Kings & Prophets: From Solomon to Jeremiah - Week 9

Today we continue our study of Elijah’s ministry.

Elijah’s Ministry

    ⁃    Prediction and Provision - no rain or dew
    ⁃    Contest at Mount Carmel the time of drought ends in a contest
    ⁃    Encounter at Mount Horeb
    ⁃    Word at Naboth’s Vineyard
    ⁃    Elijah taken to heaven

We pick up the story from last week, at the contest at Mount Carmel where we learn that Jezebel has promised to kill Elijah. After the threat, Elijah, fearful for his life, travels forty days to Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai). Pastor shares several possibilities for the location of this mount leaning towards today’s Jabal al Maqla. 

Elijah makes it to Mt. Horeb and he is discouraged and fearful and exhausted and we read of his depression in 1 Kings 19:9-10. He ends this verse saying, “I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”  God’s response is, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Divine Encounter

    ⁃    Wind comes - but the Lord was not in the wind
    ⁃    Earthquake comes - but the Lord was not in the earthquake
    ⁃    Fire comes - but the Lord was not in the fire
    ⁃    Gentle whisper comes - the Lord speaks of Elijah’s assignment.  Elijah thinks of himself as a failure and wants to give up, but God tells him He has more for him to do, that he is not to give up.

Mission: Anointing

    ⁃    Elijah is told to anoint Hazael as king over Aram
    ⁃    He is told to anoint Jehu over Israel
    ⁃    He is told to anoint Elisha as his successor

Then God assures Elijah that he is not alone and tells him that there are 7,000 in Israel who have not bowed down to Baal.

Elijah obeys God’s commands and leaves Mt. Horeb and he comes to Elisha working in the field and Elijah anoints him. Elijah now has a partner for the rest of his ministry time on earth. This may have been as long as 10 years together.

God gives Elijah a word of judgement to give to King Ahab. Ahab’s response was to tear his clothes, put on sackcloth and fast. And because Ahab humbled himself in repentance, God withheld the judgement saying, “I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son” God relents, because He is gracious and He desires all people come to Him.  God responds when we repent.

At the end of Elijah’s ministry Elijah is one of two people mentioned in the Bible who were taken alive to heaven. We read in 2 Kings 2:11-12 “As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, ‘My father, My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’ And Elisha saw Elijah no more.”

Elijah’s Legacy

    ⁃    Malachi’s prophecy (Malachi 4:5-6) 
    ⁃    Gabriel and Zechariah (Luke 1:17)
    ⁃    Elijah who was to come (Matthew 11;13-14)
    ⁃    Transfiguration of Jess (Matthew 17:2-3)
    ⁃    Prayer life of Elijah (James 5:17-18)

A big takeaway from Elijah’s story is that we are to follow God no matter what comes our way, no matter what may be happening in our lives or in the world around us because God is faithful and He knows how to defend and take care His own.

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