1 Kings 19:1-18 “Get Out of Your Cave!”

A great rain has begun • , who was not on Mt Carmel, must have thought – “YEAH! won!” • I can only imagine the story told as he describes the events on Mt Carmel – and how ALL of her Baal worship became a NON- ministry!

1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that had done, also how he had executed all the with the sword. • Fire from Heaven! o How the 850 false prophets failed § They danced § They cut themselves § They begged Baal o How the God of won! o How the people of Israel proclaimed: “The Lord He is God!” • 450 prophets of Baal • 400 prophets of Ashtoreth o How committed are you to slaying your past false gods and their prophets? § Horoscopes § Evolution – Darwinism § Hinduism: • Acupuncture • Yoga § Religious Science • New Age • Christian Science 1 John 4:1–3 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 Kings 19:1-18 “Get Out of Your Cave!” 1

Romans 16:17–20 17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

• Ahab’s faith was only in his wife o She can get things done o She’s the stronger one o She scares me!

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”

3 And when Elijah saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to , which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

• Elijah responds in fear of a woman – after he has seen the amazing miracles of God! o God never hides the humanity of His servants o No fear of 850 angry false prophets o No fear of killing 450 of them • 100 miles away to Beersheba

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours,

1 Kings 19:1-18 “Get Out of Your Cave!” 3

• Occasional depression: o Spiritual Depression § Demonic Oppression § Un-repented sin § Failure to see God’s eternal plan for your life § Selfishness o Organic Depression § Internal chemical imbalance § Hormonal changes § Environmental changes § Eating habits/Drinking Habits/Exercise habits o Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) o Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) § Will many times produce depression, lack of being able to cope • What Critical Incident? • What Traumatic Stress? o Loping the heads off of 450 prophets of Baal! o Think of where your mind would be after that. o Think Elijah wasn’t affected? Think again! James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours,

• I’m spent! I’m done! I’m out of Gas! o When does ministry start getting easy? Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake (Angel Food Cake?) baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. • In Elijah’s obedience God fed him with foul, unclean Ravens • In his failure he was fed by an Angel!

7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. • Sometimes just a good meal can make you re-evaluate your environment and calling. o Powerfully heaven-sent meal § Power bar from Heaven – that’s the one I want!

• It was about 200 miles from Beersheba to Sinai, a journey of perhaps ten days to two weeks. It had been three weeks at the most since Elijah fled from Jezreel, but the trip expanded to consume forty days (19:8)! 1

Saudi Arabia • Mt Sinai

9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” • “the cave” – definite article – a certain cave, not just any cave o This cave on Mt. Horeb is still there. • “the word of the Lord came to him” – could only be Jesus! o “And He said to him”

1 Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Responsible, “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2002), 146–147. 1 Kings 19:1-18 “Get Out of Your Cave!” 5

o Who is the “He”? – the Word of the Lord John 1:1–3 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

o Elijah went into a cave o God came to him

• Despair makes us believe we are all alone in this: o ministry struggle o relational struggle o Financial struggle § Will despair ever lead us to the truth?

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. • Great, strong wind o Horeb is solid red granite – takes a HUGE wind to tear into it! • Earthquake • Fire • Still small voice o Literal Hebrew: “the voice of stillness, small” § Literally attempted, the Hebrew means “a voice [or sound] of fine [or thin] silence [or quietness]”. 2 § “It is that pregnant silence in which one can hear the proverbial pin drop— and yet (much more important) in which one feels oneself challenged, and knows one has been addressed. It is that total yet audible stillness which is for many a necessary part of communion with God.” 3

2 A Graeme Auld, I & II Kings, The Daily Study Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 127. 3 A Graeme Auld, I & II Kings, The Daily Study Bible Series (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 127. • PTSD/CISM: o React to the great, strong winds o React to the earthquakes o React to the Fires o Can seldom concentrate long enough to hear “the voice of stillness, small.”

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” • He has come out because of the “voice of stillness, small” o Elijah is face to face with Jesus o Jesus asks Elijah the same question He asked earlier § Hoping for a different answer? § “The first time this statement of defense (v9) is presented to the audience, the emphasis falls on Elijah’s feelings (informative) but the precise reiteration exhibits Elijah’s inflexibility and egocentrism (elucidating).” 4

14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” • We sometimes think our tale of woe is what everyone wants to hear o Repeating our woes over and over until we’ve heard enough sympathy o In fact – people tire of our woeful attitude very quickly

15 Then the LORD said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17 It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. • In ministry – we are ministered to the most • Simple service encourages the broken heart

4 Gregory, From Carmel to Horeb, 134 1 Kings 19:1-18 “Get Out of Your Cave!” 7

• Go, get out of your Cave! o I have great things waiting for you!

18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” • Idolaters often kissed their hand in honour of their idols; • and hence the origin of adoration, from ad, to, and os, oris, the mouth. 5

• God saved 7000 prophets of the Lord • Obadiah saved 100 prophets of the Lord o God does at least 70X what we can do!

5 B. Blayney, Thomas Scott, and R.A. Torrey with John Canne, Browne, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, vol. 1 (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, n.d.), 249. 7 Stages of Grief/PTSM

1. SHOCK & DENIAL- You will probably react to learning of the loss with numbed disbelief. You may deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain. Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once. • This may last for weeks.

2. PAIN & GUILT- As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. Although excruciating and almost unbearable, it is important that you experience the pain fully, and not hide it, or try to avoid it or escape from it with alcohol or drugs. • You may have guilty feelings or remorse over things you did or didn't do with your loved one. Life feels chaotic and scary during this phase.

3. ANGER & BARGAINING- Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame for the death on someone else. Please try to control this, as permanent damage to your relationships may result. This is a time for the release of bottled up emotion. • You may rail against fate, questioning "Why me?" You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair ("I will never drink again if you just bring him back").

4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS- Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. This is a normal stage of grief, so do not be "talked out of it" by well-meaning outsiders. Encouragement from others is not helpful to you during this stage of grieving. • During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. You may isolate yourself on purpose, reflect on things you did with your lost one, and focus on memories of the past. You may sense feelings of emptiness or despair.

5. THE UPWARD TURN- As you start to adjust to life without your dear one, your life becomes a little calmer and more organized. Your physical symptoms lessen, and your "depression" begins to lift slightly.

6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH- As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life without your loved one. • You will start to work on practical and financial problems and reconstructing yourself and your life without him or her.

7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE- During this, the last of the seven stages in this grief model, you learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward. • You will start to look forward and actually plan things for the future. Eventually, you will be able to think about your lost loved one without pain; sadness, yes, but the wrenching pain will be gone. You will once again anticipate some good times to come, and yes, even find joy again in the experience of living.

1 Kings 19:1-18 “Get Out of Your Cave!” 9