Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

In Elijah appears on the scene for the first time in biblical record, the scriptures give evidence that already he is a devoted man of faith.

Elijah was already hearing from God, he was in tune with the will of God and already had his life in submission to the Lord.

Elijah learns that God is able to sustain in times of famine, when there is no provision God is able to provide the needs for His people.

There would not be a

The blessings Elijah experienced hinged on obedience to the Word of the Lord, he had to “Get there” the condition that prefaced the blessing that was brought to him, gave him confidence in God’s ability.

In we see how Elijah was used by God to overcome the prophets of Baal, how God brought a great victory, and God’s hand was on Elijah.

1 kings 18:38-

1 kings 18:

The Proclaimation

The Timing

This occurs right after God brought a great victory in the life of Elijah: Satan always times his attack at the most opportune moment, when we will at our weakest.

The of response is also short, until tomorrow shows how dire the situation has escalated

Ahab enters Jezreel after Elijah, he rode his chariot into the city most likely in shock from what he had just witnessed on Mt.

Carmel.

I feel like Ahab was astonished and amazed by how God just moved, the consuming of the alter and Elijah slaying the false prophets of baal.

However, Jezebel did not share the same excitement about the situation.

Her being a baal prophetess and worshipper from the beginning became angry and desired that Elijah also be killed.

Terror

It often seems in our lives that great victories are shortly lived, we celebrate them and feel excited and happy.

Then bad news comes our way and hearing it causes us to retreat back, we quickly forget about the great victory that just transpired.

Even if the victory is great, it fades quickly into the past.

The Place

Elijah hearing the news from Jezebel fled for his life.

This was not a laughing matter or something to be taken lightly.

His life was now on the line for serving God.

We now find Elijah fleeing to familiar places, Beersheba.

This was not a short distance in fact more than 100 miles from the city of Jezreel.

1 kings 19:

Secluded

DAY’S JOURNEY, jûrʹni (דֶּרֶךְ יו̇ם, derekh yōm, Gen 30:36; Nu 10:33; 11:31; ἡμέρας ὁδός, hēméras hodós, Lk 2:44): The common way of estimating distances in the East is by hours and days.

This is natural in a country where roads are mere bridle paths or non-existent, as in the desert.

The distance traveled must of course differ largely according to the difficulties of the way, and it is more important to know where night will overtake the traveler than the actual distance accomplished.

A day’s journey is now commonly reckoned at about 3 miles per hour, the distance usually covered by a loaded mule, the number of hours being about 8. Hence a day’s journey is about 24 miles, and this may be taken as a fair estimate for Bible times.

The distance that Elijah traveled was approximately 150 miles to Beersheba.

This was a 6 and a half day journey for Elijah, then he took another day’s journey into the wilderness at Beersheba.

Sacred

BEERSHEBA, bē-ēr-shēʹba (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, be’ēr shēbhaʽ; Βηρσαβέε, Bērsabée): Allotted originally to Simeon (Josh 19:2), one of “the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah” (Josh 15:28).

1.

The Meaning of the Name

(1) The most probable meaning of Beersheba is the “well of seven.”

“Seven wells” is improbable on etymological grounds; the numeral should in that case be first.

In Gen 21:31 Abraham and Abimelech took an oath of witness that the former had dug the well and seven ewe lambs were offered in sacrifice, “Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.”

Here the name is ascribed to the Heb root שָׁבַע, shābha‛, “to swear,” but this same root is connected with the idea of seven, seven victims being offered and to take an oath, meaning “to come under the influence of seven:”

2. A Sacred Shrine

(2) Beersheba was a sacred shrine.

“Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of Jeh, the Everlasting God” (Gen 21:33).

Theophanies occurred there to Hagar (Gen 21:17), to Isaac (26:24), to Jacob (46:2), and to Elijah (1 K 19:5).

By Amos (5:5) it is classed with Bethel and Gilgal as one of the rival shrines to the pure worship of Jeh, and in another place (8:14) he writes “They shall fall, and never rise up again,” who sware, “As the way [i.e.

cultus] of Beer-sheba liveth.”

The two unworthy sons of Samuel were judges in Beersheba (1 S 8:2) and Zibiah, mother of King Jehoash, was born there (2 K 12:1; 2 Ch 24:1).

Beersheba would have held a special meaning for Elijah as it was the place where God had appeared before to people.

It would make sense that Elijah would go here to get into a place where he could find rest and be refreshed.

The Prophet

Elijah has now gone in alone into the wilderness of Beersheba to be alone, it is here his discouragement is revealed.

Statement

1 kings 19:

“It is Enough”

“An exclamation denoting sufficiency.

enough enough I'll hear no more.”

Websters 1828

Elijah expresses his discouragement to God and pleads that he is not better indicating his worth compared to his fathers.

JUNIPER, jo̅o̅ʹni-pẽr רֹתֶם, rōthem; ῥαθμέν, rhathmén, 1 K 19:4 f, m “broom”; Ps 120:4, m “broom”; Job 30:4 trd “broom”): This is quite certainly the Arab.

ratam (Retama retem, N.O.

Leguminosae), a variety of broom which is one of the most characteristic shrubs of the deserts of Southern Pal and southward to Egypt.

Though the shade it affords is but scanty, in the absence of other shrubs it is frequently used by desert travelers as a refuge from the sun’s scorching rays (cf 1 K 19:4).

The root yields good charcoal, giving out much heat (Ps 120:4).

For people to be reduced to chew it for nourishment betokens the lowest depth of starvation (Job 30:4).

Indeed SO hopeless is this root as a source of food that many commentators believe that the accepted text is in error, and by altering a single letter, substituting ח for ה, they get a reading, which has been adopted in RVm, “to warm them instead of “their meat,” which certainly is much more probable.

Struggle

This is encouraging to me that even the man of God gets discouraged and down at times.

However, even in our discouragement God is listening and knows are needs even when we don’t know.

Elijah became tired and burnt out from all that had been taking place in the last few months in his life, God was moving and blessing at Mt. Carmel, yet here he is down and defeated.

I’m glad that when we speak foolishly God does not commit to our request yet shows forth His necessary and needed provision to help in time of distress.

The Provision

1 kings 19:5-

God knew Elijah needed rest, he provided not only rest but refreshment to nourish him in is weariness.

Similar

God gave him familiar provisions, the cake and cruse were to remind Elijah that He is the God that is able to provide when the situation is dire, when the circumstances are impossible.

It was a token to Elijah that God carried him through with a little oil and meal, He will carry him through this great trial of his life.

Sustaining

This provision was accompanied by a Christophany with yet more to sustain him for the journey.

1 kings 19:

The journey of life is too great for us with the Lord to walk with us, we must have Him along the journey if we hope to be sustained in the deep valleys of life.

It is in the deepest darkest valleys that God reveals Himself the most to us.

The provision sustained Elijah for the journey that lied ahead of him, he was able to fast 40 days and 40 nights, a feat only attributed to Moses, Elijah, and Christ.

The Presence

Works

1 kings 19:9-

Whisper

When we get into the place of the presence of God, we can not only petition our cause to God but we can regain focus.

Elijah was reassured, recharged, and ready to serve God fervently again.

The still small voice came after the fire, an almost identical experience to Moses’ burning bush with God.

The Purpose

He was Reassured

He was Recharged

He Returned