![]() And Luke could have stopped the story there, but he didn’t. Peter preaches a powerful sermon, and more than 3000 people are converted that day. People were given the gift of speaking in new languages. There were tongues of flame resting on the heads of the followers of Jesus. Last week we spent the Sabbath remembering all that happened on the day of Pentecost. Now, if we flip ahead to the New Testament reading, you’ll see that there are fireworks here, too. He reminds him of the fact that he belongs to God – and to God’s people. Now you could say that God not only doesn’t let Elijah quit – he puts him on a committee! But I prefer to say that God shows Elijah his place among the people of God. He promises that there are at least 7000 faithful servants who have not bowed and worshipped the idols. He gives Elijah a new mission – to anoint the kings of Aram and Judah. Have you ever been depressed and someone has tried to cheer you up? Someone has tried to talk you out of it? Doesn’t work very well, does it? Look at what God does with Elijah. He’s unchanged by the very appearance of God! He’s still miserable – he repeats the exact same speech to the Lord. He’s still hiding – wrapping himself in his scarf, hiding his face. I’m all alone, and I want to die.”Īfter the fireworks, there’s a silence and a calm - and that’s enough to draw Elijah from the cave. But what does Elijah do? Nothing! He’s still hiding in the cave. And God unleashes some incredible fireworks – there is rock-splitting wind, there’s an earthquake, there’s a tremendous fire. Go out and stand before me.” But Elijah doesn’t do it! He stays hiding in the cave. “They want to kill me,” he says.Īnd God says to him, “I’m coming. He overlooks the mass conversions, the incredible demonstrations of God’s power. He brings his complaint to God, and he seems to forget everything that’s just happened. Take a look at Elijah here – he sounds like he is dealing with a classic case of depression. He tries to quit his job as a prophet – he asks God to take his life. He throws up his hands and heads for the wilderness. It was amazing.Īnd then the Queen of Israel finds out about it, and she sends Elijah a death threat. God’s power was displayed in a mighty fashion. Elijah presided at a mass conversion of the Israelites back to the way of the Lord. ![]() ![]() There were 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah who were defeated by the power of the Lord. He’s been at Mount Carmel, where he’s challenged the pagan-worshipping leaders of Israel to a prophetic duel. In our reading, we meet Elijah as he’s fresh from the biggest victory of his prophetic career – and that’s saying something. Elijah on Horeb, by Sieger Köder (German, 1925-2015)
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