And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. (1 King 19:1)
There is a category of spirits that constantly monitor the activities of God’s people. These wicked spirits are called ‘monitoring spirits’. In this case, Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah, the prophet, had done.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. (1 Kings 19:2-3)
The silence of Baal and the fire from Yahweh on Mount Carmel did not lead Jezebel to repent. There are some marked for destruction. “Does not God have a perfect right to show his fury and power against those who are fit only for destruction, those he has been patient with for all this time?” (Romans 9:22 TLB)
Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), and that’s the Truth. But the sad irony is that fear, too, comes by hearing the voice of the evil one. When Elijah heard the threats of Jezebel, fear entered his heart, and he arose and ran for his life.
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (2 Kings 19:4)
Elijah prayed for death, but the fact is that if he really wanted death, then why did he run from Jezebel? His mouth said one thing, and his heart said another. I thank God that He does not only listen to the words of our mouths but to the silent cries of our hearts.
This also proves that many times receiving no as an answer from God can be better than receiving a yes.
5 As he lay asleep under the broom or juniper tree, behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Arise and eat. 6 He looked, and behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a bottle of water at his head. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came the second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you. (1 Kings 19:5-7)
This time the Lord did not send Elijah to a brook to be fed by ravens, neither did He send him to a widow. Many bible scholars say that the term ‘angel of the Lord’ is a direct reference to the appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ.
Prophet Elijah would eat directly from the hand of the Lord Himself. What grace! Think about it, here is a man who has run out on God, yet God hasn't run out on him! He feeds His discouraged prophet.
If you read John 21:1-14, When Jesus was arrested, the disciples forsook Him, and after His death, they went back to their old occupation. They were totally discouraged and heartbroken. But Jesus did not leave them in that state. He Himself prepared breakfast for them on the shores of Galilee and fed them. This is where even Peter was restored.
So he arose and ate and drank, and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. (2 Kings 19:8)
From Beersheba to Horeb is quite a distance. The distance between Beersheba and Mount Horeb is around 420 km. Elijah fasted for 40 days and 40 nights without food.
So Elisha went back from him. Then he took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled their flesh with the oxen’s yoke [as fuel], and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, followed Elijah, and served him. (1 Kings 19:21)
Elisha burnt all bridges behind him so that he could not go back to his old trade. On the other hand, the Apostles did go back to their old trade after the death of Lord Jesus. However, once the Holy Spirit came into their lives, they never went back.
There is a category of spirits that constantly monitor the activities of God’s people. These wicked spirits are called ‘monitoring spirits’. In this case, Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah, the prophet, had done.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. (1 Kings 19:2-3)
The silence of Baal and the fire from Yahweh on Mount Carmel did not lead Jezebel to repent. There are some marked for destruction. “Does not God have a perfect right to show his fury and power against those who are fit only for destruction, those he has been patient with for all this time?” (Romans 9:22 TLB)
Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), and that’s the Truth. But the sad irony is that fear, too, comes by hearing the voice of the evil one. When Elijah heard the threats of Jezebel, fear entered his heart, and he arose and ran for his life.
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (2 Kings 19:4)
Elijah prayed for death, but the fact is that if he really wanted death, then why did he run from Jezebel? His mouth said one thing, and his heart said another. I thank God that He does not only listen to the words of our mouths but to the silent cries of our hearts.
This also proves that many times receiving no as an answer from God can be better than receiving a yes.
5 As he lay asleep under the broom or juniper tree, behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Arise and eat. 6 He looked, and behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a bottle of water at his head. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came the second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you. (1 Kings 19:5-7)
This time the Lord did not send Elijah to a brook to be fed by ravens, neither did He send him to a widow. Many bible scholars say that the term ‘angel of the Lord’ is a direct reference to the appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ.
Prophet Elijah would eat directly from the hand of the Lord Himself. What grace! Think about it, here is a man who has run out on God, yet God hasn't run out on him! He feeds His discouraged prophet.
If you read John 21:1-14, When Jesus was arrested, the disciples forsook Him, and after His death, they went back to their old occupation. They were totally discouraged and heartbroken. But Jesus did not leave them in that state. He Himself prepared breakfast for them on the shores of Galilee and fed them. This is where even Peter was restored.
So he arose and ate and drank, and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. (2 Kings 19:8)
From Beersheba to Horeb is quite a distance. The distance between Beersheba and Mount Horeb is around 420 km. Elijah fasted for 40 days and 40 nights without food.
So Elisha went back from him. Then he took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled their flesh with the oxen’s yoke [as fuel], and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, followed Elijah, and served him. (1 Kings 19:21)
Elisha burnt all bridges behind him so that he could not go back to his old trade. On the other hand, the Apostles did go back to their old trade after the death of Lord Jesus. However, once the Holy Spirit came into their lives, they never went back.
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