Elijah’s Challenge – Part 10, The Next Task
2004 : Week 40  |  Website Version  

Last week we saw that Elijah was still at Horeb, but he was not focusing on the Lord; he had let his circumstances distract him. What should have been a place to meditate on God had become a place where Elijah had erected a palace of pity to sulk in. Even though the Lord had continued to show Elijah His miraculous workings, Elijah remained downcast. What would be next for Elijah? How long would the Lord allow Elijah to remain at Horeb, and how would the Lord deal with Elijah?

We’re not trying to dismiss what Elijah was feeling after everything that had transpired with Jezebel and the Prophets of Baal. We’ve stated before that anyone who preaches the Christian life is without pain is wrong, and anyone who preaches that the Lord has abandoned us in times of turmoil is equally as wrong. God will be with us to minister and heal us, until we’re ready to go forward again. The question that comes to mind as we read this story is how long would Elijah need to heal?

What we see from the story is the Lord allowing Elijah to remain at Horeb until his next assignment. Elijah may not have thought he was ready, since we see him remaining in a sullen state, but that really isn't important. What was important is that God knew he was ready to move on, so you have the following exchange between Elijah and the Lord,

	13 And behold, a voice came to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14 Then he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for 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." 15 The LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; 16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.
	1 Kings 19:13-16 (NASB)

The Lord asks Elijah what he’s doing at Horeb a second time, and Elijah responds again with a ‘woe is me’ answer, but this time, the Lord says to him in verse 15, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus…” God is direct and to the point with Elijah: “Go, return on your way…” The Lord is telling Elijah that his time alone has come to an end, and Elijah doesn’t hesitate to respond. As soon as the Lord finished speaking to him, we’re told Elijah sets off in obedience,

	19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth.
	1 Kings 19:19 (NASB)

Despite what he was feeling, Elijah obeyed the Lord, and did what he had been asked to do.

The story teaches us some important lessons:

• First, we will all need time to heal when we are hurt. How much time we require will vary from person to person and situation to situation. God, however, knows exactly how much time we need.
• Second, when we go through times of turmoil, we should try to keep our focus on the Lord, since doing so will help us keep things in perspective. A pity party does us no good.
• Third, we see that it’s important for us to wait until we are led by God to begin our next task. Some think that we must simply go from one task to another for the Lord. Sometimes this is the case, but there is also times when God wants us to wait before we move forward again. God has much to teach us in these times: patience, obedience, etc. Strong prayerful communion with the Lord will help us discern when it’s time to move forward again.
• Fourth, our emotions should not interfere with our response to a call from the Lord. When Elijah was sulking at Horeb, he didn’t think he was ready to leave. Despite what he was feeling, when God called him, Elijah responded in obedience.
• God’s timing is not our timing. Elijah would have liked to have spent more time at Horeb, but God sent him on his way. He had been alone long enough.