Elijah – Still Learning God’s Ways
One of the most moving things to me regarding the life of Elijah is that God continued to deal so tenderly with the prophet – even after he was (presumably) near the end of his life. In the world today we tend to dismiss people either because of their old age or if they don’t have the platform or position they once had. God is not like that. “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you; I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isa.46:4). That is so encouraging.
In Elijah ‘s case although his work on earth was almost finished, God was not finished with Elijah. Not that Elijah would “use” new things God was about to show him. What God was about to do was to show Elijah things he had never seen or thought of.
Elijah was not only a tired man by the broom tree but also a proud man. “I am no better than my ancestors” (1 Kings 19:4). I want to ask Elijah, “Whoever thought you were?” But he had high aspirations for himself! He wanted to be the ultimate servant of God. The ultimate prophet. The ultimate example. His running from Jezebel made him realize that he was “dust”. God knows our frame; he remembers we are “dust” (Psa.103:14).
But now God is about to show Elijah something of God’s ways which Elijah was not prepared for. He was ordered to stand on the mountain and see God’s manifest presence. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart. But the Lord “was not in the wind”. That is odd. You would have thought God certainly was in the wind. Then came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then came a fire – certainly God had appeared in fire before; but the Lord was not in the fire. And then came what was perhaps the most understated and lackluster manifestation of all time: a “gentle whisper” (“still small voice” – KJV – 1 Kings 19:11-12).
Elijah recognized God in this unspectacular manifestation. He heard it, pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood in the mouth of the cave (v.13). Elijah learned that there was a lot about God and his ways that he had never thought of.
God has a way of doing that. Just when we think we are getting to know his ways we often discover – to our embarrassment – we knew so little about him. And yet – I cannot help but ask – how will Elijah “use” this information about God? When I get a new insight I ask, When can I preach this? But sometimes one sees things he cannot share. Some insights are to be kept, hidden in one’s heart. Why? Just to know God and his ways is enough. We don’t need to “preach” every insight we get!
God was in the process of sorting out this tired and proud prophet. The time had come for God to say, “Elijah, you have said twice that you are the only one left. I have to tell you Elijah – you are wrong. I have seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal. Sorry Elijah, but you are not the only one” (1 Kings 19:18).
The beautiful thing is, not only was God teaching Elijah new things; he was teaching things to Elijah in his old age – his vocation nearly complete and his ministry almost over. But God loves to show us that he loves us just as we are. Our relationship with him is enough. His presence is enough. His ways are so fulfilling. And his compassion toward our shameful weakness and shocking pride means that God gets all the glory in the end. Not us. Not even Elijah.
RT
You can read much more about this in my New book: These are the days of Elijah available at a discount for this month.