Human reason would agree that if anyone had justified cause to complain and be discouraged, it would be God’s prophet Elijah. Wicked King Ahab of Israel, with his scheming equally evil Queen Jezebel, threatened Elijah. Elijah faithfully proclaimed the truth of God’s word verses the king and queen’s idolatrous institution and practice of Baal worship. The LORD though Elijah won a great victory for the truth of God’s kingdom and the 7,000 faithful Christians in Israel verses the false prophets of the false god Baal (1 Kings 19:18).
As chapter 19 begins, Elijah faces a new challenge in his ministry: “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets [false prophets of Baal] with the sword. So, Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them’” (vv.1-2). Fearing for his life and on the run, Elijah despairs of his life and sees no value in continuing his ministry as the LORD’s prophet.
As modern-day Christians, we experience trials and tribulations in various ways because of our Christian faith as society as a whole continues to drift farther away from the truth of God’s word. It may happen in the near future that verbal persecution will become physical persecution. What do we do? God’s word compels us to be faithful to our LORD. What does that look like practically? We “trust God above all,” and live our Christian faith, and speak/witness God’s truth in love…all motivated by what God has done for us and has promised us now and into eternity through our Jesus’ saving work.