Wow, it is so hard to believe we have already completed the home stretch of our study of Elijah! I believe this has to be one of my favorite studies yet! I applaud you all for staying the course and finishing strong! I pray that lessons stay with us and help us remain steadfast in our faith, and may we grow in confidence and strength as we continue navigating our faith journey in Christ!
This past week, I traveled to Iowa State University to celebrate my son and his wife receiving their PhD’s in chemistry. My son has studied and researched for eleven years to earn this prestige, and I couldn’t be more proud!
As I spent time with my sons, I noticed quite a few of their traits that are so similar to me. It is almost freaky to look at our children and see ourselves; isn’t it? I quickly noticed some positive traits that warmed my heart, such as their love for books and learning, their ambition and work ethic, their passion to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives, their care and compassion for others, and even their love for coffee! Yep, I instilled something into them! However, it ain’t all positive, y’all! I cringe a bit when I see some of the traits about myself that drive me crazy coming out in them. My poor babies! In case they read this, I might not want to spell those traits out. Ha ha!
The timing of this week’s study was perfect for me during my visit with them as I contemplated the concept of legacy. Casting Crowns has a song that puts it into perspective for me called “Only Jesus,” although I only partly agree with it. One of the lines says, “I don’t want to leave a legacy. I don’t care if they remember me. Only Jesus.” Well, I do want to leave a legacy. I want to pass down positive traits to my children and grandchildren, as well as the children I teach in school and the women with whom I study the Bible. However, the legacy is not about me. It truly is about wanting everything I say and do to point to Jesus. “Only Jesus.”
Let’s review what we have learned from each day of our study this week.
Day 1
I found it so interesting that Jehoram had some of the most wonderful examples of godly men to emulate; yet when he became king of Judah, he chose to follow after the evil kings of Israel instead. He had King David, his father, Jehoshaphat, and his grandfather, Asa, who all loved and served the Lord faithfully, but just like King Ahab, he allowed his wife, Ahab’s daughter, to turn his heart toward idols instead. He “provoked the anger of the Lord” by projecting their evil influence onto the people of Judah, and he also killed all his brothers to preserve his claim to the throne. The consequences for his evil behavior were unimaginable.
2 Chronicles 21 tells us that he was struck with an intestinal disease and suffered horribly until his bowels came out. Can you imagine? To multiply his shame, no one was sorry when he died, and he was not allowed to be buried in the royal cemetery with the great kings who came before him. What a bad idea to ignore the Godly heritage that came before him!
My prayer is that we seek to follow Godly examples and that we too will leave behind a legacy of faith and godliness to future generations. We won’t always choose perfectly, but those who come after us will definitely reap what we have sown.
Whether or not you have parents and grandparents who provided a godly example, you can be the person who changes your own family tree by passing down a heritage of faith.
In order to follow in the steps of Elijah, we must consider what seeds we are planting with our time, talents, and treasures. While we will never choose perfectly in every situation, we can grow in wisdom as we consider the principle of sowing and reaping in our lives. We build a legacy of faith through the good seeds we choose to plant, knowing that some of them will be harvested by future generations.
While we likely aren’t going to worship idols, kill our siblings, and reject the faith of our parents as King Jehoram did, we are in danger of subtle spiritual dangers. Apathy, time-wasting, and lack of diligence in spiritual rhythms can cause a slow rot in our souls. These habits may not be inherently sinful; but if our spiritual diet consistently contains empty calories, we may find ourselves weak when seasons of life bring challenges.
Day 2
In today’s study, we considered Malachi’s prophecy that Elijah would return and turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and visa versa. We see this fulfilled in the life of John the Baptist as he prepared the way for the Messiah, as confirmed by Jesus in Matthew 11 and 17. How interesting to see the many parallels between the two prophets!
If I could sum up Elijah’s, as well as John the Baptist’s ministry in one word, it would be reconciliation. God sent his prophets to compel us to repent and turn to God, to be reconciled to Him. Thus, we will also be reconciled to each other, as well as seeing families restored as a consequence. It is only through Christ that we can truly experience our hearts turning toward our fathers and to our children as Malachi prophesied. Ultimately, we can become children of God and experience a relationship with the perfect Father, God Himself. As Chris Tomlin sings, He’s a “good, good Father.” While our earthly fathers all have imperfections, God’s perfect love for us never fails.
The consistent message is that God wants to reconcile people to Himself and to one another. His desire is that we would turn toward one another rather than neglect or fight against one another.
God is the ultimate Father. He knows that you will not find spiritual stamina apart from a close relationship with Him.
As we understand God’s Father-heart toward us, we see the message of Elijah more clearly. Elijah was a man of faith and prayer. He made choices to follow Yahweh rather than counterfeits. Through difficult seasons requiring soul care, he learned to rely on God. Even though he didn’t always understand, he surrendered to God’s way. Alongside his mentee Elisha and groups of prophets, he worked out his faith in the context of relationships. He left a legacy that ultimately was fulfilled as John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah.
The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. Psalm 103:13 NLT
Day 3
The most powerful legacy we see from the life of Elijah is that he points us to Christ. If you take a look at the table on pages 198-199, you will see astounding parallels in their message and approach. The parallels were so uncanny that many mistook Jesus for the return of Elijah. However, there is certainly a clear distinction between the two. Elijah was a man of God, but Jesus is God!
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT
We can learn much from the life of Elijah. He persevered in serving God through every season of his life. He had seasons when he experienced confusion and God’s power, exhaustion and renewal, confrontation and rest, listening and acting in faith, teaching and learning in community. He learned to rely on God and boldly believe Him through the highs and lows of life and ministry. We can learn from his stamina and be inspired by his faith.
Day 4
Today we read of the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus and his meeting Moses and Elijah on top of the mountain. This gives us insight into the “long view of life” instead of focusing on the temporary. 2 Peter 1 tells us that the transfiguration of Jesus can give us “greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets.” That includes Elijah!
When we find ourselves in a season of despair or become weary in our faith, one of the most important things to remember is that “This life is not all there is.” We are to focus on the Kingdom of God and live in anticipation of His second coming.
When we learn to live in light of eternity, our perspective is greatly changed. All of a sudden, the things that seemed to weigh us down so heavily don’t seem so important anymore. Understanding the big picture of God’s plan and purpose and looking forward our ultimate destination can help us persevere through the difficult situations we go through in life. This gives us powerful spiritual stamina!
Taking the long view of life usually means not doing what feels good in the moment in order to do what ultimately will satisfy.
We must discipline ourselves to practice spiritual rhythms that bring life and peace to our souls. We won’t get there with a steady diet that consists of watching Netflix and playing games on our phones. These things aren’t wrong in their proper place; but when we are constantly seeking to be entertained rather than pursuing a relationship with God, we deprive our souls.
God stamp eternity on my eyes. Help me to see this from Your point of view.
With our sights set on heaven, we will realize the temporal nature of most of our problems and be able to focus on people and God’s Word – the only two things that will last forever.
Day 5
We concluded our study today with a recap of what we have learned throughout the six weeks of this study. The summary chart on pp. 210 – 213 concisely reiterate the most important points from each week. If you have not completed this study, or if you need help solidifying the major points from this study, this chart is a great place to start.
One concept from Elijah’s story that blesses me is seeing how God will speak to us through His Word, through other people, and through our experiences to encourage and strengthen us when we need it. When Elijah wanted to throw in the towel and just die when he felt all alone, God revealed to him that there were 7,000 other faithful people who had not bowed down to Baal. We need each other, and we are never alone. Throughout the history of time, “there has always been a remnant, a small group of people who persist in following God.” Now, that encourages me!
The Lord’s heart for His people has not changed. God longs to help us endure in every season. Whether we are going through a dry season filled with fatigue, confusion, or relationship issues, or we are experiencing a season of celebration or rest, we can grow in spiritual stamina through a close walk with God.
Thank God for all that you’ve learned about Him through Elijah’s life. Ask the Lord to give you stamina to endure whatever season of life you are currently experiencing or facing.
Discussion Questions
ICE BREAKER: What is something that has been passed down to you from a family member? It could be a physical object, such as a piece of clothing, furniture, or jewelry, or it might be a recipe, skill, or an inherited trait.
“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:7-9 NLT
QUESTION 1: We build a legacy of faith through the good seeds we choose to plant, knowing that some of them will be harvested by future generations. What do you hope those who come after you will remember about you? Describe the legacy of faith you want to leave behind.
“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers…” Malachi 4:5-6a NLT
QUESTION 2: All our fathers have imperfections, but God the Father has a love for us that will never fail. How would you explain what it means to “turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers”? How does a close relationship with God through Christ affect your family relationships?
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’
‘Well,’ they replied, ‘some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.’
Then he asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’
Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’” Matthew 16:13-16 NLT
QUESTION 3: When Jesus came on the scene, the Israelite people were desperate for help from Yahweh. Roman oppression and taxes had left them impoverished and controlled. Many devout followers still would have been hanging onto God’s promise of rescue through Elijah. Now that you have studied Elijah’s life and ministry, why would you guess some people might have thought that Jesus was Elijah? (page 198) What stood out to you in the chart of parallels between Elijah and Jesus?
(The clear distinction between the two, however, is that Elijah was a man of God, and Jesus is God.)
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Colossians 3:1-2 NLT
“And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.” Titus 2:12-13 NLT
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT
QUESTION 4: How does taking the long view, or living in light of eternity, change the way we handle our time, our money, our relationships, and our spiritual lives?
“No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, ‘Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.’
And do you remember God’s reply? He said, ‘No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!’ Romans 11:2-4 NLT
QUESTION 5: When you have been discouraged either by the response of others or by challenging circumstances, how has the Lord reminded you of His presence and plan? (page 208)
QUESTION 6: What is something you earned from this study that especially stands out to you?
Bonus
This study of Elijah also includes an optional 30 Days of Prayer Challenge. We did not do this as a group, but you may participate individually using free resources on the Abingdon Women’s website. In light of all we have learned over the course of these past six weeks, what a blessing to continue to build our spiritual stamina by committing to grow in our prayer lives as well!
Well, that’s it folks! This concludes our study of Elijah. I hope this has been a tremendous blessing to you! I sure have enjoyed studying God’s Word with you these past 6 weeks!
We will be taking a break for a while as I prepare to return to teaching this next school year. I am not sure how my schedule will work out yet, but once I figure that out, I will announce our next study. Thank you for understanding!
Have a blessed summer!
