And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
The hand of the Lord upon Elijah was the Spirit and power of God coming upon him and girding him with strength to gird up his garment and run on foot before and beside Ahab's chariot to the gate of Jezreel. He ran in living faith in God's promise of rain, having prayed humbly until a little cloud appeared and then acting at once without waiting to see the heavens grow black. He ran to do homage to Ahab as his king and to guide his course through darkness, wind and blinding rain when Ahab could not see his way. Though exalted by triumph on Carmel, his willingness to perform a menial's service shows that God's servants must remain humble and not refuse needful work for fear of lowering their dignity. He ran strong in courage and high hope that Israel would return to God and reform would follow, yet that exaltation was swiftly followed by discouragement when Jezebel threatened, when he should have remained at his post of duty at Jezreel trusting God for protection and victory.
Strengthened Run to Jezreel
The hand of the Lord upon Elijah was the Spirit and power of God coming upon him, nerving him and strengthening him, God Himself girding him with strength. Thus strengthened he girded up his coarse garment about him and ran on foot before and beside Ahab's royal chariot to the entrance of the gate of Jezreel. The Lord's hand coming upon him enabled him to run ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
He ran in harmony with faith in God's promise of rain after the reformation on Carmel. He had told Ahab of the sound of abundance of rain when no clouds or thunder were in sight, speaking only from the moving of the Spirit and from confidence that God rewards right-doing with rain. He prayed in humility with his face between his knees and sent his servant repeatedly to look toward the sea until a little cloud like a man's hand appeared, in which he beheld by faith an abundance of rain. He did not wait to see the rain or for the heavens to gather blackness, but acted quickly in harmony with his faith by sending to Ahab to prepare his chariot and get down before the rain stopped him.
He ran to guide Ahab's course, for in night, darkness, wind, and blinding rain Ahab could not see his way. He ran before Ahab's chariot and guided it to the entrance of the gate of the city. He did this after a day of great excitement, labor, exhausting toil, and physical strain, toiling all day without food.
The run followed most signal triumphs, in which his word had locked dew and rain from the earth for three years and then unlocked heaven to bring clouds and showers of rain. He had before called down fire from heaven, and God had honored his simple prayer before the king and thousands of Israel with fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice and kindling the altar on Carmel. His hand had executed God's judgment in slaying the idolatrous prophets, eight hundred and fifty priests of Baal.
Homage and Humble Service
Elijah's run before Ahab to Jezreel was an act of special homage and respect to the king. As God's prophet he had that day humiliated Ahab before his subjects, rebuked him to his face for his crimes and sins, and in obedient service defending God's honor at personal risk had slain his idolatrous priests, yet by running he showed to Israel that he still acknowledged Ahab as his king and Israel's sovereign and served him. He ran on foot before and to guide the royal chariot, serving the same sovereign he had not feared to rebuke. This willingness came after the most signal triumphs, when his word had locked dew and rain from the earth and then unlocked heaven to bring rain, God had honored his simple prayer before the king and thousands with fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice, and his hand had executed God's judgment in slaying the priests of Baal. Though thus exalted by great prophetic victories, he was willing to perform the service of a menial.
That willingness is a lesson in humility for young men bearing God's message and for all who claim to be servants of God. They must not be exalted in their own estimation, feel above needful service, count necessary duties beneath them, or refuse work that appears menial for fear of lowering ministerial dignity and being found doing a servant's work. Even those who have nothing remarkable in experience must not feel exalted above such duties. They must come down from ministerial dignity to do needful service.
Courage Hope and Discouragement
Elijah ran before the chariot to the gate of Jezreel strong in courage and full of high hope that Israel as a nation would return to allegiance to God and be reinstated in His favor, even after toiling all day on Carmel without food and under physical strain. He expected much from the miracle on Carmel, hoping the display of God's power would end Jezebel's influence over Ahab and bring a speedy reform throughout Israel. He was full of zeal and intense concern for apostate Israel to vindicate God's glory. In that spirit he sought to challenge Israel to serve either God fully or Baal fully.
That run stood at an elevation of faith and marked, glorious success, an exaltation to Pisgah's top. Such moments of high faith and glorious success are frequently followed by reaction into discouragement, depression, and humiliation to the lowliest valley in faith and feeling. So it was with Elijah, for though his courage was strong in the run, he soon became deeply discouraged when the hoped-for reform did not follow the events on Carmel, and fear that the reformation begun on Carmel would not last brought loss of hold on God when Jezebel's threat sounded. Yet God loved him no less while broken-hearted and feeling forsaken than when in answer to his prayer fire flashed from heaven illuminating Carmel.
Jezreel, where he had guided the chariot, was his post of duty where he should have remained instead of making a hasty flight into the wilderness which God did not send him to make. That flight stood in contrast to the work God commissioned him to do in returning to Israel and standing against the idolatrous priests on Carmel. He should have met Jezebel's threat with an appeal for protection to the God who commissioned him, telling the messenger that God would protect him and making God his refuge and strength by standing steadfast for truth. Remaining would have brought shielding from harm, another signal victory through judgments on Jezebel, and a great reformation through the impression made on the king and the people.
The hand of the Lord upon Elijah was the Spirit and power of God coming upon him and girding him with strength to gird up his garment and run on foot before and beside Ahab's chariot to the gate of Jezreel. He ran in living faith in God's promise of rain, having prayed humbly until a little cloud appeared and then acting at once without waiting to see the heavens grow black. He ran to do homage to Ahab as his king and to guide his course through darkness, wind and blinding rain when Ahab could not see his way. Though exalted by triumph on Carmel, his willingness to perform a menial's service shows that God's servants must remain humble and not refuse needful work for fear of lowering their dignity. He ran strong in courage and high hope that Israel would return to God and reform would follow, yet that exaltation was swiftly followed by discouragement when Jezebel threatened, when he should have remained at his post of duty at Jezreel trusting God for protection and victory.
Strengthened Run to Jezreel
The hand of the Lord upon Elijah was the Spirit and power of God coming upon him, nerving him and strengthening him, God Himself girding him with strength. Thus strengthened he girded up his coarse garment about him and ran on foot before and beside Ahab's royal chariot to the entrance of the gate of Jezreel. The Lord's hand coming upon him enabled him to run ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
He ran in harmony with faith in God's promise of rain after the reformation on Carmel. He had told Ahab of the sound of abundance of rain when no clouds or thunder were in sight, speaking only from the moving of the Spirit and from confidence that God rewards right-doing with rain. He prayed in humility with his face between his knees and sent his servant repeatedly to look toward the sea until a little cloud like a man's hand appeared, in which he beheld by faith an abundance of rain. He did not wait to see the rain or for the heavens to gather blackness, but acted quickly in harmony with his faith by sending to Ahab to prepare his chariot and get down before the rain stopped him.
He ran to guide Ahab's course, for in night, darkness, wind, and blinding rain Ahab could not see his way. He ran before Ahab's chariot and guided it to the entrance of the gate of the city. He did this after a day of great excitement, labor, exhausting toil, and physical strain, toiling all day without food.
The run followed most signal triumphs, in which his word had locked dew and rain from the earth for three years and then unlocked heaven to bring clouds and showers of rain. He had before called down fire from heaven, and God had honored his simple prayer before the king and thousands of Israel with fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice and kindling the altar on Carmel. His hand had executed God's judgment in slaying the idolatrous prophets, eight hundred and fifty priests of Baal.
Homage and Humble Service
Elijah's run before Ahab to Jezreel was an act of special homage and respect to the king. As God's prophet he had that day humiliated Ahab before his subjects, rebuked him to his face for his crimes and sins, and in obedient service defending God's honor at personal risk had slain his idolatrous priests, yet by running he showed to Israel that he still acknowledged Ahab as his king and Israel's sovereign and served him. He ran on foot before and to guide the royal chariot, serving the same sovereign he had not feared to rebuke. This willingness came after the most signal triumphs, when his word had locked dew and rain from the earth and then unlocked heaven to bring rain, God had honored his simple prayer before the king and thousands with fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice, and his hand had executed God's judgment in slaying the priests of Baal. Though thus exalted by great prophetic victories, he was willing to perform the service of a menial.
That willingness is a lesson in humility for young men bearing God's message and for all who claim to be servants of God. They must not be exalted in their own estimation, feel above needful service, count necessary duties beneath them, or refuse work that appears menial for fear of lowering ministerial dignity and being found doing a servant's work. Even those who have nothing remarkable in experience must not feel exalted above such duties. They must come down from ministerial dignity to do needful service.
Courage Hope and Discouragement
Elijah ran before the chariot to the gate of Jezreel strong in courage and full of high hope that Israel as a nation would return to allegiance to God and be reinstated in His favor, even after toiling all day on Carmel without food and under physical strain. He expected much from the miracle on Carmel, hoping the display of God's power would end Jezebel's influence over Ahab and bring a speedy reform throughout Israel. He was full of zeal and intense concern for apostate Israel to vindicate God's glory. In that spirit he sought to challenge Israel to serve either God fully or Baal fully.
That run stood at an elevation of faith and marked, glorious success, an exaltation to Pisgah's top. Such moments of high faith and glorious success are frequently followed by reaction into discouragement, depression, and humiliation to the lowliest valley in faith and feeling. So it was with Elijah, for though his courage was strong in the run, he soon became deeply discouraged when the hoped-for reform did not follow the events on Carmel, and fear that the reformation begun on Carmel would not last brought loss of hold on God when Jezebel's threat sounded. Yet God loved him no less while broken-hearted and feeling forsaken than when in answer to his prayer fire flashed from heaven illuminating Carmel.
Jezreel, where he had guided the chariot, was his post of duty where he should have remained instead of making a hasty flight into the wilderness which God did not send him to make. That flight stood in contrast to the work God commissioned him to do in returning to Israel and standing against the idolatrous priests on Carmel. He should have met Jezebel's threat with an appeal for protection to the God who commissioned him, telling the messenger that God would protect him and making God his refuge and strength by standing steadfast for truth. Remaining would have brought shielding from harm, another signal victory through judgments on Jezebel, and a great reformation through the impression made on the king and the people.