Two weeks ago I featured Obadiah, the person Ahab had put in charge of his palace. Obadiah, as you may recall, hid one hundred of God's prophets in caves, away from wicked Queen Jezebel who was on a mission to kill them.
Then last week we talked about Elijah. I'm sure that you were expecting me to tie in caves somehow, but I didn't. Instead I ended up focusing on Elijah's Mount Carmel experience, including some lessor-known aspects of the story. And in the closing part of last week's article, I promised you all that I would indeed talk about caves in this week's article. Well now I am delivering on my promise! This week we'll finish up our study on Elijah, and hopefully figure out how in the world he ended up in a cave!
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I don't believe in co-incidences anymore. I believe in God-incidences! Let me explain...
I'm writing this on July 7. You see, Blogger has this nice little feature in which you can write an article, but not publish it until a certain specified time and date. I really like this feature, and use it quite a lot. Most all of the devotionals that I post on here I write at least a week or two ahead of time, maybe even more. I set one devotional to be published per week, and then it's a lot easier for me to write the devotionals when I have time and not necessarily every single Sabbath (although I do write devotionals most Sabbaths).
Anyway. I just wanted to get that little time-travel hang up out of the way, now I can tell you about the really cool thing that happened to me today (today being July 7, 2012.) For the past month or so, our pastor has been preaching a series of sermons entitled, "The Questions of God". In each sermon he talks about a different question that God asked humans and that is recorded in the Bible. For example, when God asked Adam and Eve (in the Garden of Eden) where they were. Or when Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?". I've really been blessed by this series of sermons, and look forward to them each week. However, I'm never quite sure what question of God our pastor (Fred Fuller) will be preaching on, as he just calls his sermons "The Questions of God--Part I, II, III", etc.
Today's sermon was entitled "The Questions of God--Part IV". For my quiettime every day this week I've been studying about caves, and then working on writing these devotionals. You see, although you have to wait the full month and a half to read this series, I'm writing them in only a week or two. Over the past few days I've been studying and writing about the life of Elijah, and in general getting prepared to write this week's devotional (which is also on Elijah, but I felt like I had to give some background first).
As I've studied on Elijah this week I've noticed that God asks Elijah a question. I thought that that was real interesting, and it reminded me of Pastor Fuller's sermon series. Today in church, I nudged my mother and pointed out to her the question that God asked Elijah (it's in 1 Kings 19). The point being, Pastor Fuller should preach one of his sermons on God's question to Elijah. Five minutes later, when Pastor Fuller gets up to speak, the first words out of his mouth are "And now please turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Kings 19..."!! Need I explain further?
So, with apologies to Fred Fuller, I now present the following devotional to you. It is a combination of my thoughts on the story as well as Pastor Fuller's very good insights as well. I pray that you will be blessed!
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Remember where we left off last time? That's right, we left Elijah between 1 Kings chapters 18 and 19. So let's turn in our Bibles to 1 Kings 19, and pick up the story from there. A very quick recap--we are now in the aftermath of Mount Carmel. God has given Elijah marvelous strength, and through Elijah God has shown Israel in marvelous ways Who really is the true God. The people acknowledge the True God, and Elijah slaughters all of the false prophets. The people are dismissed, and Elijah prays for rain. Elijah's prayers are answered in the form of a terrenchal thunderstorm. In strength not his own Elijah runs in front of Ahab’s
chariot all the way down Carmel and to Jezreel, Israel’s capital. Elijah collapses into a heap outside the gate, but Ahab goes into the palace and relates all the day's happenings to his wife. Well, I don't think I need to tell you what Jezebel thought of all this! Quickly she dispatched a message out to Elijah which basically said, "I'm gonna kill you by this time tomorrow!"
So what does Elijah do next? Stay put and stand up for God? Actually, sadly no. Let's check out the story in 1 Kings 19, v. 3-5:
" Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep."
Sadly, Elijah did not trust God. He felt scared (really, as any human would) and ran away. He even felt so bad about it all that he pleaded with God to let him die! One of my favorite books, Prophets and Kings, explores the possibility of what might have happened if Elijah had stayed at Jezreel:
"Elijah should not have fled from his post of duty. He should have met the threat of Jezebel with an appeal for protection to the One who had commissioned him to vindicate the honor of Jehovah. He should have told the messenger that the God in whom he trusted would protect him against the hatred of the queen. Only a few hours had passed since he had witnessed a wonderful manifestation of divine power, and this should have given him assurance that he would not now be forsaken. Had he remained where he was, had he made God his refuge and strength, standing steadfast for the truth, he would have been shielded from harm. The Lord would have given him another signal victory by sending His judgments on Jezebel; and the impression made on the king and the people would have wrought a great reformation." ~Prophets and Kings, p. 160
Did you ever think about that? What would have happened if Elijah had stayed and obeyed? But here's the good news: even though Elijah ran away, God was still able to use him. That's true of us, too. Even if we run away and disobey God, if we return to Him He always has something for us to do, to advance His kingdom. God has a way of turning bad things into good things. Remember Romans 8:28?
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
However, as you saw in the Prophets and Kings quote, the greatness of whatever God has us do is hampered by our bad decisions. God would've loved to have brought about a full reformation in Israel, but He wasn't able to do that right then because Elijah ran away. Still, the very good news is that if we return to God, He is still able to use us and even turn those bad things into good things!
Prophets and Kings goes on to say how Elijah had hoped for a much more complete revival on Carmel. He had hoped that after Carmel Jezebel would have no more sway over Ahab, and a speedy revival would spread over Israel. Then he started to fear that even the little revival which had started on Carmel would get snuffed out, and so he because very afraid and depressed. This is where he allowed the devil to take control of him--because, as Pastor Fuller pointed out, the devil can only control us if we let him. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
There is danger after spiritual victories, spiritual highs, but that doesn't mean we have to succumb. Remember what 1 Corinthians 10:13 says? God always gives us the power to overcome, and He never lets a temptation be presented to us which we-with His help--conquer.
Even as Elijah ran away, God was still kind to him. As he slumped under the bush ready to die, physically exhausted, God sent an angel to him with food from heaven:
"All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night." (1 Kings 19, v. 5-9)
On the super-food that God strengthened Elijah with, the prophet was able to travel for forty days and nights straight, through the desert, to Mount Horeb.
And it was at that cave that God asked the million-dollar questions:
"What are you doing here, Elijah?" (v. 9)
What are you doing out here in this cave, Elijah? I remember sending you to many other places and people, but not this cave. I need you back in Jezreel, in Israel continuing your prophetic ministry. What in the world are you doing hiding in this cave?
Elijah's response?
“I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (v. 10)
Pastor Fuller made a very good point here. When we do it alone, by ourselves, without God, doing that gives us a "me" focus. Notice this fact in the above passage: "I have been very zealous...", "I am the only one left...", "they are trying to kill me too" (emphasis added)
Another very good point that Pastor Fuller brought out is the fact that God followed Elijah. Even when Elijah was running away, not doing what he was supposed to do, God still followed him, and worked with him to get him back where he should be. Praise God that He never gives up on us, and there is no place that we can hide that He can't find us!
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Psalms 139:7-12
God's response to Elijah's cry of "I'm the only one left" was to state that the He was going to pass by, and would Elijah please come out of the cave to watch.
A mighty wind came and went, shattering and blowing the rocks to pieces. But God was not in the wind.
An earthquake came next, but God was not in the earthquake.
Next a fire, but God wasn't in that either.
Then came a still, small voice.
God was in that.
God once again repeated his question of "what are you doing here", and Elijah gave the same reply. God then assured Elijah that there were still 7,000 people in Israel who were faithful to God, and had not bowed to Baal. God also reassured Elijah that God still had work for Elijah to do, such as anointing kings and prophets.
And so Elijah left the cave at Mount Horeb, and once again went about God's business.
God was not found in the big, mighty, and powerful wind, earthquake, or fire. But He was in the still, small voice. When we have problems, questions, Who do we go to? Let us make it a practice to always go to God first, and then listen for His still, small voice to see what He wants us to do next.
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