When things don't go as planned...Elijah's let down. (1 Kings 19)

 Recap of Elijah:

Israel has divided into two, Judah, the 2 southern tribes, and Israel the 10 northern tribes. Judah had a few good kings after the split, but mostly bad kings. Israel had only bad kings and Ahab was the worst. Ahab's wife was Jezebel. She was the daughter of Tyre & the Sidonian king. Their gods were Baal and Ashtoreth. They were supposed to be the gods of storms, crops, rain and fertility. To punish Ahab and Israel God instructed Elijah to tell the people that there would not be any rain until Elijah said it would rain and then he left. Elijah ended up in Zarephath in Sidon with a widow and her son. God provided for them during this time. The widow's son dies and Elijah raises him from the dead. Elijah then goes back to Israel and has a confrontation with Ahab and 450 prophets of Baal. Elijah challenges the prophets by suggesting they make offerings to Baal and he would make an offering to the one true God. Elijah allows the prophets Baal to choose the first bull and make their offering first. Then Elijah builds an alter out of 12 stones (which represented the 12 tribes of Israel) and then poured a bunch of water on the offering (which demonstrates God's love and forgiveness) and then offered it up to God, who consumed the offering with fire. Nothing happened with the offering to Baal. Elijah proved that the LORD is the one true God and the people believed. Then it began to rain. The story did not end there...

1 Kings 19: 1-2 (ESV) "Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."

Behind every bad king is an evil wife! Who you marry matters! Therefore who you date matters! 

Proverbs 31:30 (ESV) "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

I. Do not harden your heart 

One of the worst things you can do is to harden your heart and stop being sensitive to the things of God. To not hear His voice.  How do you get a hard heart? You sin and you sin and you sin. Then you don't repent and you don't repent and don't repent. You become very arrogant and very proud. You no longer can hear the voice of God. How do you soften your heart? First of all be saved, repent, confess, and humble yourself. You have to understand that God is greater than you and that you are wrong and you need to change.

Proverbs 28:14 (ESV) "Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity."

1 John 1:9 (ESV) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

1 Kings 19: 3-4 (ESV) "Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, 'It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.'"

II. Life has Mountains & Valleys 

There are good times and bad times. There are times of triumphs and tragedies, times of growth and temptations. Things do not always turn out like we expect them. Elijah's expectations and his reality did not match up. He was discouraged.

III. Even the best get discouraged

Moses, Job, John the Baptist, and Paul all got discouraged because their expectations don't match their realities. So what can you do? 

IV Believe God is near

Joshua 1:9 (ESV) "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

V. Don't Quit! 

Galatians 6:9 (ESV) "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

VI. Lean on the Lord and other people 

Spend time in prayer, spend time in the word and seeking the Lord. Lean on His people.

Hebrews 3:13 (ESV) "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

1 Kings 19: 5-7 (ESV) "And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, 'Arise and eat.' And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, 'Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.'"

VII. The physical really does affect the spiritual. 

It is important to "Nap and Snack". Your physical needs affect your spiritual well being. In this case God worked through an angel. At this time God works through His people. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. When you don't know what else to do for someone, be the hands and feet of Jesus.

James 2:14-17 (ESV) "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." 

A good faith produces works. The 2 main jobs of a church are to 1. Refreshing the saints and 2. Reaching the lost. How? By meeting physical needs opens doors to a spiritual conversation.

1 Kings 19:8-18 (ESV) "And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' He said, 'I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken you covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.' And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.' And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind and 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 the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?' He said, 'I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your alters, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.' And the LORD said to him, 'Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.'"

VIII. It's good to seek God out everyday 

Prayer, scripture, fasting. Elijah went to Horeb. The mountain where people went to hear from the Lord. 40 days/nights is important. Noah- 40 days of rain. Moses 40 days on Mt. Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments, Jesus fasted for 40 days before he began his public ministry.

When you are discouraged...Pray, read scripture, fast. Seek God, try to hear from God. God didn't speak to Elijah through the earthquake, the wind, or the fire. God spoke through the whisper...the still small voice. 

Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

IX. God answers and times are often different than ours

The way God answers the question is not always how we would answer the question. The way He speaks is not always how we wish He would speak. God tells Elijah that He knows that he is not happy and He tells him that He is going to take care of all of it in His time, and Elijah will not see it happen. New political and spiritual leadership will finish the execution of Baal worshipers and Elijah was involved but did not get to see it happen. It would all happen through Elisha.

X. Play your position well and invest in the future.

Elijah's vision was completed in Elisha's day. One of the biggest jobs that we as Christians need to do is to continue pass things on to the next generation, to build things that they can stand on and work on. It is important to invest in the spiritual.

Greek Proverb "A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit."

Proverbs 13:22 (ESV) "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous."

We need each other! Generations are being pitted against each other. God created it this way because we need each other. We need to have someone to look up to and someone to pass it on to. Do the best at what God's given you to do and train up the next generation. 

Everyone needs a Paul and a Timothy in their lives. Everyone should find someone who is older and wiser to learn from, but also someone to pass it on to, to invest into.

Closing Scripture

Psalms 40:1-3 (ESV) "I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD."

How Deuteronomy Shaped our Nation (and how it should continue to shape our nation)

 An article published in American Political Science Review in 1984 titled "The Relative Influence of European writers on late 18th Century American Political Thought" basically looked at what influenced our Founding Fathers and the Constitutional Convention. The authors looked at 15,000 writings of the authors and framers of the US Constitution. This included newspaper articles, pamphlets, books and philosophies. They found that 34% of all direct quotes used by the authors were from the Bible! The Bible was a major contributor to the thought process and eventual framing of the American Constitution. Of all the books of the Bible the most quoted by far was the book of Deuteronomy. Why didn't they use the teachings of Jesus, the writings of Paul? The answer to this question can be found in the story, background and history of Deuteronomy.

The nation of Israel had escaped enslavement in Egypt (the Exodus) and received the Law of Moses on Mt. Sinai then ended up in Kadesh Barnea where the spies were sent out check out the Promise Land. The people refused to go in and posses the land which lead to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. But Moses instructs the next generation on what will be required of them to become a nation. They went from nomads to a nation. While the book of Joshua is the story of  the conquest and settling of the land, Deuteronomy records the preparation. It records the physical, mental and spiritual preparation. 

1. What is going to be required of them to obtain Divine Assistance in transitioning from a group of wandering former slaves to a powerful and influential nation?

2. To obtain Divine Favor and assistance after the conquest!

Post Revolutionary War, the colonies have gained independence. But they are still not a United Nation. They must try to forge some form of Federal Government or remain 13 independent states. So where to look for advice and wisdom in framing a government? Something that all the states can accept and protect the freedoms fought for and result in stability and prosperity for generations to come and something that will incur Divine Favor? They wanted a country like no other in the world as they knew it. So they searched and cited many sources...But the Bible was a primary source because it was considered God's revealed truth to mankind. And Deuteronomy was especially favored because it was

1. The record of Israel becoming a nation.

2.The record  of Divine Wisdom and assistance (favor) in the process

And the founding fathers wanted the same thing!

Deuteronomy can be confusing if you don't know the historical setting, but 2 things stand out

1. The parallel between Israel then and our Founding Fathers 250 years ago.

2. The repeated use of certain words and phrases in Deuteronomy.

    "Remember" was used 16 times.

    "Don't Forget" was used 9 times.

    "Be Careful" (not to forget) was used 35 times.

The point is these commands and warnings were used 60 times in Deuteronomy. This was God emphasizing what the first generation failed to do!

If Deuteronomy was ever relevant to our nation...Then it is still relevant today! The Divine Wisdom and Guidance still apply!

Let's examine what Deuteronomy said to them then and what it has to say to us now.

1. Remember where you came from. 

Deuteronomy 15:15 (ESV) "You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today."

This applies to 

    A. Us as a nation

    B. You as an individual

Did you get here on your own? Did the Lord help you get to where you are today?

2. Remember who brought you here. 

Deuteronomy 8: 1-3 (ESV) "The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

Again this applies to us as a nation and you as an individual. God has blessed you by allowing you to be born in the US in the 20th/21st century.

3. Remember who gives you the resources and abilities. 

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (ESV) "Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day." 

    A. Some countries don't have resources for the people to get ahead, even if they work hard. God has graced this nation with unlimited resources. (Land/water/wood/soil/corn/wheat/grass)

    B. Personal abilities given by God. You have inherited abilities that you have to work hard to develop, but you are blessed with abilities.

4. Remember to thank and praise Him. 

Deuteronomy 8:10/12-14 (ESV) "And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, "

Blessings can be a curse, example Solomon, but it doesn't need it to be. He blesses us and we should give thanks. 

    A. Verbally

    B. Habitually

    C. Publicly

5. Remember to keep His commands.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2/13 (ESV) "And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD you God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them."

We are not obligated to the Old Testament Jewish law (Mosaic Law). We are obligated to follow the moral law. Obedience results in blessings.

6. Remember to teach your children. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (ESV) "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

God's words should be before you and your kids. Your kids will make their own religious choices, but you must give them the material and lifestyle to make a proper choice.

7. Remember to assemble 

Deuteronomy 31:10-13 (ESV) "And Moses commanded them, 'At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.'"

Hebrews 10:23-25 (ESV) "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

The Israelites were supposed to gather together to hear God's word. Christians need to hear God's word. The Holy Spirit will be with you when you gather together in His name. Where does this happen....at church...at a KBA gathering. The Holy Spirit moves when we are gathered together. Why is this important? Because you need...

    A. challenges and teachings of God's word.

    B. the conviction of the Holy Spirit. "Where 2 or 3 are gathered" God moves in a great way.

    C. the presence and corrections of other Christians. "Lone Ranger Christians" almost always develop a weird doctrine, because they don't have other people to challenge them.

If you remember/don't forget/be careful not to forget does that mean the nation will change it's course? No, but it will mean that YOUR course will be correct. And however small...it will make a difference in the nation! And if enough people correct their course it will certainly affect the nation.

Summary Verse: Deuteronomy 29:9 (ESV) "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Closing Scripture: Hebrews 2:1 (ESV) "Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift from it."