HONEST TO GOD
And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life." (1 Kings 19:9-10)
Elijah was depressed. He had a recent season of great spiritual victory, followed by a time of almost crushing gloom. He was so depressed that he prayed that God would simply take him to heaven and let him be done with life on this
earth. That prayer was not answered; instead, God served His servant
and allowed him time for rest and recuperation. So God first ministered
to Elijah's physical needs. This is not always His order, but physical
needs are important. Sometimes the most spiritual thing a person can
do is get enough rest and replenishment.
Next God sent Elijah to a specific place - to Horeb, the mountain of
God (1 Kings 19:8). Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, the
place where Moses met with God many centuries before Elijah.
Then we read that Elijah "went into a cave." Literally, the Hebrew
is definite in describing the cave. This is quite possibly the very
same place where God appeared to Moses as recorded in Exodus
33:22.
When Moses came there, God asked him a question: "What are
you doing here, Elijah?" Of course, God knew the answer to this
question. Yet it was good for Elijah to speak to the LORD freely and
to unburden his heart. And that is exactly what Elijah did.
He poured out his feelings to God: "I have been very zealous for
the LORD God of hosts." Elijah protested to God, "I have faithfully
served You and now look at the danger I am in." To Elijah - and
many servants of God since - it seemed unfair that a faithful servant
of God should be made to suffer.
In asking this question we might say that Elijah was in God's
University of Higher Service. Having been greatly used of God and
destined to serve Him in a yet greater way, Elijah needed to learn
some deep lessons at God's special school. He felt that He had
served God well and should not be made to suffer; now he was
learning differently. Charles Spurgeon wrote well: "God has ways of
teaching all of us in our bones and in our flesh, but he specially
knows how to do this with those upon whom he puts any honor in
his service. You must not marvel, if God should be pleased to bless
you to the conversion of souls, that he should also make you
sometimes smart."
The frustrated prophet carried his complaint further when he said, "I
alone am left." This was not accurate, but if reflected how Elijah
felt. God would soon show Elijah that he was not alone and that his
work had produced and strengthened a good-sized remnant in the
Kingdom of Israel. This would be hard for Elijah to believe, because
he sure felt alone. Even back at the confrontation at Mount Carmel
Elijah said I alone am left a prophet of the LORD (1 Kings 18:22).
Discouraging times make God's servants feel more isolated and
alone than they are.
Elijah continued: "I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."
Strangely, the reasons Elijah provided were actually important
reasons for him to remain alive. If he really was the last prophet or
believer alive, should not he seek to live as long as possible? If the
enemies of God like Jezebel wanted him dead, should he not seek
to defeat her wicked will? Elijah here powerfully showed the
unreasonable nature of unbelief and fear.
God would soon answer Elijah and speak to his feelings, his
unbelief, and his fear. Yet notice the goodness of God in simply
allowing His prophet to simply let it out; and the wisdom of Elijah in
taking God up on that invitation. It is easy for God's people to be far
too concerned with the image of "everything is alright" than in being
honest with God, themselves, and others. Yes, Elijah was trapped
in a pity-party of discouragement, unbelief, and fear - and being
honest about it to the Lord opened the door for God's answer.
Elijah could be honest to God and God would be good to Him.
By David Guzik
For Bible Study resources by David Guzik, go to:
www.enduringword.com/library_commentaries.html
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David Guzik is the director of Calvary Chapel Bible College Germany, near Siegen, Germany. David took this position in January of 2003, after serving for 14 years as the founding and Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel of Simi Valley. He has been in pastoral ministry since 1982. Learn more about David and his ministry at his website “The Enduring Word,” located at: http://www.enduringword.com where you will find excellent bible study commentaries and much more.