Bible History.

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WHEN Ahab reached home, he told Jezebel, the queen, all that had happened on Mount Carmel, and especially how Elijah had slain all of Baal’s prophets. How angry she was! She immediately sent a message to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
When Elijah heard this, he became quite frightened, and ran south to the land of Judah, fleeing for his life. All at once this great man forgot what a God he had. He thought only of the queen’s great power, and his own weakness. The God who had given him strength to stand before Ahab and those eight hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, all of whom would gladly have slain him had they been able, that God had not changed, but Elijah had ceased to look at Him. How quickly we can do like Elijah! But if we realize that God’s favor to His children is in the Lord Jesus Christ, and not dependent on ourselves or what we are, but on Himself and what He is, what rest from circumstances we shall have, Had Elijah only stopped to think for a moment about the queen’s message, he would have seen she would not have sent it had she been able to carry it out. The people had been awakened to the fear of God; they would have defended the prophet, especially after the rain they had so long wished for had come as the result of his prayer. But the wicked, idolatrous queen wanted God’s prophet away from the land that he might not continue to draw the hearts of the people after God; and Satan, through her, succeeded.
Elijah, weary as he must have been with that day on Mount Carmel, and his long run before Ahab, started on that sad journey south through all Samaria, where Ahab reigned, and, not content with reaching the land of Judah, he crossed the whole country till he came to the border of the wilderness, nearly one hundred miles on foot; and all that because he feared a woman who could do him no harm. When he arrived at Beer-Sheba, he left his servant there, and went a whole day’s journey alone into the wilderness. How discouraged he was! He sat down under a juniper tree, and wished he might die! He prayed that God would let him. “It is enough,” he said, “Now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” Exhausted as he was, he soon fell asleep. But God took care of His dear servant while he was taking a much needed rest, and then an angel from heaven touched him, and said, “Arise and eat.” When Elijah looked around, wonderingly, he saw a cake baking on the coals, and a cruse of water. He ate and drank and went to sleep again. Soon the angel touched him the second time, and said, “Arise, and eat; for the journey is too great for thee.” Elijah did as he was told, and the food strengthened him so much he was able to go forty days and forty nights without anything more to eat. He went to Mount Horeb, still deeper into the wilderness.
How good God was to His doubting servant! His patience and love are never ceasing, and beyond our understanding. But we can sing:
“How good is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable Friend;
Whose love is as great as His power,
And knows neither measure, nor end!”
ML 02/11/1917