A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day – November 18, 2019
And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. (1 Kings 19:7)
The angel of the Lord came to the Prophet Elijah at a very critical time in Elijah’s life and ministry. Elijah was at a point of depression and woe is me mentality. He was thinking he had been abandoned by God and he just wanted to die.
Elijah was one of the most powerful prophets in the Bible. He prophesied for it not to rain and it did not rain for over three years. He was fed by the ravens during the drought. He prayed for a widow woman’s son to be raised from the dead. He called fire down from Heaven and slew hundreds of false prophets. He saw great and mighty things.
However, when Elijah outran Ahab’s chariot to Jezreel, things began to change. In the past. Elijah had always followed the Word of the Lord. This trip was different. Although the hand of the Lord was still on Elijah, he never received a Word from the Lord to go to Jezreel and confront Jezebel. As a result, when Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including killing all her false prophets, Jezebel threatened Elijah with his life. Elijah ran in fear for his life into the wilderness and that is where the angel caught up with him and told him that the journey was too great for thee.
Elijah then went from the wilderness to a cave where he started whining about being the only one left that was serving the Lord. That is where God began to speak to him directly. And God said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks 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: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (1 King 19:11-12)
What was the Lord saying here? He was reminding Elijah that the most important thing that he needed to do was listen to the voice of God. Elijah had seen God use the weather and fire in miraculous ways. But God does not do the same thing, the same way, all the time. There was a transition coming in Elijah’s ministry, and he needed to recognize that and not hold onto past experiences.
This is when God told Elijah to go find three men and anoint them. This would be the next phase of Elijah’s ministry. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. (1 Kings 19:17)
Haziel ended up being King of Syria. Elisha ended up being Elijah’s replacement as prophet and did twice as many miracles as Elijah. Jehu was a great warrior and it was Jehu that was anointed to confront and destroy Jezebel (not Elijah).
Remember what the angel had told Elijah in the wilderness. The journey is too great for thee!!! We can all learn a lot from this. First, we need to know that hearing the voice of the Lord is the most critical thing. Second, we need to learn that we need each other. This is not a one man, or one woman, show. We can get a lot more accomplished if we do not get too impressed with ourselves.
The journey is too great for thee!!!
