Chapter Twelve/He Took Comfort in His God

 

"It Is Enough!" 

Driven by fear, Elijah fled southwestward some 95 miles (150 km) to Beer-sheba, a town near the southern border of Judah.  There he left his attendant behind and struck out into the wilderness alone.  The record says tha the went "a day's journey," so we may picture hm starting off at sunrise, evidently carrying no provisions with him.  Depressed, spurred ever onward by fear, he struggled over the rough and tough wild terrain under the blazing sun. As that glaring disk gradually reddened and sank to the horizon, Elijah's strength gave out.  Exhausted, he sat down under a broom tree-the closes thing to shelter in that barren landscape. - 1 KINGS 19:4. 

Elijah prayed in utter desperation.  He asked to die.  He said: "I am no better than my forefathers." He knew that his forefathers were then mere dust and bones in the grave, unable to do any good for anyone.  (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Elijah felt just as worthless.  No wodner he cried out: "It is enough!" Why go on living?

Should it be shocking to learn that a man could become so low in spirits?  Not necessarily. A number of faithful men and women in the Bible record are described as feeling so say that wished for death-among them Rebekah, Jacob, Moses, and Job. - GENESIS 25:22;37:35; NUMBERS 11:13-15; JOB 14:13.

Today, we live in "critical times hard to deal with ," so it is not surprising that many people, even faithful servants of God, find themselves feeling low at times. (2 Timothy 3:1)  IF you ever find yourself in such a dire situation, follow Elijah's example in this respect:  Pour out uyour feelings to God.  After all, Jehovah, is the God of comfort." (Read 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.) Did he comfort Elijah?

Next time: Chapter Twelve/He Took Comfort in His God - Jehovah Sustained His Prophet

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