Restoration is more than just brining people back to where they were before, it is about brining people into the position that God created them for.
- Restoration releasing people.
God is about to bring judgment upon the corrupt dynasty of Ahab and he is going to use Elijah to raise up His instruments that are going to do this.
1 Kings 19: 15 – 18
- Hazel made king – Don’t know who he was but from Assyrian records we have record that he was the “Son of a worthless man”
- Jehu was a general, not a king
- Elisha was a farmer not a prophet.
- Raise up a ministry of 7000 prophets
This is restoration, releasing people to become who God created them to be.
2. Fleeing Jezreel
1 Kings 18: 46 God gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.
Jezreel means “God Sows”
- Great victory over prophets of Baal
- People are crying out “The Lord is God”
- Rain after 3 1/2 years.
- Ripe for revival.
Jezebel threatens Elijah and rather than lead a revival, he runs for his life.
Why he ran is not so important as the point that he failed big time and where God wanted to sow, he left.
3. No better than ancestors.
1 Kings 19: 4 Take my life for I am no better than my ancestors.
Dealing with failure is a huge part if we are going to learn to release people into their position and bring restoration into their lives.
No better than ancestors is absolutely right. We are all going to fail and fall flat on our faces. The older we get the more regrets will pile up in our lives.
I want to die. He really did because he failed God and he was really down.
4. God’s response is a meal.
1 Kings 19: 5 – 7 God prepares a meal for him.
Isaiah 42: 2, 3 He will be gentle will not raise His voice in public A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.
Not break us down, (Look what could have happened if you would have just stayed) but prepares a meal for us.
EXAMPLE: Peter failed and God prepared a meal for his disciples. Psalm 23: 5 You prepare a meal in the presence of my enemies. SOMETIMES THE ENEMY IS US.
5. Come to the Mountain of the Lord.
Moses went to Sinai and now Elijah is going there too.
We need to come to the mountain of the Lord. Privilege of coming to God’s mountain. (Hebrews 12: 22 – 24)
In times of desperation we need a touch from God.
6. Blame sets in.
1 Kings 19: 9b – 10 blame for failure is on others instead of himself.
Longer he thinks about it, we put ourselves in a better light.
- It is not good to sit in blame over our mistakes,
- It is not better to sit and blame others for our failures.
Elijah is about to lose his ability to bring restoration in Israel
7. Covered in the glory
Mantle covered him. Root word for mantle is the word glory.
Don’t stand in our own merits,
Don’t stand in our own power
We stand in the power and glory of God as our only hope.
8. Go back the way you came
I am sending you back to Jezreel again. You may die, but I am sending you back.
Chance to reclaim what was lost