Although we start today's lesson in 1 Kings 19, we would need to go back a chapter or two to get a real feel for Elijah's mental state. Elijah is a prophet during the reign of King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. Although Israel is no stranger to evil kings, "Ahab did what was evil in the LORD's sight more than all who were before him." (1 Kings 16:30) He and his wife together elevated the worship of foreign gods to Israel. Despite how evil Ahab was, Elijah was not one bit shy about announcing God's judgment for his evil reign. Elijah prophesies a 3 year famine/drought, and then God hides him away in safety. God protects and feeds him, miraculously providing food delivered by ravens first, then by a poor widowed mother down to her last supplies. God uses Elijah to raise the woman's son from the dead after he fell ill. Bolstered by this show of power from the LORD, Elijah bravely heads back to King Ahab for a confrontation. As he's traveling, he meets Obadiah, a god-fearing man who also was a servant of King Ahab. Ahab has sent Obadiah to find Elijah, and upon finding him, Elijah asks Obadiah to announce his presence to Ahab. Obadiah answers "You must hate me, if you would send me into a death trap like this." Elijah assured Obadiah that he will not stand in the way of the LORD's plan. When Ahab finally sees Elijah, he says, "Is that you, the one ruining Israel?" (1 Kings 18:17) Elijah says "I'm not the Israel-ruiner, You are!!" This leads up to the famous story of Elijah calling 450 of Baal's men for a showdown with Yahweh. He poured water over the altar, during a drought, yet God mightily sent fire that consumed everything around, including the water. Elijah killed all the false prophets that day. And then, after three years, God sent rain. At the start of 1 Kings 19, Jezebel sends a warning to Elijah, threatening to kill him just as he killed all of "her" prophets. And now....Elijah is afraid. He's running for his life. He had a servant with him, but he traveled the last day alone. After all he's been through--3 years in hiding, a confrontation where the odds were 450/1 against him, standing toe to toe with one of the most powerful men in his world and calling him out on his sin--this is what finally breaks him. He laid down under a tree and prayed to die. He cries out, to God. He has a list--he's been zealous for God, but everyone else is gone. He's alone. He's ready to be done with his mission and just meet his Master, already!! But God once again feeds him--food from an angel!!--and allows him more time to rest. God sends a great wind, but the LORD was not in the wind. He sends an earthquake and a fire, but the LORD was not in either. Then--after all the noise of the last few days--a soft whisper. When Elijah hears that, he wraps his face in his mantle and comes out of hiding.
The mantle is a symbol of wrapping yourself in God's authority. Elijah thought he had the answer to his problems--entering the presence of God through death. But after all of his lamenting, questioning, praying, eating, napping, Elijah is finally at rest. His gift of praise back to God's solution is obedience. His sad song is now full of trust and acceptance. He recognizes that God is in control of his life and death--not Jezebel, not Ahab, not himself. It wasn't his day to Meet the Master, but when he does, his faith is rewarded!! (2 Kings 2)
This story has become famous because of memes that say something like "When you're down and out, God knows you need a nap and a snack." And while I could 1,000% get behind that on a daily basis, that was our loving God taking care of Elijah's needs so he could be physically refreshed to continue his purpose. When we are tired--full of sorrow, misery, regret, grief-- I pray God provides us with a nap and a snack. And on the strength from that, I pray we can walk forty days and forty nights (or whatever it takes) to the mountain of God. 💗
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