Womeninthechurch20

Women in the Bible

Lesson Twenty:

We left last week with Ahab and Elijah departing. Now like any good husband, Ahab, goes and
tells his wife all that has happened at Mount Carmel and how her Baal prophets have been
slain. Now how would you feel if the people you looked up to tell your furture was slain. I
doubt you be very happy. I know that Jezebel was quite furious with Elijah. And promised to
killed him as he had done her prophets. Now. This sounds much like a modern day holy war.
And it so definitely is. It is a war against the God and the devil and Jezebel being used and
allowing to be used by Satan to destroy God’s ministers. People lived in fear in a since to
Jezebel for she was queen. You make a choice in leadership to be good or bad.

1 Kings 19:1-2 KJV
(1) And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the
prophets with the sword.
(2) Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also,
if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

Now what do you think Elijah is going to do when he hears the new that Jezebel is seeking his
life? Will one would think with him being a prophet he would pray. Prophets are human to.
Elijah begins to run. Where was Elijah reliance on God to protect him. Exactly Elijah was a
man not just a prophet. Any man with an women married or otherwise will run and hide. Unless
he is bigger and stronger then her and still maybe not. It is man’s instinct to avoid an angry
woman, especially one wanting you dead.

1 Kings 19:3-4 KJV
(3) And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which
belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
(4) But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a
juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O
LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Elijah took his servants as far as Beersheba and left them their hoping they would be protected
and continued a days journey on his own. He came to a tree he thought he could get some rest
under and did so. Now an angel came and woke him and feed him. This angel was actually a
messenger or prophet. In my “Brown-Drivers -Briggs Hebrew Dictionary” the word angel is mal’
a^k and the definition of mal’a^k

H4397
BDB Definition:
1) messenger, representative
1a) messenger
1b) angel
1c) the theophanic angel
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from an unused root meaning to despatch as a
deputy
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1068a

In this case the word angel is not a spiritual being, but a physical person that comes to aid
Elijah in his journey. God provide help.

1 Kings 19:5-7 KJV
(5) And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said
unto him, Arise and eat.
(6) And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at
his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
(7) And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise
and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

No matter how hard we try to run from our calling, from God or even our enemy, God is still
there. Jonah thought he could run and guess what he only got out to see headed for Tarshish. It
is not unusual for one to run out of fear or out of desperation. Elijah was human and he only
did what human nature would dictate. Now God was providing for Elijah and providing him
with nourishment. He is fixing to teach Elijah about his provision and protection. Elijah would
need strength for the journey ahead.

1 Kings 19:8 KJV
(8) And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and
forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Elijah went on a journey just off the strength of the nourishment God had provided for forty
days. Now that must of been some meal. God provision is always enough to sustain us in times
of trouble. God would begin to speak to Elijah. Elijah had sound a cave a place of comfort in a
cave. And when God begins to speak He wants to know exactly what Elijah is doing there. He
wants to hear Elijah version of the story.

1 Kings 19:9-10 KJV
(9) 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?
(10) And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of
Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the
sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

God hears Elijah out and then He begins by telling Elijah to stand in the mouth of the cave.
God is fixing to show Elijah he had no reason to run.

1 Kings 19:11-13 KJV
(11) And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the
LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the
rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake;
but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
(12) And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still
small voice.
(13) And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out,
and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said,
What doest thou here, Elijah?

God begins to show Elijah through a strong wind, and earthquake that if Elijah was going to die
he would. God showed Elijah that danger was everywhere and that no matter where he went he
would be in danger. Life is dangerous. People get up get in vehicles and do not know if they will
come home at night. Storms and earthquake’s shake our earth, random shootings take place
and many other ways to die. One never knows his time. Yet God calls us to be obedient to His
will until our day comes and until that day comes God is going to protect us.

Now Elijah did not get any bruises or injuries, but that protection does not mean one will not
suffer physical pain. Elijah probably was going through enough emotional anxiety that God just
removed all other suffering from Him. That just opinion. Even though God was not in the wind
or the earthquake, God caused these things to pass. God was demonstrating His power and
might. God then began is question of Elijah of what was he doing there and of course Elijah
told his story a second time.

1 Kings 19:15-18 KJV
(15) And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and
when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
(16) And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of
Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
(17) And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and
him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
(18) Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal,
and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

God gives Elijah specific instruction of where to go. In fact tells him to go back to where he
came from. That he would anoint a new king over Syria who name was Hazael and a new king
over Israel and his name is Jehu. And Elijah would also be instructed to anoint a new prophet
his name is Elisha. And he makes it clear that kings would war against each other and the
prophet Elisha would kill anyone remain of the house of Israel that did not bow to Him.

1 Kings 19:19-21 KJV
(19) So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve
yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle
upon him.
(20) And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and
my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I
done to thee?
(21) And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their
flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he
arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

Without hesitation Elisha follows when Elijah cast his mantle on him. This signified Elisha
would be a prophet. And Elisha requested that he be allowed to say good by to his folks and he
would follow. Elijah ask what had he done to him to make him desire to follow. Fact is it is
never us that chooses our successors in leadership it is God. God would anoint Elisha. Elisha
would learn to do God’s will and live by faith as Elijah also to had learned. Elijah would be a
role model though for Elisha.

Several key things one can learn from this lesson. Do not run from God or His will, He will
bring you back to where you began your running. God will provide and instruct you and
provide you with help even in the mist of your running away. God will remind you of your
calling and direction. Are you running from God or are you yielding to His will?