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Story 5
There was only one country to which
Elijah could flee, the southern kingdom of Judah. Israel and
Judah, once one kingdom, had been divided in the days of King
Solomon's son, Rehoboam; and since then, the two kingdoms had
been enemies of each other. Elijah would be safe hiding in the
most southerly part of this kingdom, close to the wilderness
of Arabia. The fact that he was a victim of persecution of
Ahab would ensure his security there. Its rugged terrain would
be no problem to Elijah. He was well used to roughing it. So
off he started, hurrying from the imminent danger he would be
facing, come morning.
Historical setting:
Time:Around 872 B.C.
Places: The Arabian Wilderness
Persons:
Elijah, an angel, and God
Scripture: I Kings
19:4-18
"As he lay and slept under a juniper tree,
behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise
and eat." (verse 5)
When he heard of Jezebel's threat, Elijah began running for
his life. He knew that she, with vicious wickedness, had
destroyed hundreds of the prophets of the Lord, and would not
be satisfied until he was dead. From Jezreel, where
Ahab and Jezebel had their summer palace, to Beersheba, in the
southern part of the once-united kingdom, was anywhere from
eighty to one hundred miles, depending on what route was
followed. Until they reached the safety of Judah, Elijah and
his servant did not stop.
As soon as they entered the
city of Beersheba, and he knew that the danger was over,
Elijah said to his faithful servant, "You stay here. You will
be safe now. Our flight has been fast and intense. I know that
you are tired. But I must go on farther."
Elijah felt that he wanted to be alone. He needed to
seek God without any outside distractions. For a further day
he wandered southward, over rough terrain, across rocky creek
beds, dry for three years, but now trickling with water.
Although the rain was a welcome relief, it made walking
difficult. The further south he went into the wilderness, the
scarcer the trees were becoming, exposing him more and more to
the sun's scorching rays. He had been under a strain for a
long time, having carried on without sufficient food or rest.
The intensity of the past days, with the contest on the
mountain and the meeting of Ahab, had taken its toll. He was
exhausted, not only in body, but also in soul and spirit.
As he trudged onward, his mind reviewed his life of the
past twenty-odd years as a prophet. Had he failed in his
mission? Was his long, rugged life for naught? Why hadn't
God's people listened to him? Why was he the only one left, of
the believers in God? Why was God treating him like this? And
WHERE was God? What was the use of carrying on any further?
What was the use of carrying on? What was the use?
By this time the growth of trees had diminished. Before him
lay a vast wasteland of rocks and dried shrubs scattered here
and there. His eyes stretched over the prairie, searching for
shade, for a place to sit down and die. At last, off in the
distance, he saw a lone juniper tree--a bush of desert growth,
reaching to the height of six or eight feet. He hastened his
steps. Reaching it he flopped by its trunk. It afforded little
shade, but he was so exhausted that he fell instantly to
sleep.
This dejected man that lay sleeping under the
juniper tree was a far cry from the bold, robust Elijah that
dared go before the most wicked and violent king and queen
that Israel had ever had, and announce to him that God was
cutting off rain until further notice; or the courageous man
who challenge the king to a contest of fire to prove that his
God was the true God. This dejected loner, now sleeping the
sleep of exhaustion, under a lone juniper tree, was a man who
needed special attention. God had not forgotten him, as
the despondent Elijah had feared. God had a special medicine
for this soul-sick, body-wearied servant of the Lord. God sent
His special "angel of the Lord" down to minister to
him. While Elijah slept a troubled sleep, the special
"nurse" from God was preparing him a remarkable meal.
Elijah dreamed he had died and was feasting on
heavenly food, with God waiting on him. He smelled the most
wonderful smell, the smell of fresh bread baking. He felt
cool, refreshing water on his tongue. He never wanted to wake
up and face the real world again. This was just too, too good
to be true. He wanted the dream to last. But then he felt a
touch on his shoulder. Rubbing his eyes, and floating slowly
back to reality, he looked into the most beautiful eyes he had
ever seen. He shut his eyes again, knowing now that it was a
dream. But again he felt the soft touch, and this time the
glorious creature was bending over him, holding a cup to his
lips. Elijah took a sip, slowly rising to a sitting position.
There beside him, sitting on a rock that he hadn't noticed
before his sleep, was the cake he had dreamed about.
The angel spoke: "Arise and eat."
Elijah felt refreshed after his heavenly meal,
but was still very tired. He dropped into a peaceful sleep.
Again, when he awoke, the same angel was there with the same
special meal. The angel spoke again: "Arise
and eat; because the journey is too great for thee."
(verse 7)
Not only did the meal of the angel of God bring life back
to Elijah's physical body, but it refreshed his spirits too.
Elijah was ready to go again. He started off, knowing that his
destination was a long way away. He was headed for Mount
Horeb. For forty days he travelled over rough terrain, under
scorching heat, without food or water. But the meal of the
angel sustained him. He did not even think of food. All he
wanted to do was get to the mountain where he knew no one
would find him.
By the time Elijah reached the
mountain, once again he was physically and spiritually
drained. He entered a cave, and flopped. He just wanted to
die. How could his existence be labeled "life"? He had
a price on his head if he ever went back to Israel; he alone
was left of the servants of God, or so he thought; no one
cared if he lived or died. So why not just die. He slept.
"Elijah! Elijah!"
Elijah opened his eyes. He
was sure he had heard his name being called.
"Elijah! Elijah!" There. He heard it again.
"Elijah! What are you doing here, sitting in a dark cave
feeling sorry for yourself?"
Elijah sat bolt upright. This time he knew he had heard a
voice, and he knew whose voice it was.
He answered. "Lord, you know that I have been very zealous
for You. I have done what I could to bring back to You, the
children of Israel, who have broken Your laws. I have broken
down the altars of Baal and killed with the sword all the
false prophets. I have done all this single-handed. I am the
only one left who worships and serves You, and now they seek
my life to kill it. Lord, what is the use in my living any
longer?
"Come here, Elijah," said the Lord. "Go out and stand on
the mountain. I am going to show you something. I will be
there, but you will have to find Me."
As Elijah stood waiting to hear further from God, a strong
wind came up, tearing up rock and swirling dust into the air.
Elijah listened...but God did not speak from the wind. Just
when things had quietened down again, Elijah felt the earth
quake. He watched the mountain shake, witnessing the rocks
cascading down the side, tumbling to the valley below. Surely
God must be in the earthquake...but all was still. God's voice
did not come booming out of the earthquake. Suddenly, Elijah
turned, hearing a roaring, crackling sound. He felt the heat
of a raging fire behind him. He stood watching the fire
consume the brush and trees, expecting that God would speak to
him from this spectacular fire...but all was silent. He gave a
sigh. Where was God, if not in these sudden bursts of
nature--first the wind; then the earthquake; then the fire?
Then, he heard it, a quiet whisper...a still, small voice.
Knowing the voice to be GOD's, he wrapped his face in his
mantle, and approached the mouth of the cave.
The
whisper came again: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" the
voice said.
"Oh Lord, you know that I have been very zealous for You."
Elijah repeated. "I have done what I could to bring back to
You, the children of Israel, who have broken Your laws. I have
broken down the altars of Baal and killed with the sword all
the false prophets. I have done all this single-handed. I am
the only one left who worships and serves You, and now they
seek my life to kill me."
Although in just a whisper, the voice that came again to
Elijah, had a strong message. He was not finished with His
servant yet. He still had a few missions for him to fulfill.
(I Kings 19:15-17) - "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: 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. 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."
And as a gentle reprimand God reminded His tired prophet
that he, indeed, was not the only one left who served
and loved God. He said to Elijah: (verse 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."
So Elijah, rousing himself from his self-pity, headed to
the wilderness of Damascus to fulfill his last mission.
© Helen Dowd
Note: The next story will relate the end of
Elijah's career and the beginning of Elisha's. The
sequential happenings recorded in I Kings 20 through II
Kings 1, I have decided not to include in these stories of
Elijah and Elisha. These chapters cover Israel's victories
over Syria; the murder of Naboth, the vineyard owner; Elijah's
predictions and fulfillment of Ahab and Jezebel's deaths;
wars--victories and defeats.
* * *
(some information gleaned from "The Chosen
Word" copyright 1915 The John A. Hertel Co.)
Please read Story 5: Enter Elisha
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