God who raised Elijah again
Elijah, who obeyed the word of God “Go, show yourself to Ahab …” (1 Kgs.18:1, 2, 15)
met Ahab through Obadiah (v. 16)
And this is what Ahab said to Elihah: “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?” (v. 17)
Then Elijah boldly said like this to Ahab:
“I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have,
because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and you have followed the Baals.
Now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel,
together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah,
who eat at Jezebel's table” (vv. 18-19).
Then when Elijah prayed to God at Mouth Carmel, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel,
today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again” (vv. 36-37),
he received answer of his prayer from God (v. 38).
At that time, when all the people who were hesitating between God and Baal (v. 21)
saw the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones
and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench (v. 38),
this is what they said: “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God” (v. 39).
Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal, do not let one of them escape”,
They did so and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there (v. 40).
But when Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah and said, “So may the gods do to me and even more,
if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time” (19:2),
Elijah was afraid and arose and ran for his life (v. 3).
And he went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree;
And he requested for himself that he might die, and said,
“It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers” (v. 4).
And he was very zealous for the Lord (vv. 10, 14) ran for his life (v. 3) and went to Horeb,
the mountain of God (v. 8) since he thought that “the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant,
torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword And I alone am left,
and they seek my life, to take it away” (vv. 10, 14).
The word of God came to Elijah who came to a cave and lodged there (v. 9).
And he went out of the cave at God's command and experienced God's presence (vv. 11-12).
Then Elijah is again commissioned by God (vv. 15-17).
Elijah, who thought that everybody died expect him, received the God’s promise word that
God left 7,000 in Israel, al the knees that had not bowed to Baal
and every mouth that had not kissed him (v. 18).
Like this, God who gave Elijah, the one who was afraid, physically exhausted
and asked God to take his life, raised him again
by not only giving him His word of promise but also allowing him to experience His presence.
As a result, Elijah again obeyed the word of God (21:17-18) and went down to see Ahab
Who had gone down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth (v. 20).
Ahab said to Elijah: “Have you found me, O my enemy?” (v. 20)
And Elijah answered boldly: “I have found you,
because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD” (v. 20).
Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away,
and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel;
and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with
which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin.
Of Jezebel also has the LORD spoken, saying, 'The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.'
The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat,
and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat" (vv. 20-24).
In this way, God raised Elijah again and enable him to speak boldly to King Ahab.
Our God is the God who raises us again, who are in despair!