In chapter seven of Elijah, Swindoll shows us that Elijah, this hero of faith, was still just a man. He was exhausted and when threatened, this time he ran. But he also shows that God tended to him… in a very personal way. The angel who appears to him is God Himself, and He doesn’t criticize him, instead he asks Elijah a question: What are you doing here?
Once Elijah rests and is comforted by God, he realized there was still much for him to do. But now he was going to have a friend help him. God sent Elisha to help him out.
After showing God’s mercy and graciousness in chapter seven, Swindoll shows God’s justice in chapter eight: When God says, “That’s Enough!” He takes us through 1 Kings 21:1-29. He shows us that though God is patient and merciful and compassionate – His compassion has its limit. God is a God of righteousness and justice. Swindoll says, “There comes a time when God finally says to those who stubbornly refuse to listen: “You will go no farther. That is all!” When this moment arrives, “his calamity will come suddenly” and “there will be no healing.” He reminds us that “God does not play games with us.”
He recaps Sodom and Gomorrah, the story of Herod Agrippa I, and the entire nation of Judah, then he comes back to 1 Kings 21 and the story of Naboth. He was a simple farmer who happened to own a vineyard near Ahab’s palace. Ahab wanted it. Naboth refused. Ahab pouted. Jezebel stepped in and had Naboth killed so that her husband to claim the land.
This royal couple, who had witnessed the power of God personally, still didn’t turn their hearts towards the one true God. This last act of murder was the final straw. God sends good ‘ole Elijah to once again confront the king and queen and basically tell them that God has said their end is near. Ahab and Jezebel die.
Swindoll wraps up the chapter with these two points: first, there is an end to God’s patience, but no one knows where that end is. Second, God keeps His word – no one stops it. Ahab and Jezebel were powerful individuals. They were wicked and intimidating but when God says, “That’s it” then that’s it.
No one can escape His justice once He’s proclaimed it. No one.
This flows naturally into the next chapter: Watch Out for the Enemy. Swindoll ends chapter eight with this line, “God is good, and He is also just. And when His justice finally kicks in, there’s no escaping it. If you think otherwise, you’ve bought into a deadly opiate.”
One of the biggest enemies we face is our own self. But this chapter focuses on the other-worldly enemies. Demons and Satan. Swindoll picks up Elijah’s story in the book of 2 Kings. Ahab’s son, Ahaziah is now the ruler. He has a fall and becomes ill. So he sends messengers to Ekron to ask Baal-zebub if he’ll recover. Swindoll points out that this Baal-zebub may not be teh same Beelzebul who is mentioned in the New Testatment, and that this is the only place where Baal-zebub is mentioned in the Bible.
Anyway, he talks about the confrontation of Elijah and members of Ahaziah’s army. Again, Elijah calls fire down from heaven (gotta love this guy!) until the third captain bowed before Elijah and pleaded with him. God gave Elijah the ok to go with the captain.
Though Elijah, God tells Ahaziah that he shall die because he’s sought divination from a false god (or demon). Ahaziah dies.
Swindoll points out that people seek to know the future and that anyone who seeks it though things such a horoscopes, psychic hotlines, Ouija boards, palm readers, etc are dealing with the occult. It may seem harmless, or even fun, but God’s Word is clear. In Leviticus 19:21, God says that tapping into such things makes you defiled. You become, as Swindoll states, “mentally contaminated, emotionally confused, spiritually corrupted.” God even states, in Deuteronomy 18:9-12 that basically anyone how participates in any of these things is “detestable to the Lord.” That is how seriously God takes this.
Once again we’re reminded not to play games with God… but “we must also learn not to play games with the enemy.”
Chapter ten covers Elijah’s non-death. Yup, for those of you who haven’t read the story, Elijah doesn’t die. He is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Seriously. This guy cool. He calls fire from heaven; resurrects the dead and… he doesn’t have to suffer death… God just whisks him up to heaven. Who wouldn’t like that?
Swindoll goes through Elijah’s trek to the Jordan where Elisha witnesses his non-death.
Finally in the book’s conclusion, Swindoll sums up everything and reminds us that Elijah’s life resembles that of another prophet, as a matter of fact, it resembles the life of the Messiah. In the New Testament, Jesus even asks His disciples who they think the Son of Man is – and the answer from some was “Elijah.” And on the Mount of Transfiguration, two men appeared before Jesus and three of His disciples. One was Moses. The other – Elijah.
I mentioned in another post that Elijah was one of my favorite people in the Bible, and I love this book that goes through his life. It is very easy to follow because Swindoll starts each chapter with the Scripture he’s going to be focused on. Then as he goes through each passage, he reiterates just that line, or lines, then gives his insights. It saves you from having to pull out your own Bible to read the passage as you go through the book.
I’ve only hit on some of what Swindoll has covered, insights that I liked – but the book is packed with much more. I now want to get his book on the Apostle Paul. Another favorite of mine.
Happy reading!
