“Come Out of Your Cave”

1^st Kings 18:33-39

Elijah, one of GOD’S greatest prophets had an encounter with 450 prophets of the false god Baal. By GOD’S power, Elijah utterly defeats Baal’s prophets, revealing Jehovah as the one true and living GOD. Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, grudgingly sought revenge, seeking the life of Elijah. 1^st Kings 19:2

How discouraging would it be to have clearly set forth the GOD of Israel as Sovereign over all, only to receive a death threat from a servant of the false god that was utterly defeated?

Elijah’s response to Jezebel’s threat: “…he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die, saying, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” 1 Kings 19:3-4

“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?” 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 am alone left; and they seek to take my life.” 1^st Kings 19:9-10

Have you ever felt this way? Perhaps, based on someone’s reaction to the truth, we think the problem lies with us. Maybe someone lashes out when we have shown Jehovah to be the God of heaven and earth. How does that make us feel? While it is ok to be upset, we must not allow our emotions to cause us to retreat into a cave of self-pity assuming GOD has abandoned us. What can we truly accomplish for the Lord in this state?

The campaign against Elijah’s life was not fair. But his wallowing in self-pity had rendered his effectiveness in the work useless. He had isolated himself in a cave. We cannot accomplish anything for the Lord while hiding and feeling sorry for ourselves.

It is natural to feel upset about injustice and rejection of the truth. We should be passionate about these issues. But we must not let those feelings push us into a state where we become ineffective for the cause of Christ.

GOD reminds Elijah that he is not alone. “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 1^st Kings 19:18

Elijah was alone because he chose to be. There were others, but Elijah had isolated himself, in his cave. Let us be careful not to isolate ourselves in symbolic caves of misery and inactivity. The only one who wins when we chose to do so is Satan.