Elijah's Source of Strength

Elijah, the prophet in Israel during the reign of Ahab (about 822 - 802 B.C.*) has just weathered three years of drought, accusations and confrontation by King Ahab of Israel and when he feels all is lost and there are no more Believers he lays himself down under a Juniper tree to die. Well, God still needs him and sends angels to minister unto him. The previous four teachings talk about the significance of angels appearing and Elijah merited two appearances to get him up and feed him to give him strength for his journey ahead.

I Kings 19
:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time,
    and touched him, and said,
        Arise and eat;
        because the journey is too great for thee.
:8 And he arose,
    and did eat
    and drink,
    and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights
    unto Horeb the mount of God.

God needed Elijah to do a few more things before his days were done. He has already stood against great unbelief and endured hardship but there is more that has to be done and God takes care of him. God is going to personally take some time with Elijah.

:9 And he came thither unto a cave,
        and lodged there;
    and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him,
    and he said unto him,
        What doest thou here, Elijah?
:10 And he said,
            I have been very [qana] jealous [qana] for the LORD God of hosts:
                [qana also translated zealous;
                    like zealing zealous - if zealing was an English verbal noun]
            for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
            thrown down thine altars,
            and slain thy prophets with the sword;
         and I,
            even I only,
        am left;
    and they seek my life, to take it away.
:11 And he [God] said,
        Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.
        And, behold, the LORD passed by,
        and a great and strong wind rent the mountains,
        and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD;
            but the LORD was not in the wind:
        and after the wind an earthquake;
            but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
:12   And after the earthquake a fire;
            but the LORD was not in the fire:
        and after the fire a still small voice. [the sound of stillness - a gentle breeze]

In all the grand hoopla of things, God is in the stillness of a gentle breeze which cannot be heard if there is too much noise going on in one's head; let the peace of God rule in your heart. The greatest cargos in life come in over quiet seas. - Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille.

:13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it,
    that he wrapped his face in his mantle,
    and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.
    And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said,
        What doest thou here, Elijah?
:14 And he said,
        I have been very [qana] jealous [qana] for the LORD God of hosts:
        because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant,
            thrown down thine altars,
            and slain thy prophets with the sword;
        and I,
            even I only,
        am left;
        and they seek my life, to take it away.
:15 And the LORD said unto him,
        Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus:
        and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
:16   And Jehu
            the son of Nimshi
        shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:
        and Elisha
            the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah
        shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
:17   And it shall come to pass,
        that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael
            shall Jehu slay:
        and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu
            shall Elisha slay.
:18   Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel,
        all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal,
        and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
:19a So he departed thence, . . .

What God speaks comes to pass. Elijah finds Elisha and anoints him and trains him to be the next prophet in Israel, Jehu is anointed king of Israel (13 years after Ahab's reign) and those that are contrary to God's Word are slain. Then, what a comfort, there are still 7,000 left in Israel that are faithful to God. God says, "all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him[,]" to emphasize their stand against that pagan god.

Elijah was so distraught and worn out mentally and physically that he was ready to die. God sends angels to minister unto him and then teaches him that God is in that gentle breeze not in all of those dramatic displays of force. Be still and listen. God was his strength and encouragement. He is ours also.

* The Companion Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1974.