This is part of the 40 days and 40 nights series.
The Bible states that when God’s prophet, Elijah, was fleeing for his life from the evil queen, Jezebel, he was exhausted and fell asleep under a juniper tree. Before falling asleep, Elijah requested God to let him die for he thought that he had had enough of being God’s prophet and living his life on the run. An angel of the LORD touched him and woke him up and told him “Arise and eat” the cake that was baked on coals and some water in a jar, which he ate and went back to sleep. Then again, the angel of the LORD touched Elijah again and woke him up and told him, “Arise and eat, for the journey ahead would be too great for him.” Elijah ate and was strengthened by the food that God had provided for him. With that renewed strength, he journey for forty days and forty nights, until he came to Horeb (Sinai), the mountain of God.
Points to ponder:
40 days and 40 nights was the length of the journey that Elijah had to take to reach the mountain of God. What is important to note is not the extent of the timeframe of Elijah’s journey, but the state Elijah was in, the sustenance of God, and the final stop where Elijah comes to. Elijah was famished because he was running from evil. God provided for Elijah and sustained him supernaturally throughout his journey. Elijah reaches the mountain of God, where God speaks to him of his people and his plan for succession.
Are you and I famished running from evil?
Are we sustained by not the provisions of this world, but by the provisions of God and strengthened to journey a great distance (maybe even 40 days and 40 nights) until we come to the Holy mountain founded by God (Psalm 87:1)?
Life is a journey until we come into the presence of God – and this journey can be completed successfully, only if we run from evil and be strengthened by the provision God has made for us. Without Jesus, whom we are to take in, we cannot undertake this great journey to where God is, in his Holy mountain.
Are you and I strengthened by God?
1 Kings 19:1-8 (KJV)
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
