Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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1 Kings
Book: 1 Kings
Chapter: 19
Overview:
Elijah flees to the
Wilderness.
(1-8) God manifests himself to
Elijah.
(9-13) God's answer to
Elijah.
(14-18) The
Call of
Elisha.
(19-21)
1-8 Jezebel sent
Elijah a threatening message.
Carnal hearts
are hardened and enraged against
God,
By that which should
convince and conquer them. Great
Faith is not always alike
strong. He might be serviceable to
Israel at this time, and had
all reason to depend upon
God's protection, while doing
God's
work; yet he flees. His was not the deliberate desire of
Grace,
as
Paul's, to depart and be with
Christ.
God thus left
Elijah to
himself, to show that when he was bold and strong, it was in the
Lord, and the power of his might; but of himself he was
No
better than his fathers.
God knows what he designs us for,
though we do not, what services, what trials, and he will take
care that we are furnished with
Grace sufficient.
9-13 The question
God Put, What doest thou here,
Elijah? is a
reproof. It concerns us often to ask whether we are in our
place, and in the way of our duty. Am I where I should be?
whither
God calls me, where my business lies, and where I may be
useful? He complained of the people, and their obstinacy in
Sin;
I only am left. Despair of success hinders many a good
enterprise. Did
Elijah come hither to meet with
God? he shall
find that
God will meet him. The wind, and
Earthquake, and
Fire,
did not make him cover his
Face, but the still voice did.
Gracious souls are more affected
By the tender mercies of the
Lord, than
By his terrors. The mild voice of Him who speaks from
the
Cross, or the
Mercy-seat, is accompanied with
Peculiar power
in taking possession of the
Heart.
14-18 God repeated the question, What doest thou here? Then he
complained of his discouragement; and whither should
God's
prophets go with their complaints of that kind, but to their
Master? The
Lord gave him an answer. He declares that the wicked
House of
Ahab shall be rooted out, that the people of
Israel
shall be punished for their sins; and he shows that
Elijah was
not left alone as he had supposed, and also that a helper should
at once be raised up for him. Thus all his complaints are
answered and provided for.
God's
Faithful ones are often his
hidden ones, Ps 83:3, and the visible
Church is scarcely to be
seen: the
Wheat is lost in
Chaff, and the
Gold in
Dross, till
the sifting, refining, separating
Day comes. The
Lord knows them
that are his, though we do not; he sees in secret. When we come
to
Heaven we shall miss many whom we thought to have met there;
we shall meet many whom we little thought to have met there.
God's
Love often proves larger than
Man's
Charity, and far more
extended.
19-21 Elijah found
Elisha By Divine direction, not in the
Schools of the Prophets, but in the
Field; not reading, or
praying, or sacrificing, but ploughing. Idleness is
No Man's
honour, nor is husbandry any
Man's disgrace. An honest
Calling
in the world, does not
Put us out of the way of our heavenly
Calling, any more than it did
Elisha. His
Heart was touched
By
the Holy
Spirit, and he was ready to leave all to attend
Elijah.
It is in a
Day of power that
Christ's subjects are made willing;
nor would any come to
Christ unless they were thus drawn. It was
a discouraging time for prophets to set out in. A
Man that had
consulted with
Flesh and
Blood, would not be fond of
Elijah's
Mantle; yet
Elisha cheerfully leaves all to accompany him. When
the
Saviour said to one and to another, Follow me, the dearest
friends and most profitable occupations were cheerfully left,
and the most arduous duties done from
Love to his name. May we,
in like manner, feel the energy of his
Grace working in us
mightily, and
By unreserved submission at once, may we make our
Calling and election sure.