(1 Kings, chap. 19.)
It is surely a cause for abundant thanksgiving, that in the Scriptures God has given us the failures as well as the faithfulness of His servants who were prominent in His service. The failures bring into stronger relief that faithful Servant (Jesus) who never had a divergent thought from the will of God, but found, ever found, His sustenance in doing the will of the One He came to glorify.
The failures are also beacons of warning to those who still tread the path of faith.
Elijah was discouraged and disconsolate ! The office of "Prophet" was at the moment more precarious than popular. This uncompromising man, who had been the bearer of a most unpalatable message to Ahab, and fearlessly denounced his wickedness; this man of faith who, in the midst of straitness, trusted in the living God and proved His unfailing care when every resource had failed; who had been the channel of God's resurrection power (i Kings 17); who fearlessly withstood demoniacal power; who called down fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice as a witness against the worshipers of Baal (i Kings 18); the man of prayer and faith whose cry reached heaven, and whose name has been indelibly recorded as one who had power with God (James 5:17) is utterly dismayed and cast down by the threat of- a woman. The crisis had come, and the future was pregnant with dark forebodings; circumstances seemed to combine against him, and the prophet, weary of the strife, asks for release from the prophetic office.
" If thou faint in the day of adversity,
Thy strength is small" (Prov. 24:10).
But God knew the weakness of this beloved servant, and as Elijah, dejected and despondent, fled from this wicked, designing woman in terror for his life, God led him to the refreshing shade of a juniper tree and gave His beloved sleep. How tender and considerate is our God ! How often when, in the storm and stress, our spirits faint and disheartened, we feel ready to retire from conflict, deeming everything gone, He in gracious love revives our spirits, strengthens the feeble knees, 'and enables us to "lift up the hands which hang down."
The" days in which our lot is cast are evil; we are in troublous times, when the foundations are shaken. Kingdoms are tottering and thrones falling. Corruption, civil and moral, over abounds, and the religious world grows more wantonly apostate every day!
Our darling hopes may be crushed and as disappointment succeeds disappointment we may cry out, "Who shall show us any good ? " But " God is for us," and "If God be for us, who against us?" (Rom. 8:31). Elijah could say with another in similar circumstances, " I laid me down and slept ; I awaked, for the Lord sustained me" (Ps. 3:5). Angelic ministry attended this weary servant, and he awaked to find the gracious provision of God -a cruse of "water, and a cake baked on coals was at his head.
All was changed now, and while Elijah had further lessons to learn, the tension was over; once more, in the strength of that refreshment, he is before us in the dignity of the servant of God. Is God less faithful in our day ? Nay, He remains unchangeably the same, and our poor failing hearts, ever ready to give up, may well take courage. The cake baked on coals, and the cruse of water are near by. The word of God and the Spirit of God wait upon our need. Oh, to make use of our resources!
The man of God, going in the strength of spiritual refreshment forty days and forty nights, repaired to Horeb, the mount where God met Moses (Exod. 3:1-12). But what dull scholars we are! Elijah is soon found in a cave, careful of his life, and thinking that every bit of testimony for God was in him.
Here a fresh lesson is learned. He is called out of his cave as the Lord, passing by, displayed His almighty power (i Kings 19:n, 12). Nature might be convulsed, but the "still small voice" drew Elijah from his hiding place and encouraged the faltering prophet to pursue his mission.
May we, in the midst of difficulties, be in the attitude of the perfect Servant in whom there was no breakdown, and learn of Him to tread the path in dependence upon God, as it is written of Him, "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned [instructed], that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned [instructed] " (Isa. 50:4).
Let us remember that " whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope " (Rom. 15:4). J. W. H. N.