Elijah
How was Elijah a
hero? Elijah was the prophet who ministered during the reign of wicked King
Ahab. He experienced miraculous provision from God (I Kings 17:2-16). He raised
a little boy from the dead (17:17-24). He faced Ahab on Mt. Carmel, where God sent
down fire from heaven (ch. 18). He boldly faced both Ahab (21:20-24) and bands
of soldiers who were sent after him (II Kings 1:3-12). He went to heaven in a
fiery chariot (II K. 2:11). Elijah was feared by the wicked and respected by
the righteous.
How did Elijah fail?
After the great victory on Mt. Carmel, Elijah forgot to trust God when Jezebel
threatened him. Elijah "was afraid
and rose and ran for his life" (I K. 19:3). Elijah was so discouraged
that he prayed for death (I K. 19:4). Even after God gave him amazing
provision, he still hid in the wilderness; in his discouragement, he believed
he was the only one left who was faithful to God, and he feared those who
desired to kill him (I K. 19:9-10,14).
What was Elijah's
heart response? When God confronted Elijah, Elijah hid his face in humility
(I K. 19:13). God then gave him commandments to follow for future service.
Elijah obeyed, leaving the desolated spot where he had hid in despondency. He
went back to ministry and followed the commands that God had given him (I K.
19:19).
How did Elijah's
story end? Elijah's ministry continued after his time of failure. He
continued interacting with kings and others before he passed his role on to
Elisha and was taken to heaven.
Jeremiah
How was Jeremiah a
hero? Jeremiah was a prophet during Judah's final years. He had a very long
ministry in which he continued serving God in spite of opposition to his
ministry and rejection of his message. He authored one of the longest books of
the Bible.
How did Jeremiah
fail? Jeremiah's failure is also noted most poignantly in his
discouragement. Out of his troubled spirit, Jeremiah cried, "O LORD, You have deceived me and I was
deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all
day long; Everyone mocks me. . . . For me the word of the LORD has resulted in
reproach and derision all the day long. . . . Cursed be the day when I was
born; Let not the day be blessed when my mother bore me! Cursed be the man who
brought the news to my father. . . . Let that man be like the cities which the
LORD overthrew . . . because he did not kill me before birth. . . . Why did I
ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow . . .? (Jeremiah
20:7-18).
What was Jeremiah's
heart response? Jeremiah's job was never easy. God had never made it a
secret that Jeremiah and his message would be rejected. In times of physical
threat, Jeremiah depended on God and His character: "O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tries the feelings
and the heart, let me see Your vengeance on them, for to You have I committed
my cause" (11:20). Jeremiah consistently obeyed God in carrying out
object lessons (even when they were strange), in declaring God's message (even
when it was spurned), and in remaining with the people (even when they were
blatantly disobedient). There were numerous occasions on which Jeremiah faced
physical danger or death, but he continued trusting in God. In all that
Jeremiah faced, he remained faithful. Even in the moments of struggle like the
one recorded in chapter 20, Jeremiah did not completely lose hope. He
remembered to keep his eyes fixed on God. In the midst of his complaint,
Jeremiah also spoke these words: "The
LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble
and not prevail. . . . Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD! For He has delivered
the soul of the needy one from the hand of evildoers" (20:11-13). He
was at times tempted to forget God and cease sharing His message, but he could
not and did not stop (20:9).
How did Jeremiah's
story end? Jeremiah's life itself was not charming, as Jeremiah went into
captivity along with the rest of Judah. This captivity was brought about by
years of disobedience to God, and although Jeremiah preached faithfully, his
message was not heeded. To some extent, Jeremiah's life could be viewed as a
failure. He devoted many long years to preaching a message with no apparent
result, and he was included in the conquest and deportation of God's people. From
a ministry aspect and a spiritual perspective, however, Jeremiah was
successful. He persevered for many years in preaching God's message and in
faithfully obeying, even without seeing positive results.
Application: Both
Elijah and Jeremiah faced intense discouragement. This is not uncommon for
those who are endeavoring to follow God, nor is it rare for those who are
specifically serving in ministry. Life for God and ministry for Him are not
without trials, and those trials can be very discouraging. The message from
these two prophets is that one cannot quit in the discouraging times. He must
keep serving as long as God still has something for him to do - whether that be
a few years or many decades. He must put his confidence in God and keep on
keeping on. In the midst of discouragement, he must remember who God is and
what His character is like. It is this hope and trust in God that will allow a
Christian to continue faithfully in the most discouraging of circumstances (or
to renew his heart and recover when he has fallen). He can then continue
following and obeying God even when everything seems hopeless.
"Be strong and
let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD." Psalm
31:23 (NASB)
"That they should
put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His
commandments." Psalm 78:7 (NASB)
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