June 22, 2025 • 18 mins
In this Bible Story, Elijah meets with God on Mount Sinai, and flees from Jezebel, The Witch Queen, fearing for his life. His troubled and weary mind is met with the gentle touch of God’s presence and direction. The Lord gives guidance to Elijah, and tells him that there was a civil war approaching that would topple the kingdom of Ahab and Jezebel. This story is inspired by 1 Kings 19. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.
Today's Bible verse is 1 Kings 19:9 from the King James Version.
Episode 124: Ahab, sore from being made a fool by God’s display at Mount Carmel, went home to complain to his wife Jezebel. Filled with anger at his actions, Jezebel sends a death threat to Elijah. When Elijah received the message, he fled until he had no strength left. Collapsing by a tree he begged God to take his life. But God showing him compassion sent an angel to provide for his needs and prepare him for the long journey ahead. A journey where he would meet with God Himself and be encouraged.
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Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. And he came thither unto a cave
and lodged there, And behold, the word of the Lord
came to him, and he said, unto him, what doest
thou here? Elijah First Kings nineteen nine. When the weight
of my journey weighs on me and the threats from
(00:22):
the cynics echo around me, strengthen me Lord, that I
can complete my mission on this earth. Provide me with
the energy and spiritual nourishment to make it to the
next checkpoint in my journey. I make the conscious decision
to ignore the chatter and empty threats, and to remember
(00:44):
all the magnificent miracles You've done on my behalf. So
I say to myself, get up, keep going, because the
Lord wants to meet you on the mountain top of
his presence. As you speak, Lord, tune my ears to
hear your whisper in the midst of the calamities that
(01:06):
seem to be taking place. For it is in the
calamity that you'll teach me how to hear through the
static and noise of this world. Connect me to mine
now and my next As you did with Elijah and Elisha,
I will finish strong and get the prize You've set
(01:28):
up for me to receive in Jesus name, Amen, thank
you for praying with me to day. Continue listening for
an incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in
a Year dot Com.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Elijah at Mount Sinai. In our last story, Elijah, the
God of the universe, on display against the false gods
of Bel. Four hundred and fifty prophets of Bel and
King Ahab gathered to challenge Elijah and the One True
God in front of the whole nation. God sent fire
and rain down from the skies to prove his power
(02:18):
and might. The blighted and unfertile land finally received rain.
Now we learn about the witch Queen Jezebel. The darkness
she carries infects all those around her, and she seeks
to take the life of Elijah for making a fool
out of her. The King and Baa, inspired by the
book The First Kings.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Jack Graham here today with another episode of the Bible
in a Year. In our last reading, we saw how
Elijah challenged the prophence of Bail to a showdown. It
was their false God against the Lord, Almighty God Almighty,
the One True God and a place called Mount Carmel,
in the presence of thousands of Israelites. God showed his
(03:03):
amazing power, raining fire down from heaven upon the altar,
while bail was missing in action. Of course, there was
no bail, because he is no God. Elijah then had
every false prophet killed, and the Lord finally sent rain
to quench the dry land in the kingdom. It was,
in effect a revival. Today, we're going to hear the
(03:25):
aftermath of this great victory. How Aha and his wicked
wife Jezebel react to what occurred and what Elijah does
in response. It will be a reminder to all of
us that often the enemy will seek to discourage us
and defeat us after great victories. Let's listen today to
the story of Elijah, the Great Prophet.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
The storms raged relentlessly. Wind and rain beat against Ahab's
coach as he made his way back to the palace.
Elijah had made a fool out of it. More than
that he had slain his prophets. They have burst through
the palace doors and flung his wet cloak on to
the floor. Defeated and ashamed, he entered into his room.
(04:12):
The air changed when Ahab opened the chamber doors. The
atmosphere was thicker, heavier, and more sinister. To Ahabit was
all too familiar. His wife was in the room. There,
sitting in the corner was the witch Queen Jezebel. She
sat at attention. Authority oozed out of her and slithered
(04:33):
about the room. She exuded strength, only it was the
type of strength one feared, not admired. Ahab lay at
her feet and told her of everything that happened, the prophets,
the sacrifice, the fire, the storm, and the bloodshed. Jezebel
sat silently as she listened to her husband. Although he
(04:53):
was king, he was truly a weaker vessel than she.
She stroked his hair and listened to his incessant Jezabel
teemed with anger. The wickedness in her heart was aroused
at the news of Elijah and God. She stood up slowly.
They have watched as she paced the room. Lighting lit
up the room in an instant, and then the room
(05:15):
returned to darkness. May the gods kill me, she whispered,
May they kill me if by this time tomorrow I
have not held Elijah's head on the tip of my spear.
She yelled for her servants and had them send Elijah
the same message. The message wrote, may the Gods strike
me down if I have not killed you as you
(05:36):
have killed my prophets. Jezebel's threats were not empty. Elijah
knew that there would be no hiding from her vengeful gaze. Terrified,
Elijah left his servant and fled to the wilderness. All day,
he traveled, taking no food, water, or companion. Jezebel desired
for Elijah to be scared. She wanted him to be
(05:58):
tormented by the idea that she could find him at
any minute. It was the fears she enjoyed most. Exhausted,
Elijah finally stopped under a single broom tree. He laid
there sobbing to the Lord. He had just had such
a tremendous victory, and now he was hiding for his life.
His body was weary from the day before, and his
(06:21):
mind was muddled from panic and fleeing. Elijah lay curled
up beside the tree and whispered to God, I have
had enough, Lord, take my life. As he prayed for
the Lord to remove him from existence, he fell into
a deep sleep. A slight breeze trickled in across the wilderness.
The sun was beginning its descent across the valley, and
(06:43):
the skies were golden and beautiful. Elijah felt a gentle
tug on his robe. He opened his eyes to see
an angel sitting beside him. Next to him were some
baked bread sitting on hot stones, next to a jug
of water. The angel smiled and said, get up and eat.
His voice was gentle, kind and foreign. Elijah looked down
(07:07):
at the meal and up again. The angel was gone.
Elijah ate and lay back down again. He slept some more,
this time through the night. Again, Elijah woke to the
angel tugging at his robe. Get up and eat, for
the journey ahead will be great, the angel said. So
Elijah had his fill of bread and water, enough to
(07:29):
fuel him for the long journey ahead. After resting some more,
Elijah rose. God was calling him somewhere sacred, somewhere only
few had been. God was calling Elijah to Mount Sinai.
For forty days, Elijah traveled through hills, valleys, and storms.
Elijah braved the journey to God's meeting place, the place
(07:52):
he had once spoken to Moses. He scaled the mighty
mountain and camped in a cave hewn by the wind.
There he slept and awaited the voice of God. What
are you doing here, Elijah, God said. Elijah woke in
a panic at the sound of God's voice. He stood
to his feet and looked outwards. I have served you fervently,
(08:13):
Elijah said. His knees were trembling and his eyes were watering.
But your people have rejected you. They break your covenant,
They destroy your altars, and they kill your prophets. Elijah
was flailing his arms, now frantically, speaking with God. I
am the only one left. I alone, am the remaining
faithful servant, and now they come after me. They want
(08:35):
to kill me, and it's not fair. Go out and
stand before me at the mountain. God interrupted. Elijah walked
towards the entrance of the cave and stood outside. The
vast mountain range was on display before him. He could
see the valleys below. As Elijah stood there, a mighty
wind storm blew through the mountain. Elijah did all he
(08:57):
could to stay on the ground while rocks and trees
were ripped from the side of the mountains. The wind ceased,
and Elijah composed himself there. A mighty quake came up
from the bottom of the earth. The whole of the
mountain shook and swayed like a wave. Rocks began to
fall around Elijah as he ducked for cover. After this,
(09:17):
a great fire blew through a valley below. Yet God
was not in the wind. He did not speak through
the earthquake, nor was his presence in the fire. After
all these acts of greatness, God drew in close to Elijah.
All was completely silent. All Elijah could hear was the
sound of his own breathing. Then a gentle whisper, a still,
(09:43):
small and quiet voice. What are you doing here, Elijah,
God asked gently. Elijah replied again with a whisper. The winds, earthquakes,
and fires had mimicked Elijah's previously panicked demeanor. But now
Elijah understood how one speaks with God. I have served
(10:04):
you passionately, my Lord, but the people have fallen far
from you. They have killed everyone who loves you, And
now I am to be next. The Lord spoke to
Elijah again, saying, go back the same way you came.
You are my prophet, and I have given you the
authority to anoint kings on my behalf. Go to Aram
(10:25):
and anoint him king over Syria. Then go to Jihu
and anoint him to be king over Israel. Then find
Elishah to replace you as my prophet. There will be
conflict ahead. Whoever flees from Hazael will be killed by Jehu,
and whoever flees from Jihu will be killed by Hazael.
And all this blood shed, there will be seven thousand
(10:46):
others in Israel preserved who still love me. Elijah was
elated to be given a new task rather than stewar
in his obsessive introspection. He was pleased at the Lord's
plan to use the volatility of the nations to weed
out the fathers a bear, so he went down and
found the young man known as Elisha. He was plowing
his father's fields. When Elijah found him, Elijah stopped his work,
(11:10):
put his cloak over him, and told Elishah of all
that would take place. Elishah would follow Elijah devotedly. Together
they would witness the rise and fall of kings and
the glory of God.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
In today's scripture, the prophets of bail have been defeated
and put to death by Elijah. And when Ahab's wife Jezebel,
here's what has happened. She is enraged. It seems clear
that while Ahab was king in title, Jezebel ruled the
kingdom and her own household. She had previously killed countless
(11:46):
men of God. But now this single lone prophet, Elijah
has humiliated her and she is out for his life.
So she sent word to Elijah that she would kill him.
That very day. Elijah was terrified. Amazing, isn't it that
he would be so frightened after such a great victory
(12:06):
when God's power came down on Mount Carmel. Elijah is
facing a very evil and crazed woman, an unhinged woman,
and she, of course is able to make good on
her threat if she can. And in the wake of
what should have been a monumental victory and celebration for
the cause of God, things do not get better for Elijah.
(12:28):
In fact, they get worse. Now, this is something we
need to talk about. It's not uncommon in our lives
that after great work for the Lord is done, there
will be an enemy attack. Jesus was tempted after his
baptism by the devil, for example, and after great victories
we sometimes face more battles and Satan the enemy is
(12:50):
always trying to tear down what God is doing. That's
why we see here in this passage Jezebel as an
instrument of the devil, trying to destroy what God was
doing and does. God's prophet Elijah had a target on
his back. So what did he do? He ran? He
ran far away, and finally, exhausted, he stopped to rest
(13:13):
under a broom tree, and in his desperation, he cried
out for God to take his life and end his suffering.
He's giving up. Elijah was at the end of his
rope and he felt like he could fight no more.
He is physically exhausted, mentally undone, and spiritually depressed. I
(13:33):
know in life sometimes we face difficulties and circumstances that
weigh us down and we become spiritually, emotionally and physically exhausted,
even depressed. That's what happened to Elijah. But in the
story of Elijah we find how we can find rest
and restoration. God provides for Elijah. He always has, and
(13:57):
now he sends an angel to feed him. Elijah eats
and then he sleeps. Then in First Kings nineteen verses
seven and eight, we read these words and the angel
of the Lord came again a second time and touched
him and said, arise and eat, for the journey is
too great for you. And he arose and ate and
drank and went in the strength of that food forty
(14:19):
days and forty nights to Horab, the mountain of God.
God was certainly not done with Elijah, and he would
give him strength to meet the responsibilities of his prophetic task.
So he sustains him with food for the long journey.
He renews him and restores him and takes him to
a mountain where God is about to speak to his man.
(14:41):
As Elijah camped in a cave on Mount Horeb, God
spoke to him, asking why he was there. Why are
you here, Elijah? And Elijah replies that he's the only one.
He thinks he is the only one who is truly
following God, that the people had rejected the Lord and
killed the prophets, and now his life is in danger.
(15:03):
It seemed to be just too much for Elijah, but
God tells Elijah to stand outside the cave and wait
for him to speak. First, there came a great wind,
then an earthquake, and then fires in the valley below.
One would expect the thundering voice of the Almighty to
boom loudly in these moments. But there was no voice,
(15:23):
just the noise of winds and earthquakes and fire. Then
everything became very quiet, and in the stillness of that
moment came a small voice. The Bible describes it as
a still small voice. The voice of God is speaking
now in a whisper, and of course when someone is whispering,
(15:44):
you must get very close to hear. While God spoke quietly,
the message could not be more clear. God gave Elijah
a mission again, and that was to annoint two kings
in Syria and in Israel. He told him that war
was coming to Israel. But then he gave Elijah comfort
(16:04):
and a commission. Elijah was to anoint a new prophet, Elisha,
who would take Elijah's place and finish what the man
of God had started. Finally, God assured this man that
there would be a remnant in Israel which would not
bow down to bail seven thousand, who would stand for God.
(16:25):
So how did Elijah come out of his deep depression?
How did God restore him? He gave him a new purpose.
Life must be lived on purpose, and when you have
a purpose for your life. You are strengthened to live it.
So Elijah departed just as God told him to do,
and found Elisha just as God had said he would.
(16:45):
Together these two prophets would witness the Lord's doing great
and mighty things. We'll hear about that the next time.
Dear God, we thank you that when we are at
our lowest, when we are discouraged and depressed and even
feeling defeated, that you speak to us when we listen,
when the enemy comes hard against us, that the battle
(17:07):
is yours and that we can trust in you to
give us victory. Thank You for your plan for our lives.
Thank you for giving us a mission and a commission
with others to take the good news of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ to the world. Thank you that you
always find us when we're at our greatest need and
bring us hope again. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you
(17:31):
for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm
pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Let me encourage you
to download Theprey dot com app and always make Bible
reading and Bible study a priority in your life, along
with prayer. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with
someone you love. Let someone know because by sharing this podcast,
(17:52):
you can truly make a difference in someone's life. And
if you want more resources from me, Jack Graham as
to how you can grow in your Christian life, then
go to Jack Graham dot org. That's Jack Graham dot org.
God bless you.
Let us pray. And he came thither unto a cave
and lodged there, And behold, the word of the Lord
came to him, and he said, unto him, what doest
thou here? Elijah First Kings nineteen nine. When the weight
of my journey weighs on me and the threats from
(00:22):
the cynics echo around me, strengthen me Lord, that I
can complete my mission on this earth. Provide me with
the energy and spiritual nourishment to make it to the
next checkpoint in my journey. I make the conscious decision
to ignore the chatter and empty threats, and to remember
(00:44):
all the magnificent miracles You've done on my behalf. So
I say to myself, get up, keep going, because the
Lord wants to meet you on the mountain top of
his presence. As you speak, Lord, tune my ears to
hear your whisper in the midst of the calamities that
(01:06):
seem to be taking place. For it is in the
calamity that you'll teach me how to hear through the
static and noise of this world. Connect me to mine
now and my next As you did with Elijah and Elisha,
I will finish strong and get the prize You've set
(01:28):
up for me to receive in Jesus name, Amen, thank
you for praying with me to day. Continue listening for
an incredible Bible story brought to you by Bible in
a Year dot Com.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Elijah at Mount Sinai. In our last story, Elijah, the
God of the universe, on display against the false gods
of Bel. Four hundred and fifty prophets of Bel and
King Ahab gathered to challenge Elijah and the One True
God in front of the whole nation. God sent fire
and rain down from the skies to prove his power
(02:18):
and might. The blighted and unfertile land finally received rain.
Now we learn about the witch Queen Jezebel. The darkness
she carries infects all those around her, and she seeks
to take the life of Elijah for making a fool
out of her. The King and Baa, inspired by the
book The First Kings.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Jack Graham here today with another episode of the Bible
in a Year. In our last reading, we saw how
Elijah challenged the prophence of Bail to a showdown. It
was their false God against the Lord, Almighty God Almighty,
the One True God and a place called Mount Carmel,
in the presence of thousands of Israelites. God showed his
(03:03):
amazing power, raining fire down from heaven upon the altar,
while bail was missing in action. Of course, there was
no bail, because he is no God. Elijah then had
every false prophet killed, and the Lord finally sent rain
to quench the dry land in the kingdom. It was,
in effect a revival. Today, we're going to hear the
(03:25):
aftermath of this great victory. How Aha and his wicked
wife Jezebel react to what occurred and what Elijah does
in response. It will be a reminder to all of
us that often the enemy will seek to discourage us
and defeat us after great victories. Let's listen today to
the story of Elijah, the Great Prophet.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
The storms raged relentlessly. Wind and rain beat against Ahab's
coach as he made his way back to the palace.
Elijah had made a fool out of it. More than
that he had slain his prophets. They have burst through
the palace doors and flung his wet cloak on to
the floor. Defeated and ashamed, he entered into his room.
(04:12):
The air changed when Ahab opened the chamber doors. The
atmosphere was thicker, heavier, and more sinister. To Ahabit was
all too familiar. His wife was in the room. There,
sitting in the corner was the witch Queen Jezebel. She
sat at attention. Authority oozed out of her and slithered
(04:33):
about the room. She exuded strength, only it was the
type of strength one feared, not admired. Ahab lay at
her feet and told her of everything that happened, the prophets,
the sacrifice, the fire, the storm, and the bloodshed. Jezebel
sat silently as she listened to her husband. Although he
(04:53):
was king, he was truly a weaker vessel than she.
She stroked his hair and listened to his incessant Jezabel
teemed with anger. The wickedness in her heart was aroused
at the news of Elijah and God. She stood up slowly.
They have watched as she paced the room. Lighting lit
up the room in an instant, and then the room
(05:15):
returned to darkness. May the gods kill me, she whispered,
May they kill me if by this time tomorrow I
have not held Elijah's head on the tip of my spear.
She yelled for her servants and had them send Elijah
the same message. The message wrote, may the Gods strike
me down if I have not killed you as you
(05:36):
have killed my prophets. Jezebel's threats were not empty. Elijah
knew that there would be no hiding from her vengeful gaze. Terrified,
Elijah left his servant and fled to the wilderness. All day,
he traveled, taking no food, water, or companion. Jezebel desired
for Elijah to be scared. She wanted him to be
(05:58):
tormented by the idea that she could find him at
any minute. It was the fears she enjoyed most. Exhausted,
Elijah finally stopped under a single broom tree. He laid
there sobbing to the Lord. He had just had such
a tremendous victory, and now he was hiding for his life.
His body was weary from the day before, and his
(06:21):
mind was muddled from panic and fleeing. Elijah lay curled
up beside the tree and whispered to God, I have
had enough, Lord, take my life. As he prayed for
the Lord to remove him from existence, he fell into
a deep sleep. A slight breeze trickled in across the wilderness.
The sun was beginning its descent across the valley, and
(06:43):
the skies were golden and beautiful. Elijah felt a gentle
tug on his robe. He opened his eyes to see
an angel sitting beside him. Next to him were some
baked bread sitting on hot stones, next to a jug
of water. The angel smiled and said, get up and eat.
His voice was gentle, kind and foreign. Elijah looked down
(07:07):
at the meal and up again. The angel was gone.
Elijah ate and lay back down again. He slept some more,
this time through the night. Again, Elijah woke to the
angel tugging at his robe. Get up and eat, for
the journey ahead will be great, the angel said. So
Elijah had his fill of bread and water, enough to
(07:29):
fuel him for the long journey ahead. After resting some more,
Elijah rose. God was calling him somewhere sacred, somewhere only
few had been. God was calling Elijah to Mount Sinai.
For forty days, Elijah traveled through hills, valleys, and storms.
Elijah braved the journey to God's meeting place, the place
(07:52):
he had once spoken to Moses. He scaled the mighty
mountain and camped in a cave hewn by the wind.
There he slept and awaited the voice of God. What
are you doing here, Elijah, God said. Elijah woke in
a panic at the sound of God's voice. He stood
to his feet and looked outwards. I have served you fervently,
(08:13):
Elijah said. His knees were trembling and his eyes were watering.
But your people have rejected you. They break your covenant,
They destroy your altars, and they kill your prophets. Elijah
was flailing his arms, now frantically, speaking with God. I
am the only one left. I alone, am the remaining
faithful servant, and now they come after me. They want
(08:35):
to kill me, and it's not fair. Go out and
stand before me at the mountain. God interrupted. Elijah walked
towards the entrance of the cave and stood outside. The
vast mountain range was on display before him. He could
see the valleys below. As Elijah stood there, a mighty
wind storm blew through the mountain. Elijah did all he
(08:57):
could to stay on the ground while rocks and trees
were ripped from the side of the mountains. The wind ceased,
and Elijah composed himself there. A mighty quake came up
from the bottom of the earth. The whole of the
mountain shook and swayed like a wave. Rocks began to
fall around Elijah as he ducked for cover. After this,
(09:17):
a great fire blew through a valley below. Yet God
was not in the wind. He did not speak through
the earthquake, nor was his presence in the fire. After
all these acts of greatness, God drew in close to Elijah.
All was completely silent. All Elijah could hear was the
sound of his own breathing. Then a gentle whisper, a still,
(09:43):
small and quiet voice. What are you doing here, Elijah,
God asked gently. Elijah replied again with a whisper. The winds, earthquakes,
and fires had mimicked Elijah's previously panicked demeanor. But now
Elijah understood how one speaks with God. I have served
(10:04):
you passionately, my Lord, but the people have fallen far
from you. They have killed everyone who loves you, And
now I am to be next. The Lord spoke to
Elijah again, saying, go back the same way you came.
You are my prophet, and I have given you the
authority to anoint kings on my behalf. Go to Aram
(10:25):
and anoint him king over Syria. Then go to Jihu
and anoint him to be king over Israel. Then find
Elishah to replace you as my prophet. There will be
conflict ahead. Whoever flees from Hazael will be killed by Jehu,
and whoever flees from Jihu will be killed by Hazael.
And all this blood shed, there will be seven thousand
(10:46):
others in Israel preserved who still love me. Elijah was
elated to be given a new task rather than stewar
in his obsessive introspection. He was pleased at the Lord's
plan to use the volatility of the nations to weed
out the fathers a bear, so he went down and
found the young man known as Elisha. He was plowing
his father's fields. When Elijah found him, Elijah stopped his work,
(11:10):
put his cloak over him, and told Elishah of all
that would take place. Elishah would follow Elijah devotedly. Together
they would witness the rise and fall of kings and
the glory of God.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
In today's scripture, the prophets of bail have been defeated
and put to death by Elijah. And when Ahab's wife Jezebel,
here's what has happened. She is enraged. It seems clear
that while Ahab was king in title, Jezebel ruled the
kingdom and her own household. She had previously killed countless
(11:46):
men of God. But now this single lone prophet, Elijah
has humiliated her and she is out for his life.
So she sent word to Elijah that she would kill him.
That very day. Elijah was terrified. Amazing, isn't it that
he would be so frightened after such a great victory
(12:06):
when God's power came down on Mount Carmel. Elijah is
facing a very evil and crazed woman, an unhinged woman,
and she, of course is able to make good on
her threat if she can. And in the wake of
what should have been a monumental victory and celebration for
the cause of God, things do not get better for Elijah.
(12:28):
In fact, they get worse. Now, this is something we
need to talk about. It's not uncommon in our lives
that after great work for the Lord is done, there
will be an enemy attack. Jesus was tempted after his
baptism by the devil, for example, and after great victories
we sometimes face more battles and Satan the enemy is
(12:50):
always trying to tear down what God is doing. That's
why we see here in this passage Jezebel as an
instrument of the devil, trying to destroy what God was
doing and does. God's prophet Elijah had a target on
his back. So what did he do? He ran? He
ran far away, and finally, exhausted, he stopped to rest
(13:13):
under a broom tree, and in his desperation, he cried
out for God to take his life and end his suffering.
He's giving up. Elijah was at the end of his
rope and he felt like he could fight no more.
He is physically exhausted, mentally undone, and spiritually depressed. I
(13:33):
know in life sometimes we face difficulties and circumstances that
weigh us down and we become spiritually, emotionally and physically exhausted,
even depressed. That's what happened to Elijah. But in the
story of Elijah we find how we can find rest
and restoration. God provides for Elijah. He always has, and
(13:57):
now he sends an angel to feed him. Elijah eats
and then he sleeps. Then in First Kings nineteen verses
seven and eight, we read these words and the angel
of the Lord came again a second time and touched
him and said, arise and eat, for the journey is
too great for you. And he arose and ate and
drank and went in the strength of that food forty
(14:19):
days and forty nights to Horab, the mountain of God.
God was certainly not done with Elijah, and he would
give him strength to meet the responsibilities of his prophetic task.
So he sustains him with food for the long journey.
He renews him and restores him and takes him to
a mountain where God is about to speak to his man.
(14:41):
As Elijah camped in a cave on Mount Horeb, God
spoke to him, asking why he was there. Why are
you here, Elijah? And Elijah replies that he's the only one.
He thinks he is the only one who is truly
following God, that the people had rejected the Lord and
killed the prophets, and now his life is in danger.
(15:03):
It seemed to be just too much for Elijah, but
God tells Elijah to stand outside the cave and wait
for him to speak. First, there came a great wind,
then an earthquake, and then fires in the valley below.
One would expect the thundering voice of the Almighty to
boom loudly in these moments. But there was no voice,
(15:23):
just the noise of winds and earthquakes and fire. Then
everything became very quiet, and in the stillness of that
moment came a small voice. The Bible describes it as
a still small voice. The voice of God is speaking
now in a whisper, and of course when someone is whispering,
(15:44):
you must get very close to hear. While God spoke quietly,
the message could not be more clear. God gave Elijah
a mission again, and that was to annoint two kings
in Syria and in Israel. He told him that war
was coming to Israel. But then he gave Elijah comfort
(16:04):
and a commission. Elijah was to anoint a new prophet, Elisha,
who would take Elijah's place and finish what the man
of God had started. Finally, God assured this man that
there would be a remnant in Israel which would not
bow down to bail seven thousand, who would stand for God.
(16:25):
So how did Elijah come out of his deep depression?
How did God restore him? He gave him a new purpose.
Life must be lived on purpose, and when you have
a purpose for your life. You are strengthened to live it.
So Elijah departed just as God told him to do,
and found Elisha just as God had said he would.
(16:45):
Together these two prophets would witness the Lord's doing great
and mighty things. We'll hear about that the next time.
Dear God, we thank you that when we are at
our lowest, when we are discouraged and depressed and even
feeling defeated, that you speak to us when we listen,
when the enemy comes hard against us, that the battle
(17:07):
is yours and that we can trust in you to
give us victory. Thank You for your plan for our lives.
Thank you for giving us a mission and a commission
with others to take the good news of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ to the world. Thank you that you
always find us when we're at our greatest need and
bring us hope again. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you
(17:31):
for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm
pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Let me encourage you
to download Theprey dot com app and always make Bible
reading and Bible study a priority in your life, along
with prayer. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with
someone you love. Let someone know because by sharing this podcast,
(17:52):
you can truly make a difference in someone's life. And
if you want more resources from me, Jack Graham as
to how you can grow in your Christian life, then
go to Jack Graham dot org. That's Jack Graham dot org.
God bless you.
Host
Jack Graham
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