Word of Encouragement (06/19/2024)

And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:15-18)

Elijah’s complaint to God was, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” God asked this question twice—once before (v. 10) and once after He passed by him (v. 14). But Elijah dug his heels and repeated his complaint even after God showed him many wonders. As we observed yesterday, what finally brings Elijah out of his bitterness is the words God gives to him in this passage, not the spectacular signs and wonders.

In this response, God graciously addresses all of Elijah’s concerns. He does so in a series of commands. But first, let us remember that God did not give these commands at the outset of Elijah’s fear and bitterness. God gives these commands only after He listened to his complaints, gave him rest and refreshment, and reminded him of His power. God knows us that we are but dust. He knows our frailty. That is why He gave us the Sabbath command. Sometimes, the cure we need is physical rest and nourishment.

But God also knows that our fear and anxiety often come from not knowing what to do or what needs to be done, which often leads to helplessness and hopelessness that paralyze us. No matter how difficult life may be, if we have a good understanding of what needs to be done, we can wake up in the morning and persevere. Sometimes, what we need is not just physical rest or words of comfort but also words of guidance (wisdom). Oh, how blessed we are that the God of infinite wisdom is our heavenly Father, who has given us His Word!

The first command was to anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. With this command, God affirmed His sovereign lordship over all the nations, not just over Israel and Judah. The second command was to anoint Jehu as king over Israel. Thus, God reaffirmed His sovereign lordship over His people, even the “bastard” kingdom, which abandoned the throne of David, God’s chosen king. The third was to anoint Elisha as Elijah’s successor. With this command, God reminded Elijah that he was not the only one left in Israel. In fact, He assured him that there were seven thousand who did not bow down to Baal. With these men, God would punish the house of Ahab for their idolatry and rebellion against their God. Elijah was so wrong to think that he was the only one fighting for God. God is the sovereign Lord of all, and He has everything at His disposal (including Gentile kings!) to accomplish His purpose. And he talked as if he cared about Israel more than God did. How preposterous!

If God so graciously responded to His complaining servant, how much more if we pray to Him in loving trust?

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