Under the Broom Tree

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1 Kings 19:1-4, 8-15

1 Kings 19:1-4, 8-15

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.’ 

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. 

All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 

7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

And the word of the Lord came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’

10 He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’

11 The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ 

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’

14 He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’

15 The Lord said to him, ‘Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.’

There are high highs and low lows in the Christian life. Elijah is the man called by the Lord to be prophet, and here in short time he moves from the highest of highs to the lowest a person can be. And God is present in both.

Elijah has just come down from that high victory up on Mt Carmel. God turned up in all consuming fire to destroy the idol worship of 400 prophets of the gods – the Ba’als.

Not only that, just prior to this great victory the long drought has broken and Elijah called it.

Elijah is ecstatic. It is like all his climate predictions have been accurate, he has hired Adelaide Oval, set up the showdown of all showdowns between God himself and the false gods and those who worship them, and God has definitely won.

Confidence is sky high. We hear that “tucks his cloak in his belt” and heads right into the capital at the time – Jezreel – even though he is still a marked man. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel are still after him. There is a price on his head.

But surely God is with Elijah. Nothing can touch him. Not even King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, Surely they now know that they are no match for the Lord God and his prophet!

Hmm. Maybe not. The Queen says;

‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them (those 400 dead prophets)!’

And now the low of lows … !

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, … he went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.

It is clear that Elijah is now exhausted, fearful, deflated and depressed.

Surely we know how he feels? When our very best does not actually do anything of lasting good. All our heart-felt prayers, our great efforts, our good intentions, our big ideas for the good donlt seem to change a stony heart or a sad situation or a hurting soul.

So, Elijah is tending his resignation. He is like a pastor who can no longer do the job and relinquished his call.

Even worse, he even prays that the Lord would end his life. We know all about that. There is so much of this terrible tragic thing called suicide in our community.

What does God do for this exhausted and depressed man now sleeping under that broom tree out in the wilderness?

First thing God does is cook.

All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water.

Elijah sleeps some more and God keeps vigil … Elijah wakes and eats and drinks some more and then sleeps again … And God keeps vigil …

God cares in such human ways. This says to me that God knows us so well. He knows we are physical beings who need sleep, food, drink, space, time. God’s care is multi-facetted and covers our whole body, mind and spirit.

Next, God listens. Once Elijah is rested enough to make the journey down to the Mountain of God – Mt Sinai (or Horeb), where Moses spent time in God’s very presence, God simply asks Elijah a question and lets him talk.

‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’

And God listens to the answer.

10 …, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’

Now when God asks you a question it is not because he needs the information. He knows! His question is asked so that you can talk to him. Elijah talks. He expresses his depression and exhaustion.

We begin to see why Elijah is so low from such great height.

I have been very zealous for the Lord.

Elijah has been so committed, so loyal, so willing and so active to please God and do the right thing and be very good and defeat all the bad people and, and, … it has not worked!

In other words, “My program was perfect, God. What’s wrong with yours!?” My plans were to end the drought, have a huge a win on Mt Carmel, overthrow the Royals and bring the nation back to you. But it has not worked … “My plan was good. Where’s your plan and where are you in MY plan?”

 I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’

Oh, haven’t we all heard, thought or said that. There are so people willing to put in. There are so few ‘real Christians’ like me! I am the only one doing all the work. No one can do it like me….(ever heard of Saviour complex!)

Graciously, the Lord lets him speak. Elijah is given space express himself and God listens. And then, and only then, it is the Lord’s turn to speak truth into Elijah’s life.

As the account ends, we discover that Elijah is not the only one zealous for the things of God. God is zealous for his plans to come to fruition. We hear that Elijah is not the only one doing good work. There are quite a few others, including the Lord, who is coordinating it all.

Elijah says he has been sealous for the Lord. Well, the Lord shows he has been zealous for Elijah and his people all along. The Lord does indeed have a plan and a people through whom he is working things out, and the plan is just fine.

The Lord has the leaders in waiting, Haziel and Jehu. He has seven thousand people who are not kissing the idols.

Friends, in his anger and exhaustion Elijah has done what we do – he has put God in a box. Elijah has his plans to make thing better and if God’s plans were more aligned with his plans, things would be fine! God is constrained to one man’s vidsion and need. God is in an Elijah made box.

Can you hear yourself here?

If only God would respond the way I want him to and when I want him to, and fix things that I can see need fixing the way I believe they are best fixed. I know what needs to happen.

God is so gentle with Elijah, and me. He cooks, he listens to my melodramatic ramblings!

The third thing God does is come close and speak. He invites Elijah into his holy presence, just as he did for Moses right in the same spot.

11 The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’

On this occasion for this particular man, God choses to use a ‘still small voice’ for his angry self-focused man. At other times the Lord uses wind, fire, flood. But not this time.

The Lord brings Elijah in close and whispers his unhindered plans for him and his people and his world. Elijah can hear now. Elijah is out of the depths of despair now. He is back in his calling.

God gives Elijah all those specific instructions at the end and Elijah knows what to do again.

Friends, the Lord ha spoken to us in a new way – the voice of the suffering servant bleeding fro the cross and rising to fill the world with his presence.

We have the risen Jesus drawing us close by water and his voice, by a holy food we share at his word, by the speaking of his truth and the sharing of his love among us, his called and sent people.

  • God knows that you are a physical being. He cares for you in all the physical things we need. From your doctor to the good food we share, or the beautiful landscape we see, these are his gifts.
  • God knows you are an emotional/psychological person. He cares in all those ways too. From your counsellor or psychologist or good friends, or a good novel or beautiful music, these are his gifts.
  • God knows you are a spiritual person. He speaks truth into your life and enfolds you in the beauty of his good news of his Son – the transforming love, acceptance and belonging in which you are free to receive God’s care in all its many modes – physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual.

You are not the only ‘real Christian’ and your plan and effort is not all its cracked up to be.

His love for you and his ongoing plans are everything and they are on track.

All means of healing and help are his gifts – from medications, psychological support, emotional encouragement, a beautiful landscape, good food, rest, supportive friends …

The Lord is aware of you today, friend. The Lord is caring for you, keeping vigil over you, letting you speak and then speaking life into you again. His plans are working out fine.

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