He [Rehoboam] did evil …

“And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.” - 2 Chronicles 12v14

What a sad story Rehoboam is. In 2 Chronicles 114v4 we saw him and his men obeying the words of the Lord. In 11v7 the people surrounding him walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years. Then there is an abrupt change. In 12v1 Rebobaom forsook the law of the Lord and in 12v14 he did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.

As I look at this it appears that Rehoboam in the early days only “did” the right thing, he never dealt with his own heart. His actions belied his heart. There was plenty of kingly preparation, but there was never any real heart preparation.

If we are going to serve the Lord we must do so with a prepared heart. As we set out on each day, lets be sure that our hearts are prepared for the day ahead.

They set their heart to seek the Lord

“And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.” - 2 Chronicles 11v16

After Solomon’s death the nation fell into disarray. Jeroboam went north and began getting rid of all vestiges of true worship. He set up altars to false gods and literally ran the Levites and priests off. The moved south to Jerusalem where, for a time at least, they found a supporter in Rehoboam.

Even in the midst of all this trouble there were some, from “all the tribes of Israel,” who were different. We read of these people that they “set their hearts to seek the Lord.”

Seeking the Lord was a minority view. It was not the popular thing to do, but there were some who still did it.

Seeking the Lord with ones whole heart is no more popular today than it was then. Sadly this extends to many Christians who never give themselves to whole-heartedly seeking the Lord.

There are, however, a few. May the Lord strengthen me to be one of those few.

If my people…

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” - 2 Chronicles 7v14

This promise after the temple was built was a very specific instruction to a very specific people. God was instructing His nation, Israel, on His requirements for national blessing. These are not universal instructions to all people of all time.

We also know that the forgiveness of our sins, and spiritual healing, is not based on what we do, but on the finished work of Christ on the cross.

However, God does lay out some principles here that He does expect from His people. These are repeated throughout the Old and New Testament,

Humility
Prayer
Seeking God’s face
Repentance

Ephesians tells us that good works do not save us, but we are ordained to do good works. These four requirements for Israel are things that should always characterise our lives.

You know the hearts of the sons on men

“Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)” - 2 Chronicles 6v30

In the midst of praising God for the physical work of building the temple Solomon drew his thoughts back to what was really important, what was going on in the hearts of the people. He makes a very profound statement here, only God knows the heart of men.

We already know that what is in the heart will be reflected in the lives of men. The source of man’s behaviour clearly is the heart. However, if we are not careful we can look at a person and take it on ourselves to judge a man’s heart.

We can look at two men, one who looks and acts “right” and another who still has some rough edges. Our first response may be look with favour on the one and with disfavour on the other.

However, we can’t see the heart. It is quite possible that our judgement might even be totally backwards. Only God knows the heart, let us love, pray for, and encourage all men and trust God to deal with their hearts.

Heart matters

“I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.” - 1 Chronicles 29v17-19

God always deals with the heart above all else. Here David mentions four things about. God’s dealing.

· The Lord tries the heart
· The Lord can keep the heart
· The Lord sets the heart
· The Lord can give a loyal heart

When I look at things like this I am amazed at the consistent focus that God places on the heart. I often wonder if I spend as much time as my heart as the Lord does or as much time on my heart or as much time as I do on the physical. The answer is “probably not.”

We tend to be so focused on the externals that we forget the inside. We get so busy “building our temples” that we forget about the inside of the building where the heart dwells.

Lord make me as concerned about my heart as you are.

Strangers and sojourners

“For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.” - 1 Chronicles 29v15

David had a marvellous perspective on his life on earth. Although he was preparing the nation to build a very visible physical temple, we reminded them that we are but “strangers and sojourners” or “aliens and pilgrims” in this world and that our visit here was like a shadow, where do one truly abides.

The New Testament also carries this same theme - our life is only a vapour that appears for a little while then vanishes away. We tend to set so much on what is here on earth. We set our affection on things below. We live like this sojourning place is our permanent abode and so we spend most of our lives preparing for our life here.

As Christians our true citizenship is in heaven. We must make daily provision for our life here, but we do well to remember the good old gospel song – “This world is not my home, I just a passing through. My treasures are laid out, somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me through heaven’s open door and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”

Are you homesick for heaven?

A loyal heart and a willing mind

“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.” - 1 Chronicles 28v9

As David was commissioning his son David to build the temple he told him to serve the Lord with a “loyal heart and a willing mind.” The reason was so simple – “God searches all hearts and He understands all the intents of the minds.”

Just going through the action of serving God is not enough – He expects is to serve not just on the surface, but with a right motivation. Anyone can do a work in the flesh; the question is can we serve God with the right heart and mind. We cannot “fool” God; He already knows our motivation.

Let us not be content to just do the work, lets strive to do it with a loyal heart and a willing mind.

Beautiful holiness

“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” - 1 Chronicles 16v29

What an amazing them to consider – beautiful holiness. Most of the time people think of holiness as severe and draconian. Yet here we read that holiness is in essence beautiful.

O beautiful holiness, make I see you and nothing less.

As I live in the flesh I am sickened by the filth of this present world. Far too often I let the beautiful holiness slip from my view and let filthy worldliness seep into my life. On one side I see beautiful holiness and on the other side filthy worldliness. Every day my spirit seeks after the beautiful holiness and every day my flesh cries out for the filthy worldliness. It is no wonder that I must be told to walk after the spirit and not after the flesh.

Which will I pursue today - God’s beautiful holiness, or my filthy worldliness?

O beautiful holiness, may I today seek you and nothing less.

Show forth from day to day His salvation

“Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvelous works among all nations.” - 1 Chronicles 16v23-24

David presented a beautiful psalm upon the return of the ark to Jerusalem. As a part of that psalm He instructed the people not to keep God’s work quiet, but to make it known to others. This same challenge is applicable to us today. The instruction is simple, yet can be so difficult to carry out.

· Sing unto the Lord
· Show His salvation from day to day
· Declare His glory and His marvellous works to the lost

God brought the ark back home. What a wonderful truth and what a blessing for the nation. His very real presence was back among the people. This was a wonderful event and a true reason for praise.

Compare that to what God has done for us. When we were saved He came and dwelt in our lives forever, never to leave. Would not David’s words even apply more to us? Are we doing what David declared here? Are our songs sung to the Lord? Are we showing His salvation to those around us day after day? Are we declaring His glory and His works to the lost around us?

Seek and remember

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” - 1 Chronicles 16v11-12

When David finally was able to see the ark returned to Jerusalem he called for a great celebration. He at least had the right focus here because the purpose of the celebration was to thank and to praise God for what He had done. There was no mention of the military victories or what he had done, but the total focus was on what God had done there.

At the beginning of this beautiful song of praise David mentioned two things that the people should consider as they celebrated. He told them to “seek the Lord and remember his works.” These two aspects of worship go hand in hand. James gives us the same principle when he tell us that a mark of spiritual maturity is to look on how God has brought us through spiritual trials in order to increase our faith.

Part of seeking the Lord is to call to mind what He has done for us in the past. When we remember the Lord it increases our likelihood of seeking Him in present situations. May each day be one of seeking the Lord and remembering Him.

Jabez was more honourable

“And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” - 1 Chronicles 4v9-10

A few years ago someone came across this mention of a man in the list of names and decided that he had found a pain free way to success in what you wanted. Pray the prayer of Jabez for thirty days and watch God give you success in whatever area you are praying about. Unfortunately that idea has taken away from some of the real truths to be found here.

The Bible says that Jabez was more honourable than his brethren. Out of this huge list of names Jabez’ sticks out because he was an honourable man, because he had the faith to call upon the Lord, and because the Lord granted his requests.

Jabez asked God to bless him, the increase his land holdings, that God’s hand might be with him, and that he would be kept from evil. All of these are requests that we might incorporate into our prayers if we do so in an honourable way. Jabez was an honourable man who prayed honourable prayer and God heard him and answered. Whenever that happens we should pay attention.

There is no secret formula for success here, but there is an example of how an honourable man prays.

The Lord turned not

“Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.” - 2 Kings 23v26

After Josiah heard the word of the Lord he went to work. First he called all of the people together and publicly made a covenant with God to obey His word. He said that he would purge the land of its false worship and follow the Lord. All of the people “took a stand for the covenant.”

Josiah was serious about his covenant. He set about removing every vestige of paganism and false worship. He tore down their high places, overturned their altars, burned their objects of worship, executed their priests, and burned the bones of the dead pagan priests. Josiah heart and work were so serious that he was called the greatest king who ever lived in Judah.

However, it was not enough. God’s wrath would not be stayed. God had seen the false repentance of the nation over and over again. Perhaps He knew that though the king had acted, his people’s hearts were not right and they were still more with the actions of Manasseh.

God is tolerant and patient. He will strive with men for a time, but eventually His righteousness and holiness insist that He must act.  

Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself

“Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.” - 2 Kings 22v19

In a case nearly unique God used a woman here to serve as a prophet. The leaders took the book of the law to her to see what God is saying. Here prophecy was sobering – God was indeed going to judge Judah. Their sin had gone on too long and there were never really to repent.

However she had good news for the king. “Because you have a tender heart and you humbled yourself you are not going to see the destruction of the land. You will die in peace instead.

Josiah died physically in battle. His physical death was not peaceful, but he was able to die without the turmoil of watching his nation be destroyed. He also died in eternal peace knowing that he had pleased the Lord.

Josiah had a tender heart and he was humble. Obviously these are character traits that please God. How do we compare to Josiah in these two areas? Do I really have a tender heart? Am I truly humble? Our flesh rebels at the thought, but these things please God. The question is one of importance. Will I allow my flesh its satisfaction, or will I seek to please God as Josiah did?

I have found the book!

“And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.” - 2 Kings 22v8

Josiah set about cleaning up and repairing the temple. As the workers were about their work, without needing supervision, Hilkiah came across the “book of the law.” God’s word had been so neglected, and possibly the target of specific attack, by Manassah that no one had seen it for years.

When Hilkiah found it he took it to Shaphan the scribe, which made sense because he was in charge of the books. Shaphan took the book and read it to the king. When Josiah heard it he tore his clothes in remorse and grief. Josiah realised when he heard the word because he saw how fall the nation had fallen. God’s word had a great impact on its hearer.

How does God’s word impact us today? Have we become so used to the word of God that we simply let it roll over us without having any impact. The word of God is still alive, and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword. It is able to divide souls and spirit and joints and marrow. When God’s word reveals sin in our lives do we have the kind of remorse that Josiah had? The power of God’s word is no less. May God make us as sensitive to His word as Josiah was.

Josiah did not turn aside to the right hand or the left

“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.” - 2 Kings 22v2

Josiah is one of my favourite kings. When he became king we read that he did that which was right. He walked in the ways of his father David. Not only that we read that he never veered off to the right or the left. Josiah had a complete dedication from which he would not be swayed. He stayed on the path. Nothing could turn him from his path of devotion.

Today we have all kinds of things standing alongside our paths calling us to turn aside. As we walk through Vanity Fair lust, greed, materialism, pride, and many others are calling out to us to just take a peek inside their tents. Satan does all he can to get us to turn aside from our path and follow after him and his minions. Our wicked flesh screams out for satisfaction.

What are we going to do? In front of us, loving encouraging us to keep our eyes on Him is our Saviour. To every side we have our enemies. Who are we going to follow? Are we going to stay on the path, or turn off to the right and left?

Hezekiah’s testimony

“I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore”. - 2 Kings 20v3

Hezekiah was just not ready to die. As he became ill and realised hat the end was near he cried out to God with a testimony which God did not refute. Here is his testimony. “Lord, I have:

· Walked before you all the days of my life
· Walked with a loyal heart
· Done what is good in your sight

What kind of prayer could you and I pray if we were on our deathbeds today asking God to extend our lives. Could we say that we have always walked before God with a loyal heart doing that which was good in His eyes?

May we strive to have that kind of testimony when we approach the end of our mortal lives.

Removing the high places

“He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.” - 2 Kings 18v4


What a refreshing account of a king of Judah. In the midst of a list of kings who turned against the Lord we read of Hezekiah who:

· did that which was right in the sight of the LORD
· removed the high places
· broke the images
· cut down the groves
· broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made
· trusted in the LORD God of Israel
· cleaved to the LORD
· departed not from following him
· kept his commandments

This king was serious about following God and as a result “the LORD was with him; and he prospered in all that he did.”

I think the most important thing that he did was to remove the “high places.” These were places where false gods were worshipped. Many other kings had broken down the idols, but he was the to remove the provision for these false gods. When he was done there was no place to go and build the shrines or set up the idols.

There is an important principle for us here. Often we allow the Lord to deal with sin in our lives, but we still make provision for the sin. Are there “high places” in our lives that we hold on to so that we can readily return to the sin? Lets start by breaking down those high places, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the desires thereof.

They feared the Lord, but served their own gods

“They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.” - 2 Kings 17v33

When the king of Assyria repopulated Samaria with foreign peoples they naturally brought their own false gods with them. This displeased the Lord and He sent a pack of lions and some of the people were killed. The people quickly determined that God was not happy, so sent for someone to teach them about Him.

After they were taught, they decided that they had room for this new God and added Him to their religious practices. The “feared the Lord and they served their own gods.”

In some places in the world today this is still a real problem. People make a profession of faith and then just add God to their religious practices. Sometimes they just add that prayer to what they are counting on, but go on with their other practices as well. They never put their full faith in Christ.

It is even sadder when Christians decide that they are going to fear the Lord, but continue serving their gods of lust, materialism, greed, pride, etc. They want to fear the Lord, but they love their practices too much to give them up. When we do this, we are no better than the people who “feared the Lord, but served their own gods.”

The children of Israel secretly did those things that were not right

And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.” - 2 Kings 17v9

The previous chapters are a sad litany of he wicked kings of Israel. News from Judah was not much better. Finally it seems that God has had enough and he allows the wicked nation of Assyria to come and carry Israel away into captivity.

Among the charges listed against Israel is that they “did secretly” those things that were not right. They did these secret things against the Lord. I am sure that since they did those things secretly they didn’t think anyone would notice.

They forgot something. Nothing can be hidden from God. He sees it all. Just like He saw the things that Israel did secretly he also sees the things we try to do in secret today.

Are things in your life that you are doing secretly, hoping that maybe, just maybe, God will not take notice? Lets stop fooling ourselves – He knows.

The did not require an accounting…for they dealt faithfully

“Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.” - 2 Kings 12v15

When Joash became king the first thing he set about doing was to repair the temple that had fallen into terrible disrepair. There was some delay until Joash devised a new method of collecting offerings for the work.

Workman had to be hired. Carpenters, metalworkers, workers with fabric, and others were needed to do the actual work. Today we would call these people “common labourers,” but they were anything but common.

These were notable workers. They needed no one to check up on them because they always dealt faithfully. They did not need to “punch a clock” or be supervised. These folks had a rare character in that they could always be trusted to do their work.

How do we measure up when compared to these men? Do we have the kind of character that means that we don’t need anyone to check up on us? It can be challenging to be a faithful worker when there is no clock to punch or supervisor to watch us. These “common labourers” should be a challenge to us all.

There are more with us than with them

“And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” - 2 Kings 6v16

The king of Syria was going to make war on Israel. The prophet Elisha warned the king and this made the Syrian king angry. In response, the Syrian king sent out a great army to capture Elisha. When Elisha’s servant looked out the window he saw this mighty army and was petrified! “Elisha, they have us surrounded!”

Elisha said something that must have caused the servant to think he was crazy. “There are more with us than there are with them.” Surely this made no sense to the servant. He saw the “reality” of the situation around him. Elisha than prayed that the servant could see the spiritual aspect of the battle and when he did he saw the great spiritual army that was around him.

Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. The Lord is able to save by many or by few. Nothing is impossible with God. Look not on the things that are see, but the things that are not seen. Walk by faith not by sight. Those that are with us are more than those that are against us.

Getting the message?

The God of little things

“But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.” - 2 Kings 6v5-7

Losing a tool is certainly no big deal. It happens to us all the time. Here the Bible tells us about a time the prophet’s school needed a new building so they set about chopping down trees to build one. These were no men of means, typical Bible school students J.

Suddenly one of the axe heads flew off and sank to the bottom of the Jordan River. The man who was using it was distraught. He had borrowed the axe and had no way to repay the owner. He went to Elisha who calmly picked up a stick and threw it into the river where the axe head had gone in and the axe head floated back to the top.

Our God cares about the “little things” in our lives. What “axe heads” have you weighed down today?

Doing it God’s way

“And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” - 2 Kings 5v13

Namaan was the commander of the Syrian troops when he contracted leprosy. Among his servants was a young girl from Israel who knew the Lord. She knew that her master could be healed if he could talk to the prophet.

When he finally was able to speak to Elisha he was told to go and dip in the Jordan River seven times. Namaan was not at all pleased. “I thought he would just come out and wave his hand over me to heal me. There are plenty of rivers back home that I could have washed in!”

His servant addressed his concerns, “If he had told you to do some great work, would you have done it?” Namaan knew that she was right, dipped in the Jordan, and was healed.

God has His way of doing things. Sometimes it does not make sense to us. All God really wants is that we simply trust Him and obey. Trust and obey, there is no other way…

I hate him...

“And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.” - 1 Kings 22v8

Ahab was quite a character. When Naboth would not sell him his land, Ahab went to his bed, turned his face to the wall, and pouted until Jezebel sorted things out for him.

When Ahab was talking to Jehoshaphat about their alliance he mentioned a prophet named Micaiah. Ahab, however, hated Micaiah because, “he does not prophecy good concerning me, but evil.”

When we truly handle and proclaim the word of God, we cannot expect everyone to like us. We are going to make enemies when we do so. People are going to hate us when we are called upon to be a modern day Micaiah and will take God’s words as a personal insult. We should not be surprised.

Letting go

“And he 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.” - 1 Kings 19v21

After Elijah finally got moving he came across a team of twelve men ploughing in a field. When the very last one, a man named Elisha, passed Elijah threw his mantle of authority over his shoulders.

After getting permission to go home and say good-bye to his family Elisha “burned his bridges” so that there was no going back. We slaughtered the oxen and gave his ploughing equipment to the others.

Unlike some of the disciples who never got over their nets, Elisha knew that following God was a one-way street. He knew that there was no turning back. May we have Elisha-like determination as we follow our Lord.

Go

“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:” - 1 Kings 19v15

God had a cure for Elijah’s depression. God sent an angel to feed him. God fed him and gave him water. God asked him while he was still there. God showed His might in a windstorm, an earthquake, and a fire. God spoke to him is a still small voice. God again asked him while he was there.

After all of this Elijah still said, “I have done so much for you, and yet still I am all long and there are out to kill me.”

Now God gave Elijah some very clear instruction. “Go!” He said, “get back on your way, go back to the place where you belong and get busy! You are not alone, I have seven thousand men who are ready to stand with you.”

Elijah had a serious problem. He had a totally wrong focus. He was blinded and paralyzed by his fears and what he could see. Jezebel’s warning drive him to the depths of despair. God’s solution? Get busy!

Often when we get down we depend on the circumstances to improve before we get busy. God’s plan is different. God says, “Get busy and the situation will improve.” When we face those “down times” lets remember God’s simple instruction to get out of it – “GO!”

A still small voice

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” - 1 Kings 19v12

Elijah still was not convinced. Even when God asked him what he was doing in the wilderness all he could do was complain. In the mouth of a cave God showed His mighty power in a fierce windstorm, in an earthquake, and is a fire. Yet, God did not appear in any of these. Each of them was only an announcement of God’s coming.

When God did appear it was in a still small voice. God did not speak with fireworks or noise. He spoke in a way that required Elijah to listen.

We often allow the noise of the world to drown out God’s still small voice. God does not often scream out for our attention, He waits on us to wait on Him.

Are we listening for God’s still small voice? If He speaks today are we going to be able to hear Him amongst the noise and clamour of this world? Are we really ready to hear His still small voice?

Why are you here?

“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 here, Elijah?” - 1 Kings 19v9

It is almost hard to believe that someone who had as great a victory could fall so quickly into a state of depression. Yet, when Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him for killing Baal’s prophets he ran and hid under a juniper tree where he slept and would not eat. An angel appeared and made him eat, but he went back to sleep. He was locked in the depths of depression.

Finally, “the word of the Lord” came to Elijah and said, “Why are you here Elijah?” Elijah had allowed his despair to defeat him. He was so caught up in his circumstances that he forgot that God was in control. He was guilty of walking by sight and not by faith. He totally forgot the mighty power that God had just showed him at Mt Carmel.

We might look at Elijah and say, “How could he do this? How could he see God work, then run in fear?” Yet, we often do the exact same thing. God does something great for us, we ride on the crest, then the next time something happens we get discouraged and spiritually go to sleep.
When that happens we need to take to heart the words that God gave to Elijah – “Why are you here? Its time to get up and get something done!”