Elijah - A Flawed “Super Hero”

 

                                                      

Much of Elijah’s life presents like that of a Biblical  superhero. He was fed by ravens during a time of drought.  God caused the widow’s limited supply of flour and oil to last until the drought ended. When the widow’s son died, Elijah prayed and the boy was restored to life.  Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, and the Lord sent fire from heaven.  Elijah prayed for rain, and God sent rain to end the drought.

If the Biblical narrative  ended there we would have viewed Elijah not only as a man of great faith but also as a “superhero “ of the Bible.

But the narrative does not end there. After the victory on Mount Carmel and the miraculous rain from heaven, we next see Elijah overcome with fear as he learns that Jezebel has threatened his life.  Elijah runs for his life then sits under a broom tree, wanting to die.

Why was this account included in Scripture? It would have made for a better story if the people of Jezreel welcomed Elijah home with a parade in his honor, then he lived happily ever after! The Bible, however , is not a book about superheroes  but about real men and women. And real men and women, no matter how godly, falter at times. 

God’s response to Elijah is precious. As Elijah sat under the broom tree, discouraged and dejected, God did not scold him for his unbelief. Instead, God tenderly gave him food to eat and water to drink, then allowed him to rest under the tree.  

The Lord then led him to Mount Horeb where He revealed Himself to Elijah.  He did so not through wind or earthquake or fire.  The powerful God of the universe chose to meet Elijah in “a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12). When Elijah was at his lowest point physically, emotionally and spiritually, God reached out to him with tender mercy and kindness.

No, the Bible is not about superheroes whose lives we futilely strive to imitate.   It is about a God who works through everyday men and women . It is about a God who knows our frailty and loves us anyway.

Yes, I do enjoy reading about how the ravens fed Elijah by the brook and how the widow’s son was restored to life and how fire came down on Mount Carmel. But  for me,  the best part of the story is  when the Sovereign God of the Universe reached down and tenderly cared for Elijah at his weakness moment, then gently restored him back to wholeness.