Lesson 298 - Junior
Memory Verse
"O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me” (Psalm 7:1).
Notes
A Report
Ahab told Jezebel what had happened on Mount Carmel. We do not read that Ahab said what God had done but he told her what Elijah had done. Ahab reported that Elijah had "slain all the prophets with the sword.” Ahab referred to them as "all the prophets” as if they were the only prophets, and as if they were worthy of the honour due true prophets. The 450 prophets of Baal were false. They had led the people away from true worship. They should have been slain, according to the Law: "And that prophet, . . . shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, . . . to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in” [DEU:13:5]).
Ahab did not harm Elijah but he told evil Jezebel who he knew would try to punish Elijah. Was he not responsible for arousing Jezebel's anger to persecute Elijah? Some children might not steal but they encourage others to do it; some children might not tell an untruth but they tell other children to do it; and so they must share in the guilt. The report that Ahab gave stirred this wicked woman against God and God's Prophet just as some reports today can cause people to fight against God and do wrong. May we realize that the report concerning the Lord, which we give others may stir them either to seek God or to doubt Him! David prayed that the words of his mouth would be acceptable in the Lord's sight [PS:19:14]).
A Threat
Jezebel was disturbed and she vowed to get revenge. She must have known that her god, Baal, was defeated. Yet she would neither admit that she was wrong in her worship nor would she stop the persecution of God's prophets. Jezebel sent a message to Elijah, threatening to take his life within 24 hours as he had taken the lives of her false prophets. This threatening of Jezebel was a trial for Elijah. He had won a great victory by the help of the Lord on Mount Carmel. Many times after such victories are won, great trials follow.
One might think that Elijah should have exercised his faith after God had answered his prayers to send fire and to send rain. One might expect Elijah to remember that God had been with others when their lives were threatened. The enemy of Moses and the Children of Israel had said that he would destroy them [EXO:15:9]), but God went to their rescue and made a way of escape. Saul was so jealous that he tried to kill David [1SM:18:10-11]). God helped David to avoid Saul, and David was spared.
Prayer
Perhaps Elijah remembered that God had told him to go away when Ahab had been looking for him [1KG:17:3]). The threat of evil Jezebel put fear in Elijah's heart and he "went for his life.” Apparently without praying, Elijah fled and hid himself.
Elijah should have prayed and asked God what to do. As we study this lesson we shall learn that it was not God's will for Elijah to flee. The Lord had work for Elijah, and that work was not in a cave on the mountain. If Elijah had prayed, God would have shown Elijah what to do. God can take away the discouragement if we trust Him. Let us learn a lesson from Elijah's life -– always to pray. Sometimes God wants His people to speak. At other times He wants them to keep silent. In order to know what God's will is, let us remember to pray. When in doubt, always pray and ask God to guide. The Psalmist said, "This God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” [PS:48:14]).
In the Wilderness
Elijah went a long distance from Jezreel where Jezebel lived. He fled to Beer-sheba, many miles to the south, in the land of Judah. From there he went a day's journey into the wilderness. As Elijah sat under a juniper tree, he was not very happy, because he was not in the place where God wanted him. He decided that he would like to die. He had fled so that Jezebel would not take his life, and now he wanted to die.
Ministering Angels
The Lord knew where Elijah was, and that he needed help. The Lord sent an angel with food for Elijah. He ate the cake that was baked on the coals. He drank the water from the cruse. In the strength of this food Elijah continued his journey in the wilderness for forty days. Can you name two other ways by which the Lord sent food to Elijah? (See [1KG:17:6], [1KG:17:13-16].)
God often sends His angels to help His people. The Lord sent an angel to help Moses and the Children of Israel when they were fleeing from the land of Egypt [EXO:14:19]; [EXO:23:20]). The Lord sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths when Daniel was put in their den [DAN:6:22]). An angel delivered Peter and the other disciples from prison [ACT:12:7]; [ACT:5:19]). Angels ministered to Jesus when He was in the wilderness [MAK:1:13]). When the beggar Lazarus died, he was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom [LUK:16:22]). We may not always see the angels, but God sends them to help His people [HEB:1:14]). In the Psalms we read, "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone” [PS:91:11-12]).
In A Cave
Elijah fled to Horeb, or Mount Sinai, "the mount of God.” There he took shelter in a cave. Elijah was all alone; he had nothing to do, and he could not have been very happy. He had been discouraged by Jezebel. Her message had frightened him to flee. His work for the Lord was hindered, and he felt sorry for himself. As Elijah hid in the cave, there was a storm. A great wind was so strong as to break rocks in pieces. Then an earthquake shook the place where Elijah hid. Next a fire broke out. Then came a still small Voice, and Elijah knew that the Lord was speaking.
Moses
The Children of Israel and Moses had a similar experience when the Lord gave them the Ten Commandments. The people went out of their camp to meet God. The whole mountain was covered with smoke "because the LORD descended upon it in fire” [EXO:19:18]). There was an earthquake so great that the whole mountain shook. Then a trumpet sounded loud and long. Moses spoke to God, and the Voice of God called Moses to go up the mountain to meet Him. When the Children of Israel saw the lightning and the smoke covering the mountain, when they heard the thunder and the trumpet, they were afraid and moved back. But "Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was” [EXO:20:21]). As God talked to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments, "the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai” [EXO:24:16]). The Children of Israel watched from a distance, but Moses was there with God.
A Still Small Voice
Although Elijah was hidden from Jezebel, he was not hidden from God. The Lord knew where Elijah was, just as He knows the place of each one of His children. On another occasion, the Lord said: "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? . . . Do not I fill heaven and earth?” [JER:23:24]). David said that wherever he would go, the Lord was here: "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” [PS:139:9-10]). Wherever we go, the Lord is there to talk to us, to help, and to encourage us.
After the noise of the storm, the rumbling of the earthquake, and the crackling of the fire, Elijah heard the still small Voice of God. Elijah knew that the Voice was that of God. He stood reverently before the Lord, to listen.
Other people have heard the still small Voice of God, too, but some have not recognized that the Lord was speaking. When the Lord called Samuel by name, he did not know that the Lord called him until Eli told him that God was calling his name. (See Lesson 200.) The Lord spoke to Saul as he was travelling to Damascus. Saul heard the Lord say, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” [ACT:9:4]). The men with Saul were speechless when they heard the Voice and saw no man, but Saul found out that God was talking to him. Florence L. Crawford, the founder of the Apostolic Faith work, heard the still small Voice of God saying, "Daughter, give me thine heart” as she was dancing in a ballroom. God has talked to others by quoting portions of Scripture to them. The Voice of God has warned others through their conscience. Perhaps the Lord has talked to you in a still small Voice. Maybe you have been so busy that you did not listen or did not even know that the Lord was talking to you.
Given Work to Do
Elijah knew that God was speaking. He stood before the Lord to hear His message just as Moses had stood before the Lord when he was called to deliver the Children of Israel from the bondage of Egypt. Moses had come to this same place, "to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” When he turned aside to see the burning bush and to hear the Voice of God [EXO:3:1-4]).
Elijah heard God say, "What doest thou here, Elijah?” In answer Elijah began to make excuses and try to explain why he was hiding in a cave. He said that the Children of Israel had permitted other true prophets of the Lord to be slain and Jezebel had threatened to take his life, so he fled. The Lord told Elijah that there were still 7000 in Israel who were true to God and were not worshiping Baal.
The Lord had work for Elijah to do. Elijah was given order to be busy instead of hiding. Three things God asked Elijah to do: to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria, to anoint Jehu to be king over Israel, and to anoint Elisha to be the Prophet to take Elijah's place. Elijah could not do this while he was in a cave. After he had talked with the Lord, he was no longer discouraged. When Elijah was busy and in the place where he could work for God, the discouragement was gone.
The Lord has work for His people today. He is not pleased to have them hiding or even sitting back doing nothing. He is not pleased to have them discouraged. Remember, when the Children of Israel became discouraged in the way, they murmured and sinned by speaking against God and against Moses [NUM:21:4-7]). In punishment, fiery serpents were sent among them, and many of the Children of Israel died. (See Lesson 108.)
God is pleased when His people are busy for Him. He is pleased to have His people pray for guidance in all things and at all times. Jesus is our example. When Jesus was a child, He said. "I must be about my Father's business” [LUK:2:49]). When Jesus was a young man, He said, "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” [JHN:9:4]). God's people have the opportunity now to work for Him, and to be true followers of the Lord. He has said, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” [ECC:9:10]).
Questions
1. What report did Ahab give Jezebel?
2. What did Jezebel threaten to do to Elijah?
3. What cause Elijah to flee into the wilderness?
4. How did the angel of the Lord help Elijah?
5. Where did Elijah find shelter?
6. How did God speak to Elijah?
7. Who else had heard the Voice of God in like manner?
8. What did God say to Elijah?
9. Why was Elijah discouraged?
10. What work did the Lord have for Elijah to do?