Being Honest to God

And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” (1 Kings 19:9-10)

Elijah was depressed. He had a recent season of great spiritual victory, followed by a time of almost crushing gloom. He was so depressed that he prayed that God would simply take him to heaven and let him be done with life on this earth. That prayer was not answered; instead, God served His servant and allowed him time for rest and recuperation. God first ministered to Elijah’s physical needs. This is not always His order, but physical needs are important. Sometimes the most spiritual thing a person can do is get enough rest and replenishment.

Next, God sent Elijah to a specific place – to Horeb, the mountain of God (1 Kings 19:8). Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, the place where Moses met with God many centuries before Elijah. Then we read that Elijah “went into a cave.” Literally, the Hebrew is definite in describing the cave. This is quite possibly the very same place where God appeared to Moses as recorded in Exodus 33:22.

When Elijah came there, God asked him a question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Of course, God knew the answer to this question. Yet it was good for Elijah to speak to the Lord freely and to unburden his heart. And that is exactly what Elijah did.

He poured out his feelings to God: “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts.” Elijah protested to God, “I have faithfully served You and now look at the danger I am in.” To Elijah - and many servants of God since - it seemed unfair that a faithful servant of God should be made to suffer.

In asking this question we might say that Elijah was in God’s University of Higher Service. Having been greatly used of God and destined to serve Him in a yet greater way, Elijah needed to learn some deep lessons at God’s special school. He felt that He had served God well and should not be made to suffer; now he was learning differently.

The frustrated prophet carried his complaint further when he said, “I alone am left.” This was not accurate, but it reflected how Elijah felt. God would soon show Elijah that he was not alone and that his work had produced and strengthened a good-sized remnant in the Kingdom of Israel. This would be hard for Elijah to believe, because he sure felt alone. Even back at the confrontation at Mount Carmel, Elijah said, I alone am left a prophet of the Lord (1 Kings 18:22). Discouraging times make God’s servants feel more isolated and alone than they are.

Elijah continued: “I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” Strangely, the reasons Elijah provided were actually important reasons for him to remain alive. If he really was the last prophet or believer alive, should not he seek to live as long as possible? If the enemies of God like Jezebel wanted him dead, should he not seek to defeat her wicked will? Elijah here powerfully showed the unreasonable nature of unbelief and fear.

God would soon answer Elijah and speak to his feelings, his unbelief, and his fear. Yet notice the goodness of God in simply allowing His prophet to simply let it out; and the wisdom of Elijah in taking God up on that invitation. It is easy for God’s people to be far too concerned with the image of “everything is alright” than in being honest with God, themselves, and others. Yes, Elijah was trapped in a pity-party of discouragement, unbelief, and fear – and being honest about it to the Lord opened the door for God’s answer.

Elijah could be honest to God and God would be good to Him.

Based on The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik.