to do three things. He was to anoint Hazael king over Syria,
Jehu, king over Israel, and Elisha to be prophet in his stead.
It is a worthy reflection of the prophet’s humility, that he
did the last mentioned first, and left it to his successor to
fulfill the other two commands. He really loved the people of
Israel, and could not bear to think of the terrible judgment
that was coming on them because of their unfaithfulness. John
the Baptist emulated his predecessor, when he said, “He must
increase, I must decrease” John, 3:30. May God grant us the
grace to follow his example!
In all this, God
revealed both His patience and His grace, but as well His
faithfulness and justice. As He revealed to Moses, though He
forgives iniquity and sin, yet He by no means clears the
guilty. In His own time, He would deal with the wicked
Jezebel, the weak and spineless Ahab, and those of His people
who turned back to idolatry. Though He may choose to make use
of men in His service, and in the accomplishment of His will,
yet finally He is in control, He will see that justice is
done, that righteousness reigns. Great man as Elijah was, yet
he was only just a small part of the plan of God. He also had
others that He could call on, and use to accomplish His will.
The hymn writer could write.
O
mind divine, so must it be
That glory all belongs to God!
O
love divine that did decree
We
should be part, through Jesus’ blood!
Elijah’s
judgment of sin and unfaithfulness, could never measure up to
Jehovah’s. Nor could his love for the weak and wayward people
of Israel, ever compare with God’s love for them. However the
prophet was spared the agony of witnessing the terrible
judgment of God that later fell on his people.
ELISHA THE
PLOWMAN.
Elijah now
departs from Mount Horeb, and as far as the record goes, he
never returned there again. He had learned the lesson that God
had taught him. He would never again return to the concept of
a mere historical God. From now on he was to walk with God in
daily experience. He was no longer to be occupied with
himself, nor to indulge in self-pity again. The Bible never
tells us that he went to Syria but went straight to Abel
Meholah, where he found Elisha who was in time to replace him,
plowing with a huge team of bullocks before him, but he was at
the back handling the plow. Though he was told to anoint
Elisha prophet in his stead, yet it seems the Elijah did this,
not by pouring oil on his head, but by casting his cloak upon
him. Many testing years were to pass before Elisha was ready
to wear that cloak.
Though our study
is about Elijah, it will be to our profit to notice some
things about the one who was to be Elijah’s successor. When
Elijah found him Elisha was plowing. This shows us that he was
a man of discernment, and a man of faith. Three and a half
years had passed, during which time there had been neither
seed time or harvest. Yet here we find the young man plowing.
He discerned that the time had come for God to visit His
people, and to rain righteousness upon them, so he was
“breaking up his fallowed ground”. Hoseah, 10:11-12. Perhaps
Elisha had been amongst that crowd that assembled on Carmel’s
summit. He had witnessed the thunder, the lightening, and the
great rain that came with it. But one shower does not end a
drought, there needs to be constant follow up rains, until the
ground water is replenished once again. But though the ground
was still dry and hard, yet Elisha testified to his faith, by
putting in the plow.
He was hoping for a harvest. 1Cor. 9:10.
Then we notice that he had
twelve yolk of oxen before him. We may ask, “why so many?”
There could have been several reasons. (1) It shows that he
cared for his beasts, there had been no harvest for more than
three years, yet he carefully managed what little feed that he
had, so that his bullocks did not starve. (2) Having had
little food for so long, the bullocks would have been thin and
weak. (3) The land had been baked by the sun for more than
three years, so it would have been very hard. Even the rain
that fell in that first storm, would not have penetrated the
baked earth, but most of it would have run off. (4) Though the
bullocks were thin and weak, yet the man of faith made careful
use of what he had There are lessons for us to learn here. How
many of us lament the weakness of those that the lord gives us
to work with. But faith and devotion would lead us to thank
God for what is available to us, and no matter how difficult
the task, to get on with the job. Timothy was told to be
“instant, (diligent, urgent), in season and out of season”. To
preach the word, when God was blessing, and when He was not
blessing. Also the ground was hard, and to plough at such a
time would cause the ploughman to receive many a blow, many a
bump and bruise. But faithful Elisha kept on with the job. He
knew that without breaking up the soil the rain would never
penetrate, and there would never be any harvest.
Finally we see his humility,
in that he “Was with the twelfth”, he was last, he was where
the hard work was, he was not afraid of hard work, bumps or
bruises, and the true servant of God will receive many of
those. Also unless there was a driver present, his bullocks
were well trained, and they were guided by their master’s
word, his voice. All these characteristics are most desirable
in a servant of God.
ELISHA’S
DISCERNMENT.
When Elijah threw his cloak
on Elisha’s shoulders, he discerned in this the will of God
for his future life. It seems that he knew who Elijah was.
This seems to confirm our earlier speculation about his being
on Mount Carmel. He showed his willingness to joyfully respond
to God’s call at once. But he wished to do so in a respectful
way, and asked the prophet’s permission to say goodbye to his
parents first. Elijah’s response was to test his sincerity, by
apparently seeking to discourage him from responding. He urged
him instead to get on with his work, saying “What have I done
to thee?”. But Elisha was equal to the test, his mind was made
up, he had finished with his present kind of life, he was
saying goodbye to business, to secular work. He unhooked his
bullocks, loaded his wooden plough onto the cart and returned
to the village. Once there he sacrificed his two best
bullocks, made a feast for all those of his village. He used
his wooden implements to cook the flesh, which meant that he
could never go back to that kind of life again. What a
wonderful example he sets for all that would respond to God’s
call to serve Him.
How different it is today,
when some imagine that God has called them to serve Him in
this place or that, in fellowship with this society or that.
They go around Churches begging for support, and seeking
sympathy in their ‘surrender’. For Elisha it was a matter of
great joy for him to be called to such lofty service, and
rather than begging support from others, he gave to them, he
ministered to them.
So it was that he left his
business, his parents, and his village, and as far as we are
told, he never returned there again. It is possible that he
did go back at sometime or other, but we are never told of it
if it did happen. Similarly, the Lord Jesus, once He left the
house at Nazareth, only ever returned there once again. Matt.
13:54-57.
All this brings to mind what
one said to our Master, “Suffer me first to bury my father and
mother”, only then would he follow Him. In that case the
Lord’s response seemed rather harsh, but when we realise that
the man’s parents were still living, and that he wanted to
wait until they were dead and buried, before he would follow
the Lord, we realise that what the Lord said to him was not
harsh. It is possible that much of his life would be gone
before his parents died. So the Lord answered, “Let the dead
bury their dead.” Luke, 9:59-60.
So it was that Elisha
followed his master, and for many years, became his personal
servant. He did Elijah’s washing, and cooked his food etc, and
never came into the public view until at last his master was
taken up into heaven.
Elijah does not appear again
until chapter 21 of 1Kings. But there was work to be done,
messages to be given during the interval, but God used another
servant of His for this purpose. God was showing Elijah the
vain nature of his claim, “I alone am left”. Here we discover
two of the knees that had not bowed to Baal, Elisha’s and that
of the un-named prophet God knew what He was saying!
A MESSAGE FOR AHAB.
Ahab had sought to acquire
the vineyard of faithful Naboth. However his covetousness was
defeated for a time, by Naboth’s faithfulness. He refused to
part with that precious piece of territory, he did not regard
it as his, but it was the inheritance of his fathers. He had
held it in sacred trust, and cultivated it for the benefit of
himself and his sons. He refused to exchange it for another
plot, and would not accept money for it.
Ahab went home in a sulk,
sullen and sad, and he refused to eat. When the wicked Jezebel
discovered his disappointment and problem she told him not to
worry, she would give him the vineyard that he lusted after
.So she set her evil plan in motion.
First she got the elders of
Jezreel under her influence and control, then they found evil
men who were prepared to lie about Naboth and his sons. The
end result was that first his character was assassinated, and
he was brutally and publicly murdered. All was done under the
pretence of fulfilling God’s law. His sons too were murdered,
see 2Kings 9:26.
Jezebel then told Ahab to go
down to Jezreel and take possession of Naboth’s vineyard,
because he was dead, and was no more a hindrance. Ahab then
went down, and was walking around the vineyard, no doubt
planning what he was going to do. He heard a rustle amongst
the vines, and there stood the very man that he feared most.
Filled with fear, anger and
hate, he fixed his eyes on Elijah and said, “Have you found me
O mine enemy?” To which the prophet replied, “I have found
thee, because thou hast sold thyself to do evil in the sight
of the Lord”. Then fearlessly he began to reveal the solemn
word of God to this wicked man. There he told Ahab the solemn
story of his coming doom, and that in the very place where the
dogs licked the blood of Naboth, they would also lick his
blood. He told him of the coming destruction of his wicked
wife, and the whole of his family. They would all end up in
the most shameful way, in the greatest disgrace.
Please note that the fear of
man no longer had any place in Elijah. No more was he afraid
of Ahab’s power, and jezebel’s wicked schemes. He was restored
to his former power and usefulness. He was to learn also the
power of the message of God, even to bring spineless Ahab to
humble himself, and to do all the things that accompanied
repentance. Ahab who was unique, the most wicked man of his
time. He whose wickedness and crimes are detailed for us in
1Kings 21:25-27
As a result the sentence of
judgment on Jezebel and Ahab’s sons was delayed for some
years, and Ahab did not have to see with his own eyes, the
execution of the sentence. However he died exactly as the
prophet foretold, and the dogs licked his blood at the very
pool, where they had licked the blood of Naboth. Because they
washed his chariot and his blood stained armour there.
THE PROPHET OF FIRE.
The next time we see Elijah,
he was sent by God to give a message to the servants of Ahab’s
son Ahaziah, who had met with an accident and sent his
servants to enquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, as to
whether he would recover. Elijah confronted the men as they
went. He told them that the king would not recover, but would
die. When they returned so quickly, Ahaziah asked them why
they had returned so soon, and they delivered the message of
doom, just as Elijah had told it to them. When they were asked
what kind of a man it was who had given them this message,
they said that he was a hairy man, with a leather belt around
his waist. The king then knew that it was Elijah, and sent a
captain with fifty soldiers to capture him, possibly to
torture and to execute him. However when the armed band came,
Elijah was sitting on the top of a hill. The captain said,
“Man of God, thus saith the king, come down”. However Elijah
served another King, the King of heaven and earth. He refused
to obey the command, and instead called down fire from heaven,
which devoured the captain and his band of fifty men. Not
accepting defeat, the king sent another captain with fifty
men, and they suffered the same fate. Again another captain
with fifty men was sent, but he humbly pleaded for his life,
and the lives of his men. God then told Elijah to go with them
and not to fear them. Thus the prophet went, and fearlessly
delivered God’s message to the ailing king. The king died,
just as Elijah had told, because he had sent messengers to
enquire of the god of Ekron. Jehovah was the God of Israel,
and He would tolerate no rival.
ELIJAH’S TRANSLATION.
The time had come for God to
call His servant home to glory, to his reward. Though he knew
the time had come, yet he sought several times to dissuade
Elisha from accompanying him. This was to test Elisha’s
discernment, and his commitment. Though commanded to stay
first at Gilgal, then at Bethel, after this at Jericho, he
declined to do so, he would not let anything separate him from
his master. Elisha was equal to the test, and on each occasion
he declared, “As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee! He was determined to follow his
master to the very end. Each place represented a test, Gilgal
was the place of circumcision, Phil. 3:3. Bethel, the house of
God, ( a dreadful place to Jacob because of his sin), 1Tim.
3:15, Jericho, was the rebuilt place of a curse. The World in
its more pleasing refined character. The last place was the
most testing of all, the Jordan, the place of death to self.
But Elisha was equal to each test. As he watched, Elijah took
his mantle, folded it together and smote the waters with it.
The water parted, and they went over on dry ground, just as
Israel had done centuries before. Thus the old prophet taught
the younger man, the secret of victory, the typical meaning of
the death of Christ.
He then gave the young
prophet a blank cheque, he said “what shall I do for thee,
before I am taken away from thee.” Elisha made a noble
request, he did not ask for riches, luxury, power or fame, but
for a double portion of his master’s spirit. Elijah’s
response to this request was to say, “Thou hast asked a hard
thing”. The request would only be granted, if Elisha saw his
master go up. I guess that from that moment he would not take
his eyes off his master. His request would put many of us to
shame today, in this day of the “prosperity doctrine”, where
believers are encouraged in their covetousness. It brings to
mind the chorus;
To be like Jesus,
like thee Lord Jesus,
All I ask, to be
like Thee.
All through life’s
pathway, from earth to glory,
All I ask: to be like
Thee.
The moment of parting came,
Jehovah’s horses and chariot of fire appeared, and the prophet
of fire, was carried up into heaven. He received an honour
that was given only to two men, Enoch, the seventh from Adam,
the first prophet, and Elijah, the “prince of prophets”. As he
went up, his mantle fell down. Elisha took it up, tore his own
cloak in two pieces, because thereafter he would only wish to
be seen in the mantle of his Master. What an example he is for
us, Rom. 13:14.
ELIJAH ON THE MOUNT OF
TRANSFIGURATION.
The next time we see Elijah,
he is in the most excellent company. When the Lord Jesus was
transfigured before His disciples, there appeared two men, who
were Moses and Elijah. They were talking with Him about the
great work of redemption that He was about to accomplish at
Jerusalem. We are not told whether they knew about this
beforehand, or whether the Lord Jesus revealed it to them at
that time. What joy it must have brought to them, to realise
that all that those Old Testament sacrifices spoke of, or
foretold, was about to be fulfilled at Jerusalem. Even the
sacrifice that Elijah offered on the top of Mount Carmel, was
about to find its fulfilment.
This was probably the very
first time that they had seen Jehovah, the God of Israel,
though Moses had seen some form before, and had seen the
hinder part of His glory. Though Elijah had seen ‘the angel of
Jehovah’ on several occasions, yet now they saw the mighty
Jehovah Himself, whom they had both served so faithfully. They
saw Him in human form, and in a transfigured state before
them.
What a moment that must have
been for them both! They would not see Him again until as the
mighty victor, He entered heaven, as man. There at His
Father’s invitation to ascend the throne of God, and be seated
there.
On that Mountain, they both
witnessed the “bright cloud” of the Shekinah Glory, that Moses
had seen in the Tabernacle. The very same cloud, which had
appeared on several occasions. It had saved Moses life when
threatened with stoning by the people. Now enveloped in the
cloud, they beheld the glory of the Son of God. After the
cloud disappeared, the disciples saw no one, but Jesus Only.
It seems that they returned in that cloud to paradise, while
the Lord Jesus went down, to go to Jerusalem to die there.
ELIJAH’S LAST APPEARANCE.
The prophet Malachi foretells
that Elijah will be sent once more to the rebellious people of
Israel, before the coming of that “great and terrible day of
the Lord.” Mal. 4:5. Thus Elijah’s work is not finished yet.
The authodox Jews reserve a special seat for him every time
that they celebrate the Passover. Before the ceremony begins,
the head of the family will go to the door and open it, then
he will invite the prophet inside. The coming of John the
Baptist was a partial fulfilment of the prophecy, and more
particularly of the promise of Mal. 3:1. So Elijah will come
again to Israel but his coming will mean terrible trouble for
unbelieving Israel, and the whole world that follows the
Beast.
In chapter 11 of the
Revelation we read of God’s two witnesses. Though they are not
named, yet the description of the curses and judgments that
they bring, seem to identify them as Moses and Elijah. If this
is so, Elijah will not return to Samaria, or to Jezreel, as
they ceased to exist after the captivity of Israel, but to
Jerusalem. It is there described as, “Spiritually Sodom and
Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified”. Rev. 11:8. The
place where our Lord was crucified was Jerusalem. It seems
that those two witnesses will prophecy again for three and a
half years. They will bring great torment to those who follow
the Beast. Not only to Israel and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, but world-wide.
Though hated by men, yet they
are immortal until their work is done. Those that would harm
them are themselves destroyed, just as the two captains and
their bands of fifty soldiers were, as we have already seen.
However the Beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, (the
great red dragon?), will pit all his power against them and
will kill them. Their bodies will lie unburied, as a spectacle
to evil men world wide, and a cause of much merriment. This
merriment will turn to terror, when the world witnesses their
resurrection. At heaven’s invitation, they ascend there in a
cloud. If Elijah is one of them, then this is no new
experience for him. Though hated and rejected on earth, yet
they are welcomed in heaven. This was so of our Lord Jesus,
and will be so for all that are true to Him even today.
So ends our examination of
the life of this remarkable man. May we receive and respond to
the challenges that such an examination brings! May God enable
us to learn from his mistakes, and profit from the many
examples that he gives. May it please God, to raise up men
like him, in this dark day in which we live!
Message by
C.E.Wigg 21.3.2002
May
God’s Holy Name be glorified!
Back To
Index
E-Mail
Contact
|