I Kings Chapter 19
Please read: I Kings 19 –
Elijah had experienced ministering before the LORD in a great way. He had demonstrated to the people of Israel that the false god Baal that they worshipped was powerless. But the queen of Israel, Jezebel vowed to take his life for killing her prophets of Baal. This woman was known for her wickedness and Elijah was afraid. Elijah escaped for his life and went to Beersheba in the land of Judah, a trip that was about 80 miles away. Elijah felt all alone and scared. He needed time alone with God. The important truth we learn in this chapter is that God knows when we feel all alone and scared and He is right there to minister to us if we allow Him to.
Let's Reflect
1. Elijah left his servant in Beersheba and then travelled a little farther out into the wilderness. He sat down under a tree to rest. Elijah was discouraged. What did he pray for?
2. After voicing his prayer, he went to sleep. What happened while he was sleeping?
3. This happened a second time. He was told that it was good that he rested and ate food to sustain him for a long journey because God was telling him to travel to Horeb. It would be a long journey of about 200 miles, and a difficult one. How many days would it take him to get there and do you think that the Bible might be emphasizing a correlation to the number of years that the Israelites were in the wilderness before entering the promised land?
4. When Elijah got to Mount Horeb he went into a cave. What did God ask him while he was in the cave?
5. There was a demonstration of the power of God. There was a great wind, an earthquake and a fire. But the Bible specifically says that God was not in those things. Elijah had been discouraged that even after the great demonstration of God’s power between the prophets of Baal and the one true God that people (Jezebel) still wanted to take his life. He was discouraged and yet God wanted to demonstrate to Elijah that He could work without great showing of power. Elijah covered his face in humility before God, and God in a quiet voice told Elijah exactly what he needed to do. God did not answer his previous prayer to let him die, but instead told him he had a purpose to complete. What was the first task Elijah was to complete?
6. If you are keeping a list of the kings in the southern kingdom and the northern kingdom, we now have the name of the man who would be the next king of the northern kingdom to take the place of Ahab. What was this man’s name?
7. God also sent him to anoint another prophet someone who had not bowed to Baal. Elijah had thought he was all alone, but God showed him that was not true, there were a number of people who had not bowed to Baal. Elisha proved that he was ready to go with Elijah by kissing his parents goodbye and killing his oxen which he no longer needed and giving the food to his family. What symbolic piece of clothing had Elijah placed on Elisha’s shoulders that told him God was calling him into full-time service for the LORD? God had strengthened Elijah by giving him a companion to minister alongside him.
