Because he was a man “of like passions” we can identify with Elijah’s melancholy and be inspired by the secret of his restoration to service.
Elijah was a prophet of God and a man of faith. As our chapter opens he has seen God do a powerful work. The prophets of Baal were destroyed and the drought was over. There must have been joy in Israel, but not for Jezebel, and she sent a messenger to Elijah to say she was intent on destroying him (v. 2).
Elijah had tried hard to revive God’s people (18:37). Mt. Carmel’s victory had demonstrated God’s power and seemed to begin the revival. So Elijah prayed for rain. But once the drought was over there was no need to fear killing Elijah. Clearly, this was not the revival he had expected. Elijah ran for his life to the wilderness of Judah. Fear turned to depression (v. 4). He looked inward and knew he was no better than his ancestors. He was exhausted physically and emotionally. He could not deny his mortal weakness. He could do no more. He wanted to die. He would rather be with the Lord.
It was then—at Elijah’s lowest point—that he received a second “messenger.” An angel (same word as “messenger” in v. 2) appeared to him. It was the Angel of the Lord (v. 7); it was the “word of the Lord” (note the “He” referring to the “word of the Lord” in verse 9); it was YHWH Himself (v. 15); it was a Christophany—an Old Testament appearance of the Lord Jesus.
The Angel of the Lord came to encourage Elijah. Encouragement is more than reassurance; it also strengthens for battle. The Angel woke Elijah out of the sleep of despair. The New Testament exhorts us often to wake up. We do not see when we are asleep, and many believers need spiritual sight.
Then He told Elijah to eat. Elijah looked (v. 6) and, behold, he saw food and drink. What food is this, prepared by the Lord Himself! How tender and selfless His love for His own. Elijah ate and slept again. Sometimes we do likewise: we get a fresh glimpse of spiritual reality, tasting the sweetness of the Word, then lie down and sleep again. And so the Lord woke him again to eat and drink more (v. 7).
Clearly eating and drinking are more important than sleeping in the spiritual economy. Elijah was not capable of the journey in his own strength, but he travelled forty days and nights in the strength of that food and drink (v. 8) to a cave at Mt. Horeb.
In that cave the Word (Jn. 1:1) spoke and asked Elijah what he was doing there (v. 9). Having received sight and strength, Elijah (as we must do today) had to face his motivations. He answered in terms of appearances (v. 10). He thought he was the only active believer. He was wrong. But the faithful remnant was so small and scattered that they seldom met one another. Lonely Elijah could no longer resist his enemies.
Elijah was told to “stand before the Lord,” and there followed a strong wind, an earthquake, and fire. However, God was not in these. Elijah’s victory on Mt. Carmel was by fire; there even rocks were consumed. But God was showing Elijah that such power will not revive anyone. Demonstrations of force do not compare with the presence of YHWH.
God makes His presence known by His word (v. 13). The written or spoken word leads us to the living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a still (in the sense of calm), small (used of the manna in the wilderness) voice, but the power of God’s word cannot be overestimated. He created the worlds by His word (Heb. 11:3). He spoke to a dead man, and he obeyed Him (Jn. 11:43). His voice is like thunder (Jn. 12:29). But the power of God to change lives is a calm, sustaining, strengthening voice.
In our noisy world we hardly hear one another. Conversations end where neither side has been heard. We wish God would speak to us. But God has spoken to us (Heb. 1:2). His is a still, small voice. Quiet, prayerful meditation brings hearing until we “see.” Faith replaces knowledge. An active life of faith is born in quiet fellowship with Him. When we, like Elijah in verse 3, see men and circumstances, we despair (also Mt. 14:30). When we see by faith and hear the Word, we are strong.
Elijah responded in humility, covering his face (v. 13) and hearing YHWH’s voice. Again the Lord asked why he there. Again He challenged Elijah to see spiritual truth. And although Elijah felt very much alone (v. 14), the Lord sent him back into the heat of the battle. Elijah obeyed. His weakness no longer mattered. He had seen the Lord. It did not take fire and lightning to convince Elijah to serve Him. Elijah had been refreshed with rest, food, reviving of his own spirit, instruction, a new vision, and, finally, obedience.
Elijah returned to Damascus (v. 15) and anointed a new king over Syria, another over Israel (v. 16), and a successor to himself. No man could do such work apart from the anointing that Elijah would give. These men would be as wind, earthquake, and fire. God would yet do a powerful work in these nations. But Elijah had learned that God’s strength and wisdom are known through our weakness (1 Cor. 1:27). What a great God and Saviour we have!
The full meaning of this story must be seen in the New Testament. John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Lk. 1:17). He was God’s voice crying in the wilderness. He baptized Jesus Christ (the anointed One) who is the true Prophet, Priest, and King. The Holy Spirit came upon Him. He led our Lord into the wilderness to meet His adversary in the power of God’s word. Jesus was forty days without food except for the word of God. Then angels came and ministered to Him (Mt. 4:11). Eventually He came out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit (Lk. 4:14). Later we see our Lord on the Mountain of Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah.
For those who were weary and hungry and thirsty, our Lord said to come to Him for rest (Mt. 11:28) and food (Jn. 6) and drink (Jn. 7:37-39)—enough to not only satisfy us, but allow us to overflow in blessing to others. Our Lord taught that we are to eat His flesh and drink His blood (Jn. 6:53ff) in order to live and be strong. He was not referring to the Lord’s Supper (which had not yet been instituted) but to personal fellowship with Him.
Then comes Gethsemane. This battle is against greater forces than Elijah knew. Our Lord Jesus Christ, alone with His Father, was strengthened for our eternal well-being by prayer and the word. An angel was sent to Him (Lk. 22:43) while Peter and the others slept, reminding us of Elijah under the broom tree. And so prepared, He endured the cross. What power! What glory! What eternal praise and worship are due to Him!
Elijah shows the comforting ministry of the Angel of the Lord. Remember the two on the road to Emmaus? They were despondent. But He met them, taught them, broke bread with them, and they “saw” (Lk. 24:30-31). They were revived and strengthened (vv. 32-35).
The Lord gives us rest, feeds us His own food, teaches us intimacy, empowers us, and commissions us to serve Him in that power. Perhaps most importantly, He reminds us that God’s power is still shown by our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). May it be so in our lives.