Last week, we began looking at Elijah’s last day and learning to live for eternity.

How would you live your life if you knew it was going to end today?
– Scripture teaches us that it is wise to live with eternity in view.

 

Elijah lived his life with urgency and consistency, and we should be challenged to do the same. Urgent Consistency and Consistent Urgency

 

Using his last day as a framework, we will see that Elijah lived with a clear reality of life’s brevity, God’s control over all, and his place before God.

1. This life is brief. – 2:1

The phrase “It came to pass” is found three times in Elijah’s last day and plenty
throughout the description of his ministry.

It is one Hebrew word meaning “to fall out, happen, or to come to be”. However, it is not just filler. The Bible communicates uses this word often, and it communicates that one even happens and then another. Nothing in this life is meant to be permanent aside from our relationship with God. This changes our perspective of our events.

Elijah was resilient and ready. He endured change and stayed ready for it. He did not cling to any one moment, but walked with God from one to the next.

Brook Cherith – 1 Kings 17:7 – The widow and her son – 1 Kings 17:7

Severe Drought – 1 Kings. 18:1 – 850 Prophets on Carmel – 1 Kings 18:19

Fire from heaven then ending of drought – 1 Kings 18:17, 27, 29,

The Bible teaches us that physical life is just a little time. – James 4:14

Are we living with continual awareness? (what if’s and if only’s?)

2. God is in control over all. – 2:1-2

Elijah recognized God’s control and did not argue with how things were turning out.

What are some ways Elijah might have objected to God on his last day?

 

God is in control of every aspect of the timing of our lives.

Think about Elijah’s sudden appearance and purpose in his ministry. – 1 Kings 17:1

– Elijah was a sojourner and stranger.

– We know nothing about the years of life that God used to prepare him for the significant
moment.

– Elijah came with one purpose and message (even in his name), and he had to learn to trust God to accomplish that work.

God is always active and over our lives. We don’t ever know exactly what God has for us next, but we can trust Him and know that He desires our obedience.

3. We are responsible to God right now and always. – 1 Kings 17:1, 18:15

As Elijah stood before a king that had built an alter and temple for Baal and an asherah (goddess), he declared that his loyal service was to God only.

He spoke of actively standing before the Lord in the present moment. This was built out of a real and vibrant relationship with God. It was not a distant moment he waited for, but he was very conscious of God’s current presence. Because of this…

He stood against the darkness of spreading idolatry.

He stood unimpressed by lavishness and power of the ruler.

He stood even when it isolated him from other Israelites, prophets, and priests.

He stood by clearly identifying sin as the problem and condemning idolatry even when it labeled him as a troubler and as the enemy. – 1 Kings 18:17, 21:20

When Elijah strayed from this, he struggled in disappointment from threat and his perception of the results. – 1 Kings 19:1-8

 

Elijah lived with spiritual clarity and God-controlled reality. He understood that moments in life come to pass but we presently stand before an eternal God. We will not just stand before God “then”, but we stand before Him now!

 

Like the rich fool in Luk 12:13-21, many people are full of plans but short on time to fulfill them. The moments of our lives cannot be regathered after we spend them (1 Samuel 14:14). May we be faithful to live conscious of reality for what matters as we will soon give account (Luke 12:20).

 

Memorize this week: James 4:14

 

Meditate this week:

 

In James 4:13, what does the one planning take account?

 

 

In James 4:15, of what does the one planning neglect? How is this more important?

 

 

What is evil in James 4:16, and what is sin in James 4:17? Why?