Author: Philip Lewis Powell
First Published: March 2002
Elijah was clearly the most effective spiritual leader of his time yet the religious hierarchy marginalised him. One of the things that the New Testament emphasises about his “hidden life” was his humanness. James says he was “subject to like passions as we are”. The Greek word (Strong 3663) homoiopathes from (Strong 3664) homoios) so translated signifies “like, similar, resembling” i.e. a thing or person corresponding to another. If we are part of the true and faithful remnant, we both sympathise and empathise with Elijah for the word conveys the ideas of “suffering the like with another” and being “of like feelings or affections”. Historically Elijah was the God-ordained leader of the faithful remnant though he was slow and reluctant to recognise it. In fact at one time he thought he was totally alone in his faithful stand for the truth and righteousness of Jehovah – “only I am left”. In other words, he didn't even recognise the people whom he had inspired and of whom he was the concealed leader. Paul identifies this negative confession of Elijah in the context of the over-riding grace and elective calling of God regarding the faithful remnant in Romans 11:3-5:
"LORD, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, AND TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS; AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY SEEK MY LIFE"? But what does the divine response say to him? "I HAVE RESERVED FOR MYSELF SEVEN THOUSAND MEN, WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL." Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
In the historic setting Elijah twice protests to God his sense of isolation in his stand for Truth and that was after he called for a drought, prayed down fire and then prayed earnestly until the drought was broken – 1 Kings 19:10:
And he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."
This statement is repeated in identical words in verse 14 – 1 Kings 19:14:
And he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."
James the apostle emphasises a very important truth about Elijah and by extension about the faithful remnant when he draws our attention to his humanness. Remnant people are very human. However, he emphasises another matter that is absolutely vital to our calling as God's people and not so naturally occurring as our humanness. Here's the full quotation from James – James 5:17-18:
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
(18) And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”
Interestingly Elijah prayed in private prior to his public proclamation and prayer. James tells us that he “prayed earnestly”. The Greek rendering is two words both of which signify “prayer”. To express it literally, “[1] Elijah prayed in his [2] prayer”. The first is a verb and means, “to offer prayers, to pray”. The second is a noun and signifies “prayer addressed to God”. The double use of the same root word conveys the idea that Elijah deeply and intimately involved himself in the prayer that he offered. It was not something that was detached from him or from his manner of life. It was part and parcel of his passion and pursuit. Religious praying is mere verbiage and is an abomination to the Lord.
Both the historic setting and the New Testament application emphasise our two themes - Revival & True Holiness and Revival & Genuine Supernaturalism, which are the two pillars on which all true revival movements are built. Picture Elijah in those hidden years dwelling as he did at Tishbeh on the east side of Jordan and earnestly seeking God regarding the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel in their western idolatrous culture. What could he do? What was the mind of the Lord in the matter? Many years earlier as God's people stood on the verge of the Promised Land, Moses the servant of the Lord delivered the Word of the Lord to them in Deuteronomy chapter 11. It was both a command and a warning and it included God's judgement on sin by withholding the rain. (Duet 11:8-17)
Deu 11:8 "Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess,
Deu 11:9 and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD swore to give your fathers, to them and their descendants, 'a land flowing with milk and honey.'
Deu 11:10 For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden;
Deu 11:11 but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven,
Deu 11:12 a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.
Deu 11:13 'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deu 11:14 then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.
Deu 11:15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.'
Deu 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,
Deu 11:17 lest the LORD's anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.
King Solomon confirmed the same thing in his great dedicatory prayer at the consecration of the Temple. 1 Kings 8:35 affirms: “When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you: if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflicted them”.
James tells us that the “effectual fervent {Greek energeo (Strong 1754) from Greek energes (Strong 1756) i.e. “active” or “powerful”) prayer of a righteous man avails much (literally prevails i.e. has power shown by extraordinary deeds)” (James 5:16).
Elijah could have been content in his rural lifestyle, dwelling among the people whose forebears had chosen less than God's best. For he was a descendant of the two and a half tribes who settled on the east side of Jordan choosing not to go into the Promised Land permanently. But as he sought God he was motivated with a concern for HOLINESS and, mobilised by the clear teaching of the Word of God, he prophesied a sovereign and supernatural intervention first in judgement, then in restoration, which is the ONLY way back. God's Word is always the light that shines forth prophetic direction. Those who persist in sin and Idolatry deserve a drought. The Word of God pronounced judgement upon them so Elijah, with great confidence, “prayed earnestly” that it would not rain upon the earth and then, when he knew that God had heard and would grant his request, he strode across Jordan and into the palace of king Ahab and told that idolator that it wouldn't rain until he (Elijah) told it to. Then he turned on his heel, strode out of the palace, slammed the door in Ahab’s face and returned to his home country, where he waited for the nearby Cherith brook to dry up as a consequence of the drought for which he had first earnestly prayed and then fearlessly prophesied.
A call for Elijah is a call for holiness of life and a deep spiritual cry for the miracles of our fathers in the genuine supernatural displays of the Almighty in judgement and in restoration. May God hear the cry of the faithful remnant from the hidden years. But that can only be if we get up off our knees and make a stand for righteousness. God's method is men and women whose hearts and minds HE has touched. Prayer is more than kneeling in concern and reflection. It is an action, which always results in a stand for right against wrong and a walk, work and often a war on behalf of God and his righteous ways. Elijah's hidden life was the natural and spiritual precursor to his public life and ministry.
[1](Strong 4336) proseuchomai = to offer prayers, to pray
[2](Strong 4335) proseuche = prayer addressed to God or a place set apart for the offering of prayer
Next: Chapter 3: The Public Life of the Remnant
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