1:5 — Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.”
As David’s fourth son, Adonijah believed he had a valid claim to the throne. However, he also knew God had already appointed Solomon to take David’s place (1 Kin. 1:29, 30; 1 Chr. 22:9, 10; 28:4–7). By exalting ourselves against the Lord’s wishes we can, for a time, obtain the fame, position, or notoriety we seek. But whatever we acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes. And Adonijah eventually paid for his rebellion with his life (1 Kin. 2:23–25).
1:6 — His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?”
What do Eli the priest, Samuel the prophet, and David the king all have in common? As leaders they served and honored God, but as fathers they failed to raise their children in the fear of the Lord.
1:51 — “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar.”
By grasping the horns of the altar, Adonijah was seeking God’s protection, mercy, and forgiveness from the punishment due him. However, he did so after his plans were discovered (Ex. 21:14). There is a big difference between regretting the consequences of sin and repenting of it. Adonijah feared the possible ramifications of his actions, but he never repudiated them. And eventually that would cost him everything (1 Kin. 2:13–25).
2:3 — “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways . . . that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.”
As David drew close to death, he passed on the most important principle of his life to his son, Solomon—obey God. There is nothing more important for us to teach our children and encourage those around us to do than to submit to the Lord, walk in His ways, and trust His mighty hand (Heb. 3:13). It is through obedience that we know Him and enjoy His marvelous blessings (Ps. 103).
2:6, 9 — “Act according to your wisdom . . . for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do.”
Even at the beginning of his reign, Solomon was considered a wise man. Yet God is able to multiply even what we have, so that we can better serve Him and bless His people.
2:17 — “Give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.”
Adonijah revealed a heart still bent on evil when he requested to marry King David’s concubine. By joining himself with a member of David’s harem, he was strengthening his claim to the throne and trying to gain an advantage over Solomon (1 Kin. 2:21–25). However, God will never bless those who work against His will.
2:27 — Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD, which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli.
Although God had set the Levites in charge of the tabernacle, He proclaimed that Eli’s line would no longer participate in the blessing of serving Him there (1 Sam. 2:29–36). Here, we see this prophesy fulfilled in the life of one of Eli’s kinsmen, Abiathar, who was removed from the priestly service because He opposed the Lord’s choice for king (1 Kin. 1:7).
2:32 — “The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and killed them.”
Here, Joab finally received his punishment for killing Abner (2 Sam. 3:27) and Amasa (2 Sam. 20:9, 10). No one ultimately gets away with any sinful act. As Paul writes, “The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after” (1 Tim. 5:24).
3:3 — Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
At the beginning, Solomon loved the Lord and obeyed His commandments. But note the one word that led to his downfall: “except.” The Lord wants wholehearted commitment to Him, not partial devotion.
What the Bible Says About
Asking God for Specific Things
Many Bible passages challenge believers to ask God for very specific things. Read the following familiar verses to remind yourself how important it is to ask God for the things you need. God expects you to ask!
• In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.” (1 Kin. 3:5)
• [Jesus said,] “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” (Matt. 21:22)
• [Jesus said,] “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.” (John 16:24)
• But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5, 6)
If we were to summarize these verses, we would find some very clear and concise principles related to our asking:
• God wants us to ask Him to meet all of our needs.
• God delights in revealing to us His desires and His ways of doing things.
• We can ask God for all things, including those that relate to the natural world.
• We are wise to ask in agreement with others.
• We must always ask in faith and in the name of Jesus.
• God will respond to our need not in a way that opposes His commandments, but in a way that pleases Him and brings Him glory.
• We can be assured that whenever we ask God for something, He hears and responds to us, giving us precisely what we need—which may not be what we think we need, but which always benefits us most.
The Bible tells us, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). For what things in your life have you failed to ask God?
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
3:9 — “Give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
Solomon wanted the ability to wisely lead his people, which was a good and honorable request that greatly pleased God. After all, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). Because Solomon made such an excellent request and sought the Lord, He gave him not only what he needed, but He gave him more than he ever could have dreamed (2 Chr. 1:10–12).
4:20 — Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance; they were eating and drinking and rejoicing.
The Lord made a covenant with Abraham, “I will greatly multiply your seed . . . as the sand which is on the seashore” (Gen. 22:17). It is amazing to think how He grew this great people from Abraham’s son, Isaac. Yet God always blesses our obedience to Him. We are always to remember that all our blessings come from the Lord, and He is faithful to keep all of His promises to us as we follow Him in obedience.
4:24 — He had peace on all sides around about him.
When David wanted to build a house for the Lord, God told him no, but also said, “A son will be born to you . . . and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and . . . he shall build a house for My name” (1 Chr. 22:9, 10; also 2 Sam. 7:12–16). Here we see the fulfillment of the pledge He made. We can always place our full confidence in God’s Word, for He has the unlimited power and wisdom to fulfill His promises to the letter.
5:12 — The LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He promised him.
The Lord always follows through on His promises. We may not see how He can fulfill His pledge to us, but trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what He sees and having faith that He has the power, love, and wisdom to accomplish His Word.
6:12 — “If you will . . . keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you.”
Many of God’s promises to us are conditional in nature: if we will do this, then the Lord will do that. He is under no obligation to fulfill a conditional promise if we neglect our part of the covenant.
7:1 — Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.
Although Solomon took seven years to build the temple, he took almost twice as long to build his own palace. Could this have revealed a mistaken priority?
8:10 — It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD.
Sometimes the presence of the Lord becomes so obvious and mighty that we must cease our ministering and simply worship. In those moments of intimacy, we fulfill our highest purpose.
8:18 — “It was in your heart to build a house for My name.”
Disappointments are inevitable; discouragement is a choice. Like David wanting to build the temple, there may be a good thing in our hearts that we really want to do, but God says no because He has a better purpose in mind for us (1 Chr. 17). Instead of becoming disheartened, we should focus on God and the great things He will do. He always fulfills His purposes in His way. Our job is to trust and obey.
8:24 — “You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand as it is this day.”
It honors God and blesses us when we publicly acknowledge that He keeps all of His promises. The Lord is absolutely trustworthy, and we can build our lives on His Word.
8:27 — “Will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!”
Our God fills the universe, yet He chose to dwell in a special way in the Jerusalem temple. Today, He lives not in a man-made temple, but in the hearts of all those who believe in Christ (1 Cor. 6:19).
8:38 — “Each knowing the affliction of his own heart.”
It is important that each of us knows “the affliction of his own heart.” We are not to dwell on our own sinfulness; rather, we should repent of it and honor God. And we should understand our personal tendencies toward certain kinds of sin so that we can steer clear of tempting situations that could entice us to stumble.
8:43 — “Do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You.”
From the very beginning, the Lord’s desire was that the whole world would know, love, worship, and serve Him. Intimacy with God is His highest priority for every person on earth.
8:58 — “That He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments.”
Since we are all prone to wandering (1 Kin. 8:46), it is wise to pray regularly that God would give us great love for Him and grant us the desire to walk in His ways and joyfully obey His Word.
8:66 — They blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown.
It is important to periodically gather as the people of God to celebrate all the good that the Lord has done for us with joyful hearts. This not only honors Him; it encourages us to stay true to Him.
9:3 — “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me.”
When we bring our requests to God, He hears. It may not always seem as though He is listening—in fact, sometimes it may feel as though we are speaking into the air. But He always hears us, and He acts for us when we wait for Him.
10:23 — King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom.
The Lord had promised to make Solomon the wisest man in history and the richest king of his age, and He fulfilled that promise within twenty years of giving it.
10:28 — Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue.
All Satan is looking for is a small foothold in your life. He begins with something that seems insignificant—like importing horses from a foreign nation. Why would God forbid that (Deut. 17:16)? Yet it takes very little to turn your heart away from the Lord. That is the nature of compromise—it isn’t a quick turn from God; rather, it’s a gradual slide; and the further from Him you get, the more difficult it is to go back. Ultimately, you lose—because that’s what always happens when you compromise with evil.
11:1 — King Solomon loved many foreign women.
Everything that the Lord had forbidden kings to do in Deuteronomy 17:16, 17, Solomon did. He accumulated Egyptian horses, silver, gold, and foreign wives. This was the beginning of his ultimate downfall, and it was all because he fell right into the trap—compromising his belief in God and following the wicked ways of the pagan nations he was associating with, even though the Lord had warned him what would happen (1 Kin. 9:4–7). And so Solomon lost the blessing of God.
Answers to Life’s Questions
Where do we draw the line between healthy and unhealthy compromise?
Compromise can be defined as making a concession in order to gain something. At times, compromise can be a good thing. If you’ve ever had to compromise on what restaurant to choose or how much to pay for a new car, you don’t need an explanation of how compromise works.
We engage in healthy compromise when we can work with another without compromising our core values and beliefs. Every healthy human relationship experiences an element of give and take. Unhealthy compromise, on the other hand, involves abandoning sound and godly ideas and standards, leaving us morally and spiritually bankrupt.
The story of Solomon illustrates how unhealthy compromise ends in tragedy. Solomon surpassed every ruler of his time in wisdom and riches. People from all over the world sought out Solomon for his wisdom. Yet Solomon deliberately disobeyed God’s warning against intermarriage with other religions (Deut. 7:3; 1 Kin. 11:1, 2). The result? Solomon’s heart turned away from absolute devotion to God and began to cling to the false deities of his wives. Don’t be deceived. Stepping away from God’s truth always begins with what appears to be a harmless deed. But the end result is deep regret, sorrow, bondage, and emotional and spiritual separation from God.
We live in a world full of temptations that urge us to compromise our godly values. But when we choose to compromise, we pay a price, even though it may not seem immediately apparent to others (or even to ourselves). Satan wants us to believe the lie that no one gets hurt when we compromise our core values. But that lie has cost men their jobs and ministries, children their innocence, and at times, it has cost individuals their very lives.
God’s righteousness is forever. He doesn’t accept any compromise of His holy standards. Consider Solomon—after his compromise came collapse. God didn’t waste any words. He said He would rip the kingdom out of Solomon’s hands because of his compromise, and that is exactly what happened (1 Kin. 11:11).
Unhealthy compromise is costly. It corrupts. It brings collapse.
Has God revealed an area of compromise in your life? Perhaps you’ve crossed the line from flirting with compromise to jumping headlong into some ungodly activity. Satan is both cunning and powerful, and if he can get you to give up what is important to you, he can send you down a dark road that could cost you dearly. Don’t fall for it. Don’t give in. Don’t compromise your faith. Obey God, trust Him, and allow Him to mold your life so that all you do reflects His love, goodness, holiness, and truth to others.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
11:4 — When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods.
Healthy compromise occurs when we can work with others without sacrificing our values and beliefs. But destructive compromise leads us to abandon sound ideas or standards, leaving us morally and spiritually bankrupt.
11:14 — The LORD raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite.
When the Lord raises up an adversary against us, He does so not only to discipline us, but to bring us back to wholehearted devotion to Him. Even in judgment, He shows mercy.
11:31 — “Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes.”
Here Ahijah foretold the eventual division of the kingdom into two nations—Judah in the south and Israel in the north. Ten tribes would follow Jeroboam in the formation of a new state, while the tribe of Benjamin would remain with Judah and serve Rehoboam, Solomon’s son.
11:36 — “To his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem.”
Solomon’s sin, though great, was not sufficient to negate God’s covenant with David. No one can stop the Lord from fulfilling His promises to you.
11:40 — Solomon sought therefore to put Jeroboam to death.
Apparently Solomon heard of Ahijah’s prophecy against him (1 Kin. 11:29–31), and instead of repenting, he sought to frustrate it by killing Jeroboam. But “there is . . . no counsel against the LORD” (Prov. 21:30). No one can impede what the Lord has declared He will do.
12:15 — The king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His word.
Instead of seeking the Lord for wisdom about how to lead the nation or heeding the counsel of his father’s advisors, Rehoboam turned to his foolish friends—who no doubt told him just what he wanted to hear. And because of his pride, God’s word through Ahijah quickly became a reality (1 Kin. 11:29–31).
12:28 — The king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel.”
Centuries before, the Israelites had constructed a golden idol and proclaimed, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Ex. 32:4). Satan seldom changes his tactics; unfortunately, he doesn’t need to.
12:33 — He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel.
People can manipulate religion to serve their political purposes. Jeroboam tried to keep the people of Israel loyal to him by creating new places and easier ways to worship. Although his counterfeit religion won over the Israelites, it greatly displeased God. Ultimately, the Lord did not allow Jeroboam to mislead His people with false idols and profane altars (1 Kin. 13:1–3). No matter how appealing his lies were to Israel, they could not negate the truth—Jeroboam’s false religion could not overcome the fact that God wants an intimate relationship with His people.
13:1 — There came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
A number of unnamed “men of God” served the Lord throughout Israel’s history. Like most of us, they obey Him in quiet, faithful service and anonymity. But we can be sure that God remembers both our works and our names and will reward all our faithful service to Him.
13:2 — “Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name.’”
God did not often reveal the name of a person in the future who would act in some crucial way. Here, He identifies Josiah by name, who lived centuries later and fulfilled this prophecy against Jeroboam’s pagan altar and Israel’s wicked priests (2 Kin. 23:15–20).
13:26 — “The LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to him.”
When we know we have heard from the Lord, we cannot let anyone convince us that He has changed His mind—regardless of the source of the supposed new revelation (Deut. 13:1–4; Gal. 1:8). Remember the warning of 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15, “Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”
13:33 — Jeroboam did not return from his evil way, but again he made priests of the high places from among all the people.
Regret for the unpleasant consequences of sin does not equal repentance of the sin (1 Kin. 13:6). “A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy” (Prov. 29:1).
14:2 — “Disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there.”
Jeroboam recognized his own prophets as frauds and acknowledged Ahijah as the genuine man of God. Yet Jeroboam still refused to follow the Lord’s commands. Jeroboam provides a clear illustration of Hosea 8:2–4.
14:5 — “The wife of Jeroboam is coming . . . When she arrives . . . she will pretend to be another woman.”
No one can outmaneuver the Lord or deceive Him. What human eyes cannot see, God sees with unmatched clarity. This is why we can trust in Him, even when our way seems dark and uncertain.
14:13 — “He alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him something good was found toward the LORD God of Israel.”
Jeroboam had so dishonored God that He pronounced the terrible judgment, “Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat” (1 Kin. 14:11). Jeroboam’s line would end and his family would be completely humiliated by being left dishonorably unburied. Yet God shows mercy, even in the midst of His judgment. The Lord said He would allow the only one in Jeroboam’s family who had any good in him to be mourned properly.
14:15 — “The LORD will . . . uproot Israel from this good land . . . and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River.”
Just as the Lord spoke through the prophet Ahijah about the division of the kingdom (1 Kin. 11:31), He also warned that Israel would be carried off beyond the Euphrates for her idolatry. This prophecy came to fruition almost 200 years later, in 722 B.C., when Shalmaneser of Assyria conquered the Israelite capital of Samaria and carried off her inhabitants (2 Kin. 17).
15:4 — For David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem.
Although King Abijah and his father Rehoboam before him had violated the Lord’s commands, God faithfully honored His covenant with David (2 Sam. 7:4–17). Others may disobey the Lord, but they cannot hinder Him from fulfilling His promises to us.
15:18 — Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king’s house, and . . . sent them to Ben-hadad.
King Asa of Judah followed the pattern set by David and served the Lord (2 Chr. 14—15). However, in an attempt to undermine his enemy, the king of Israel, he dishonored God. He tried to buy political alliance with the king of Aram by using the Lord’s treasury. We must always avoid the temptation of relying on our own reasoning and resources rather than trusting God to help and protect us (2 Chr. 16:7–9).
15:28 — Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place.
Jeroboam could have established an enduring royal line if he had chosen to obey the Lord (1 Kin. 11:31–38). Instead, he rebelled and so brought on his family a deadly curse (1 Kin. 14:9–14). God wants us to obey Him and enjoy life at its very best, which only He can offer us.
16:2 — “You have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have made My people Israel sin.”
God allowed the wicked King Baasha to reign in Israel for twenty-four years (1 Kin. 15:33, 34)—plenty of time to repent—but he refused. So God destroyed his line, just as He promised (1 Kin. 16:12). He always keeps His Word.
16:18 — When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire, and died.
Sometimes God allows wicked men to flourish for years; sometimes He judges them very quickly. The evil King Zimri lasted just seven days. God is sovereign and “removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan. 2:21).
16:30 — Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him.
Although King Ahab did more evil than all his predecessors, the Lord allowed him to reign for twenty-two years. However, we should never mistake God’s patience for either indulgence or indifference (Jer. 5:12–17; Zeph. 1:12). “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27).
17:6 — The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook.
We should never question how God will provide for us. The Creator and Owner of all that exists can command the wind and waves to be still (Luke 8:24) and ravens to bring us food. Surely, there is nothing we’ll ever need that He cannot provide.
17:9 — “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
The Lord commanded a widow to provide for Elijah, and yet she knew nothing about it. She learned God’s will step by step as she walked with Him in faith, just as we do.
17:17 — The son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.
Tragedy comes into the lives of the faithful, just as it does to the ungodly. But for obedient believers, God takes everything—even heartbreaking situations—and uses them for His glory (Rom. 8:28).
18:3 — Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly.)
God often puts a godly man in the service of a wicked man, not to frustrate or aggravate him, but to provide a unique platform from which to rescue and bless His people (1 Kin. 18:4, 13).
18:12 — “I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.”
Obadiah had learned to fear God from a young age, no doubt through the influence of his parents, even though they lived in a wicked land. Parents have a great opportunity to train their children to love the Lord.
What the Bible Says About
The prophet Elijah is an amazing example of what can happen when believers pray with authority. When we come confidently to God asking Him to work in ways that will bring glory to Himself, He is moved to action. When the people of Israel and the prophets of Baal gathered at Mt. Carmel for a “showdown,” Elijah confidently prayed: “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again” (1 Kin. 18:36, 37).
When Elijah finished his prayer, God sent fire from heaven, which consumed the sacrifice, as well as the wood, the stones, the dust, and all the water in the trench. When the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God” (v. 39).
Notice how Elijah addressed the situation: he didn’t pray in secret, off in some corner where nobody could see or hear him. He prayed openly and publicly. There was nothing tricky or shady about what he did; there was no doubt about what he said.
God tells us to come boldly into His presence. He grants us the privilege to come before Him with authority because of our position in Christ Jesus. We are to be bold in our faith that God will do what He desires to do and what He says He will do.
The New Testament tells us, “We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15, 16), and, “Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:22). We have God’s invitation; will we accept?
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
17. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
18:21 — “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.”
At some point, we have to make up our minds: Will we serve God or not? Do we believe that He is who He claims to be or not? We have to take a stand and move on from there. No one can “hesitate between two opinions” forever.
18:37 — “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”
Although Elijah performed many miracles from the beginning of his recorded ministry, many of the people still refused to believe in God. Miracles are great, but they do not always produce true faith (Luke 16:31). It is God who turns our hearts back to Him (John 6:44). By His grace He reaches out to us and invites us to return to Him.
18:43 — He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times.
It had not rained for three years, yet Elijah was absolutely certain that the Lord would honor the promise He had given him (1 Kin. 18:1). We must not grow impatient in prayer. Jesus taught that we “at all times . . . ought to pray and not . . . lose heart” (Luke 18:1). We should keep asking, seeking, and knocking, knowing He will answer our prayers (Luke 11:9, 10).
Life Examples
Responding to Stress
Stressful situations can drive us to inappropriate responses. The prophet Elijah illustrates the importance of viewing circumstances from God’s perspective.
God sent the prophet to rescue Israel from its moral and spiritual decline. Elijah confronted and defeated the prophets of Baal (1 Kin. 18:17–40), but the wicked Queen Jezebel immediately threatened to kill him for executing her false prophets.
Instead of holding fast to God’s faithfulness, Elijah panicked, ran, and hid (1 Kin. 19:3). Yet God reminded His prophet that His provision and protection was sufficient for his circumstances. Elijah was not alone, nor would God leave him to face the wrath of Jezebel by himself. In fact, there were seven thousand people in Israel who were also faithfully dedicated to God and who would never worship Jezebel’s false deities. This encouraged Elijah, so the prophet returned to his mission for God.
Like Elijah, we need to rest in God, recall His faithfulness, and trust Him for the future. God remains active in our lives, even when it feels as though we’re alone and He has fallen silent. He’s still with you, so be confident that He will help you in whatever you are facing.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
4. The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
19:2 — “May the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
Great challenges often follow great victories. Elijah had just seen God do a great miracle, but Jezebel’s threat unnerved him. None of us stand strong in faith all the time—and God uses us anyway.
19:4 — “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”
How many of God’s faithful servants have prayed that they might die when confronted with stubborn unbelief or fierce opposition? It can be extremely disheartening to endure so many challenges and setbacks. However, though we know disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice. We don’t have to give in to defeat. Time alone with God can help us stay faithful and will carry us through until He gives us the victory. When we fight our battles on our knees, we win every time.
19:5 — He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.”
Elijah was ready to give in to discouragement. But his despair had more to do with his physical condition than what he really believed about God. This is why the angel of the Lord told him, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you” (1 Kin. 19:7). Whenever you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (H. A. L. T.), be very careful because you are especially vulnerable to sin and disheartenment. Before giving up or taking a rash course of action, stop and seek God. He will refresh you and give you the strength to continue (1 Kin. 19:8).
Answers to Life’s Questions
How can I develop and maintain an attitude of active listening before the Lord?
Many people seem uncomfortable with silence, especially if they are alone. In silence, however, we are able to hear the “sound of a gentle blowing” (1 Kin. 19:12)—the voice of the Lord. Certainly the prophet Elijah knew this. After receiving a death threat from Queen Jezebel, Elijah escaped to an isolated desert area. There in a cave, he heard the Lord say to him:
“Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kin. 19:11–13)
Quietness is essential to listening. If we are too busy to sit in silence in God’s presence; if we are preoccupied with thoughts or concerns about the day; if we have filled our minds for hour upon hour with carnal interference and aimless chatter—then we are going to have difficulty listening for His still, small voice.
At some point during the day, be still before the Lord in prayer. You may find that late night or early morning is a good time of solitude and quiet for you. A noonday walk in the park may be a time when you can quiet your soul before the Lord. Ask the Lord to reveal to you a time and a place where you might turn off the cares and worries of the world for a few moments and listen to Him.
So often we spend our prayer time by talking to the Lord without spending any time just waiting in silence to see what He has to say to us. Take time to intentionally sit or kneel in silence before the Lord. Empty your mind of all other thoughts. Concentrate on His Word and His presence with you. Ask Him to speak to you.
See the Life Principles Index for further study:
19:18 — “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Even in the worst of times, God will not leave Himself without a remnant as a witness. When we feel isolated and all alone, we aren’t; the Lord is at work in hearts that we may not even know about. Therefore, we should eagerly watch for His activity in other people’s lives.
20:28 — “I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
God delivered the massive enemy army into the hands of wicked Ahab, not because of Ahab, but because of the greatness of His own name. He wanted to show the world that the Lord God reigns over all the earth.
21:14 — “Naboth . . . is dead.”
Naboth lost his life for obeying God, while Jezebel appeared to get her way by disobeying Him (Ex. 23:7). Yet this life is not all there is, and the Lord promises to set all accounts right (Rom. 2:6–8).
21:25 — There was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife incited him.
Time after time in the Bible we see how a poor choice of mate leads to physical, spiritual, and moral ruin. What kind of king might Ahab have become had he married a godly woman? We’ll never know.
21:29 — “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me?. . . . will not bring the evil in his days.”
Even in judgment, God shows mercy. He does not desire the death of the wicked, but rather that they should repent and live (Ezek. 18:32).
22:5 — “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
The godly King Jehoshaphat of Judah did a foolish thing by allying himself with the wicked King Ahab of Israel, but at least he insisted on hearing a genuine word from the Lord (2 Chr. 18).
22:13 — “Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”
Ahab didn’t want the truth; he merely wanted his prophets to agree with him. We live in an age when people only want to hear encouraging words. Sometimes, we need correction or even rebuke to set us back on the right course, and the seemingly loving support of others only enables and hastens our destruction. Thankfully, God loves us enough to give us what we truly need.
22:28 — Micaiah said, “If you indeed return safely the LORD has not spoken by me.”
The events of any prophecy supposedly from the Lord must take place as declared, or that prophecy proves itself to be from another source (Deut. 18:20–22). Micaiah staked his life on God’s faithfulness and was vindicated for it.
22:34 — A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor.
God takes seemingly random acts and uses them to fulfill His will and His Word (2 Chr. 18:28–34). Only our sovereign Lord can do that!