Elijah, God’s Warrior

GOLDEN TEXT: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” —Psalm 27:1

I KINGS 19:9-18

ELIJAH was not a writer such as David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others of Old Testament times, nevertheless he was one of God’s outstanding prophets. Indeed, he was more than a prophet, for the Lord used him also as a reformer in Israel. Today’s lesson follows closely Elijah’s challenging of the priests of Baal, which led to their destruction and to re-establishment of the worship of Jehovah in Israel.—I Kings 18:17-40

In the destruction of the priests of Baal, Elijah incurred the wrath of the wicked queen, Jezebel, who sent word to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” (I Kings 19:2) Elijah was frightened by this threat upon his life, and “he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”—vss. 3,4

But the Lord did not let Elijah die. Instead he sent an angel with food, and “he went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God” (vss. 5-8) James wrote that Elijah was a man of “like passions” as we. (James 5:17) How true! In his prayer in which he asked God to let him die, he said, “It is enough.” We would say, “I have had all I can stand.”

At one time or another probably every servant of the Lord is brought to a position like this. If we are properly exercised it can be a rewarding experience, because it teaches us to rely more completely on the Lord. Just as the Lord answered Elijah’s prayer, not by allowing him to die, but by supplying “meat” so that he might have strength to continue in his service, so it is with us if we are properly exercised by our experiences, and we should be able to say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”—Ps. 27:1

Reaching Horeb, Elijah lodged in a cave, seemingly as a place of protection, for when the Lord asked him why he was there, he reiterated the sins of Israel in killing the prophets, and that he alone was left, and now they were seeking his life. To Elijah the outlook was most discouraging, but he did not know all the facts. Later he was assured by the Lord that there were more than seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal.—vs. 18

In this also we have an important lesson for the encouragement of all who faithfully serve the Lord. Among the professed people of God in every age there have been the true and the false, the real and the nominal. The faithful of this age will be brought forth in the “first resurrection” to live and reign with Christ for a thousand years; and the true people of God of the ages preceding our Lord’s first advent will be restored to perfect human life to represent the divine Christ during the thousand-year kingdom.—Rev. 20:6; Ps. 45:16; Matt. 8:11

In front of the cave the Lord gave Elijah a demonstration of the mighty forces of nature in wind, earthquake, and fire. While this doubtless has a typical significance, to Elijah it was frightening. Then followed the “still small voice,” which in reality was the voice of the Lord bidding the prophet to perform further service. This could have meant to Elijah that despite the terrifying forces that were against him, he could faithfully follow the Lords instruction, and continue to trust in his protection.

Because of Elijah’s work of reformation he is used by the Lord to typify a larger work described by the Prophet Malachi as turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers. (Mal. 4:6) Jesus indicated that John the Baptist partially fulfilled this prophecy.—Matt. 11:14

But the call to repentance initiated by John has continued throughout the age. And like Elijah, the true church class has contended with false religions, under the leadership of an antitypical Jezebel. (Rev. 2:20) Throughout the age many of the true servants of God have suffered at the hands of “Jezebel” But this will not continue forever, for eventually the “rebuke” of God’s people will be taken away.—Isa. 25:8

QUESTIONS

What particular service did the Prophet Elijah render in Israel?

In what way did his experiences parallel those of all the Lord’s true people?

In what way were Elijah’s experiences typical?

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