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“LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Don\u2019t let circumstances control your feelings, let faith do it.<\/p>\n \u201cKilled<\/span>\u201d is translated from apoktein\u014d<\/em><\/span>. This is a compound word made up of apo<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201caway from,\u201d used as an intensifier and ktein\u014d<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto kill.\u201d This word implies killing with intention.<\/p>\n The words \u201ctorn down<\/span>\u201d are from the Greek word kataskapt\u014d<\/em><\/span>, which is made up of kata<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cdown\u201d and skapt\u014d<\/em><\/span>, meaning \u201cto dig.\u201d Hence, we see that this word literally means \u201cto dig down.\u201d In other words, it means \u201cto tear down\u201d or \u201cto destroy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeek<\/span>\u201d is from dz\u0113te\u014d<\/em><\/span>, which means \u201cto seek after, to pursue, or to try to find.\u201d<\/p>\n In order to get the full impact of the current verse we have to look at it along with the second half of the previous verse.<\/p>\n Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, “LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?<\/span><\/p>\n This is a paraphrase by Paul of I Kings 19:10<\/strong><\/span> (for it is neither a quotation from the Hebrew Bible nor from the Septuagint) but it expresses the gist of what Elijah said to God. The surprising thing is that Elijah said it in a cave to which he had fled from Jezebel after having defeated and killed all of her prophets of ba\u2019al. At a time when Elijah should have been strongest and most confident (after a great spiritual victory), he was weak. Even after God had performed a miracle by sending fire from heaven to consume not only Elijah\u2019s soaking wet sacrifice but the entire altar as well, Elijah was now afraid. In the heat of the victory, Elijah had boldly commanded the people to kill all of the false prophets of Jezebel. But when she had retaliated by threatening his life, instead of standing up to her in the name of The Lord, Elijah fled south heading into the wilderness until he came to a cave in Mount Horeb (possibly the same mountain where God met with Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments). It is here where Elijah, one of the greatest of God\u2019s prophets, filled with fear and doubt, poured out his lament before God.<\/p>\n With a broken Elijah humbled before God, Paul is going to demonstrate God\u2019s willingness and ability to choose a few to be faithful to His name out of many who are not. We will cover this more in the next verse.<\/p>\n Even in the aftermath of spiritual victory we sometimes feel weak and vulnerable. But as Elijah discovered, it is not our feelings that God is concerned about, it is our faith. Faith in our all-powerful God is what enables us to reach out in prayer, not seeking our own glory, but giving the glory to Him.<\/p>\n Are you feeling under attack from our spiritual enemy? What is your response? Will you selfishly cry out in despair? Or will you humble yourself before God, seek His face, and confidently pray for His will to be done and for Him to give you the strength and will to endure this trial, for His sake?<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\nTruth to Learn<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Behind the Words<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Meaning Explained<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Application<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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