1 Kings 19 - A Nap, A Snack, & A Whisper

Well, welcome back to the Bible Babels Podcast.

It has been a little bit since we've recorded. We got to record two episodes two weeks ago when my brother Sam was here. And so it's been a little bit since we've been in our studio.

You can't see it, but I put air quotes there. It's good to be back with you, Carlos. How's your day been?

Today has been good.

The first part of the day was weird and there's no sun. So that just kind of sets a mood for the day.

Yeah. Yeah. I know what it's like to have no sun.

I haven't known what that feeling's like for over a year.

Wait, were that sun?

Yeah, no, it's yeah. Yeah. It was very cloudy out this morning for sure.

Yeah, made it weird. We've been hosting the Strength for the Day Podcast, which we've talked about before, our pastor podcast. And we've been doing that pretty much every day off and on.

And tomorrow we're going to be doing an episode. I'm trying to remember who's up next. I think it's Jephthah, which is a crazy story.

Also of note, we are just about two or three weeks away from being done with First Kings.

Wow, that is incredible.

It is incredible. We have done... Oh, I'm pulling up our podcast right here.

I think we've done 11 episodes, question mark? Yep, we have done 11 episodes so far. This is episode number 12 of Going Through First Kings, and I've really enjoyed it so far.

That's 12 weeks of people listening to us.

I know, it's great. That's to you for sticking through.

Hey, there are special crowns in heaven for you listening to us extrajeet the word. What would have been some things that you've learned or enjoyed or been reminded of as we've been going through First Kings?

I think that one of the main things that we've noticed through First Kings is that the availability of one person, the willingness and obedience of one person really does make a difference.

And I just love that principle that no matter where you are in life, whether God has you in ministry or working a secular job, serving in a local church, don't have the mindset of someone else is going to do this.

You know, it's not really my job, but just be that one person who's willing to just take forth the responsibility. And I just love that throughout First Kings that we see multiple people that just stepped up and did what wasn't the norm.

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I think of King Asa in Judah, that people before him and people after him were doing their own things, worshiping their own gods. And he said, I'm going to serve the Lord and I'm going to obey God.

Back in here, you had a bunch of people that said, oh, we're just going to follow Ahab and Jezebel and worship Baal. And you had Elijah, you had, what's his face? Ahab's servant, Obadiah.

I don't know how I forgot a name like that. Obadiah and Elijah and 100 prophets of the Lord. That all said, we're not going to bow to Baal.

We're not going to serve him. We're going to follow the Lord, even if it costs us our life. And we're going to see a few more people here today in 1 Kings 19.

And so if you follow along in your Bible, you can do that. But in 1 Kings 19, do you remember what happened last time? It was kind of hot.

The showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal.

Yep.

Fire fell from heaven. And then there were 450 prophets of Baal that Elijah told the children of Israel, Hey, I was trying to think of a mob thing, you know? Give them cement shoes.

I don't know. What are mob things? What do mobsters say?

Take him out back.

I don't know.

Take care of him. Yeah. Take care of him.

Cut off his fingers till he gives you your money.

What?

No, he didn't tell him that. He didn't say, take care of him. And so, they took out these prophets of Baal.

And so, 1 Kings 19, Ahab comes back to kind of their palace where they were staying. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, so let the gods do to me. And more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.

And when he saw that, he rose, went for his life, came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree, and he requested for himself that he might die and said, it is enough, now, O Lord, take away my life, for I'm not better than my father's.

So Elijah really goes from the-

Mountaintop.

Yeah, Mountaintop to a very, very low experience. And this happens because Jezebel goes, hey, you killed my prophets with the sword. Now we're gonna kill you by tomorrow, about this time.

So Elijah does what any normal person would do when getting a death threat from the queen of a country, and he runs two countries away.

The first one was about 80 miles, something like that.

Yep, so he goes from Israel, where he was, goes down to Beersheba, which is in Judah, which is the southern kingdom. And then he goes even further into the wilderness after leaving his servant behind.

And man, he got some speed with being a little bit scared. What are some ways that kind of maybe stress and fear affect us? Because we can see that happens to Elijah here.

He's scared, he's stressed out, he runs two countries away, he tells God, just let me die. I'm not better than my fathers. What are some things that stress and fear make us do?

Because normally we don't run two countries away. But what do we do?

Well, we talked about before where, you know, God has not given us this fear, but love, power, and it's not mine. So we know that whenever we have that fear in our life or distress, we know that it's not of God.

And the devil just uses it to really distract us from our goals. If we're living in fear, say for example, the last year, right? Coronavirus hits and a lot of people are living in fear.

And from that, they don't go to church, or they don't do anything like they used to do because they're living in fear, which has really affected maybe their spiritual growth, because when you don't go to church for a whole year, that's going to do

something to you. So that's just an example, a more current one that applies to all of us.

Yeah, and even the thought that fear causes us to overreact to things. So like, a good thing would be if a messenger came to Elijah from Jezebel and says, hey, we're going to kill you by tomorrow at this time.

It's not a bad idea to not be in that exact same place. I mean, theoretically, you know, God could have rained down fire on the people that came to get Elijah.

That could have definitely happened, but it's not a bad thing to, you know, seek some cover or, you know, maybe try and get away a little bit. But here you have Elijah that's completely overreacting.

He literally saw God send fire down from heaven as a result of his prayer. We didn't mention it specifically last week, but God brought rain back to Israel as a result of Elijah's prayer.

And so there really should have been, on Elijah's part, a little bit more faith that, hey, I am scared, maybe there is danger, but I'm going to react, you know, we've phrased it before with a sound mind of, okay, what's the intelligent thing to do

here?

Yeah, when you're fearful from your circumstances, you will forget what God has promised towards you.

Yeah, yep, and that's the thing that we got to remember whenever we're scared, is remember the promises of God, that, you know, he's for us, he's not against us, he's working all things together for good, so that we would be conformed to the image of

Christ, that he will never leave us or forsake us, so we don't have to worry about being covetous, we don't have to worry about constantly having to stockpile money and things in order to be okay. God himself has promised that to us.

We can read some of the things that were written about in the Psalms that no weapon formed against us will prosper, that David said, I've never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.

In all of these things, there's just this thing of God will take care of you. And even if sometimes there are bad things that come into our lives, we know that it's not God's terrible judgment and wrath on us.

All of his wrath has already been taken out on Christ at the cross. And so for the child of God then, it's just a loving correction to encourage them again, hey, follow me, put your trust in me.

So Elijah goes full Usain Bolt, runs two countries away. He's under a juniper tree, says, God, take me. And verse number five says, as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him and said unto him, Arise and eat.

And he looked, and behold, there was a cake baking on the coals. I think we've talked about this before. It's not a cake like, well, I guess it was angel food cake, but not the same, not the same.

Dense bread.

Very dense, I feel like that sometimes.

I'm dense bread. And a cruise of water at his head. So the angel makes him some bread, gives him some water.

He did eat and drink and laid him down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat because the churney is too great for thee.

And he rose and did eat and drink and when the strength of that meat, 40 days and 40 nights unto Horeb, the mount of God.

And he had to reject because he was doing keto. So that's in the Greek, if you didn't know that.

Yeah, I do think it's funny in this passage that before God tells Elijah really anything again, before he does all the things that we'll see in a second, he's like, okay, you need to sleep. He takes two naps in these couple of verses.

And he gives him food and water twice. And man, that is so important for not just your physical health, like obviously we have to eat and we have to drink, otherwise we will literally die.

But really a lot of times for our emotional and mental health, that's super needed as well. That if you're not getting enough sleep, if you're not getting enough hydration, if you're not getting enough physical food, it will come back to bite you.

And sometimes we even feel more stress than we would if we would just do some of these normal things that God created our bodies to do. Eat food, drink water, nap, and nap. Listen, if you get nothing else from this episode, go take a nap.

Maybe not right now, but at some point.

So basically you're telling us to live our life like your one year old son.

Yes, live your life like my one year old son. Actually don't do that because he hates naps. He will take a nap, but he hates naps.

One day he will appreciate the nap life. One day he will get saved, and then he'll appreciate naps. So all of this happens.

And then Elijah goes, he says, 40 days and 40 nights unto Horeb, the Mount of God. So I believe if I remember correctly, this might be somewhere near Mount Sinai. It actually might be a different name for Mount Sinai.

I'm not 100% on that, don't quote me. I should have checked that beforehand. Have you read anything on that?

It is Mount, it is a different name, but it also is Mount Sinai.

Sweet, okay, good.

I'm not, I'm not stupid. It says, and he came thither unto a cave and lodged there. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him.

And he said unto him, what doest thou hear, Elijah? And he said, I've been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword.

And I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away. Okay. He's already had this talk with Obadiah, that Obadiah says, hey, I've been like feeding and not watering.

What would you call it when you give someone something to drink? Because when you give them food, you're feeding them. When you give them drink, you're...

Do we have a word for that in English?

You're hydrating them.

I'm hydrating. He says, I've been feeding and hydrating these prophets of the Lord. Providing water.

Yeah, providing water for these 100 men for several years. So this is kind of a jerk move on Elijah to go like, oh, I'm the only one who loves the Lord left.

And so God says to him, go forth, stand upon the mount before the Lord, and behold, the Lord passed by. And a great and strong wind rent the mountains, tore the mountains, and broken pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.

After the wind was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still small voice.

So God here brings three really powerful things. You know, a huge whirlwind. He brings an earthquake.

He brings a fire. All of these things that really, the superstitious people of the old world thought, okay, like this is where the gods are. Like all of their power and their whatever is in these things.

But God's showing Elijah, like you're putting your faith in the natural instead of the supernatural. And then he whispers to him in a still small voice.

And it was so when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in the mantel and went out, stood in the entrance of the cave, and behold, there came a voice to him and said, what doest thou hear Elijah? And he gives his whole spiel again.

And the Lord said to him, go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when thou comest, anoint Haseel to be king over Syria. And Jehu, the son of Nimshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel.

And Elisha, the son of Shefat, of Abel Michola, that's a serious city name. Elisha, the son of Shefat, of Abel Michola, why is it coming out Hispanic?

I have no idea.

All right. Shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass that him that escapeth the sword of Haseel shall Jehu slay, and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

Yet I have left me 7,000 in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed it. So God really gives Elijah here a purpose. He changes up Elijah's kind of thought pattern of like, oh, poor me, I'm in danger.

Like, my life is ended. And he says, no, your life's not ended. Like, you've still got work to do.

As my prophet, go anoint a new king of Syria, then anoint a new king of Israel, and then anoint a new prophet. And he says, whoever the king of Syria doesn't kill, the king of Israel is gonna kill.

And whoever the king of Israel doesn't kill, the new prophet is going to kill. Basically, he's saying, okay, it's time for judgment for Israel's sins. And so he sets all of this up here.

And can you talk a little bit about the role that purpose and mission kind of plays in our life?

Purpose for our own life?

Yeah.

Yeah. You know, as a Christian, your purpose is to glorify the Lord. And how do you do that?

You just live your life honoring Him, obeying His word, having a genuine walk with Him.

I mean, that's how you will bring glory to Him, because the Bible says, you know, to be a soul of the earth, and that men may know you by, or men may know Him by how you're living your life, and that they might give glory to God because of you.

So if you're not doing those things, then if you're not living out your purpose, then you might not be a shying and liar or that testimony that people need in your community.

Definitely. And I think too, it's so important to note that when we don't realize the purpose in the mission that we have, that we will become discouraged like Elijah because life gets hard.

And so we would think in those moments, man, like I just don't want to go on just this drudgery.

But when we have a mission, when we have a goal, then man, it brings so much excitement that like, okay, like maybe it's a little rough right now, but I know I can still complete the mission. I know I can still get to the goal.

And the goal is knowing and loving God and letting other people know about it. And when we do that, man, it makes such a difference in our life that we're no longer worried as much about the circumstances surrounding us.

And we're way more concerned with what does God want in this moment. And as we've talked about before, it's less of a thing of, okay, I'm so scared of what God will do to me if I'm not bringing him glory.

It's way more of a thing of, hey, what does God have in store? And I love, I feel like maybe I mentioned it on this podcast. It might have been strength for the day.

But Hebrews 11 6 of, without faith, it's impossible to please him, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Part of our faith and our belief in God is the knowledge that he wants to work and he wants to do things in our lives. And he wants that to come out in real ways.

And there's just so much encouragement that comes from that, that we're not just doing things going, okay, well, I guess I'm just gonna spend all of my time giving to God and nothing is ever gonna happen to me.

We know, hey, there's going to be incredible things that come about as we serve and follow God. So Elijah goes, he does this, he finds Elisha and Elisha was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen.

Elijah passed by him, cast his mantle upon him, which is basically like he threw his jacket onto him, going like, I choose you, Elisha, son of Shaphat. And Elisha left the oxen and ran out, are you crying?

I'm good.

He left the oxen, ran after Elijah and said, let me I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, go back again for what I've done to thee. He's like, hey, it ain't nothing but a thing.

All you do you, I chose you, go do what you got to do and come back.

And then it says Elisha returned back from him and took a yoke of oxen and slew them and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen and gave unto the people and they did eat. Then he arose and went after Elijah and ministered unto him.

And so he throws a little mini goodbye party and takes out one of the yoke of oxen because he had been playing with 12. And so now there's 11 yoke of oxen for him. But he does this.

And I think it's interesting, sometimes when God wants us to do something, we'll kind of maybe start off with something like Elisha said, of like, okay, like I'm going to prepare, I want to get ready.

But then sometimes we don't actually get around to doing what God wanted of us or what he's called us to do. And do you have anything on that? Maybe delaying delayed obedience.

Any thoughts on that?

I think of a story of in the New Testament, when Peter and maybe, I forgot who's there, but Jesus is telling them, cast your nets. And they're like experienced fishermen.

They know, they're probably thinking to themselves that, if I do this, I'm not going to catch anything anyways. Right? And so they're like, we'll cast just one net and see how we do.

And they're like, and from the surface, it seems like that it was in obedience, but it was a little bit delayed.

And what I can have like a principle from that is, if they would have put more nets, they would have got more fish and had more of a blessing.

So if we're just partially obeying, then we might still get some blessing from God, but maybe not the full potential that, well, we could really have if we just really have that full obedience.

Yeah, I love that. A thing of giving it all.

Yeah.

And God can't give to us what we haven't given over. I think like a bucket, if I have maybe a two ounce bucket and that's all I give, all God can give me is a two ounce bucket.

But if I'm like, hey God, here's a 10 ounce bucket, just fill it up, then he can give so much more in that way.

And obviously we're talking directly about finances, and if you financially support Bible Babels Podcast at $15 a month, God will bless you with $25. No, just kidding.

But I do think it is such a great principle from Scripture that when we give it all to the Lord, we can see the blessings and the awesome results that come from that as opposed to when we only give partially to the Lord. Love that thought.

Any other things? Observations you have? Snyder remarks versus encouragements?

Don't overreact to fear.

But we're not telling you that you need to go into the middle of the street because you don't fear death. So don't go hit by a car.

Yeah, love that. Yes. Fear will make you overreact to sometimes real threats, sometimes fake threats.

Sometimes we fear things more than we should, and sometimes we fear things that we shouldn't fear at all. And where you would kind of, you know, maybe determine some of that is using the sound mind that God has given you and in following in that way.

Well, look forward to being with you next week. I believe we may have another guest host on the podcast and we'll let you know if and when that happens. But look forward to being with you next week.

I think next week might be us finishing out or almost finishing out First Kings. If you've enjoyed the podcast, let us know. And you can let us know on Facebook, on Instagram, or by email by way of BibleBabbelsPodcast at gmail.com.

We'd love to hear from you. Specifically, if you have anything that you'd like to hear us talk about as we finish up First Kings. As always, I've been your host, Bryon Self.

This is Carlos.

Thanks for joining us.