THE BATTLE BETWEEN FEAR AND FAITH 1 Kings 19
1 Kings 19:1-3 NIV [1] Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. [2] So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them. [3] Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.
FEAR DISTORTS REALITY
ELIJAH'S JOURNEY ENCOUNTER WITH GOD VICTORY OVER BAAL JOURNEY THROUGH DESERT MT HEBRON
THE EXODUS ENCOUNTER WITH GOD VICTORY OVER EGYPT JOURNEY THROUGH DESERT MT SINAI
THE EXODUS ENCOUNTER WITH GOD VICTORY OVER EGYPT JOURNEY THROUGH DESERT MT SINAI MT SINAI = MT HEBRON
Exodus 16:2-3 NIV [2] In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. [3] The Israelites said to them, If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.
1 Kings 19:9-10 [9] There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: What are you doing here, Elijah? [10] He replied, I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.
1 Kings 19:9-10 [9] There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: What are you doing here, Elijah? [10] He replied, I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too. 1 Kings 18:13 [13] Haven't you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord's prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water.
1 Kings 19:9-10 [9] There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: What are you doing here, Elijah? [10] He replied, I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too. 1 Kings 18 [30] Then Elijah said to all the people, Come here to me. They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down... [38] Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice... [39] When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, The Lord---he is God! The Lord---he is God! [40] Then Elijah commanded them, Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!
FEAR ERODES FAITH... and feeds anxiety
Hebrews 11:1 [1] Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
μεριμνάω (merimnaó) -- to be anxious "an old verb for worry and anxiety literally, to be divided, distracted".
μεριμνάω (merimnaó) -- to be anxious "an old verb for worry and anxiety literally, to be divided, distracted". Psalm 86:6-7,11 [6] Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. [7] When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me... [11] Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
FEAR MAKES YOU RUN AND HIDE
Matthew 16:25 [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Exodus 14:13-14 [13] Moses answered the people, Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. [14] The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. 2 Chronicles 20 This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's... [17] You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'
FEAR DROWNS OUT THE VOICE OF GOD
1 Kings 19:12 NIV [12] After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
1 Kings 19:12 NIV [12] After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:12 NRSV [12] and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 1st interpretation = Elijah's Decommissioning
GOD IS A GOD OF GRACE... he meets us at our point of need
1 Kings 19:5-8 NIV [5] Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, Get up and eat. [6] He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. [7] The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you. [8] So he got up and ate and drank.
GOD IS A GOD OF RESTORATION
ENCOUNTER WITH GOD VICTORY OVER ENEMY JOURNEY THROUGH DESERT MOUNT
VICTORY OVER ENEMY RESTORATION JOURNEY THROUGH DESERT ENCOUNTER WITH GOD MOUNT
Adam and Eve fail but God finds a way. Abraham has sex with his wife s maidservant... but God finds a way. David commits adultery and murder... but God finds a way. Israel worship foreign gods... but God finds a way. Israel end up in exile in Babylon... but God finds a way. Jesus is brutally murdered... but God finds a way.
Romans 8:28 NIV [28] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
GOD IS A GOD OF INTIMACY
2nd interpretation = intimacy > power
Exodus 19:16-19 NIV (Moses at Sinai) [16] On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. [17] Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. [18] Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. [19] As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
Psalm 102 - He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. Isaiah 29 - the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.
never confuse God's power with his intimacy
never confuse God's power with his intimacy intimacy > power
Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV [16] I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Elijah had encountered God s power, but fear had robbed him of intimacy. So God takes Elijah back to the place where the covenant began (on Mt Sinai) to remind him that the covenant relationship between God and his people is primarily for the purpose of intimacy.