Elijah's Disappointment and God's Response
In this verse we see that Elijah is depressed. He wants to die. Now he gets a bad rap from a lot of preachers - how faithless can he be to defeat hundreds of false prophets on one day and on the next day he's afraid of a woman (Jezebel). Perhaps you may think me taking too much liberty to see it another way. However, close reading of the scriptures before this event and considering God's message to him afterward, I have a different take on this.
I tend to see Elijah as a deeply disappointed. I think Elijah expected revival. I think he expected the hearts of the people -- even the hearts of Jezebel and Ahab to have changed over the previous day's events.
Let's go back 3 1/2 years. Elijah promises that it will not rain until he says so. 3 1/2 years later, he shows himself to the king and arranges a showdown at Carmel. Elijah was psyched; God was going to prove Himself to the people. Elijah probably expected to lead the people back to God. And that was what it might have looked like after fire fell down from heaven at Carmel. People worshiped God. Elijah told Ahab that it would rain. And it did.
But Jezebel was vexed at the death of so many of her priests, so she vowed to kill Elijah. I think Elijah had expected a different reaction from even her. Look at what God does for Elijah. After first taking care of his physical needs (food and rest), God sends Elijah on a 40-day journey and then shows him that God is not in the fire, the earthquake, or the wind, but in a still small voice. And it is that still small voice that speaks today to our hearts. It is that still small voice that changes our hearts and our lives. We may revel in the BIG miracles, but those don't bring lasting change to our hearts. Think back through your life. Can you remember a time when God whispered clearly and distinctly to you? That is the Spirit of the Living God speaking to directly you. Fire falling from heaven cannot compare to that!
Created over 2 years ago
