Comments on: Elijah Blew It (T4G 2012)

By: Ben Toh

Ben Toh — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:03:35 +0000

Thanks, Tim. When I heard him read the Scripture, I thought it was the “best” Scripture reading I have ever heard or experienced. His reading was riveting.

Regarding God deciding to ”shelf”/retire Elijah because of his idolatry” — it is an interesting comment. My thoughts are that surely God, who is sovereign and omniscient, knows all things, including how the future will play out. Based on the narrative, however, God was clearly displeased with Elijah, asking him twice, “What are you doing here Elijah?” So I think it is a reasonable interpretation of the narrative.

By: Tim Fitch

Tim Fitch — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:23:01 +0000

I listened to Ligon Duncan’s sermon and it was indeed an excellent sermon! When he was reading the passage, I could have sworn that he was actually delivering his sermon.
The only part that I don’t know if I agree with 100% is that God decided to “shelf”/retire Elijah because of his idolatry. If that’s the case, would God not have retired him before Elijah even destroyed the 450 prophets of Baal? The sin of idolatry is always there in our hearts.
But I do agree 100% that Elijah had an idolatry after what he did to Baal’s prophets. It would be really hard not to. But did God decide to retire him because of this idolatry? Perhaps God already had in mind for Elisha to be his successor way before this event even happened so that Elijah could see that God himself is the best gift ever?

Also, I really enjoyed how Ligon Duncan pointed this passage to the gospel – Where Elijah failed with his sin of idolatry, Jesus succeeded when he himself was tempted with idolatry but overcame when he said, “Yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Lk 22:42)
Thanks for sharing

By: Birgit (Heidelberg)

Birgit (Heidelberg) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:59:55 +0000

Henoch, hurry and come to our Spring Conference on Elijah! ;-)

By: Ben Toh

Ben Toh — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:58:33 +0000

Thanks, Henoch, for sharing. Yeah, it is easy for that “glorious one day” of Elijah’s to become an idolatry. Experiencing God’s supernatural power through our feeble Christian life is surely a high equivalent to drugs. Then do I want that high (which is God’s grace and blessing) or do I want Jesus only without that high?

Drawing closer to Jesus is surely the goal of every Christian (Phil 3:10, 12). When sanctification occurs, I believe that God, who is working in us, will spur us on to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12-13).

By: Henoch

Henoch — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:48:38 +0000

Ben, thank you for this encouraging article.

I have to admit that i have never studied the life of Elijah in depth. But since my childhood, since the time i heard about Elijah in children's bibles and Sunday classes he certainly became one of my heroes of faith. The perspective that his ministry was objectively seen a failure, is entirely new to me. But you are right: in terms of what he accomplished, he only had one glorious day. But what a powerful one day, indeed!

You are absolutely right in saying that Jesus is the ultimate value and worth. Once we have him, there is nothing else we need. And yet, this is so painfully difficult to practice. I guess that there is always a strong sense of wanting to accomplish something in order to feel worthy. The motives and intentions, which are intermingling with the desire to feel good about oneself, can be good and noble (helping people come to Christ). But ultimately, i want to accomplish something to feel better about myself. I want to be able to look at my life and see lasting fruit: people who have come to Christ through me. This is idolatry indeed.

During my past years here in the U.S., i didn't really have any "bible students" due to a variety of reasons. As weird as this may sound, maybe the past years have been such a great experience to me precisely because of this. Instead, i want this time to be an opportunity to come closer to Jesus. I am still struggling to not feel less worthy or less useful but to enjoy the pleasure of just focusing on the essential: to be with Christ with whom i will spend eternity.