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Category: Personal Study
Thread: Battling Depression in Scripture
Post Topic: Crash of the Desperate Prophet – Elijah
Post in Thread: #3
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Scripture: I Kings 19:1-18
Key Verses:
I Kings 19:3-4
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
Observations
Context
Elijah was coming off a massive high. He had just taken on hundreds of prophets of Baal in the Super Bowl of prophet showdowns on Mt. Carmel. At one altar: Elijah and God. At the other altar: 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah, who ate at the table of Jezebel. Complete mismatch.
The Lord had poured down fire on Elijah’s altar, burning up its sacrifice, even after he’d drenched it with water. Meanwhile, the altar to Baal just sat there, his prophets impotent, as Elijah trash-talked. The people, stunned at the power of the one true God, fell down in worship. Elijah commanded them to seize and to kill all of Jezebel’s prophets.
Jezebel’s Response
- King Ahab witnessed the whole event and went scurrying to his wife, the evil Queen Jezebel.
- Furious, the Baal-worshiping queen swore swift and deadly vengeance on Elijah.
From Highest High to Lowest Low
- Afraid of the most evil woman in the Bible, Elijah ran for his life.
- And he ran, and he ran. All the way to Beersheba, where he left his servant behind, and ran some more.
- After another day into the wilderness, Elijah finally crashed.
- Elijah sat down under a broom bush and prayed for death.
- “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
Sustenance
- Elijah fell asleep under the bush.
- God sent an angel to his servant. The angel woke him with a touch, and provided food for Elijah.
- Elijah found bread baked over hot coals with a jar of water.
- Elijah ate and drank and slept again.
- When he woke, the angel again fed him, and sent Elijah to the mountain of God at Horeb.
The Lord Appears
The Lord appeared to Elijah at Horeb, where Elijah was still depressed and hiding out in a cave.
- It started as a voice, asking Elijah what he was doing there.
- In spite of the great victory he’d just watched on Mt. Carmel, Elijah’s response contained only despair.
- God told him to stand out on the mountain.
- A powerful wind shattered rocks. But God was not in the wind.
- Next, an earthquake rattled the mountain. But God was not in the earthquake.
- A fire followed. But God was not in the fire.
- Finally, a gentle whisper spoke to Elijah. “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
- Again, Elijah answered: “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
- God was gentle with Elijah.
- He told him that there were 7,000 who had not bowed before Baal.
- He gave Elijah a helper – the great prophet Elisha.
- He sent Elijah back out with a to-do list of appointments, anointments, and executions.
Interpretation
Author
The author of 1 Kings and 2 Kings might have been the prophet Jeremiah, but there is no certainty of that.
Genre
Historical narrative.
Imagine
After a harrowing escape into the middle of the wilderness, how cool would it be to wake up to the sight and smells of a fresh loaf of bread cooked by an angel of the Lord? How good must that bread have tasted? Do you think it contained leaven?
Takeaways
- Sometimes, we just need a little food and rest.
- It’s heartening to know that even a great prophet like Elijah could experience fear and trembling. It’s even more heartening to notice God’s compassion on Elijah.
- The food and rest helped. But hearing God’s voice was the ultimate pick-me-up.
- The final part of God’s solution to Elijah’s depression – work. He gave Elijah multiple tasks to accomplish.
Correlation
Be still, and trust God:
- Psalm 46:10 – a simple but comforting verse that includes the phrase Be still, and know that I am God.
Moses and Elijah Parallel (Exodus 33:12-23)
Moses and Elijah are often compared throughout scripture. They were both great prophets and men of God. They appeared together on the mountain of transfiguration in the New Testament with Christ. Some wondered if John the Baptist might be one of these two men, come back to life. And both needed to experience the presence of God to lift their spirits:
- Moses didn’t experience a complete crash like Elijah, but in verse 14, God noticed that Moses needed a pick-me-up. He told Moses “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
- In verse 18, Moses asked to see God’s glory.
- At the end of the passage, God told Moses to stand on rock. God said that he will place Moses in the cleft of the rock, and will cover Moses with his hand as he passes by, so Moses can experience the glory of God and live.
- The similarities to Elijah’s experience at Mt. Horeb are striking.
Purpose of the Sabbath
Why did God command us to rest one day a week?
- Exodus 20:8-11 – The 10 commandments:
- v8: Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy. This is one of the 10 commandments.
- v9-10: Details about working 6 days and resting on the 7th.
- v11: God exemplified this principle in the work of creation, by creating the universe in 6 days, and resting on the 7th.
- Mark 2:27-28 – Jesus’ perspective on the Sabbath:
- Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.
- Jesus said: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
- The idea of a day of rest was meant as a gift for mankind, not a tedious religious task.
Application
Generic Applications
God’s remedy, applied to Elijah:
- Even the greatest of God’s prophets experienced fear and depression. How did God snap Elijah out of it?
- Rest – a much needed sabbath. Sustenance. A personal attendant.
- Hearing God’s voice.
- Work.
- How can we apply these steps to our lives when we experience temporary depression?
- Obey the Sabbath. Eat a good meal. Accept loving care from someone close.
- Meditate on God’s Word.
- Once we’ve recovered physically, don’t stay curled in a ball. Find something productive to do.
Beware of the crash:
- Before this physical and mental crash in the wilderness, Elijah had experienced the high of the victory on Mt. Carmel.
- But Satan wasn’t done. God’s enemies, like Jezebel, fought back.
- This fear made the great Elijah feel worthless. “I am no better than my ancestors,” he said.
- Of course he was wrong, but it was a human reaction to turning tail and running from the threats… and threats from a woman, no less.
- When we are used by God for something great, we must be prepared for the enemy to retaliate.
Personalize it
- When I am feeling down, do I take time to address my physical needs?
- Does it seem like my life is peppered with highs and lows?
- When experiencing a spiritual victory, how do I prepare myself for what is to follow?
- When I am low, do I wallow in despair? Or do I take on the next task God has for me?
Summary
In this series about Bible characters who experienced depression, we are adding a bonus section that summarizes each person’s affliction.
Cause, false expectation, remedy
Cause – Fear and physical exhaustion.
False Expectation – Everything would become rosy after achieving a great spiritual victory.
Remedy – Physical replenishment, hearing from God, work.
Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.
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