Elijah, Ahab, Jezebel - where is our foundation, the highs and the lows

[FollowHim]

I have heard different interpretations about how these 3 interacted.
The other day something happened that changed my perspective. It was what happens after a high, a great success and the outcome is not what one expected, rather it was as if the success never took place.
Elijah is going to be Gods instrument to bring Israel back to God. The Lord burns up the offering, the Baal priests are executed, Ahab is going to obey God and everyone returns home. Except Jezebel wants Elijah dead, so he runs away. At the end even though everything went well the choice was still Ahab's to make, Gods reality was there. Surely he would listen. I mean that was the problem, people did not have the evidence, it was just a question of proof. You hear this every day.
Elijah made one mistake. He was upset, he knew his life was in danger, and he fled. God had to go and find him. In his victory and his fear, he had caved in, and not sought out God. God had to find him, and show him, the Lord is the creator of all, the hiding place for the righteous, no matter the outcome, and in Him we have our rest. So we need to seek Him come high or low, and not forget, man chooses their own way all the time.

4 "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
1 Kings 19:4

10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken 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."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
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 19:10-12

Our strength is in God and His ways, Amen
We always tend to think for us personally the greatest victories will give us the high and relief we crave. But we make a simple mistake. It is resting in God that is our life, is our beginning, our middle and our end. We put things on the line, and that is hard, except it is just testifying to the reality in God, and at the end, we need to realise we have just done what is needed, and our security is in Him not the world.

 

[FollowHim]

I have been told Elijah sinned because he feared Jezebel.
But Elijah knew God would not save him from this woman, for she had been given the power to respond to the fire that burnt up the sacrifice with repentance or rebellion. A prophet is the messenger, not God himself or even a protected armour platted nothing can touch me mouth piece.

In fact that is the point of the message. It is just a message, which can be taken or left. Time is given for its meaning to be worked out.
So Elijah was right to fear and right to flee. He was also right to feel exhausted and in need of a rest. He had risked everything, and won, and yet the people still rebelled. What more could he do? His resources were spent.

And Gods response was tender encouragement, agreement and judgement through the anointing of Kings who would execute those who had worshipped Baal and not turned to the Lord. And the prophecy against Jezebel was harsh.

10 As for Jezebel, dogs will devour her on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and no one will bury her
2 Kings 9:10

30 When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window.
31 As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, "Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?"
32 He looked up at the window and called out, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three eunuchs looked down at him.
33 "Throw her down!" Jehu said. So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot.
2 Kings 9:30-33

In the Lords time His execution happens. We are the Lords servants, with His message to deliver to the world, and the world will respond as it deems appropriate. We are no worthy than messengers, and as such, know our King welcomes us into His arms when we pass beyond this life, Amen