Elijah Comforted

 
Elijah was comforted when he tried to flee:
(Few thoughts from I Kings Chapter 19)

Immediately after an amazing victory that Israel scored at the mount Carmel with the help of the almighty God through the chosen prophet of the LORD, Elijah the Tishbite, over the prophets of Baal, the prophet himself fell into disappointment and fear at the threat of Jezebel the wicked wife of Ahab on hearing from her husband that the prophets of Baal were killed by Elijah. Jezebel was furious on Elijah and sent messengers seeking his blood and taking oath on the names of her gods, that if she did not kill Elijah by the next morning her gods would be free to take her life. Sometimes it so happens that the child of God faces uncertainties in his/her life and loses confidence in himself even though he had tremendous success just because he faces a threat from somebody, or a small failure after scoring a victory. But then God sends his angels and comforts his children.

When Apostle Paul was being taken to Italy where he had to show himself up to Caesar to put forth his defensive arguments that he did not offend any body great winds troubled the ship because Julius a Roman soldier, who favored Paul very much, and others thought loosening the ship from Crete in response to calm winds would be of no problem to them. Apostle Paul was not in favor of sailing the route they had taken, yet had to go along with them. When the heavy winds blew on to the ship, they feared and sought Apostle Paul's help. Paul told reminded them they should not have loosed the ship from Crete, and yet he comforted them saying, there stood by him that night an angel of God, to whom he belongs, and serve, and asked him to reveal the fact that because he had to stand before Caesar there would no harm befall them. Paul asked them to be confident that nothing will happen to them. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. (Acts 27:23-25 KJV) As they were sailing without taking food for fourteen days and when the fourteenth night was come they were driven up and down in Adria and there they felt as if they drew near some country. They tried to flee by casting anchors but Paul warned them that unless they remained on the Ship they would not be saved. The soldiers then cut off the ropes of the boat and let it fall off. When the day was dawning on even on fourteenth day, Apostle Paul said to them that they were fasting and that they should take some meat for their health. After he spoke thus, he took bread and gave thanks to God in presence of them all and when he had broken it he began to eat. When they were all happy they also took some meat. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat. (Acts 27:35-36 KJV) How wonderfully it reminds of Lord's feast and Lord's Supper at this time! On the fourteenth day the first born in Egypt were killed but the LORD passed over the houses of all the children of Israel, on whose door posts he found the blood of the lamb posted. On the fourteenth day the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ died instituted the Lord's supper and broke the bread and gave it to his disciples and said, 'take eat, this is my body; do it in remembrance of me' and before the dawn on the fourteenth day he died upon the cross and made a way for the redemption of man. The angel of the Lord comforted Apostle Paul and told him to comfort the sailors as well.

Elijah faces discouragement when such great threat comes from the wicked woman Jezebel, who took an oath to kill him. Elijah runs for his life and goes to Beersheba that belongs to Judah and left his servant there. Thereafter, he went and sat under a juniper tree and said to himself that it would be better if he died and then prays to God to take his life saying he was not better than his fathers. As he was lying under the juniper tree an angel of the Lord comes to him, touches him and tells him to get up and eat. When Elijah was worried the first thing that an angel of the Lord did to him was to feed him food. Elijah found a baked cake and a jar of water at his head. He got up and ate and drank and laid down again in disappointment in spite of the assurance he found in the angel of the Lord. The threat from Jezebel was so great that Elijah, who did himself confidently several miracles through the help of God, now finds hard to come out the depression of the supposedly an imminent danger. This reminds of the children of God, who face such challenges in life and get disappointed at few threats or few dangers that appear to harm them. In spite of the fact that God is with us some times we face discouragement. But then, God does not leave us alone in disappointment. He sends his angels repeatedly to fill our hearts with confidence and to advise us to take courage. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:31 KJV) The angel of the LORD goes to Elijah second time, touches him and tells him again to eat because the journey is too great for him. Elijah arose and ate and drank and went with strength of that meat forty days and forty nights and reached the Horeb the mount of God. Elijah goes in to a cave and lodges there and at that time the word of the LORD comes to him and asks him what he was doing there. Elijah speaks out from the bottom of his heart and tells that he had been working so zealously for the LORD in spite of the fact that Israel had forsaken His covenant, thrown down His altars and slain His prophets with the sword, and yet his own life is in danger and they seek his life. The LORD said to Elijah to go and stand on the mount and see when He passes by. As Elijah was watching carefully a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke the rocks in to pieces before the LORD but the LORD was not there. Thereafter Elijah saw an earthquake, and a fire but the LORD was not in them as well. But there came a small and still voice unto him and asked Elijah as to what he was doing there. Elijah repeated his saying that he was working so zealously for the LORD, even when the children of Israel had forsakes the LORD's covenant, thrown down His altars and slew His prophets and yet he was all alone working for him and his life was in danger. The LORD speaks to him and tells him to return to the nearby villages of Damascus and do certain important works for Him. "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: 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. 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". (1 Kings 19:15-17 KJV) The LORD also tells him that there were seven thousand in Israel, who have not kneeled down to Baal. God's work does not stop at one man's disappointment nor does he leave the one, who is disappointed. God takes of his work through Elisha, who comes after Elijah.

The LORD comforted Elijah and took care of His work as well. In the subsequent chapters we read that Elijah was caught up in to heaven. Let the name of the Lord be glorified.

Dear Friend,
Today is the day of salvation. Please confess your sins to Jesus Christ and be blessed. Receive Salvation and eternal life. Jesus is the Way, the truth, and the life. Holy Bible says God created man, in his own image and named him as Adam and God put him in a very comfortable place called 'the garden of Eden' and gave him a wife, whom Adam named as Eve. God gave Adam and Eve all the freedom except for eating the forbidden fruit, which Eve and Adam ate and brought sin into this world. In order to redeem mankind from their sin God sent his one and only son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sake, was buried, rose from the dead and ascended in to heaven. [...Jesus Saves You...]

God bless you
Leslie M. John
 

O Lord, my God, my Savior, I thank You for loving me.  Forgive me of all my sins.... [...My Prayer...]