1 Kings 19:16, commentary and pictures

At Horeb God directed Elijah to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah to be prophet in his place, to carry on the work after him and make His purpose for Israel plain. These appointments belonged with Hazael appointed king over Syria to a commission of judgment upon idolatrous Israel, to punish idolatry and open the way for reformation and choice of the true God. Jehu was raised up to destroy Jezebel and the house of Ahab and to remove Baal worship and its altars, a judgment that in mercy was meant to turn Israelites from idolatry toward God. God gave the command after Elijah in weariness fled before Jezebel's threats and prayed to die, for by that failure of faith he cut short the work he had begun and was not to complete it. Yet God did not leave him to perish discouraged in the wilderness but valued his faithful service and gave him ascent with angels to the presence of His glory, teaching His people in difficulty to keep in the way of duty, trust implicitly in the Lord God of Israel, and wait patiently and prayerfully for the display of His power.

Context and Appointments

The word was spoken to Elijah at Horeb in the time of his flight, as divine instruction giving directions for the work that was to continue after him. There God made His purpose for Israel plain by naming the men who would carry that future work forward. One named was Jehu the son of Nimshi, to be anointed king over Israel. The other named was Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, to be anointed prophet in Elijah's place as his prophetic successor. Elisha's early training under God's direction prepared him to guide Israel safely, following Elijah's work that had helped turn the people from idolatry toward the worship of God.

Judgment and Reformation

The anointing of Jehu to be king over Israel and of Elisha to be prophet belongs with the anointing of Hazael to be king over Syria in one commission of judgment upon idolatrous Israel, in which Hazael was appointed as a scourge and instrument of judgment. Together these appointments carry out God's plan to punish Israel's idolatry and to bring about reformation by giving the people opportunity to choose the true God. Within that purpose Jehu was raised up to destroy the wicked Jezebel and the house of Ahab and to remove Baal worship with its altars, and this judgment was an act of mercy intended to turn some Israelites from idolatry toward God.

Given as part of the prophetic commission during Ahab's reign, Jehu's later reforms brought about the destruction of Ahab's house, while the reformation begun by Elijah and carried forward by Elisha led many Israelites to seek God and the altars of Baal were gradually abandoned. In the same context God corrected Elijah's belief that he alone remained faithful, which warns against attempting to count God's people and urges tender sympathy for those who need salvation. The verse therefore shows that God may allow consequences to come upon those who persist in rejecting truth, which applies to men in responsible positions who through unbelief and opposition to revealed truth become a scourge to God's people.

Failure, Mercy, and Duty

Elijah had borne a heavy burden for Israel in warning against national idolatry, in watching through three years and a half of famine for repentance, and in standing alone for God on Mount Carmel where idolatry was cast down and rain testified to coming blessing, yet in weakness and weariness he fled before Jezebel's threats and prayed alone in the desert to die. After he fled in fear, God directed him to appoint Elisha as prophet in his place. By one failure of faith he cut short the work he had begun and was not to complete it.

The command warns that yielding once to human weakness and letting go of faith brings shame and loss, and that unbelief means failure. Yet it also shows God's mercy reaching to the depths, for God valued Elijah's faithful service and marked his heart-service. He did not leave him to perish discouraged alone in the wilderness, but gave him not descent to the tomb but ascent with angels to the presence of His glory, lifting the repenting soul to share the adoption of the sons of God.

The history of Elijah fleeing in discouragement at Jezebel's threat, carefully and prayerfully studied, helps the people of God under difficulties. It means that no one is to assume responsibilities God does not require and interpose between the Lord and His tempted and tried ones so that God's purposes for them are not carried out. In difficulties each person is to keep in the way of duty without letting fear discourage him. Every soul is to put trust not in the wisdom of men but in the Lord God of Israel as defense, and in trusting implicitly in God and waiting patiently and prayerfully with confidence in Him will see the wonderful display of His power.