Where is the God of Elijah
2 Kings 2:7-14
7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
Now I doubt anyone thinks there were any special properties of the coat, although there are many religions in the world that place great emphasis on relics. For instance, the Shroud of Turin, various Saints bones, crosses that “bleed” etc, that some believe have supernatural powers. Quite honestly if we believe that these inanimate objects have some kind of power, its nothing short of idolatry. However when we want to see God move in power and with miracles, we are more likely to say things like, if only CS Lewis or Spurgeon, Oswald Chambers, Luther, Wesley, Wigglesworth or other great people of God were here to work in power and with miracles?
Arguably Elijah was greater than all of those and yet look what James writes about him
James 5:17 New King James Version
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
God uses ordinary men and women to do His work. The miracles of Elijah were not because he was special, or there were powers in his coat, but because God does extraordinary things with ordinary people and he was a man of earnest prayer.
Elijah was a rough and rugged man from the rocky hill country of Gilead. He was dressed in hairy outer garments made of goat, sheep, or camel skin and had a leather belt around his waist. He has no history of his early life and he never “dies”! He is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind and his body is never found. And that’s why people ask John the Baptist in John 1:21 “Are you Elijah and he said “I am not”. Elijah had no university education (as far as we know!), not rich, not well dressed or influential, but he is a man of prayer. As James says “he prayed earnestly”. A man “with a nature like ours!
I wonder how many of us have asked that question” Where is God now?” at various times in our lives. Where is the God of Elijah now?
Many don’t even believe in God, others don’t even care! Some say God is dead. Some say if He’s there He is way out in heaven somewhere. Let’s just touch on some of those different beliefs people have:
You get atheism and they do not believe in an God or deity. I love the story of a very well known British pastor who worked in the RAF ministering to various groups of people in the Airforce while on active duty. When approached by an atheist he always made three comments. Firstly, as they were in a war zone, he promised that if the atheist died, the pastor would at his funeral, make it very clear that, that was it for the atheist, that his life was now over, and there would no heaven for him. They would sing no hymns and he would explain that the atheist was no more! It was the end of the road and there would be no one waiting on the “other side”! The pastor said that this really shook them up! Secondly, he said to the atheist- you know you must have more faith than me, because you believe that something came out of nothing- that takes real faith. And thirdly, he would ask, what kind of God do you not believe in. And generally, the Pastor at this stage would agree with the atheist and say I don’t believe in that type of God either!
Then you get the agnosticism. They simply say that they don’t know if there is a God or not. We believe God is alive- He lives. But how do you know if someone is alive? There is movement, there is activity, there’s interaction. Do you know there are about 2.4 billion Christians in the world that have experienced saving grace of God. The Christian population is projected to grow from over 3 billion by 2050.
Do you know Lee Strobel (famous author) did some research into the number of Americans that believe God has intervened supernaturally in their lives. He found, “nearly two out of five US adults (38 percent) said they have had such an experience—which by extrapolation means that [over 94 million] Americans are convinced that God has performed at least one miracle for them personally”. God is moving in this world today!
Then you get deism. They believe there is a God, but believe he is way out there and does not intervene. Has set up everything, but does not control what’s going on in our lives. This means He does not respond to prayer- He sets things on a path and does not interfere! This is diametrically opposite to what this bible teaches us! It puts man in charge; he shapes his own future. Reminds me of to King Nebuchadnezzar
Daniel 4:29-31 New International Version
29 ….., as the king [ Nebuchadnezzar] was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
Man likes to think he’s running the show!
Then we have theism and that is what our bible teaches. We believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
We believe that God does intervene;
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
We believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe God does answer prayer and speaks to His people today! The whole bible is filled with this truth!
Now getting back to the original question “Where is the God of Elijah?”
God is not contained in one place
Psalm 139:7-10 New International Version
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
or
Jeremiah 23:23-24 New International Version
23 “Am I only a God nearby” declares the Lord,
“and not a God far away?
24 Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
“Do not I fill heaven and earth?”
declares the Lord.
This reminds me so much of a flame or a fire. Can you draw boundary lines around a flame, can you put flame in a jar and say here it is. Fire is nebulous, it amorphic – you cant say this is its shape, these are its boundaries- can you touch it? take hold of it?
When we ask Where is the God of Elijah, have you ever considered how often God has used fire, to reveal His very presence, even reveal His very character in the bible?
The God of Moses revealed Himself through a burning bush that was not consumed and God spoke to Moses. I can testify that God has spoken to me, not through a burning bush, but when in deep prayer.
The God of Moses led is people through the wilderness with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Is His word still not a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Has He not led us and guided us individually? I can testify He has led us.
The God of Elijah spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper, after a fire, after an earthquake. I can testify that God has spoken in a quiet still voice in this day.
The God of Daniel revealed Himself in the fire with Shadrack, Meschach and Abednego. I can testify that Jesus has saved us out of the fires of hell.
The God of the apostles- Luke, Paul revealed His Holy Spirit to them at Pentecost through tongues of fire that came to rest on them. I can testify that I have experienced the very presence of God through His Holy Spirit.
So we ask where is the God of Elijah? He is here right now, with all power, with all glory and with all majesty!
Our God is a consuming fire, a cleansing fire, a purifying fire! And so……
6 As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
‘In the time of my favour I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.’[a]
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2
SO WHERE IS THE GOD OF ELIJAH?
17 The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.’ Zephaniah 3:17
Now…. tell the people: this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Return to me,” declares the Lord Almighty, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 1:3
Abide in me and I will abide in you…. And you will know where the God of Elijah is!