Hello John and Doves,
We all know about the prophet Elijah - one of the
greatest prophets and one of the greatest miracle workers of
the Bible. He also appeared with Jesus during His
transfiguration.
During Elijah's time on this earth, Israel was divided
into two kingdoms - the kingdom of Judah which consisted of
two of the tribes and the kingdom of the Ten Tribes - Israel
(King Ahab and Queen Jezebel ruled). King Ahab "did
more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before
him" 1 Kings 16:30. Jezebel hated God's people
and she brought in the pagan gods Baal and Asherah to
Israel. This was a very bad time for God's people.
There is much we can glean from the story of Elijah
for our generation today.
Elijah was the prophet during the time of wicked King
Ahab and his evil wife Queen Jezebel. Elijah
confronted their prophets of Baal and Asherah - 850 of them
- at one time! He didn't always feel so emboldened and
sure of what he was doing. There were times that he
felt like he was the only prophet of the Lord in the land -
that it was all on his shoulders and that no matter how many
great miracles the Lord performed through him - the calling
of fire down from heaven that consumed the burnt offering
and wood, stones, dust and water, the raising the dead to
life, holding back the rain for three and a half years, then
bringing the rain - it was never enough. King Ahab and
Queen Jezebel only hardened their hearts against the Lord
and his prophet, Elijah. King Ahab so detested Elijah that
he called him 'the troublemakers of Israel'! Still unrighteousness prevailed throughout the land
and they repented not nor turned back to the Lord.
How did Elijah go from being this great prophet and
miracle worker to being so fearful for his life - fleeing
from King Ahab, and hiding near the brook of Cherith - where
he was fed by ravens - and fleeing from Queen Jezebel who
wanted his head? At this low point in his life, he
asked for the Lord to take his life. When Jezebel heard that
Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal and Asherah (to
cleanse the land per the Lord's command - this allowed for
the Lord to end the drought.), Jezebel sent Elijah a
message: "So let the gods do to me and more also, if I
make not they life as the life of one of them by to morrow
about this time." 1 Kings 19:2 That's when Elijah was
so afraid that he ran for his life.
Elijah was no stranger to great power and to great
sadness and fear.
Elijah traveled a day's journey where we find him
sitting under a broom tree - it was here that he totally
gave up - he believed nothing he did mattered, nothing he
did made a difference - he was of no value. He was
physically and emotionally drained.
" And he prayed that he might die. 'I have had
enough, Lord,' he said. 'Take my life, for I am no better
than my ancestors!" 1 Kings 19:4 Elijah just
gave up and fell asleep under the broom tree. Not
soon afterwards, an angel touched him and said "Get up and
eat!" There was food and drink for him. Again
he fell asleep. Again, the angel of the Lord came to
him and touched him and said "Get up and eat, or the
journey will be too much for you." 1 King 19:7
Elijah had a forty-day journey ahead of him.
The Lord took Elijah on a forty-day journey to Mount
Horeb (Mount Sinai - the Mountain of God). Elijah then
found a cave and hid in it. This time the word of the
Lord came to Elijah: "What are you doing here,
Elijah?" So Elijah laid it all out "I have been very zealous
for the Lord God Almighty. The people of Israel have
forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed
Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left
and they seek my life to take it away." 1 Kings 19:10
So the Lord told him to go and stand on the mountain
in the presence of the Lord - for the Lord is about to pass
by. "Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains
apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord
was not in the wind. After the wind there was an
earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not
in the fire; and after the fire, a sound of a gentle whisper
- a still small voice." 1 Kings 19:11-12
When Elijah heard this whisper, he "wrapped his face
in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the
cave. Elijah would not be consoled, so heavy his
burden and despair. And behold, there came a voice to
him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Again
Elijah laid it all out before the Lord again: "I have
been zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The people of
Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars,
and killed Your prophets with the sword, and I even I only,
am left and they seek my life, to take it away." 1 Kings
19:13-14 Elijah was in a deep depression at this
point. But God answered Elijah - He had a
solution for Elijah's predicament - but Elijah didn't know
it yet!
The Lord had something wonderful planned for His
prophet, Elijah! So, the Lord gave him one last
task: The Lord told him to go back! Go to the
Wilderness of Damascus and anoint Hazael to be king of Syria
(Aram) and anoint Jehu to be king of Israel and Elisha "you
shall anoint as prophet in your place." The Lord tells
Elijah that there are 7,000 people in Israel who have never
bowed to Baal. 1 Kings 19:16 Elijah went off and
found Elisha and threw his cloak/mantle over him.
Elijah was a prophet during a terrible time in Israel
history - a time of great spiritual darkness. Seems
nothing he did turned the tide of disbelief and wickedness
of the people. This weighed heavy upon Elijah.
His world was an evil place and no matter what he did, it
wasn't enough.
Elijah was a man of great faith. Through him,
the Lord had performed amazing miracles! Yet, he felt
defeated and spent but the Lord was always with
Elijah. He never left him. And He had an amazing
miracle ahead for His prophet.
Here Elijah was - at the lowest point
in his life - downtrodden and disheartened. "..it
wasn't long after this 'cave of despair' moment that
Elijah was gloriously caught away to be with his
Lord. Here he was, at the lowest point in
his life, and he didn't know that his redemption was so
spectacularly close."
"The faithful church in Revelation 3 is one described
as "having little strength". They are battle-weary and
tired, and yet before them is placed an open door that no
one can shut!"
"Cling to
Jesus in this dark hour as we continue to make a stand for God
and press on toward the finish line, knowing that there is
still work to be done in our Master's house right up until the
moment that trumpet sounds. Knowing that as the storm
clouds gather, we are closer than when we first believed to
being gathered into the clouds. Paul encourages us "to
not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap
if we do not lose heart." Our Lord Himself exhorts us to
"hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown."
"A Pleasant
Surprise" by John Salom, 12.2023 The Prophecy Watcher
magazine.
We learn from Elijah that if we trust in God, He will
meet our needs and His mercy will follow us all of our
lives. As we despair over what is happening in
the world and think we are of so little value as to make no
difference on this earth - think on Elijah - at his depth of
despair, he still had a task to do for the Lord and then the
Lord took him. "Then it happened, as they continued on
and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with
horses of fire, and separated the two of them (Elijah and
Elisha) and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into
heaven." 2 Kings 2:11 The Rapture won't be so
'colorful' but it won't be any less amazing or wondrous - as
millions of people are suddenly changed into immortal and
taken up into the clouds - and just like Elisha watched
Elijah being carried away into Heaven - so will our
ascension into Heaven be witnessed by many.
Today, according to Jewish tradition, Elijah
frequently comes down to earth to help Jews in distress or
reveal secrets of the Torah to our great scholars....and he
visits us every year at the Passover Seder. The
Prophet Malachi tells us that it will be Eljah the Prophet
who will announce the arrival of Moshiach (the
Messiah).
Elijah
the Prophet - Chabad.org
Elijah may be one of the two witnesses during the
Tribulation period. The Jewish people are already
waiting for him....
Like Elijah, we may not know that our redemption is
'so spectacularly close'! God did not let Elijah
die, overcome by his trouble and burdens to be buried in a
tomb. God honored him with a ride in a chariot of
fire into Heaven.
And there
are a group of Christians that God will give an amazing
gift - the gift of life into life where they shall not
taste of death! This is truly a wondrous
gift! We are battle weary and tired of this world
and its trials and tribulations - but we are that 'group
of Christians' that will receive God's wondrous gift -
the Rapture! Take heart!
One day we will do our last task for the Lord -
probably not knowing it is our last one - and we will do our
last act of kindness, we will give our last word of comfort,
we will buy and wrap our last Christmas gift, we will do
that last errand for a needy friend, and we will say our
last prayer for an unsaved loved one....one day will be our
last and all we do will be done 'the last time'.
As God had an
answer for Elijah on Mount Sinai in his time of fear and
distress, so God has an answer for us in our time of fear
and distress! And His answer won't be any less
amazing! We will see Him in the clouds!
May you be blessed with a wonderful last day!
My greatest hope is that we soon are 'caught up' to be
with the Lord!
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Maranatha!
Chance