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Verse 18
Theosis · English Bible
3 Kingdoms (1 Kings)

3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 19

Old TestamentTheosis · English Bible

1And Achaab told Jezabel his wife all that Eliu had done, and how he had slain the prophets with the sword. 2And Jezabel sent to Eliu, and said, If thou art Eliu and I am Jezabel, God do so to me, and more also, if I do not make thy life by this time to-morrow as the life of one of them. 3And Eliu feared, and rose, and departed for his life: and he comes to Bersabee to the land of Juda, and he left his servant there. 4And he himself went a day's journey in the wilderness, and came and sat under a juniper tree; and asked concerning his life that he might die, and said, Let it be enough now, O Lord, take, I pray thee, my life from me; for I am no better than my fathers. 5And he lay down and slept there under a tree; and behold, some one touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat. 6And Eliu looked, and, behold, at his head there was a cake of meal and a cruse of water; and he arose, and ate and drank, and returned and lay down. 7And the angel of the Lord returned again, and touched him, and said to him, Arise, and eat, for the journey is far from thee. 8And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights to mount Choreb. 9And he entered there into a cave, and rested there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said, What doest thou here, Eliu? 10And Eliu said, I have been very jealous for the Lord Almighty, because the children of Israel have forsaken thee: they have digged down thine altars, and have slain thy prophets with the sword; and I only am left alone, and they seek my life to take it. 11And he said, Thou shalt go forth to-morrow, and shalt stand before the Lord in the mount; behold, the Lord will pass by. And, behold, a great and strong wind rending the mountains, and crushing the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire the voice of a gentle breeze. 13And it came to pass when Eliu heard, that he wrapt his face in his mantle, and went forth and stood in the cave: and, behold, a voice came to him and said, What doest thou here, Eliu? 14And Eliu said, I have been very jealous for the Lord Almighty; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, and they have overthrown thine altars, and have slain thy prophets with the sword! and I am left entirely alone, and they seek my life to take it. 15And the Lord said to him, Go, return, and thou shalt come into the way of the wilderness of Damascus: and thou shalt go and anoint Azael to be king over Syria. 16And Ju the son of Namessi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisaie the son of Saphat shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapes from the sword of Azael, Ju shall slay; and him that escapes from the sword of Ju, Elisaie shall slay. 18And thou shalt leave in Israel seven thousand men, all the knees which had not bowed themselves to Baal, and every mouth which had not worshipped him. 19And he departed thence, and finds Elisaie the son of Saphat, and he was ploughing with oxen; there were twelve yoke before him, and he with the twelve, and he passed by to him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20And Elisaie left the cattle, and ran after Eliu and said, I will kiss my father, and follow after thee. And Eliu said, Return, for I have done a work for thee. 21And he returned from following him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled them with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and he arose, and went after Eliu, and ministered to him.

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3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 19:18

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom4th century

What does God communicate to Elijah? He immediately corrects him, saying, "You did not flee due to that reason, for you are not alone in your faithfulness to Me; indeed, I have reserved for Myself seven thousand who have not submitted to Baal." Thus, God chastises Elijah, revealing that his flight was motivated by fear of a woman. A woman instilled such trepidation in this mighty prophet, teaching Elijah that when he achieves great deeds, he should not credit himself but the divine power at work. Notice how nature is humbled when grace departs. Elijah journeyed for forty days, demonstrating the might of fear and the depths of cowardice. He did not seek refuge for just one day or two, but fled for forty days into desolate regions, devoid of food or resources, consumed by fear and neglecting his well-being in his pursuit of solitude. The prophet's spirit was swift like the wind in a sail, racing into the wilderness at the sound of the woman’s word. Where, Elijah, has your former courage gone? Where is that fearless tongue that commanded rain? Where is the voice that sealed the heavens and summoned fire from above? As noted earlier, these feats were accomplished through grace, thus he receives God’s reproof. Witness how he was allowed to stumble in a minor way, embracing humanity’s full garment. Therefore, Elijah, now understanding; be compassionate as your Master, having learned and received guidance from Him. Observe how God permits strong pillars and strongholds to encounter minor sins so they might demonstrate mercy towards others, remembering their own frailties. This is not to condemn the righteous but to offer a path to salvation; when you falter, do not lose hope in your redemption, recalling that the righteous have sinned yet retained their honor through repentance. We have spoken of their virtues and followed with their failures. Likewise, should you falter, do not abandon the church; and if you are righteous, remain steadfast, ever guided by Scripture. Always keep in mind the heavens and the blessings prepared by God for those who love Him: to Him be glory, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Elijah perceived that others were lost and believed he alone remained; such a thought could lead one to madness. To divert this misconception, God reassured him, "I have reserved seven thousand men whose knees have not bowed to Baal." Even while enacting judgment with drought, Elijah’s thoughts turned inward, believing himself unique, yet the Lord highlights a multitude of believers, purifying his heart and teaching moderation, gentleness, and a balance of humanity with zeal.

Let us not assume that God’s commandments are beyond fulfillment; indeed, many do so today. If you doubt this, it is understandable. Like Elijah, who thought he was singular in his commitment, he was reminded by the Lord, "I have left seven thousand men among the Israelites." Thus, it is evident that many continue to lead lives of faith now, just as three thousand and five thousand professed belief in the past. If we struggle to accept this, it is not due to a lack of virtuous individuals, but because we engage too little in their pursuits. Those who immerse themselves in excess may struggle to believe that others exist who abstain even from basic indulgences, though we see many monks do so. The lustful may find it hard to accept that maintaining purity is possible, and the greedy may doubt the existence of those who willingly give. Similarly, those burdened with worldly concerns might find it challenging to embrace the notion of freedom from such encumbrances. However, the existence of numerous individuals who live out this doctrine is evident in the wise examples before us today.