Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, “May the gods judge me severely if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!” Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” He stretched out and fell asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messenger touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more. The Lord’s angelic messenger came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.” So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.” A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.” Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.

1 Kings 19:1-21 (NET)

How should we overcome seasons of depression and discouragement? Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world, with 264 million people of all ages being affected by it.¹ Statistics say that 1 in 4 women and 1 out of 10 men will be diagnosed with clinical depression at some point in their life.² Researchers say men’s stats are lower probably because they are less likely to share their feelings and seek help.³

Some of the people that God has used the most have struggled with depression. Charles Spurgeon, who is often considered the greatest preacher since Paul, would commonly take two to three months off to go to a resort in France because he was so depressed. He also would have days where he wouldn’t leave his couch.⁴ He considered these fits so common to a minister that he wrote a whole chapter on it in his book, Lectures to My Students. It’s called the “Ministers Fainting Fits.” We all have times of fainting. Martin Lloyd Jones also thought this was a common and perplexing issue for Christians in general. Since Christians have so much to be thankful for, why do we so commonly struggle with discouragement and depression? As a trained medical doctor and well-known pastor, he wrote a whole book addressing the issue called Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure.

Again, many great leaders have struggled with it. Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest American presidents once said this: “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on earth. ... To remain as I am is impossible. I must die to be better.”⁵ Here in this text, Elijah, one of the greatest prophets and spiritual heroes in the Bible, has a season of depression. During it, he cries out to God to take his life (1 Kgs 19:4). Likewise, Moses, while dealing with the demands of ministry and difficult people, cried out the same in Numbers 11:15. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul talked about how in his ministry in Asia he was “burdened excessively” beyond his strength and that he “despaired even of living.” In Matthew 26:38, Christ said before going to the cross that his soul was “deeply grieved, even to the point of death.”

If some of the greatest that God has ever used, including his Son, struggled with depression and discouragement, certainly, we will at times struggle with it as well. Therefore, as we consider this narrative where Elijah struggled with depression and God helped restore him, we can find basic principles that will help us work through our bouts with depression and help us help others struggling with it.

Big Question: What principles about overcoming depression can we discern from Elijah’s struggle with it and how God ministered to him in 1 Kings 19:1-21?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Beware of Circumstances Which Might Trigger it and Minimize Them When Possible

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, “May the gods judge me severely if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!”

1 Kings 19:1-2

At the end of 1 Kings 18, Ahab had gathered 850 false prophets to confront Elijah on Mount Carmel. There, Elijah challenged them to prepare a sacrifice and pray for Baal to send fire from heaven on the sacrifice. After they had cried out to Baal for many hours with no response, Elijah prepared an altar, had buckets of water poured over it, prayed to the God of heaven, and God sent fire. Then, Elijah had all the false prophets killed and later prayed for rain, and it rained after a three-and-a-half-year drought. Ahab then left Carmel by chariot back to Jezreel where his wife Jezebel was staying. No doubt, Jezebel had seen the rain and assumed there was some victory on behalf of her prophets. However, there was not. Ahab gave her bad news instead. All the prophets of Baal were dead because of Elijah. She wasn’t happy that there was rain after a three-and-a-half-year drought, and she wasn’t ready to submit to God. Like Pharaoh, who saw many of God’s miracles, her heart was hardened, and therefore, she promised Elijah that he would die within a twenty-four-hour period.

When Elijah heard this, he fled for his life and eventually asked God to take his life, which was a sign of his struggle with depression. As we consider the events surrounding Elijah’s struggle with depression, we can discern common circumstances that trigger bouts with depression.

Application Question: What are common circumstances that trigger depression, especially as seen in the narrative with Elijah?

1. After experiencing great highs, it’s common to experience deep lows.

Elijah had just achieved a major victory against the false prophets of Baal, Israel had repented of their sins, and God had used him to stop the drought. This was a great victory indeed. However, after great victories, we’re very prone to great emotional lows. Part of this is our natural body chemistry. After running on adrenaline to accomplish some great goal (like completing midterms or some major project) and having the excitement after, it’s normal for the body to at times swing to the opposite extreme by struggling with emotional and physical fatigue, as the body chemistry adjusts back to normal. Sometimes, this emotional/physical fatigue can last a long time, especially when we’ve been running on adrenaline and caffeine to accomplish the task for a long period. In addition, from a spiritual side, after a major spiritual victory—a wonderful time at Sunday worship, finishing a weekend retreat, or mission trip—in the celebration and excitement, we tend to lower our guard, relax, and the enemy who does not rest attacks us. This is very normal and that probably happened to Elijah. After a major success, he was vulnerable.

2. Before major ministries, it’s common to experience deep lows.

Though we don’t see this with Elijah, it has been the common experience of many. Charles Spurgeon said this about his experience of depression before great victories as he counseled the pastors at his college:

This depression comes over me whenever the Lord is preparing a larger blessing for my ministry; the cloud is black before it breaks, and overshadows before it yields its deluge of mercy. Depression has now become to me as a prophet in rough clothing, a John the Baptist heralding the nearer coming of my Lord’s richer blessing; so have far better men found it. The scouring of the vessel has fitted it for the Master’s use. Immersion in suffering has preceded the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Fasting gives an appetite for the banquet. The Lord is revealed in the backside of the desert, while His servant keeps the sheep and waits in solitary awe. The wilderness is the way to Canaan. The low valley leads to the towering mountain. Defeat prepares for victory. The raven is sent forth before the dove. The darkest hour of the night precedes the day’s dawn.⁶

Many others have experienced this as well, right before preaching, leading worship, ministering to someone in conflict or caught in sin, and other types of ministry. The night often comes before the day. Before major victories, there is often a low.

3. When experiencing a major disappointment, it’s common to experience deep lows.

With Elijah, no doubt he was expecting positive news after God had defeated Baal and his prophets and restarted the rain after years of drought. Israel had repented. Ahab had listened to Elijah when he told him to celebrate because rain was coming and then soon told him to head home before he was overtaken by the rain. Surely, things would be better in Israel after many years of rebellion and three and a half years of drought and famine. However, after Ahab got back and gave the bad news to Jezebel, she reacted harshly and promised to kill Elijah. Certainly, this must have shocked Elijah. He probably expected a season of peace, righteousness, and probably economic stability in Israel, only to find out he was still a fugitive. This unexpected outcome, no doubt, contributed to Elijah’s depression. For the person who found out he lost his scholarship or job, or who discovered that he has cancer, or who had great dreams of happiness in marriage but now his or her mate is asking for a divorce, or who just lost a friend or family member, bouts with depression are not uncommon. We should be aware of those tendencies when we experience major disappointments, so we can guard our hearts against the lows that follow. Also, we should be aware of those tendencies when others experience them. It’s at those times that we need to reach out to lend a sympathetic ear, provide a meal, ask to babysit their kids to give them time to recover and at times grieve appropriately. Battling with bouts of depression is common after experiencing major disappointments.

4. When continually overworking without rest, it’s common to experience deep lows.

Not only had Elijah worked hard in confronting the false prophets of Baal and praying for rain to end the drought, but when it began to rain, he ran fourteen miles to Jezreel (1 Kgs 18:46). Then, after Elijah heard Jezebel was going to kill him, he fled 80 miles to Beersheba.⁷ After getting to Beersheba and leaving his servant there (v. 3), he then traveled a day’s journey into the desert (v. 4). Apparently, there was no time to rest because soon after the day’s travel, Elijah just collapsed in exhaustion and began to sleep (v. 5). There is an old Greek proverb that says, “You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.” This means if we’re constantly living under stress and not resting, we will ultimately break under the pressure. Maybe, that was happening with Elijah as well. In the Gospels, Christ, as the perfect human, demonstrated his need for rest. He would at times go away, leaving the ministry, and rest. He would also encourage his disciples to rest as well (Mk 6:31).

When God instituted the Sabbath for Israel, he instituted it to deliver them from the idolatry of work. Work, success, and accomplishment can at times become our god—our primary pursuit—and by taking a weekly sabbath day and resting, it heals and restores our bodies and delivers us from the idolatry of work. Now, certainly, we are not under the law and are not required to cease work from Friday evening till Saturday evening as the Jews were, but the sabbath principle continues. Christ said, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27). Sabbath is not our master, but by taking a sabbath, we will have more joy and productivity in life. Ray Pritchard eloquently summed up our need to rest this way:

There is a time when you need to get up and go to work, and there is a time when you need to lie down and take a nap. Sometimes the best thing we can do for the Lord is to take a vacation. Play tennis. Ride your bike. Watch a football game. Knit a sweater. Have a date with your sweetheart. Play with your grandchildren. Eat an ice cream cone. Take an evening, make some popcorn, sit on the couch, and watch a video. There are times when God’s work demands strenuous action. And there is a time when you need to sit in the recliner, crank it back, get a bowl of Cheetos and a Coke, pick up the remote control, and watch ESPN for a while. There is a time to be active and busy, and there is a time to relax. There is a time to write, a time to work, a time to preach, and a time to put on your helmet and go ride your bicycle. Solomon reminded us in Ecclesiastes 3 that there is a time for everything under the sun.⁸

Likewise, Gene Getz shared a helpful story that illustrates how rest leads to more productivity:

I’m reminded of two men who started a journey across the great northland with two separate dog teams. One driver decided to stop and rest his dogs every seventh day. The other man decided to drive his dogs straight through.

At the end of the first week, one of the men—as planned—stopped his team and rested all that day. The other man continued to travel. By the end of the next week, the man who had rested his dogs, nearly caught up with the man who traveled straight through. But again, he stopped to rest his team on the seventh day. By the end of the third week, the one who had rested his team had passed the man who traveled straight through—and in the end reached the final destination far ahead. All of us need rest and recuperation. This is part of God’s plan for all of us. Though we are not under Old Testament law, the principles still apply. Experience verifies it.⁹

Be careful of overwork, it will steal our joy and strength. It’s clear that this was a problem with Elijah because when God first ministers to him through an angel, he just allows Elijah to sleep, eat, and recover (v. 5-8). Again, a bow that is always bent will eventually break. It is no surprise that Satan tempted Christ at the end of forty days of fasting in the wilderness when he was hungry and weak (Matt 4:2-3). Satan often does the same to us when we are physically and emotionally exhausted. It’s often right before bedtime when couples are exhausted from work all day and taking care of kids at night that they get into fights. We must be aware of times of weariness; at those times, we’re especially prone to depression and attacks from the devil.

Again, we should be aware of these vulnerable seasons which can trigger depression—after a great victory, before a major ministry, when experiencing a major disappointment, and when continually working without rest. This will not only help us better navigate those seasons and the common bouts of depression that may come from them but also help us better minister to others.

Application Question: How have you experienced bouts with depression in general and specifically during these vulnerable seasons—after a great victory, before a major ministry, after a major disappointment, or after a season of strenuous work? How should we navigate these vulnerable seasons and help others do the same? What are some other seasons where people are prone to depression?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Be Aware of Its Signs and Respond to Them Appropriately

Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” … He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”

1 Kings 19:3-4, 10

As mentioned, after Elijah heard from Jezebel that he would surely die in the next twenty-four hours, he ran for his life to Beersheba. This trip was about 80 miles towards the very southern end of Israel right before the desert. There, he leaves his servant and goes a day’s journey into the desert. He finds a tree, sits down under it, and asks God to take his life—declaring he was no better than his ancestors.

After hearing about the death threat, Elijah starts to demonstrate some unhealthy behaviors that would only hurt him in this situation instead of helping him. These are common for people struggling with depression.

Observation Question: What signs of depression or depressive behaviors do we see in Elijah that we must be careful of?

1. Struggling with strong fears can be a sign of struggling with depression (or help lead to it).

Elijah struggled with fear of being killed. Certainly, this would be normal in his situation. He had just received a legitimate death threat. However, it’s clear that this fear hindered Elijah’s ability to trust God (cf. Matt 13:22, 1 John 4:18). God provided food from ravens to feed Elijah and multiplied oil over months so he could eat bread during the famine. God stopped the heavens from raining and brought rain all at Elijah’s request. Could God not also protect him from Jezebel’s threat? We will see later that God will in fact protect him from other physical threats. In 2 Kings 1, King Ahaziah will send soldiers to take Elijah by force several times, and God sends fire from heaven to consume them. Fear will commonly hinder our faith and blind us to God’s faithfulness. In Matthew 13:22 (NIV), Christ said the “worries of this life” “choke the word, making it unfruitful.” Even though we know about God’s faithfulness, fear commonly keeps us from living according to what we know to be true. When struggling with fear, we often can’t remember or be influenced by all the ways that God has provided for us in the past—food, shelter, family, friends, job, and even protection. In addition, fear leads to depression. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down.” As Elijah continued to worry about being murdered, his heart sank lower and lower into depression. In fact, as mentioned, he soon asked God to kill him.

Likewise, we must be careful regarding worries about some past failure, worries about the future, or worries about some conflict. God provided for our past, and he will certainly provide for our future. As Christ said, if God cares for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, how much more will he care for us (Matt 6:25-34)?

To protect ourselves from depression or to overcome it, we must be careful of fears which will hinder our faith and confidence in God’s provision. Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Application Question: How do we protect ourselves from fears that hinder our faith and lead us into discouragement?

Philippians 4:6-7 says,

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

To battle these anxious thoughts, we must (1) choose to reject them as not from God, (2) continually pray about the situation, including bringing our requests before God, and (3) give God thanks in faith. When we give God thanks in faith, it helps us remember and see God’s faithfulness around us, which will help us trust him for future grace. Also, when we do this in obedience to God’s Word, he gives us his peace “that surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7)—peace that just won’t make sense when considering our circumstances.

Elijah struggled with fears about his future, which weighed him down. Typically, people who struggle with depression are also battling various fears—some rational and some not as rational. We must help them remember God’s faithfulness, pray, and trust God so they can have peace. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) says this, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

2. Extreme lack of perseverance or strength, especially in situations or activities that we previously enjoyed or that wouldn’t normally overwhelm us, can be a sign of struggling with depression.

After Elijah heard Jezebel’s threat, he not only ran for his life but also was ready to quit ministry and life in general. With Elijah, he had been hunted for three and a half years previously, and God protected him at a deserted brook and later at a widow’s house in Sidon. This was nothing new for him. However, this is a common sign for those struggling with depression. The things that they previously could handle now wear them out, and they just want to quit. They want to drop out of school, quit their job, end their marriage, and sometimes even their life. We should be careful when everything feels overwhelming, and we want to quit everything. When encountering those feelings, we’ll certainly need to find strength in God and through others, but we also may need to rebalance for a season including lightening our load.

3. Isolating away from people in general, but especially those who can help us or want to help us, can be a sign of struggling with depression.

For some reason, after Elijah got to Beersheba, he left his servant there (v. 3). Maybe, he left his servant because he wanted God to end his life and therefore didn’t want his servant around to see it, or he was simply embarrassed about his emotional instability. We can only speculate. After a day’s travel in the desert, Elijah laid beside a tree (v. 4-5). He was isolated and by himself. This is common for people struggling with depression. They often separate from the relationships they previously enjoyed. They separate from friends, family, co-workers, and church members. To them, this seems rational, but because they are so depressed, they even more so need the support they are separating from. By isolating themselves, they put themselves in an echo chamber of unhealthy thoughts without someone to help them have a proper perspective. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Solomon said this:

Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself? Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.

Solomon says pity the person who falls and is all by himself. Therefore, we must be careful of isolating ourselves especially from people who can build us up—friends, family, church members, and the like. Certainly, it’s clear that isolation was a problem because when Elijah met with God in the cave, God told him to anoint Elisha who would be his assistant. God gave Elijah a friend who would help him bear the burden of ministry. We also need healthy relationships with those who will help bear our burden, pray for us, and encourage us when battling depression.

4. Extremely irrational and negative thinking can be a sign of depression.

Elijah not only struggled with fears but also irrational and negative thinking. Elijah said that he was the only prophet left and that he was worse than his ancestors (v. 4), which neither were true, and he asked God to take his life, even though God clearly wasn’t done using him. He wasn’t thinking or speaking rationally, which would only increase his depression. We always reap what we sow (Gal 6:7). If we sow negative thoughts and words, we’ll reap a negative harvest in our lives and also in others.

Application Question: How should we battle the irrational, negative thinking that is so common in seasons of depression?

• To battle irrational thinking, we must recognize negative thoughts and reject them by submitting them to Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul said: “… we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” How do we take our thoughts captive? We recognize wrong thoughts, negative thoughts that don’t align with what God’s Word says about us, our future, or others, and we confess them before Christ and continually fight to turn away from them, instead of accepting them as reality.

• To battle irrational thinking, we must think on God’s Word instead.

In Matthew 4, every time Christ was tempted by Satan, he responded with a specific Scripture text. Likewise, we need to memorize and quote God’s Word often to combat irrational thinking in seasons of depression. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.” Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.” First Timothy 6:6-8 says, “Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.” Not only do we need to remember specific verses, but it is also very helpful to increase one’s bible reading and attendance at church and small groups to saturate our minds with God’s Word and help deliver us from irrational and negative thinking during difficult seasons. Continually listening to worship songs which are full of Scripture will be tremendously helpful as well.

• To battle irrational thinking, we must allow others to correct our negative thoughts.

When Elijah eventually went into the cave and repeated twice before the Lord that all Israel had rejected God and that Elijah was the only prophet left, God eventually corrected him by saying he had reserved a remnant who had not bowed to Baal (v. 18). God had also called others to help in the ministry to Israel, two future kings and a future prophet named Elisha (v. 17). Elijah was not the only one left. Certainly, as we faithfully get in the Word and pray, God often corrects our wrong thinking. But oftentimes, he will use others to help us see things more clearly from God’s Word and a balanced perspective. We need people that we meet up with, share our thoughts with (even irrational ones), and who help us work through them from a biblical and practical lens.

Application Question: How have you struggled with some of these depressive behaviors or seen others with them? How do you battle fears and irrational thinking which bring you down? What are some other signs of struggling with depression?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Draw Near God and Rely on Him More Deeply

So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.” A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”

1 Kings 19:8-18

After God allowed Elijah to rest and have good food provided by an angel, he then sent Elijah on a spiritual retreat—to draw near God. His recovery from depression would not only happen by taking the appropriate physical measures, Elijah needed to address it spiritually as well. Elijah travels and fasts for forty days and nights and then meets with God on Mount Horeb. We have seen this forty day fast at other times in Scripture. Before God gave Moses the law, he fasted for forty days on Mount Sinai (Ex 34:28). It was after Christ fasted for forty days that God empowered him through the Spirit for his ministry to Israel (Lk 4). No doubt, God was about to use Elijah’s struggle with depression for the good. He was going to draw Elijah to a time of great weakness and dependency on God for forty days. And at the end of forty days, God was going to reveal himself to Elijah in a special way. Likewise, yes, there are physical ways to address depression, but we should not neglect the spiritual remedy as well. Scripture says we should see all our trials as God drawing us to himself and making us more into his image. James 1:2-4 says,

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

We should consider our various trials as a test of our faith, including depression. Therefore, the way to primarily remedy them is through our faith, which is what God called Elijah to do. Elijah fasted for forty days while traveling to Mount Horeb to meet with God. He takes a spiritual retreat, which would help restore his psycho-emotional heath.

Observation Question: What does God do with Elijah during this spiritual retreat and how does this apply to us, as we draw near God?

1. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God created a deeper dependence on the Lord.

Elijah’s travel from Beersheba to Mount Horeb was around 200 miles.¹⁰ The fact that this took forty days shows us that Elijah was still depressed and weak. He averaged only 5 miles a day. This especially stands out when considering Elijah’s fourteen-mile run from Mount Carmel to Jezreel ahead of Ahab’s chariots (1 Kgs 18:46). During Elijah’s travel to Horeb, he was essentially crawling. He was physically weak—traveling off a meal he had before starting the journey—and emotionally weak. No doubt, during Elijah’s travel, he had to lean on God more. He had to trust him more. He also had to believe God had good things for him. God had called him on the journey. He was going to the mountain of God to meet with the Lord. Likewise, when dealing with depression and physical weakness, our work is often harder because it takes so much energy to focus. We want to quit. However, if we are faithful to trust in God and draw near him, he will carry us through, and it will create a greater dependence on and faith in the Lord. Again, Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.” God told Paul, who struggled with a thorn in the flesh (probably some physical disease), “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). No doubt, God had allowed Elijah to be especially weak during the journey, so that Elijah could learn to rely on God more and gain special strength through him—not only for the journey, but more importantly, for his ministry after.

2. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God helped Elijah self-reflect by revealing his wrong motives and thoughts.

On the mountain, God questioned Elijah twice by asking, “Why are you here?” (v. 9, 13). This is reminiscent of when God questioned Adam about his sin (Gen 3) or when Christ questioned Peter about the genuineness of his love (John 21). Since God is omniscient—knowing everything—we can rightly assume that he asked these questions for their benefit. He wanted Elijah to consider the motives in his heart. Often during times of trial and pursuing God, God exposes the sins in our hearts and begins to work on them—exposing insecurities and wrong views about ourselves, God, and others. With Israel, God said he led them into the wilderness to reveal what was in their hearts (Dt 8:2). The wilderness showed idolatry, lack of trust for God, discord, and other negative things that God wanted to deal with. Likewise, God was going to expose and root wrong things out of Elijah during this time, so he could strengthen him for his future mission.

When questioned, Elijah declared that he had been faithful to God, Israel had rebelled against God and was killing the prophets, and that he was the only one left. All of that was correct except for the fact that Elijah was not the only one left. In addition, if we consider Elijah’s prayer for death in the desert and Elijah’s response to God at the cave together, they might imply some other negative views he was harboring. His responses seemingly implied that the task was too much for Elijah and that he couldn’t do it anymore. Elijah’s responses also seem to imply that Israel was hopeless—they couldn’t be helped. They also might imply that God’s mission had failed. It was over, and therefore, it was time for Elijah to go home. Elijah’s negative thoughts of him being alone, that the task was too much, that Israel was hopeless, and that the mission had failed only contributed to his depression.

3. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God helped Elijah learn contentment with God’s presence and his Word, even when dealing with the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations.

After questioning Elijah the first time, God told Elijah to go out of the cave to stand before the Lord who was about to pass by (v. 11). Before Elijah came out of the cave, there was a powerful wind that passed by the mountain and began to tear it apart, but God wasn’t in the windstorm. Then, an earthquake happened, but God wasn’t in the earthquake either. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but God wasn’t in the fire. Finally, God appeared in a whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and came out of the cave (v. 13).

Interpretation Question: Why did God allow a windstorm, earthquake, and fire to come by the mountain, though he wasn’t in them and then reveal himself in a whisper?

Most likely, it was because Elijah had become dependent on God revealing himself in the miraculous and expected God to do so during Elijah’s troubling circumstance. God had moved in Elijah’s life through many miracles—stopping and starting the rain in response to his prayers, providing food through ravens and angels, resurrecting the dead, and bringing fire from heaven. Maybe, part of the reason Elijah was so depressed was because he expected God to move miraculously again when Jezebel promised to kill him or that she would have repented like many in Israel did. However, God’s sovereign hand over the events of life doesn’t always guide circumstances as we would want or pray it would. Sometimes, God’s will is the difficult path instead of the easy path or the one we think is best. When Jesus asked God to take the cup of suffering from him, God still chose to send him to the cross, and Christ said God’s will be done. Again, unfulfilled expectations probably contributed to Elijah’s depression. He wanted God to move miraculously, especially in considering the leadership of Israel, but God had not, which discouraged Elijah. Essentially, God was challenging Elijah with, “Would he be content if God only provided his presence and his Word—not the miracle Elijah desired?”

Likewise, many of us get depressed and discouraged because we’re expecting God to move in some special way—maybe by deliverance, but God instead reveals himself through grace for us to persevere. We’re expecting God to move by miraculous healing, but God wants to reveal himself through grace to have gratitude and joy despite sickness. We’re expecting God to move by some quick resolution to the problem, but instead, he asks us if we’ll be content with his presence and his Word. Oftentimes the grace that God gives is not what we ask for, it’s simply, “I will be with you.” Is that enough for us? It seems God was teaching Elijah contentment in his difficult circumstance with God’s presence and his whisper and not necessarily the miracles Elijah wanted. God often does that with us as well. Is God’s presence and his Word enough, even if the circumstances aren’t changed? He may not change our circumstance, but he will be with us during our circumstance which is enough (cf. Heb 13:5-6). When we truly accept that, it can deliver us from many a fear and depression.

4. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God restored his mission.

Clearly, one of the reasons Elijah was struggling with depression and discouragement was the fact that he had lost a sense of mission and no longer wanted to do his ministry. Proverbs 29:18 (NIV) says, “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” In the KJV, it is translated, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” When we don’t know God’s Word and his will for our lives, we tend to go down the wrong paths; we tend to lose discipline and find ourselves in sinful, destructive places. Therefore, to restore Elijah, God needed to give him a renewed purpose and mission. So, God tells Elijah to anoint Hazael as the king of Syria, Jehu as the new king over Israel, and Elisha to take his place as the chief prophet to Israel.

Likewise, when we lose a sense of mission, God’s call on our lives, it’s easy to cast off restraint—to start thinking the way we shouldn’t think, doing things that we shouldn’t do, and going places that we shouldn’t go. It’s easy to fall into bouts of depression and discouragement because of a lack of direction which gives hope. Again, this is why a concentrated time of seeking God is so important when dealing with bouts of depression. Because it’s there, as we spend extra time in God’s Word, prayer, and with the church, that God speaks to us. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” Psalm 25:14 (NIV) says, “The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”

Do we still have a sense of mission—a sense of God’s calling on our lives? One of the greatest things that Christians have that the world often doesn’t is that we are part of a mission that is bigger than ourselves and will ripple throughout eternity. God is building a kingdom on this earth, and he has called us to be part of it—to be his co-workers (1 Cor 3:9). He has given us talents and spiritual gifts to use for his kingdom, and he has given us clear commands. We are called to seek first God’s “kingdom and his righteousness” (Matt 6:33) and “to make disciples of every nation” (Matt 28:19). He promises us if we “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” we “will be satisfied” (Matt 5:6). He promises to use us according to our hunger and also to give us satisfaction in that righteousness. To restore Elijah, God renewed his mission.

5. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God corrected his wrong views and thoughts.

Though Elijah had said twice that he was the only one left, God finally corrected Elijah. In verse 18, God said this to Elijah, “I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.” Elijah was not alone. The work that God was doing in Israel and the surrounding nations was too big for him to do alone. God was going to work through a pagan named Hazael, an Israelite named Jehu, and through 7,000 Jews who never bowed to Baal or kissed his images. God always keeps a remnant. For Elijah to have victory over his depression, he had to think correctly; therefore, God corrected him as Elijah drew near to God.

6. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God called him to take on an assistant who would be his friend and help him bear his burden.

When Elijah anointed Elisha, Elisha was not simply going to be his future replacement; he was going to be Elijah’s assistant (1 Kgs 19:21). He was going to help Elijah bear the burden of ministry. In addition, Elisha would refresh Elijah. In 2 Kings 3:11 (ESV), Elisha is described as pouring “water on the hands of Elijah.” He refreshed him, and we need people who refresh us as well, especially in seasons of depression and discouragement. As mentioned, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.”

Likewise, if we are going to overcome depression and discouragement, we must draw nearer to God, even as Elijah did. We need to have seasons of extra fasting, prayer, worship, and devoted service to the Lord, and as we draw near him, he heals us or gives us special grace to persevere and be used by him despite our weakness (2 Cor 12:7-9). Again, this does not deny the physical and chemical aspects of depression and discouragement; it recognizes that we are a complex unification of body and soul. The body affects the soul, and the soul affects the body. As we draw near God in our difficult seasons, God creates a deeper dependence on him; he exposes wrong views and motives; he teaches us contentment with his presence, Word, and plan, whatever it may be; he restores a sense of mission which is commonly lost when under the cloud of depression, and he commonly gives us people who refresh and strengthen us—who help carry our load.

Are you drawing near God in this season so you can have the hope, refreshment, strength, and direction needed for this difficult season of your life? James says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”

Application Question: What are some ways for a person struggling with depression to draw near God? In what ways have you especially pursued God during seasons of difficulty and bouts with depression, and how was it beneficial to you? How is God calling you to draw nearer to him in this season?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Get Busy Serving Others

Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.

1 Kings 19:19-21

After hearing God speak in a whisper and being challenged and recommissioned, Elijah got back to work. He left Mount Horeb, traveled 160 miles from Mount Horeb to Abel Meholah¹¹ to find Elisha (v. 16, 19), and anointed him—calling him to serve as his assistant and apprentice. Likewise, one of the difficulties of battling depression is that it makes us self-centered. We become consumed with ourselves, our bad circumstances, our future, and tend to forget God and others. Often, the best thing we can do when depressed is get busy focusing on and serving others. By taking on Elisha, Elijah was going to spend a great amount of time investing into his young apprentice, somebody who would continue Elijah’s work after he was gone. Similarly, when battling depression, we should focus on serving our family members who need our care and attention, church members, co-workers, and especially those less fortunate than us. No doubt, by calling Elijah to serve others, God was bringing light into the darkness of Elijah’s depression. Serving doesn’t minimize our struggles, but it makes us realize that our struggles are not everything. Many others are in fact suffering worse than us.

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” As we refresh others by the giving of our time and resources, we can trust that God will refresh us, including giving us more joy and peace. In John 13:17, after washing his disciples’ feet, Christ said this: “If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” God blesses us when we serve others, and certainly one of the ways he often blesses us is by delivering us from our depression.

Application Question: Why is serving others so important for being delivered from depression? How have you experienced refreshment by putting others before yourself? What should people do if they are so depressed that they can’t motivate themselves to help someone else?

Applications for Ministering to Depressed People

Application Question: What are some final practical applications for ministering to those struggling with depression and helping ourselves get out of it?

1. In ministering to the depressed, we must remember that being a faithful Christian does not guarantee that we’ll never experience bouts of depression and discouragement.

Moses, Elijah, Paul, and even Christ struggled with depression. Charles Spurgeon and many other saints that God greatly used had bouts with it. This is important to remember so we don’t condemn others for having bouts with lowness and so we don’t condemn ourselves. Depression is part of the human experience (in part simply because of body chemistry), and therefore, we must learn how to navigate seasons of it and help others with it.

2. In ministering to the depressed, we must always remember that humans are a complex unity of body and soul (or body, soul, spirit).

Because of this complexity, the body affects our soul, and the soul affects our body. We haven’t dealt much with this, but sin can negatively affect our emotions and our body as well, since we were not made to live in sin. When David had not repented of his sin with Bathsheba, in Psalm 38, he describes himself as being “deprived of health” (v. 3) and struggling with “anxiety” (v. 8). Therefore, sometimes repentance is needed to get free of depression or even to gain physical healing (cf. 1 Cor 11:28-31). Other times, it must be addressed physically by taking more rest, eating properly, exercising, balancing our time, and possibly using medication. Certainly, in all seasons we must seek God in a greater manner, as he created our bodies and uses our trials for the good. When ministering to the depressed and people in general, we must consider the complex unity of body and soul.

3. In ministering to the depressed, we must spend a lot of time asking questions, allowing time for people to express their thoughts and emotions (even irrational ones) without condemnation.

Before God instructed Elijah, he asked him twice why he was there (v. 9, 13). Initially, he just allowed Elijah to vent and share without correction. Likewise, when ministering to those struggling with depression, we should also be slow to speak and quick to listen (Jam 1:19). We should ask questions like:

How long have you been struggling with depression? Have you noticed any triggers which make it come on stronger? Are there times when you experience relief? Are you sleeping and eating well? Do you feel like you’re too busy at school or work? Do you have a regular sabbath? How has your time with God been? Are you practicing regular spiritual disciplines like prayer, time in the Word, worship, and fellowship?

As God asked Elijah questions, we should ask questions as well and listen, so we can better understand the struggling person and figure out how to best minister to him or her.

4. In ministering to the depressed, we must wisely apply God’s Word and general wisdom to their situation.

Though God began asking questions, he did eventually give Elijah instruction to help him think correctly and have a sense of renewed mission. Again, James 1:19 says, “Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.” As we prayerfully listen, we can discern how to best instruct the person, whether that means encouraging them with having a more balanced life with time for rest and recreation; for them to repent of sin or a lie they have accepted about themselves, their future, God, or others; for them to develop healthy relationships with people that encourage them and help them bear their burdens; and/or simply their need to draw near God for a season and listen to his voice in God’s Word. When counseling, we should use Scripture as much as possible, applying it with wisdom, gentleness, and sympathy.

5. In ministering to the depressed, we must remember to point people to a deeper pursuit of God.

Again, Elijah spent forty days fasting and then drawing near God on a mountain. There, God spoke to Elijah and helped restore his thinking and sense of mission. Often, to find relief from depression, we’ll need to pursue God in a heightened fashion for a season as well. For some, their battle with depression will require them to keep a higher devotion to the Lord than their peers for the rest of their lives to maintain peace. If that is God’s will for them, it’s actually a blessing because they might never seek God in the same way apart from such a battle. Like God said to Paul, his grace is made perfect in weakness. For those few, we must trust that God chooses to not remove the thorn in the flesh for a greater purpose (2 Cor 12:7-9).

6. In ministering to the depressed, we must be patient.

Finding relief when battling depression often won’t happen quickly. Sometimes, a good night of rest and a good meal will be enough. At other times, we’ll have to practice all the above for a season—maintaining our body, including having good rest, retraining our mind in God’s Word, having trustworthy people to vent to and bear our burdens with, and in general continually pursuing and relying on God. Galatians 6:10 says, “So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.” Also, 1 Peter 5:10-11 says, “And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him belongs the power forever. Amen.”

Application Question: Which principle stood out most and why? What are some other principles that might be helpful for a person to apply when struggling with depression and discouragement? What role should medication play with those struggling with depression?

Conclusion

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah, after hearing Jezebel’s threat of taking his life, began to battle with depression—even wanting God to take his life. From his example and how God ministered to him, we learn principles about overcoming our own bouts with depression and helping others who struggle.

1. To Overcome Depression, We Must Beware of Circumstances Which Might Trigger It and Minimize Them When Possible
2. To Overcome Depression, We Must Be Aware of Its Signs and Respond to Them Appropriately
3. To Overcome Depression, We Must Draw Near God and Rely on Him More Deeply
4. To Overcome Depression, We Must Get Busy Serving Others

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray that God would give us wisdom to deal with our bouts with depression and also wisdom to help others struggling with it.
• Pray that God would give us grace to rejoice in the Lord regardless of our situation and that depression and discouragement would flee.
• Pray that God would give us grace to continually and undistractedly draw near him and that God would draw near us in a special way—that we would know his presence, hear his voice, and trust him.
• Pray that God would correct our wrong thoughts, give us a renewed sense of mission, individually and corporately, and that God would give us healthy relationships that help us have joy and complete the mission God has given us.

Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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After this the following episode took place. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will pay you silver for it.” But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.” So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, pouted, and would not eat. Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’ “His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.” She wrote out orders, signed Ahab’s name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. This is what she wrote: “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.” When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite: “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?” ‘ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood—yes, yours!” ‘ “When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah replied, “I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord. The Lord says, ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster on you. I will destroy you and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. I will make your dynasty like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’ The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall of Jezreel.’ As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” (There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, just like the Amorites whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.) When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.”

1 Kings 21 (NET)

How can we guard against corruption in our families, churches, workplaces, governments, and nations? This is important to consider because Scripture says, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Cor 5:9). Sin starts small and then grows until it saturates all parts of a community. We each have a role in stopping the spread of corruption and injustice in the spheres God has placed us. Christ calls believers the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt 5:13-14) because we stave off spiritual and moral decay and promote righteousness.

In 1 Kings 21, we see not only a corrupt government but also how far the people of God had fallen into corruption. Ahab, the king of Israel, desired Naboth’s plot of land to build himself a vegetable garden next to his castle. When rejected, his wife, Jezebel, hatches an evil plan to have Naboth killed, and apparently his sons as well (cf. 2 Kings 9:26, “the blood of Naboth and his sons”). The elders of the land go along with this plot and trump up false witnesses to accuse Naboth of cursing the king and God. For that reason, he was stoned to death, and then Ahab took his plot of land. From this narrative, we can learn principles about guarding against corruption in the various spheres God has placed us as salt and light.

Big Question: In 1 Kings 21, what principles can be discerned about guarding against corruption in the communities God has placed us?

To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Be Careful of Greed and Covetousness

After this the following episode took place. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will pay you silver for it.” But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.” So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, pouted, and would not eat.

1 Kings 21:1-4

As mentioned, this sad story all begins with Ahab coveting his neighbor’s vineyard. Ahab had at least two castles—one in Samaria and one in Jezreel, where Jezebel stayed. Naboth’s field was right next to the castle in Jezreel. Ahab approached Naboth with a good offer—to give him another vineyard or to pay him in silver. However, Naboth refused, saying, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance” (v. 3). Apparently, he didn’t reject simply because it was not a good deal but out of honor for God. In the Mosaic law, God taught Israel that God actually owned the land of Canaan and that they were just tenants of land. God had distributed the land to the various tribes and their families, and because of that, they were not to sell the land permanently. Leviticus 25:23-24 (NLT) says:

The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me. “With every purchase of land you must grant the seller the right to buy it back.

Numbers 36:7 says, “In this way the inheritance of the Israelites will not be transferred from tribe to tribe. But every one of the Israelites must retain the ancestral heritage.” The land could only be sold in extreme circumstances when one was poor, but it had to be returned in the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:25-28). Naboth was not in dire circumstances where he needed the money, so he rightly felt that he could not sell the land in good conscience before God. It was God’s land, not his. Clearly, Naboth was one of the 7,000 faithful Jews who had not bowed his knee to Baal in the land (cf. 1 Kgs 19:18). This made Ahab angry, so like a spoiled child, he began to sulk and refused to eat. When Jezebel saw this, she challenged him to be like a king and then set a plan in motion to get the land (v. 7).

What must stand out is the fact that Naboth’s death happened because of Ahab’s greed and covetousness. Furthermore, Ahab’s family would one day be wiped out because of Ahab’s untamed desires. Though Ahab was over the entire land of Israel and owned two castles, it was not enough. Therefore, his greed led to the destruction of Naboth and his family and also Ahab’s family.

Often this is the beginning of corruption in our societies as well. It begins when children at a young age are not taught to tame their desires. They don’t have to have every toy, every piece of candy, get to watch every TV show, and stay up late at night. Untamed desires, including coveting, can lead to breaking every one of God’s commands. We blaspheme God because we didn’t get what we want. We lie to get something we don’t have. We steal to get it, and maybe even murder.

It was greed and covetousness that led the world into sin. God gave Adam and Eve everything in the entire world except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was coveting the fruit of that tree which led them to disobey God and therefore suffer the consequences of the fall, which affects all of humanity. Likewise, we must keep ourselves from covetousness and greed if we are going to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities from corruption.

In Luke 12:15, Christ warned of the dangers of greed; he said, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Likewise, in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, Paul said:

Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.

The longing for wealth leads many into various temptations and traps—destroying people’s integrity, health, family, and even faith. Proverbs 27:20 says, “As Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.”

Contentment

Because our eyes are never satisfied, we must learn the discipline of contentment and teach our children the same to protect ourselves and them from the common consequences of covetousness and greed. In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul said:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.

Paul had learned the secret of contentment, whether well fed or in lack, and it was through finding strength and satisfaction in Christ. Likewise, in 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Paul challenged Timothy with this discipline:

Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.

Again, remember, if Ahab didn’t want the land, it would have preserved him from a curse, kept his family from destruction, and protected Naboth’s life. Likewise, if David had not longed uncontrollably for Bathsheba, it would have kept him from losing his firstborn son, having his daughter raped, his son killing his brother, and eventually the same son trying to usurp David’s throne and losing his life. Therefore, if we teach ourselves and our children contentment, it will keep us and them from many dangers. Godliness with contentment truly brings great profit (1 Tim 6:6).

Application Question: How can we learn contentment?

1. To learn contentment, we must learn the difference between a need and a want. God promises to provide our needs but not necessarily all our wants (cf. Matt 6:33). As we discern the difference, we must often decide to be content with our needs and choose to not pursue our wants. Since our “eyes … are never satisfied” this will keep us from always grasping after the next thing (Prov 27:20).
2. To learn contentment, we must practice generosity. By giving, we learn how it is truly more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35). It delivers us from a grasping, discontent, and idolatrous spirit. Also, we open the door for God to continually pour into us. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
3. To learn contentment, we must continually practice thanksgiving. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul said, “In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Being thankful often leads to contentment. It helps keep our eyes from continually wandering and wanting something else.
4. To learn contentment, we must develop a flourishing relationship with God. As we abide in Christ, through time in the Word, prayer, worship, fellowship, and serving, God satisfies us. As Paul said, he could do all things, including being content, through Christ who strengthened him (Phil 4:11-13). If we’re not satisfied in our relationship with God, we’ll never be content, and we’ll continually seek to satisfy our discontentment with things, people, or accomplishments. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.’”

Ahab’s greed and covetousness led to government corruption, and we must guard against the same to stop corruption and injustice from spreading in our communities.

Application Question: Why is it so difficult to be content, both with what we have and in our circumstances in general? In what ways are you vulnerable to discontentment, greed, or covetousness? How is God calling you to grow in contentment and get rid of covetousness?

To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Be Careful of Ungodly Relationships

So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, pouted, and would not eat. Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’ “His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.” She wrote out orders, signed Ahab’s name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. This is what she wrote: “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” … There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel.

1 Kings 21:4-10, 25

As mentioned, when Naboth denied Ahab, he went home and began to pout, even choosing to not eat. When his wife, Jezebel, noticed, she said, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” (v. 5). He then explained the situation. In response, Jezebel rebukes him, “You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you” (v. 7). She essentially says, “You’re the king! You can’t let a Jezreelite deny you!” Jezebel was a daughter of the King of Sidon (1 Kgs 16:31), and in that culture, kings had absolute power—ruling with an iron fist. That’s what she saw from her daddy. Jewish kings were not known for the same leadership style, since they saw themselves as ruling under Yahweh and executing his laws. Therefore, Jezebel took things into her hands. She wrote letters telling the elders to falsely accuse Naboth and have him put to death. She used Ahab’s seal (v. 8), which implies Ahab was complicit in her evil plan.

This is not the first time that Jezebel influenced Ahab to commit evil. She had done that throughout their marriage. First Kings 16:31 says this about Ahab, “As if following in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not bad enough, he married Jezebel the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians. Then he worshiped and bowed to Baal.” It was after Ahab married Jezebel that he started to worship Baal. In fact, Jezebel was the power behind the throne. First Kings 21:25 describes Ahab as being “urged on by his wife” to do evil. She was the one who was hunting and killing prophets, causing them to hide in caves (1 Kgs 18:4). And she was the one who threatened to take Elijah’s life after he took the lives of the false prophets (1 Kgs 19:2). After Elijah took their lives, Ahab simply listened to Elijah. He went to eat because Elijah said the rain was coming, and when it came, he then listened to Elijah again and rode to Jezreel (1 Kgs 18:41-46). It was Jezebel who threatened Elijah’s life and aided in hardening Ahab’s heart.

Certainly, this commonly happens today, not only in marriage, but also in relationships in general. It is always easier to pull somebody down than to pull somebody up. For this reason, Scripture strongly urges us to stay away from relationships that would encourage us towards spiritual apathy and sin. In 1 Corinthians 15:33, Paul said, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’” In context, the Christians were being tempted to doubt the resurrection, which would nullify their faith. Paul said without the resurrection, our faith is in vain and challenged them to stay away from false teachers. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV), Paul said this to the Corinthians:

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Being “unequally yoked” was a farming metaphor. Two bulls would be yoked to pull a cart; however, if the bulls weren’t yoked equally in temperament and strength, one bull might harm the other, or pull in the wrong direction, and consequently, they couldn’t be effective in their work. Likewise, Paul says that yoking relationships with the world—whether in marriage, close friendships, or work relationships—can be hazardous. It is always easier to pull somebody in a sinful direction than in a righteous one. Also, by being unequally yoked one hinders his relationship with God. Consider the corresponding promise in 2 Corinthians 6:17-18:

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

It’s only by being separate from the world that God promises to “welcome” us and be our “father,” which refers to intimacy. Therefore, by joining with Jezebel, Ahab lost intimacy with God and soon became a worshiper of Baal. This happens to many as they yoke with the world. It may not be by friendships or marriage but by the music they listen to, the books they read, or the TV shows they watch. Since these are so anti-god in their message, they hinder intimacy with God and lead people down the wrong path. People who do this should not be surprised when reading the Bible and listening to sermons become dry to them, and they get nothing from corporate worship. They have yoked with the world in some way, and it is hindering their relationship with God and influencing them negatively. Friendship with the world is enmity with God (Jam 4:4).

With all that said, certainly there is a clear line between being unequally yoked with the world and being a “friend of … sinners,” which Christ was called (Matt 11:19). Christ could be friends with sinners because his relationship with them was an influencing relationship and not one where he was being influenced. It was genuine, but not as intimate as he would desire, because they had not repented of their sins to follow him. We must be salt and light to the world, and therefore be around unbelievers, but we must be careful of reducing our saltiness and dimming our light.

Ahab yoked with the world through marriage to Jezebel, and it led to him being the worst king in Israel’s history (v. 25-26). He was incited to further sin through his wife. In this narrative, apart from her, he would have simply pouted because he did not get the vineyard, but because of Jezebel, he was party both to Naboth’s death and his sons’ (2 Kgs 9:26).

If we are going to guard against corruption in our lives, we must be careful of ungodly relationships. Instead, we must seek to have our closest relationships with those who zealously love and follow God. In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul said this to Timothy, “But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” It’s commonly been said that Christ’s relationships could be characterized by several widening circles. In his closest circle were the three strongest disciples—James, John, and Peter. Then, there was the twelve; then the seventy-two; then other believers; then the world. Our closest relationships must be with those who are zealous for the Lord as well, so they can inspire us to greater heights. Proverbs 13:20 says, “The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Certainly, this must be true of those we marry, since they will affect us the most.

If we’re going to guard against corruption, we must be careful of ungodly relationships.

Application Question: Why are our relationships so important to our spiritual life? How have you experienced worldly relationships which influenced you negatively and also godly relationships which influenced you positively?

To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Have Righteous Leaders

His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.” She wrote out orders, signed Ahab’s name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. This is what she wrote: “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

1 Kings 21:7-14

Another aspect that must stand out about the corruption in this narrative is that it was all propagated by those in authority—the king, queen, and elders. This reminds us of the importance of godly character in our leaders. When God gives qualities of those who can serve as elders and deacons in the church in 1 Timothy 3, they are primarily character traits, like not being given to much wine, not being a brawler (somebody who gets into fights), being hospitable (somebody who loves strangers), running one’s household well, etc. When God looks to use somebody for the kingdom, his or her character is the primary quality. He takes a person with godly character, then trains and equips them for greater service.

Unfortunately, with the world, education, skills, experiences, beauty, contacts, and other qualifications are often the most important which commonly leads to having people with bad character in authority. When our leaders are corrupt, they only exasperate and increase ungodliness in a culture or nation.

Application Question: How should we respond to the importance of having godly leaders to restrain sin and corruption in society?

1. Because of the importance of having godly leadership to restrain sin and promote righteousness in society, believers must support their leaders through prayer and other practical ways.

They should pray that the leadership might be saved, protected from evil, and that they would be wise and righteous (cf. 1 Tim 2:1-4). They should also support them by encouraging them instead of criticizing them, obeying them, lovingly holding them accountable when needed, and serving them in other practical ways. Hebrews 13:7 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. Let them do this with joy and not with complaints, for this would be no advantage for you.”

2. Because of the importance of having godly leadership to restrain sin and promote righteousness in society, believers should pray for God to raise up godly leaders and prayerfully consider serving in leadership.

God put Joseph, David, Daniel, Obadiah, and Nehemiah in leadership positions. Both Joseph, Daniel, and Obadiah (who supervised Ahab’s palace and saved the prophets; 1 Kgs 18:3), served in very pagan and ungodly environments and yet remained loyal to God. Proverbs 29:2 (NLT) says, “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.” Romans 13:1-7 says those in authority are God’s servants meant to reward the righteous and punish wrongdoers. Serving in leadership positions is a tremendous way to honor God and bless people. Those in leadership have an incredible capacity to influence communities negatively or righteously; therefore, we should continually pray for them, support them, and also consider serving in those positions.

Application Question: Why is leadership so important? What makes it so difficult to serve in leadership positions? How can we better support our leaders? Do you feel called to serve your community through leadership, and if so, how?

To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Courageously Confront Sin and Protect the Most Vulnerable

The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.” When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite: “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”‘ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood—yes, yours!”‘

1 Kings 21:11-19

Certainly, as mentioned, one of the things that must stand out in this narrative is the willingness of the elders to go along with Jezebel’s evil plan. Maybe, they were afraid of losing their authority and wealth or being killed by Jezebel. Therefore, they simply agreed to her request. They even instituted the evil plan with a veil of religious piety. In obedience to Jezebel, they called for a fast. Most likely, Israel was suffering a famine or plague, and the fast was to seek God’s face and determine why it was happening. After seeking the Lord, two hand-selected villains sitting next to Naboth accused him of cursing God and the king. Therefore, Naboth was killed and apparently so were his children which allowed Ahab to confiscate the land.

Again, the spiritual and administrative leaders of Israel said nothing, they just obeyed Jezebel’s plan. However, when God informed Elijah, he met Ahab at the vineyard and rebuked him for his sin—telling him that God was going to judge him and his family (v. 17-24). This must stand out because the previous time we saw Elijah in Jezreel, in 1 Kings 19, he ran for his life because he heard Jezebel was going to kill him. But, now, maybe a few years later, he boldly returns to Jezreel to confront the king outside of his home at the vineyard.

Likewise, if we are going to guard against corruption, we must also be willing to confront sin, even at risk to ourselves. This is what Christ did when he visited the Jewish temple twice (John 2, Matt 21). When religious leaders were allowing the poor and those from far away to be charged exorbitant prices to offer sacrifices at the temple, Christ turned over tables, kicked out the money changers, and rebuked the leaders. At times, we may need to wisely do the same, especially to protect the vulnerable. When corruption abounds, the bullies pick on the weak in society—the widow, the orphan, the poor, the ethnic and religious minorities (including Christians), and the sick. Like Christ (and Elijah in this context), we must stand up for them.

In addition, we must remember that if we are aware of the evil being done in the classroom, at church, or in the business, and we do nothing, God will often hold us liable. In Samuel 3, God judges Eli, the priest, because he knew his sons were cheating people at the tabernacle, including being promiscuous with the women, but he did nothing about it. He did warn his sons, but that’s all he did, even when they continued in sin (1 Sam 2:22-26). Consider what God said to Eli through Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:13-14:

You should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God, and he did not rebuke them. Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, ‘The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’

Likewise, Proverbs 24:10-12 says this:

If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small! Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. If you say, “But we did not know about this,” does not the one who evaluates hearts consider? Does not the one who guards your life know? Will he not repay each person according to his deeds?

When there is stealing, cheating, abuse of the vulnerable, and other sins happening that we know of and can do something about, but do nothing, God will hold us accountable.

In the church, according to Christ’s teaching in Matthew 18:15-17, that means approaching people one on one to challenge them in love. If they don’t repent, it means bringing a few others to help hold them accountable, and if they still don’t repent, bringing it before the church. If they still don’t repent, it means removing them from the church, all in love to help them repent. If this is not done, a little leaven leavens the whole lump (1 Cor 5:6). Sin begins to spread throughout the church. Outside the church, similar principles should be followed—approaching a person one on one to confirm and challenge the person, and if that doesn’t work, possibly going to leadership.

This is hard, especially if it might negatively affect our livelihood or our friends and family. That’s part of the reason Eli never removed his children from leadership, though he knew they were morally unfit. However, we must do this at times in obedience to God. Otherwise, corruption and sin will flourish, and God will hold us partially responsible for knowing and doing nothing, as Eli did.

Application Question: Who are the most vulnerable in our churches, schools, and/or workplaces, and how can we better protect and provide for them? Why is it so hard to challenge people who are in sin, especially those we know and love? How can we challenge people wisely?

To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Fear God’s Omniscient and Righteous Judgment

When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah replied, “I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord. The Lord says, ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster on you. I will destroy you and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. I will make your dynasty like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’ The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall of Jezreel.’ As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.”

1 Kings 21:20-24

One of the great hindrances to sin and corruption is a recognition of God’s omniscience and his judgment. With Ahab’s and Jezebel’s sin, it seemed like a perfectly executed plan. Nobody would tell—not the elders or the paid liars; however, God knew. He immediately told Elijah, including giving Elijah prophetic words of judgment. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on those who are evil and those who are good.” God knows everything and will one day judge all sin.

When Elijah met with Ahab, he told Ahab that God would destroy all the males in Ahab’s family, effectively ending his dynasty (v. 22). Dogs would devour Jezebel at the wall of Jezreel (v. 23). Those who died outside the city would be eaten by birds and those who died inside would be eaten by dogs (v. 23). All of this eventually happened. As we’ll see, God had mercy on Ahab, and therefore delayed these judgments until Ahab’s son reigned. Ahab was shot while in his chariot during a battle, and when they brought the chariot back to Samaria, the dogs licked his blood (1 Kgs 22:37-38). Later, Jehu shot Jehoram, Ahab’s son, and had him thrown in Naboth’s field (2 Kgs 9:24-26). Jehu also had Jezebel thrown out of a tower in her castle at Jezreel. When Jehu wanted to bury her, there wasn’t enough of her body left because the dogs got to her. They tore apart her body in Naboth’s field (2 Kgs 9:34-37). After that, Jehu executed seventy of Ahab’s sons who were living in Samaria (2 Kgs 10).

What we can see from this narrative is that God sees and knows all, and every account will be paid. They are paid in this life. People always reap what they have sown, even if that is just the regular consequences of sin, which affects us and others (Gal 6:7-8). The person who cheats has the memory of their cheating, the lack of satisfaction when they get their grade (because of their cheating); they will have a greater propensity to cheat later on in life, including on bigger issues (like in marriage or at work) which could have drastic consequences. People always reap what they sow, because God made the earth that way. In addition, because God keeps perfect records, one day, he will judge all at Christ’s coming. For believers, that will mean reward or loss of reward, but they will still enter heaven (1 Cor 3:10-15). For unbelievers, that means being separated from God’s blessings eternally in a place of judgment (Rev 20:11-15). Though others might not see our sins, we must remember God always sees.

For this reason, when society has lost a fear of God, corruption expands and saturates all aspects of society. Romans 1:28-29, says it this way:

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice…

A lack of acknowledging God as creator, savior, and judge always leads to various forms of depravity. If the beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord (Prov 9:10), to not fear God is to live without wisdom, where greater sins continue to abound.

Application Question: How should we respond to the importance of fearing God to stave off corruption?

The importance of fearing God to stave off corruption reminds us of our need to be salt and light to the world. As we live in the fear of the Lord by being obedient to God and loving others, it helps restrain and expel darkness around us. Therefore, when we compromise and become more like the world, the world loses the witness it so desperately needs and becomes more corrupt.

Being salt and light to the world includes our need to share the gospel with others. Though creation reflects that there is a powerful God, only Scripture teaches people how to be saved. Consequently, we must zealously share the gospel with others, even if it leads to being accused and mocked like Elijah was. As more people are saved and therefore rightly fear God, it staves off corruption and promotes righteousness.

Application Question: How do you see a lack of fearing God leading to greater sins in people, society, and your nation specifically (Rom 1:18-32)? Why is this happening? How can this be remedied?

To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Understand God’s Great Merciful Character

(There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, just like the Amorites whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.) When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.”

1 Kings 21:25-29

Finally, at the end of the narrative, we see God’s great mercy towards Ahab. After Elijah rebuked Ahab, Ahab mourned before the Lord. He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted (v. 27). Because of this, God told Elijah that these terrible things would not happen in Ahab’s lifetime, but in the reign of his son (v. 29). Judgment was postponed for around three years.¹ Certainly, this demonstrates how gracious and merciful God is, especially since Ahab was Israel’s worst king up to that point in their history (v. 25).

Interpretation Question: Was Ahab genuinely repentant?

There is no evidence that Ahab returned Naboth’s field, but since God honored his mourning, it must have been at least temporarily genuine, though not lasting. At the moment, he was truly repentant, but maybe after Jezebel found out and rebuked him, he snapped out of it. However, even that moment of genuine remorse moved God’s heart. God is tremendously gracious and merciful, and his graciousness is meant to draw us to repentance and righteousness. Romans 2:4 says, “Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?” Furthermore, God’s patience with Ahab and us is always given to allow us more time to repent. First Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

Application Question: How should understanding God’s great merciful character towards sinners affect people?

1. Understanding God’s great merciful character should draw people to repent of their sins and accept God’s forgiveness.

First John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” If God had mercy on Ahab and gave him more time to repent towards salvation, even though he and his wife had killed the prophets and persecuted the righteous, how much more so will God demonstrate mercy towards us and our nations if we genuinely repent?

2. Understanding God’s great merciful character should help us not give up on the most hardened sinners.

Again, if God continually gave Ahab opportunities to be saved—sending Elijah to rebuke him and withholding judgment, all so there could be true repentance—then, we should not give up on those who are far away from God, including our families, communities, and countries. God mercifully saved Paul who was having Christians jailed and killed. Certainly, there are no sinners so far away from God that the Lord won’t graciously forgive them if they repent. For this reason, we should continue to pray, share the gospel, and not give up. God sent his Son to die on the cross for our sin, and he still pursues sinners today. Though God may appear indifferent towards sin, he is just being patient with sinners so that they might repent and have life. Praise God for his merciful grace.

3. Understanding God’s great merciful character should help us be quick to forgive others, even when their repentance is not sustained.

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.” Likewise, Matthew 18:21-22 says this in describing Peter’s conversation with Christ over forgiveness: “‘Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times!’” Certainly, this is hard, but God’s grace is available to continually help us forgive, as God forgives us.

Application Question: What makes forgiving others as God forgives us difficult? What does this look like practically?

Conclusion

How can we guard against corruption? We can discern principles from considering the great corruption in Israel, as Ahab and Jezebel framed and killed Naboth to take his land, and God’s response.

1. To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Be Careful of Greed and Covetousness
2. To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Be Careful of Ungodly Relationships
3. To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Have Righteous Leaders
4. To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Courageously Confront Sin and Protect the Vulnerable
5. To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Fear God’s Omniscient and Righteous Judgment
6. To Guard Against Corruption, We Must Understand God’s Great Merciful Character

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to deliver us from greed, covetousness, and discontent. Pray that God would empower us to be content through Christ whether in times of blessing or trial.
• Pray for God to help us cut any cords with the world which negatively influence us (friendships, entertainment, news sources, etc.) and that we would instead yoke ourselves to what is good and righteous.
• Pray for God to guide, protect, and give supernatural wisdom to our leaders so they can lead righteously in government, education, business, the medical field, the church, and the home.
• Pray for God to give his people boldness to confront sin, even at cost to themselves, and that they would fight for the vulnerable. Pray for grace and protection over the oppressed and neglected, including the unborn, orphans, the poor, the foreigner, and the elderly.
• Pray for God to give grace to the members of our society to fear God and therefore turn away from sin to righteousness. Pray for God to draw the lost to himself, so that they would genuinely repent and be saved.

Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

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Just before the Lord took Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. Elijah told Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Some members of the prophetic guild in Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. Some members of the prophetic guild in Jericho approached Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they traveled on together. The fifty members of the prophetic guild went and stood opposite them at a distance, while Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, folded it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you.” Elijah replied, “That’s a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.” As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm. While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two. He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah, hit the water with it, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over. When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance, saw him do this, they said, “The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. They said to him, “Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the Lord may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied, “Don’t send them out.” But they were so insistent, he became embarrassed. So he said, “Send them out.” They sent the fifty men out and they looked for three days, but could not find Elijah. When they came back, Elisha was staying in Jericho. He said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go’?”

2 Kings 2:1-18 (NET)

What are marks of a faithful servant of God?

In 2 Kings 2, Elijah is taken to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah is one of two people in Scripture that never tasted death—the other is Enoch. Both walked with God and had an intimate relationship with him. Both lived in a time of great rebellion. With Enoch, the children of Adam had rebelled against God and soon God wiped them out in a flood. With Elijah, Ahab, the worst king in Israel’s history up to that point, and his family were ruling on the throne and had influenced Israel to worship Baal. Both of these men were prophets to their generation. Jude tells us that Enoch prophesied about Christ’s second coming before his first coming (Jude 1:14). No doubt, God took these men away in a spectacular fashion in part to be a witness to the wicked generation around them and also to affirm their righteousness. Those who called them evil and troublemakers had clear confirmation from God that they were righteous. It also confirmed the validity of their prophetic words, in the hope that people would repent. Enoch’s and Elijah’s translation straight to heaven without death also foreshadows how one day believers who are still alive at Christ’s coming will also be taken straight to heaven (1 Thess 4:13-18). This will ultimately confirm them before the world who rejected them and their words.

In this narrative, Elijah and Elisha travel to various schools of prophets—no doubt to encourage them before Elijah was taken to heaven. At each place, Elijah tries to encourage Elisha to stay behind (v. 3, 5)—maybe he did not want him to experience the trauma of him being taken, or in humility, he didn’t want to make a big display out of it, or he was simply trying to test Elisha’s commitment. Either way, Elisha committed to staying with him. Finally, before Elijah departed, he asked Elisha what he could do for him, and Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit (v. 9). Elijah recognized the difficulty of his request but said that if Elisha saw him leave, God would grant his request (v. 10). Soon after, Elijah was dramatically taken to heaven, and Elisha was empowered to be the chief prophet of Israel (v. 11-15).

As we consider Elijah dramatically being taken to heaven by God and Elisha being anointed as Elijah’s successor, we learn marks of a faithful servant. As mentioned, no doubt, Elijah’s translation was a public declaration by God that Elijah had been faithful in his generation, especially to those who demonized him and declared otherwise. He was a faithful warrior who God was pleased with, like Enoch before him. Certainly, as Elijah’s translation witnessed to God being pleased with him, we must also seek to be pleasing to God with our lives. One day all our works will be evaluated by God and we will receive rewards or loss of rewards. Some will be called, “good and faithful servants,” and others will be called “wicked and lazy servants” (Matt 25:14-30). Therefore, it is important for us to consider, “What are marks of a faithful servant?”

Big Question: What marks of a faithful servant can be discerned from 2 Kings 2, as God publicly affirms Elijah and his ministry by taking him to heaven without his dying?

A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Trusting God’s Plan, Even When Encountering Delays, Disappointments, and Unanswered Prayers

Just before the Lord took Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal.

2 Kings 2:1

From the beginning of this narrative, it is clear that Elijah, as well as Elisha and the prophets, knew that God was going to take Elijah home in a miraculous way. This must remind us how around ten years earlier in a fit of despair, Elijah prayed to die (1 Kgs 19:4).¹ In 1 Kings 19, Jezebel promised to put Elijah to death within a twenty-four-hour period, which caused him to run for his life, struggle with depression, and pray for death. However, it was not Elijah’s time yet, even though he was weary and wanted to give up.

We must remember this, especially during times of disappointment; often God’s best answer to our prayer requests or pursuits is to say no or close the door. Though from our limited perspective or desperation, a certain path may seem best; God in his wisdom and sovereignty often closes a door because he knows it’s not best and has something infinitely better for us. Elijah wanted to die, but God wanted to give him a tremendous gift years later by taking him to heaven apart from dying. Often, God does the same with us.

Because God often graciously closes doors, allows delays, disappointments, and seemingly unanswered prayers, we must trust that God’s plan is perfect even when we don’t understand. The job or career that didn’t work out, the relationship that ended, or the scholarship that was lost or never received, somehow is part of God’s sovereign and perfect plan for us. It may be to teach us a valuable lesson, lead us in a better direction, or simply to help us trust God more and conform us to his image. Either way, God’s plan is infinitely better than our plans, which is clearly seen in the life of Elijah. God’s plan was to use Elijah’s trials to sharpen him and prepare him for greater things, which included the discipling of other prophets who would continue the ministry after he was gone.

In considering how God did not answer Elijah’s initial prayer to die, F. B. Meyer wisely said this:

We shall have to bless Him [God] forever, more for the prayers He refused than for those He granted. When next your request is denied, reflect that it may be because God is preparing something for you as much better than your request as the translation of Elijah was better than his own petition for himself.²

Application Question: How can we trust God when encountering delays, unanswered prayers, and disappointments?

1. To trust God’s plans, we must remember God’s character and promises.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” Also, in Jeremiah 29:11, God originally said this to Israel who was stuck in exile, but it certainly applies to us in our delays and disappointments: “For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.” God is sovereign and wise and working things for our good. We must remember this when disappointments, delays, and unanswered prayers accumulate.

To remember God’s character and promises, especially in times of disappointment, we need to live in God’s Word more by reading, studying, quoting, and praying it. As we do this, God will give us his peace as we trust in and wait on him. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” God’s plans are good even when they don’t seem to be.

2. To trust God’s plans, we must in faith give thanks to God and rejoice in the good he will accomplish through our disappointments.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “… in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” James 1:2-3 says, “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Romans 5:3-4 says, “Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.”

It’s important to trust God with unanswered prayers, delays, and disappointments, because if not, we will be tempted to become bitter at God, others, and our circumstances, which will only lead to our spiritual harm and that of others. Remember Israel complained in the wilderness, and it led to God’s discipline. In 1 Corinthians 10:10-11, Paul said:

And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

As we consider the outcome of Elijah’s life, we must learn to trust God’s plan, especially when encountering various disappointments.

Application Question: In what ways have you experienced disappointments, delays, and seemingly unanswered prayers which God used for your good? How can we maintain and increase our faith in the midst of what seems like a disappointment?

A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Humility

Just before the Lord took Elijah up to heaven in a windstorm, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. Elijah told Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. Some members of the prophetic guild in Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. Some members of the prophetic guild in Jericho approached Elisha and said, “Do you know that today the Lord is going to take your master from you?” He answered, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” Elijah said to him, “Stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they traveled on together.

2 Kings 2:1-6

Another thing that must stand out in this narrative is the fact that, though Elijah knew that God was going to take him to heaven, he never publicly shared it with anybody—even though he met with several schools of prophets and was with Elisha the whole day. With Elisha specifically, Elijah told him three times to stay behind when going to Bethel, then Jericho, and then the Jordan; however, Elijah never revealed that God was planning to take him to heaven (v. 2, 4, 6). There is a sense in which Elijah is like Christ in this regard. Often Christ would heal somebody (the deaf, the lepers, etc.) and then tell them to not tell anybody (cf. Matt 8:3-4, Mk 7:36). He wasn’t seeking the crowds in the sense of being famous; in fact, crowds would have hindered his ability to get around and do what God called him to do. Like Christ, Elijah apparently was a deeply humble man. And obviously, Elisha knew this about his master and, therefore, kept telling the prophets to be quiet about the fact that Elijah was going to be taken home (v. 3, 5). Elisha probably kept hushing the prophets because he knew Elijah was not a man who sought fan fair. Elijah was the type of man who was content to worship God alone at a brook or on a mountain without anybody seeing him.

If Elijah’s quietness about this great honor of being taken directly to heaven doesn’t quite stand out, think of how most people would react to experiencing a great honor. Would they not share it with all their friends, post it on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and everywhere else? F. B. Meyer said this about Elijah: “Anyone less great would have let the secret out, or have contrived to line the heights of the Jordan with expectant crowds of witnesses. Instead of this, he kept the secret well.”³ No doubt, it was Elijah’s great humility that led to his great exaltation. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

For many of us, God cannot exalt us because it will prompt pride in us and then lead to our fall. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” And with those God does exalt, he often brings equal pains to keep them humble. With Paul, because of how much God exalted him through revelations and dreams, God allowed him to have a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul said this:

… even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant.

Application Question: How can we grow in the practice of humility so we can experience more of God’s grace?

1. To grow in humility, we must practice the discipline of secrecy.

Certainly, Christ must be our example and teacher. In Matthew 11:29, he called himself “gentle and humble in heart.” In Matthew 6, Christ taught that as a discipline we must practice our righteousness in secret—not seeking to share it publicly. When giving, we should not blow a trumpet to let people know about it (v. 2-3). When praying, we should go into our closet instead of seeking to pray in public arenas (v. 5-6). When fasting, we should not make it obvious that we are fasting, like the hypocrites commonly did (v. 16-18). When we practice humility in our works of service or our accomplishments, the God who sees us in secret will reward us (v. 4).

2. To grow in humility, we must practice the discipline of intimacy with our Lord.

As we abide with Christ through studying the Word, prayer, worship, and service, we will become more like him. Again, in Matthew 11:29, Christ said, “Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Taking on the yoke was a picture of an older bull training a younger bull to properly carry a weight. As we abide in Christ, he teaches us how to be gentle and humble like him—humbly putting others before ourselves and seeking to exalt God’s name instead of our own. This all comes from abiding in Christ. In John 15:5, Christ said to abide in him, and we would produce much fruit. Apart from him we can do nothing. In fact, one of the fruits of the Spirit is humility (“gentleness” in NET) which comes from living in the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 23). If we don’t continually spend time with Christ through the Word, prayer, worship, and acts of service, we will grow in pride which only leads us away from God and others and further into sin.

A mark of a faithful servant is humility, even as a mark of unfaithfulness is pride as seen with Satan and the Pharisees. Pride makes us seek to glorify ourselves over God and others.

Application Question: What are the fruits and consequences of pride in a person’s life? What is humility and why is it so important for the Christian life? How is God calling you to pursue greater humility in your serving him and others?

A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Praying Daring Prayers

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you.” Elijah replied, “That’s a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.”

2 Kings 2:9-10

Before Elijah was taken in a whirlwind, he asked Elisha what he could do for him. Elisha had faithfully served him for probably ten years, and so Elijah wanted to bless him. Elisha in response asked for a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit (v. 9). Elijah responds, “That’s a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so” (v. 10). The “double portion” probably referred to Elisha receiving the rights of the firstborn and, therefore, replacing Elijah as Israel’s chief prophet. It also included a special anointing to do the work.

Though this is Elisha’s request and not Elijah’s, it no doubt represented what Elisha had seen in Elijah’s ministry throughout the years. Throughout Elijah’s ministry, he always asked great and daring prayer requests, which Elisha was modeling. In fact, in James 5:16-18, James tells believers to pray for the healing of others in part because Elijah was a regular person like us, and yet he prayed for it to not rain and it didn’t rain. He prayed for rain and it did. Throughout Elijah’s ministry, he was willing to ask God for bold requests. He not only prayed for it to rain and not rain, he also prayed for the first resurrection in the Bible, which Elisha would later duplicate (cf. 1 Kgs 17:19-23, 2 Kgs 4:32-37). Elijah prayed for fire to come down from heaven three times, and each time God listened (1 Kgs 19:37-38, 2 Kgs 1:9-12). In this narrative, Elijah split the Jordan River so they could walk to the other side on dry land (v. 8). Elijah was willing to pray daring requests, and therefore, Elisha did as well. In fact, after Elijah was taken, Elisha boldly put his mantle on the Jordan River so it would split, even as Elijah did (v. 14).

Likewise, if we are going to be faithful servants, we must also be people of prayer, including praying daring requests. In Ezekiel 22:30, God said, “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.” Also, James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask.” How many miracles do we miss out on simply because we don’t ask or don’t persevere in asking? When Elijah prayed for rain, at first it didn’t rain. He prayed seven times and eventually it rained (1 Kgs 18:42-45). Likewise, if we are going to be faithful servants, we must be people who are willing to pray daring prayers. We are not praying daring prayers simply because we are bold, but because God wants us to. We have not because we ask not. God seeks to find men and women who will stand in the gap and pray. He wants people to pray for healing over others, revival in schools and nations. He wants people to pray like Elisha essentially did—”Lord, I’m weak. Will you empower me to serve? Will you give me special gifts to bless your people?” Does not God tell us to desire the better gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:31? We should ask for gifts of teaching, prophecy, encouragement, and healing—not for our glory but to better serve God and others. Solomon asked for wisdom, and God made him the wisest man on the earth, so he could better rule Israel (2 Chr 1).

But certainly, we should be challenged from this narrative to not only ask for gifts and graces for ourselves but also to ask for others. Elijah played a role in Elisha receiving the double portion from God. Likewise, Timothy somehow received a spiritual gift through Paul laying hands on him. Second Timothy 1:6 says, “Because of this I remind you to rekindle God’s gift that you possess through the laying on of my hands.” We should cry out for special grace over our church leaders, youth and children’s teachers, the people in our small group or classes, and the children in our church, that God would anoint them and use them. Certainly, we must be challenged to pray daring prayers for ourselves and those we serve, including our physical and spiritual children.

Are we willing to pray daring prayers? Throughout Scripture, faithful servants do.

Application Question: What daring requests have you asked the Lord for in the past and what was the outcome? What daring requests do you believe God is calling you to pray for yourself and others (including your family, church, and nation) in this season?

A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Fighting and Suffering Hardships for Christ

As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm. While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two.

2 Kings 2:11-12

After Elijah and Elisha were split by a fiery chariot with horses and Elijah was taken to heaven in a windstorm, Elisha, who was looking on, said, “My father, my father! The chariot and the horsemen of Israel!” (v. 12). It’s possible that Elisha was pointing out to Elijah that the chariot and horsemen of Israel were with him, as he was being taken to heaven; however, most likely, Elisha was calling Elijah the chariot and horsemen of Israel. F. B. Meyer said this about Elisha’s proclamation:

There was fitness in the exclamation with which Elisha bade him farewell. He cried, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof” (2 Kings 2:12). Doubtless, amid that sudden flash of glory he hardly knew what he said. Yet he closely hit the truth. That man, whom he had come to love as a father, had indeed been as an armed chariot of defense to Israel. By his faith and prayers and deeds, he had often warded off evil and danger with more certain success than could have been effected by an armed troop. Alas that such people are rare! But in our time we have known them; and when they have been suddenly swept from our side, we have felt as if the Church had been deprived of one main source of security and help.⁴

To further support that Elisha was calling Elijah the chariot and horsemen of Israel, when Elisha died, King Joash called Elisha the same thing. Second Kings 13:14 says, “Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said, ‘My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!’” Both of these men defended and fought for Israel through their prayers, preaching, and suffering.

Either way, whether Elisha was referring to Elijah or the actual chariot and horsemen, it is clear that the chariot and horsemen were instruments of war, and God was giving Elijah a war hero’s welcome home. He had been a faithful soldier, and he was going home to his reward. This reminds us that Elijah’s life, though successful, was far from easy. It had much difficulty in it. He lived in a world where he was a pilgrim—an outcast. While most of Israel worshiped Baal, he remained faithful to the true God. He rebuked the king and the Israelites (1 Kgs 17, 18). He lived in quarantine for three and a half years—first by himself at a brook and then with a poor widow and her son, outside of Israel (1 Kgs 17). When threatened by Jezebel, he ran in fear and asked God to take his life (1 Kgs 19). He was surrounded by bands of soldiers multiple times with intentions of taking him captive and possibly ending his life (2 Kgs 1). Elijah’s life was no cakewalk, and neither will any faithful Christian’s life be. In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul said this to Timothy before eventually being beheaded for the faith, “Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” To faithfully follow Christ means to suffer like he did—possibly by being rejected by family and friends, being stepped over for promotion or let go from a job because of holding moral convictions, and for some, even paying the ultimate price with their lives.

We must remember that following Christ means enlisting in his army. We are in a spiritual war for the lives of people, and any progress into enemy territory will be met with equal force. To have a faithful life means to be in warfare and, at times, to suffer. With Job, he lost his health, wealth, and family, and all of it was spiritual warfare—as Satan attacked him. Certainly, we must always remember Christ’s words in Luke 14:26-27 to those considering following him:

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple

Luke 14:27

Also, we must remember Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:11-12:

Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

Being a faithful servant does not mean ease; in fact, it often means hardship and suffering. Are we willing to suffer for Christ—being a light to an antagonistic world and bearing up under the attacks of the enemy? Elijah was a war hero who went home—he was the chariot and horsemen of Israel.

Application Question: Why is being willing to persevere through suffering so important to being a faithful servant of God? What are some of the attacks happening around the world against Christians and biblical values? How can we better persevere through the various attacks and trials that come with faithfully serving God and others?

A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is a Focus on Equipping and Blessing Others

The fifty members of the prophetic guild went and stood opposite them at a distance, while Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, folded it up, and hit the water with it. The water divided, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “What can I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of the prophetic spirit that energizes you.” Elijah replied, “That’s a difficult request! If you see me taken from you, may it be so, but if you don’t, it will not happen.” As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a fiery chariot pulled by fiery horses appeared. They went between Elijah and Elisha, and Elijah went up to heaven in a windstorm. While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two. He picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen off him, and went back and stood on the shore of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah, hit the water with it, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over. When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance, saw him do this, they said, “The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.

2 Kings 2:7-15

Historians tell us that there were schools of prophets at Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho—the three places that Elijah visited before he was taken to heaven.⁵ These were possibly created by Samuel (cf. 1 Sam 10:5, 9-10, 19:20); however, at this time, Elijah was the chief prophet and professor. Therefore, as mentioned, he probably went to each of these schools to encourage and further equip them before he left. Israel was still worshiping Baal, and they needed people who knew God’s law and taught God’s Word. Not only did he visit each of these schools, but he also empowered Elisha to be his official representative when he left.

Certainly, Elijah realized long ago that his most impactful ministry would not be his miracles but duplicating himself throughout Israel. Ray Pritchard said this about Elijah:

He understood that his greatest gift to the nation would be to multiply himself by leaving behind a crop of young men who could carry on his work after he was gone. One man could only do so much, but one man who poured himself into dozens of younger men could start a movement that might one day ignite a revolution that could overthrow Baal worship once and for all. Here is the ultimate argument for Christian education. We pass along what we know to the up-and-coming generation precisely because we know we won’t be here forever. We do it so that our work will not end when we do, but in the providence of God, while we sink into the dust of the earth, God’s truth goes marching on.⁶

This was the same thing Christ did during his ministry. He focused on equipping the twelve to turn the world upside down after he left. Ministering to big crowds was important but most important was ministering to the few faithful who would eventually minister to others.

Before Paul died, like Elijah, he focused on equipping his apprentice, Timothy. Paul’s last letter before his death in Rome was the book of 2 Timothy, in which he constantly encouraged and challenged Timothy. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul said, “And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well.” There are four generations of Christians in this passage—Paul, Timothy, faithful people, and those who will teach others. Likewise, we must focus on doing the same. We must invest in our peers, the younger generation, and our children. Paul told Titus to tell the older women to teach the younger women (Titus 2:3-5). We have all been called to make disciples of unbelievers—teaching them the gospel, baptizing them, and training them in Scripture (Matt 28:19-20). We have all been called to disciple and be discipled.

Certainly, as we consider Elijah mentoring the prophets and installing Elisha as the chief prophet, we must ask ourselves who our Elijahs and Elishas are? Who pours into us and who do we pour into? Our mission is too big for us to accomplish alone. We must be equipped by those farther along in the faith, and we must give great attention to investing in others—through one-on-one mentorship, small groups, formal and informal education. Who is pouring into you and who are you pouring into?

Application Question: Who are your Elijahs and who are your Elishas? How is God calling you to pursue mentorship and to mentor others? What are common hindrances to receiving and giving mentorship?

Conclusion

What are marks of a faithful servant? As taught in the Parable of the Talents, all of us will either hear, “Well done good and faithful servant” or “You wicked and lazy servant” (cf. Matt 25:14-30). Elijah was a man who was publicly affirmed by God before others as he was translated to heaven without death. Therefore, from his life and translation, we can discern marks of a faithful servant.

1. A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Trusting God’s Plan, Even When Encountering Delays, Disappointments, and Unanswered Prayers
2. A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Humility
3. A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Praying Daring Prayers
4. A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is Fighting and Suffering Hardships for Christ
5. A Mark of a Faithful Servant Is a Focus on Equipping and Blessing Others

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

• Pray for God to increase our faith so that we can trust him when encountering delays, disappointments, and unanswered prayers.
• Pray for God to deliver us from pride, selfish ambition, and independence (from him and his body) and that he would give us grace to be humble—consumed with God and others before ourselves.
• Pray for God to give us grace to pray daring prayers—to intercede for others, our churches, and our nations and that God would move mightily because of our prayers.
• Pray for God to give us courage and grace to stand, fight, and suffer for the kingdom, as we serve others.
• Pray for God to empower us to make disciples—that we would lead people to Christ and help others continue to follow Christ and complete his plans for their lives.

Copyright © 2022 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

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Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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A ministry of…

Author: Dr. Roger Pascoe, President,
Email: [email protected]

I. Consolidarea Predicării Expozitive:
Predicarea Din Evanghelii, Partea A 3-A: Pildele

Pildele nu apar exclusiv în evanghelii. Natan, de pildă, a folosit o pildă ca să-l înștiințeze pe David cu privire la păcatul său (2 Sam. 12:1-10). Isaia a folosit o pildă pentru a ridica acuzații împotriva casei lui Israel (Is. 5:1-7. Să reținem că pilda se află în Is. 5:1-6, iar aplicația în Is. 5:7). Totuși, în acest articol voi trata pilda ca sub-gen al „evangheliei”.

1. Definiția și structura pildelor. Pilda este o scurtă povestire în care anumite experiențe și personaje din viața de zi cu zi reprezintă anumite adevăruri morale sau spirituale. Isus a folosit adesea pilde pentru a explica ceva. De obicei, o pildă începe cu descrierea evenimentelor sau a personajelor implicate într-o anumită situație și se încheie cu o aplicație directă sau cu explicarea povestirii, astfel încât ascultătorii să înțeleagă relevanța pildei în viața lor. De asta vedem adesea reacții negative puternice la pildele lui Isus, pentru că ele atingeau conștiința ascultătorilor.

2. Formele literare ale pildelor. Simplu spus, pilda este o formă de limbaj figurat. Permiteți-mi să fac următoarele distincții…

(1) Pildele „adevărate”. Când spun pilde „adevărate”, mă refer la acele pilde care urmează structura și definiția de mai sus. Iată câteva exemple de pilde „adevărate”: (1) Bunul Samaritean (Lc. 10:25-37); (2) Oaia pierdută, banul pierdut și fiul rătăcitor (Lc. 15:1-32); (3) Pilda celor poftiți la cină (Lc. 14:15-24); (4) Pilda lucrătorilor viei (Mat. 20:1-16); (5) Pilda bogatului nemilostiv (Lc. 16:19-31); (6) Pilda celor zece fecioare (Mat. 25:1-13).

(2) Comparațiile. Unele pilde iau forma unor comparații extinse, în care subiectul și obiectul cu care acesta este asemănat sunt lucruri distincte și sunt explicate printr-o comparație, folosind expresiile „se aseamănă cu” sau „ca” – ex. „Împărăţia cerurilor se mai aseamănă cu…” (Mat. 13:44-46). Iată câteva exemple de pilde sub formă de comparații extinse: (1) Pilda aluatului (Mat. 13:33); (2) Pilda semănătorului (Mat. 13:1-23); (3) Pilda grăuntelui de muștar (Mat. 13:31-32).

(3) Metaforele. Unele pilde au caracteristicile unei metafore extinse, în care, spre deosebire de comparația extinsă, comparația între subiect și obiectul cu care este comparat este implicită și inseparabilă – ex. „Voi sunteţi sarea pământului… Voi sunteţi lumina lumii” (Mat. 5:13-14). Deși s-ar putea spune că astfel de afirmații sunt simple metafore (ceea ce este adevărat), totuși, în contextul în care sunt folosite, cred că este corect să considerăm că unele au anumite caracteristici de pilde în structura și scopul lor.

3. Scopul pildelor. În ciuda simplității aparente a formei și conținutului pildei, au existat multe dezbateri cu privire la semnificația lor. Și într-adevăr, unele pilde sunt greu de înțeles, cum ar fi pilda ispravnicului necredincios (Lc. 16:1-13). Citim o astfel de povestire și ne întrebăm: „Ce anume a vrut să spună Isus? Oare chiar laudă El nedreptatea acestui om? Sau este ceva dincolo de ceea ce se observă la prima vedere?” Chiar și ucenicii au întrebat uneori ce înseamnă unele din pildele lui Isus (Mc. 4:10; Lc. 8:9).

Din păcate, și explicațiile date de Isus cu privire la semnificația pildei sunt greu de înțeles: „Vouă”, le-a zis El, „v-a fost dat să cunoaşteţi taina Împărăţiei lui Dumnezeu; dar pentru cei ce sunt afară din numărul vostru, toate lucrurile sunt înfăţişate în pilde; pentru ca, „măcar că privesc, să privească şi să nu vadă, şi măcar că aud, să audă şi să nu înţeleagă, ca nu cumva să se întoarcă la Dumnezeu şi să li se ierte păcatele.” (Mc. 4:11-12; citând din Is. 6:9-10). Deși această afirmație nu înseamnă că acesta a fost scopul tuturor pildelor lui Isus, totuși explică de ce Isus a folosit unele pilde pentru a prezenta taina divină cu privire la natura împărăției lui Dumnezeu, o taină a cărei semnificație este descoperită celor ce au viață divină, însă care este ascunsă de cei ce refuză adevărul cu încăpățânare.

Poate că înțelegem mai bine explicația lui Isus atunci când ne gândim că lucrarea Lui a avut două efecte diametral opuse. După cum spune apostolul Pavel, pentru unii ascultători, mesajul lui Isus din pilde a fost „o mireasmă de la viaţă spre viaţă”, însă pentru alții, „o mireasmă de la moarte spre moarte” (2 Cor. 2:14-16). Sau după cum spune apostolul Petru, „pentru voi care aţi crezut”, Isus este prezentat în pilde astfel: „Piatra pe care au lepădat-o zidarii a ajuns să fie pusă în capul unghiului”, însă pentru necredincioși, El este „o Piatră de poticnire şi o Stâncă de cădere” (1 Pet. 2:7-8). Cu alte cuvinte, pildele lui Isus îi sileau pe oameni să se poziționeze de-o parte sau de alta. Fie erai cu El, fie împotriva Lui. În mod clar, acesta a fost efectul multor pilde – îi divizau pe oameni, arătând astfel adevărul din inima lor. După cum spune Moises Silva, „Pildele… atunci când sunt adresate celor care se împotrivesc Domnului, devin instrumente ale judecății. Astfel, «celui ce are i se va da; dar de la cel ce n-are se va lua şi ce are» (Mc. 4:25).” (Silva, An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics [O introducere în hermeneutica biblică], 111).

Pildele mai au, apoi, rolul de a face deosebire între cei care Îl ascultau pe Isus – pe de o parte, să ascundă adevărul de cei care respingeau cuvintele Lui și, pe de altă parte, să clarifice adevărul pentru cei care răspundeau pozitiv la cuvintele Lui. Pentru cei care răspundeau pozitiv la cuvintele Sale, pildele lui Isus Îl revelau pe Dumnezeu, adevărul Lui și planurile Sale pentru poporul Său. Pentru cei care Îl respingeau pe Isus și cuvintele Sale, pildele erau folosite de Isus ca instrumente de judecată și ca mijloc de a ascunde adevărul de ei (ex. Mat. 13:10-15; Mc. 4:11-12; Lc. 8:9-10). După cum spune Henry Virkler, „aceleași pilde care îi ajutau pe credincioși să înțeleagă mai bine, erau fără sens pentru cei care își împietreau inima în fața adevărului” (Virkler, Hermeneutics [Hermeneutică], 165). Această învățătură este similară cu cea din 1 Corinteni 2, care vorbește despre capacitatea persoanei regenerate de a înțelege adevărul spiritual, în comparație cu incapacitatea persoanei neregenerate. Diferența constă în faptul că prima are vedere spirituală, pe când cealaltă este oarbă din punct de vedere spiritual. Așadar, pildele au două ținte sau puncte focale – credincioșii și necredincioșii.

Pildele au două scopuri: (1) să dea învățătură ascultătorilor cu privire la adevăruri spirituale ca rugăciunea, dărnicia etc. (ex. Mat. 13:10-12; Mc. 4:11) și (2) să îi provoace cu privire la trăirea lor nepotrivită, păcătoasă sau ipocrită (ex. Lc. 7:36-50). În general, scopul pildelor este să descopere adevărul cu privire la caracterul și identitatea ascultătorilor – cine și ce sunt ei.

4. Natura pildelor. Poate că ceea ce explică de ce Isus a folosit atât de mult pildele în învățătura Sa este faptul că acestea sunt istorisiri interesante simple despre viața de zi cu zi, ușor de înțeles pentru oamenii de rând, cu care se puteau identifica și din care puteau extrage învățături.

Pildele, așadar, descoperă, clarifică, scot în evidență și aplică adevărul spiritual, adresându-se atât inimii, cât și conștiinței. Pildele, prin natura lor, lasă o impresie în mintea și conștiința oamenilor mult mai dramatică, eficientă și de durată decât simpla rostire a ideii – ex. văduva insistentă și judecătorul nedrept (Lc. 18:1-8) sau vameșul și fariseul (Lc. 18:9-14).

Pildele sunt, așadar, povestiri veridice despre situații, persoane și evenimente familiare, în care se compară o situație, o persoană sau un eveniment cu altul, pentru a ilustra, a lămuri și a învăța un adevăr spiritual important, însă necunoscut sau nerecunoscut. Prin natura lor, pildele sunt indirecte și cer un răspuns de la ascultători.

5. Cum să înțelegem și să interpretăm pildele. Pilda este mesajul. Scopul ei este să capteze atenția ascultătorilor, să-i uluiască cu privire la acțiunile lor sau să-i determine să reacționeze într-un fel sau altul față de Isus și lucrarea Lui. Această trăsătură a pildelor le face greu de interpretat, pentru că este ca și cu interpretarea glumelor – dacă trebuie să interpretezi o glumă, ea nu mai este amuzantă și își pierdea acea claritate intuitivă. Ca și în cazul impactului imediat al unei glume, cei care ascultă o pildă se vor identifica imediat cu punctele de referință care i-au făcut să înțeleagă ideea pildei.

Pildele nu au același impact în cazul nostru ca și în cazul ascultătorilor din vremea aceea, pentru că uneori nu prindem imediat ideea ca și ei, din cauza distanței în timp și a diferențelor de cultură și limbaj. Totuși, dacă interpretăm corect pildele, putem înțelege și noi ceea ce au înțeles ei atunci.

În general, interpretarea și aplicarea povestirii vin la finalul pildei, fiind distincte de povestirea în sine. De exemplu, în Luca 7:40-42, cele trei puncte de referință sunt: cămătarul și cei doi datornici. Identificarea are loc imediat: (1) Dumnezeu este precum cămătarul; (2) femeia păcătoasă și Simon sunt ca cei doi datornici. Pilda este un cuvânt de judecată, care cere un răspuns de la Simon. Forța pildei este atât de mare încât Simon nu putea rata mesajul ei. Trebuie să observăm că punctele de referință nu constituie pilda. Rolul lor este doar de a-i atrage pe ascultători în povestire și să ofere un punct de referință cu care aceștia să se identifice. Scopul povestirii se află în răspunsul cerut. În cazul nostru, un cuvânt de judecată împotriva lui Simon și a prietenilor lui și un cuvânt de acceptare și iertare către femeie.

Să nu uităm că toate pildele lui Isus sunt, într-o anumită măsură, un mijloc prin care Isus a ales să descrie și să proclame Împărăția. Prin urmare, trebuie să cunoaștem foarte bine semnificația Împărăției în lucrarea lui Isus.

6. Principii pentru studierea și interpretarea pildelor. Atunci când pildele au fost rostite pentru prima dată, rareori aveau nevoie de interpretare, pentru că ascultătorii le înțelegeau în mod intuitiv. Însă pentru că noi nu ne aflăm acolo și pentru că noi le avem doar în formă scrisă, nu avem acea înțelegere imediată a unor puncte de referință, pe care o aveau ascultătorii de atunci. Prin procesul exegetic, însă, putem descoperi mesajul lor cu un grad de acuratețe destul de mare. Și ce trebuie noi să facem este să aducem acel mesaj în contextul nostru (cum a făcut Matei – ex. 18:10-14; 20:1-16). O modalitate în care poți face lucrul acesta în predicarea ta este să inserezi în povestire puncte de referință contemporane potrivite din punct de vedere contextual și hermeneutic.

Toate instrumentele, procedurile și principiile exegetice tradiționale obișnuite trebuie folosite atunci când studiem pildele în contextul lor, cu scopul de a deduce intenția autorului, însă genul literar al pildei pare atât de fluid, având o varietate mare și conținând multiple niveluri de semnificații, încât permite o mare flexibilitate în predicare. Să nu uităm că membrilor noștri le plac pildele și de obicei le consideră la fel de fascinante cum erau, fără îndoială, și pentru primii ascultători. Aceasta subliniază puterea narațiunii.

Regula de aur (ca și în cazul oricărui studiu exegetic în vederea pregătirii unei predici) este să nu facem pilda să spună altceva decât trebuia să spună. Aceasta este o greșeală frecventă în interpretarea pildelor – adică să încerci să dai fiecărui detaliu o semnificație alternativă paralelă (i.e. să alegorizezi interpretarea). Problema alegorizării ca metodă de interpretare este faptul că e foarte subiectivă. Zece persoane diferite ar putea avea zece semnificații diferite pentru fiecare detaliu al pildei. O regulă generală pentru înțelegerea și predicarea pildelor este că, așa cum spunea un prieten de-al meu, pastor, nu trebuie să încercăm „să facem pilda să se conformeze” – adică să nu încercăm să facem fiecare detaliu să aibă o semnificație anume decât dacă aceasta este evidentă în pildă.

Mai mult, alegorizarea, adică încercarea de a conferi semnificație fiecărui mic detaliu, duce adesea la pierderea din vedere a mesajului general al pildei. Pentru a contracara alegorizarea ca metodă de interpretare, unii teologi susțin că fiecare pildă are un singur mesaj și că detaliile sunt doar o cosmetizare narativă. Însă aceasta este o simplificare exagerată. De exemplu, în pilda fiului risipitor, tatăl, fiul și fratele mai mare nu reprezintă fiecare o altă persoană? Pildele pot transmite un singur mesaj sau mai multe, la fel cum pot avea mai multe scopuri, forme și aplicații. Totuși, chiar dacă o pildă poate avea mai multe puncte de referință, fiecare pildă (ca orice alt pasaj din Scriptură) transmite o singură idee teologică sau un singur principiu teologic.

7. O abordare echilibrată a interpretării pildelor (adaptat după Craig Blomberg, citat în Duval și Hays, 260 și urm.).

(a) Caută ideea principală a fiecărui personaj principal. Toate celelalte detalii doar dezvoltă povestirea. De exemplu, în pilda fiului risipitor (Lc. 15:11-32), este limpede că fiul risipitor reprezintă păcătosul care se întoarce la Dumnezeu cu pocăință și credință. Tatăl reprezintă dorința lui Dumnezeu de a oferi îndurare și iertare. Fratele mai mare reprezintă oamenii religioși – fariseii și cărturarii, cei cărora Isus le spunea pilda (Lc. 15:2) și care credeau că erau singurii vrednici de harul lui Dumnezeu.

Apoi, în pilda samariteanului milostiv (Lc. 10:29-37), omul bătut de tâlhari îl reprezintă pe aproapele nostru care se află în nevoie (acesta este subiectul abordat de Isus, Lc. 10:29). Preotul și levitul îi reprezintă pe liderii religioși, de la care te-ai aștepta să-și iubească aproapele în mod necondiționat, însă care s-ar putea să nu facă asta cu adevărat. Samariteanul îi reprezintă pe cei care de la care nu te-ai aștepta să-și iubească „aproapele”, care vin dintr-un context religios și cultural diferit, însă care s-ar putea să își arate, de fapt, dragostea într-un mod practic și public.

(b) Stabilește ideea principală pe care au înțeles-o ascultătorii inițiali. Nu citi și nu interpreta o pildă, izolând-o de contextul ei! Verifică cu atenție contextul ei literar! Pildele lui Isus întotdeauna ilustrează ceea ce se întâmpla în împrejurarea imediat anterioară.

Atunci când încerci să stabilești ideea principală a unei pilde, există câteva întrebări ajutătoare, cum ar fi: (1) Care este răspunsul cerut și oferit? (2) Există o surpriză, o întorsătură sau ceva șocant în narațiune? (3) Cum sau ce ne învață pilda despre Împărăție – direct ori indirect? (4) Care este învățătura și accentul teologic și cristologic? (5) Ce tip de pildă este – o pildă adevărată, o comparație sau o metaforă? (6) Care sunt scenele și mișcările din pildă? (7) Cine sunt ascultătorii? (8) Cine sunt personajele principale și pe cine reprezintă ele? (9) Care este ideea teologică centrală?

8. Câteva sugestii în plus pentru interpretarea pildelor.

(1) Ascultă pilda din nou și din nou. Identifică punctele de referință care ar fi fost alese de ascultătorii lui Isus. Încearcă să stabilești cum s-ar fi identificat cu povestirea ascultătorii inițiali – ce ar fi auzit ei și cum ar fi interpretat și aplicat ce au auzit. Uneori semnificația pildei apare în pildă în mod explicit; alteori semnificația este sugerată în aplicație (cf. Mat. 5:13; 18:21, 35; 29:1-16; 22:14; 25:13; Lc. 12:15-21; 15:7, 10; 18:1, 9; 19:11).

(2) Cercetează contextul cu atenție. Ca în cazul oricărei metodologii de interpretare serioase, cercetează cu atenție contextul fiecărei pilde din perspectiva din care autorul a ales să-și prezinte materialul. De exemplu, pilda lucrătorilor viei (Mat. 20:1-16) vine imediat după istorisirea cu tânărul bogat (Mat. 19:16-22). După ce se arată că bogățiile pot fi un mare obstacol în ce privește intrarea în Împărăție, Petru spune: „Iată că noi am lăsat totul şi Te-am urmat” (Lc. 18:28). Isus îl asigură pe Petru că își vor primi răsplata cuvenită (Lc. 19:28-30), însă continuă apoi cu pilda despre „un gospodar care a ieşit dis-de-dimineaţă să-şi tocmească lucrători la vie” (Mat. 20:1), pildă în care Isus mustră atitudinea lui Petru de auto-neprihănire: „Vezi ce am făcut noi pentru tine, Isus, și la câte am renunțat pentru Tine…” Petru vorbea ca acei lucrători din vie, care credeau că li se cuvine o plată mai mare decât celor care nu au lucrat la fel de mult, în loc să se mulțumească să-L slujească pe Hristos din dragoste. Aceasta este perspectiva din care autorul a ales să prezinte pilda.

În primul rând, să privim la contextul istoric și cultural – adică la contextul specific al pildei. De exemplu, Isus spune pilda fiului risipitor anume pentru a-i mustra pe cărturari și farisei, care cârtiseră împotriva Lui: „Omul acesta primeşte pe păcătoşi şi mănâncă cu ei” (Lc. 15:1-2). Apoi, Isus spune pilda în care fariseii și cărturarii sunt prezentați ca fiind cei care „se plâng în loc să se bucure atunci când un păcătos este «găsit»… Ceea ce trebuie să evaluăm aici este rolul fiului mai mare, al cărui unic frate – nu unul dintr-o sută și nici măcar unul din zece – fusese pierdut. Acest frate mai mare îi reprezintă pe fariseii care cârteau și care păreau incapabili să se bucure împreună cu Dumnezeu și cu îngerii din cer” (Moises Silva, 112-113).

Pentru a înțelege contextul cultural, trebuie să studiem obiceiurile oamenilor din primul secol, ca să înțelegem impactul a ceea ce se spune sau se face. De exemplu, când fiul risipitor cerea ca tatăl să-i dea partea lui de moștenire, el cerea ceva ce, în mod normal, nu ar fi primit înainte de moartea tatălui său. Făcând lucrul acesta, el sugera că și-ar fi dorit ca tatăl său să moară. Dacă înțelegem aceasta, dragostea tatălui și harul arătat atunci când își primește fiul înapoi sunt chiar mai uimitoare.

II. Consolidarea Conducerii Biblice
„Slujba Împăcării, Partea A 4-A (Continuare): O Chemare La Împăcarea Poporului Lui Dumnezeu Cu Slujitorul Lui Dumnezeu” (2 Cor. 6:11-7:16)

Continuăm tot cu acest text biblic în prezenta ediție a jurnalului. Data trecută am studiat 2 Cor. 6:11-18 și am vorbit despre primele două secțiuni ale textului:

1. O chemare pastorală la dragoste (6:11-13).

2. O chemare pastorală la avertizare (6:14-18).

Continuăm acum cu cea de-a treia secțiune…

3. Aplicarea chemării pastorale (7:1-4). „Deci...” (se trage o concluzie din ceea ce s-a spus mai înainte), pe baza promisiunilor din Vechiul Testament (6:16-18), conform cărora Dumnezeu va fi Tatăl lor, readucându-și poporul într-o relație corectă cu El, dacă (observați că promisiunile sunt condiționate) se vor separa de rău (adică de practicile religioase păgâne; mai exact, de închinarea la idoli), Pavel poruncește: „Deci fiindcă avem astfel de făgăduinţe, preaiubiţilor, să ne curăţăm de orice întinăciune a cărnii şi a duhului şi să ne ducem sfinţirea până la capăt, în frica de Dumnezeu” (7:1).

Pentru Pavel, principiul de bază al sfințeniei pentru poporul lui Dumnezeu este: „Nu vă înjugaţi la un jug nepotrivit cu cei necredincioşi” (6:14), iar trăirea acestei sfințenii în poporul lui Dumnezeu înseamnă „să ne curăţăm de orice întinăciune a cărnii şi a duhului” (7:1). Principiul este că „cei nedrepţi nu vor moşteni Împărăţia lui Dumnezeu” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Cei din poporul lui Dumnezeu au fost „spălați…sfințiți… socotiţi neprihăniţi, în Numele Domnului Isus Hristos şi prin Duhul Dumnezeului nostru” (1 Cor. 6:11) și sunt, așadar, curățiți, declarațional și pozițional, „de orice întinăciune a cărnii şi a duhului...”

Principiul trebuie să fie evident în trăirea lor ca să fie adevărat cu privire la ei. Cu alte cuvinte, sfințirea pozițională trebuie să fie demonstrată prin sfințirea practică. Am fost sfințiți de Dumnezeu – aceasta este sfințirea pozițională (ex. Fapte 26:18; Evr. 10:14; 13:12; 1 Pet. 1:2; Ef. 5:26; In. 17:17) – și noi trebuie să ne sfințim – aceasta este sfințirea practică și progresivă (1 Cor. 1:18; 1 Pet. 3:15; ), pentru ca unirea noastră cu Hristos să devină din ce în ce mai evidentă și mai reală în viața noastră. Fiind eliberați de robia păcatului (Rom. 6:11-18), putând astfel să nu mai păcătuim (1 In. 3:9), Dumnezeu lucrează în noi (1 Tes. 5:23; Tit 2:14), ca să devenim tot mai asemănători cu Hristos (2 Cor. 3:18; Rom. 8:29; Evr. 13:20-21; 1 In. 2:6; 3:7). Duhul Sfânt, în special, este agentul divin activ în sfințirea noastră (1 Tes. 4:3; 2 Tes. 2:13; Gal. 5:16-18, 22-23).

Nu există conflict între cele două concepte gemene de sfințire pasivă și sfințire activă. Sfințirea nu este doar o lucrare a lui Dumnezeu în noi, prin care suntem sfințiți, puși deoparte, numiți sfinți (1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1) și Dumnezeu nu numai că ne-a dat sfințirea în Hristos (Rom. 1:30; 2 Tes. 2:13), ci și noi ne sfințim, străduindu-ne să evităm păcatul (1 Cor. 6:18; 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 In. 3:6-9) și să facem ceea ce Dumnezeu spune că este adevărat cu privire la noi (1 Cor. 7:34; 1 Tes. 4:3-8; Rom. 6:19), dorind să fim tot mai mult ca și Hristos (Rom. 8:13; Evr. 12:1; Fil. 2:12; 3:13-14; 2 Pet. 1:5 și urm.).

„Întinăciunea” (pângărirea, murdărirea) care rezultă din a fi „înjugaţi la un jug nepotrivit cu cei necredincioşi” (mai exact, din închinarea la zei) este totală, pentru că întinează și „carnea și duhul.” De aceea, „curățirea” cerută apoi „cărnii” (curățire exterioară, fizică – cine suntem în exterior) și „duhului” (curățire interioară, spirituală – cine suntem în interior) este, de asemenea, totală.

„Să ne ducem sfinţirea până la capăt.” Îndemnul acesta sugerează, cu certitudine, că sfințirea noastră este progresivă, pentru că ne străduim aici și acum către sfințenie, înțelegând totodată că sfințenia deplină va fi experimentată doar la glorificarea noastră. Însă chiar dacă desăvârșirea procesului de sfințire va avea loc în eschaton (1 Tes. 3:13; Iuda 24; 2 Cor. 11:2), totuși continuăm să ne luptăm acum pentru a duce acest proces la capăt. Repet, folosirea expresiei „să ducem până la capăt” indică faptul că noi trebuie să facem lucrul acesta. În ce-i privește pe corinteni, ei trebuie să-și ducă sfințirea până la capăt, separându-se de orice întinăciune și asociere cu cei necredincioși – în special în ce privește închinarea la idoli, dar nu numai.

Așa cum „frica de Domnul” a fost unul dintre factorii motivatori în slujirea lui Pavel (5:11; cf. 1 Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 7:11), tot așa trebuie să fie unul dintre factorii principali în motivarea poporului lui Dumnezeu în procesul sfințirii – „să ne curăţăm de orice întinăciune a cărnii şi a duhului.” Noi trăim sub privirea atotvăzătoare și atotcunoscătoare a lui Dumnezeu. Nu putem scăpa de cercetarea și judecata Lui.

Continuând șirul de idei din 6:11-12, Pavel își continuă chemarea pastorală adresată corintenilor. „Înţelegeţi-ne bine! N-am nedreptăţit pe nimeni, n-am vătămat pe nimeni, n-am înşelat pe nimeni” (7:2). El stăruiește pe lângă ei: „Înţelegeţi-ne bine”. El le adusese vestea bună a evangheliei pentru prima dată, așa că inimile lor ar trebui să fie deschise pentru el și, dimpotrivă, închise pentru apostolii falși (care câștigau influență asupra lor) și pentru necredincioșii ale căror practici păgâne le adoptau (David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians [2 Corinteni], 344). În definitiv, nu era nimic la el care să-i facă să se poarte cu el așa cum o făceau. Chiar dacă i-a mustrat aspru și le-a dat instrucțiuni drastice, el nu a nedreptățit pe nimeni, nu a vătămat și nu a înșelat pe nimeni. Așa că, de ce să se poarte astfel cu el? De ce să-l dea la o parte?

„Nu spun aceste lucruri ca să vă osândesc, căci am spus mai înainte că sunteţi în inimile noastre pe viaţă şi pe moarte” (7:3). Pavel vrea să se asigure că ei nu vor răstălmăci ceea ce el a spus în apărarea sa în 7:2. Cineva s-ar putea gândi, mai ales cineva aflat în starea spirituală a corintenilor, că Pavel nu se apăra acolo, ci îi acuza pe ei. De aceea, el își clarifică afirmația: „Nu spun aceste lucruri ca să vă osândesc” și își reconfirmă dragostea pentru ei: „sunteţi în inimile noastre pe viaţă şi pe moarte.” El vrea ca aceste lucruri să fie înțelese foarte clar.

Expresia „pe viaţă şi pe moarte” ar putea fi tradusă „ca să murim împreună pentru (“εις” în greacă) a trăi împreună.” Acesta este într-adevăr scopul său, prin care Pavel s-ar putea să se refere fie la devotamentul și experiența creștină prezentă a lui și a lor (i.e. a muri cu Hristos și a trăi în și pentru Hristos) sau poate se referă la viitorul lor comun, când vor muri împreună ca și credincioși în Hristos și vor fi înviați împreună pentru destinul lor comun de a trăi împreună în cer cu Hristos. El este atât de apropiat de ei, încât vrea să comunice cu ei.

„Am o mare încredere în voi. Am tot dreptul să mă laud cu voi. Sunt plin de mângâiere, îmi saltă inima de bucurie în toate necazurile noastre” (7:4). Versetul acesta poate fi interpretat ca fiind fie ultimul verset din excursus (2:14-7:4), fie primul verset din următoarea secțiune (7:4-16), care este o continuare de la 2:13 referitor la găsirea lui Tit și la ce va avea el de spus despre ei. Decât să încercăm să decidem unde se potrivește acest verset, este probabil mai bine să considerăm 7:4 un verset de legătură care încheie o secțiune și o începe pe următoarea, din moment ce se potrivește foarte bine cu ambele. Versetul încheie reafirmarea atitudinii pozitive a lui Pavel față de ei (7:3) și introduce reacția sa pozitivă față de raportul lui Tit (7:5-16), care, la rândul său, are legătură cu începutul epistolei (2:2-3 cf. 7:4, 13).

Îndrăzneala pe care o avusese în vorbirea sa față de ei (corectându-i cu privire la diferite aspecte) adusese o pocăință plină de evlavie și acțiunea corectivă necesară pe care el o dorea (7:9-10). Astfel, vorbirea lui directă atunci când i-a mustrat și i-a corectat și-a atins scopul dorit și îl face acum să se poată „lăuda” cu ei. Vorbirea lui plină de îndrăzneală, care ar fi putut afecta relația lor pentru totdeauna (pentru că nimănui nu îi place să fie corectat), a avut totuși un rezultat bun, pentru că ei au avut un răspuns bun, așa că el poate și chiar se bucură să se laude cu ei. Într-adevăr, „sunt plin de mângâiere… îmi saltă inima de bucurie” chiar și „în toate necazurile noastre” (și în ciuda lor). Necazurile la care se referă sunt, în mod evident, cele pe care le-a întâlnit în Macedonia, unde s-a dus să-l caute pe Tit (7:5).

III. Schițe De Predici

Titlu: Evanghelia după Isus (Mat. 7:13-14)

Subiect: Două drumuri spre veșnicie.

Tema: Trebuie să alegi calea îngustă și grea a adevărului, dacă vrei să intri în Împărăția lui Dumnezeu.

Punctul 1: Un drum începe ușor, dar se termină greu (7:13).

1a) Începe ușor pentru că intrarea este largă și drumul este lat.

1b) Se termină greu pentru că duce la distrugere veșnică.

Punctul 2: Celălalt drum începe greu, dar se termină ușor (7:14).

2a) Începe greu pentru că intrarea este îngustă și drumul este dificil.

2b) Se termină ușor pentru că duce la viață veșnică.