1 Kings 19:1–8— An
angel brings food to dejected Elijah who in fear of Jezebel fled to the
wilderness.
After a dramatic victory on Mt. Carmel over the gods
of Baal and Asherah, Elijah, a ninth century prophet flees to the wilderness to
escape the threat of Jezebel the queen that in twenty-four hours he would dead.
Despite the fact that the Lord had shown that He alone is the true God in
Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal, wicked Queen Jezebel clung to her
false gods and sought to kill Elijah. To escape, Elijah fled to the wilderness
near Beersheba.
Under a tree
Elijah falls asleep. An angel awakens him and directs him to eat the food
brought. After another nap, the angel repeats the order and Elijah eats a
second time. The food is not manna but cake. The food gave him strength to
continue his journey to Mt. Sinai for forty days.
Elijah was so despondent that he wanted to die. He was
physically dead tired. Emotionally he was spent. Though he had a dramatic
victory over Baal, he was scared to Jezebel. She vowed to kill him in twenty-four
hours. Is that a proper reward for victory? Elijah’s pride was involved. He
thought he could do better than his fathers, but he realized he was no better.
When life hits bottom, where do we turn?
If the angel only touched Elijah, he much have been a
slight sleeper. Probably the angel shook him to awaken him. There is something
about a touch that is more meaningful than words. Here we see the marvelous
grace of God. Elijah was in a wilderness as a refugee. He was at the lowest
point of his life. God touches us often through an angel bringing food when we
are at our extremity.[2]
The Lord feeds us also; not through the ministrations
of an angel, but by farmers, truckers, stock-boys, and grocery-store clerks
etc. “God gives daily bread to
everyone…we pray that He would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily
bread with thanksgiving.”
[1] Elijah and the prophets of Baal Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcut used with permission for
personal and congregational use copyright © WELS
[2] Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series B, John Brokhoff © 1981 CSS Publishing, Lima, OH
[3] Collect for guidance in our calling, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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