Like most of us, this Servant of God tried to go backwards to find security, direction, safety, a place to sulk in his fear. He was truly worn out. He had given everything for the task, and now was thoroughly drained. He traveled to Beersheba, the Well of the Sevenfold Oath, and left his servant there as he continued into the wilderness where others before him had sought the face of God. Beersheba was the boundary of the kingdom and held much spiritual historical significance for this Servant and so many others like him. Great leaders and great life changing agreements happened here. Perhaps he could find clarity or just maybe he could find relief in death. What he would find (as we will too when we go to God in our hours of desperation) was rest, sustenance, and direction in the Wilderness of Beersheba.
Strengthening would come in the wilderness because God would meet him there but not leave him there. God would get his full attention via a great destructive wind, an earth quake, a fire and finally a still small voice which would repeat a question he had heard earlier – “What doest thou here, Elijah? (Please take the time to read the full story – I Kings 19 – there is so much there for the heart of the servant that feels threatened by an uncertain future). Elijah would answer that question a second time, but God wouldn't leave him wallowing in his rehearsed answer – He would set Elijah moving forward. The safety that Elijah would find would be in trusting the voice of the living God.
Strangely though, God moves Elijah from one wilderness to another? What.. Leave the wilderness of Beersheba, leave the holy mount? It was and is... a must. The Wilderness of the Well of the Sevenfold Oath was a place of “and I, even I only, am left”. It is only to be a place of spiritual retreat and not a permanent residence. If Elijah had stayed in this wilderness, the message of God (that had been spoken through his life) would have died there with him.
{THIS IS THE POINT IN OUR READING WHERE WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND THINK … stop, get a hot tea, a drink of water, a healthy cookie … something that will ease the body and mind's need to get it done … relax and think this through:}
The Lord sends Elijah to the Wilderness of Damascus, but why Damascus? (There can be a multitude of great answers but we will consider only one in this discourse.) Damascus would time and again be a stronghold of activity and conflict that would set it as a center of worldly influence. Danger was inevitable there because it was a center of the prideful disrespect for God's true kingdom of believers. Damascus, even today, is a storehouse rich in worldly education and culture that is touted as its own “Kingdom”.
The actual meaning of it's name is one to ponder - “Silent is the Sackcloth Weaver”. There is no need of sackcloth (used as a covering in the act of repentance) in this kingdom. It's occupants feel they can do nothing wrong. In this kingdom of mirages the citizens have no need of repentance. In this shameless, pride-filled, self-absorbed kingdom, the sackcloth weavers have nothing to do, hence, they are silent. This is the place that the watchful eye of the enemy won't be looking because it is his stronghold. Here in this place void of repentance, Elijah is told to go here and anoint those who will carry out God's plan to perpetuate what Elijah had begun.
Wow … not my first choice of direction!
We are still living in the Days of Elijah (And more-so in light of Christ's imminent return)… our portion in Christ's Kingdom is not found in trying to create a monk-like existence that keeps us away from the bright lights of the "mirage" because we feel threatened by the unseen enemy. Our portion is to go into the heart of the stronghold, storm the gates of Hell, rescue the perishing, care for the dying, and share the Good News of Jesus in those places where the Sackcloth weavers are silent.
It's OK to go back to the wilderness where you have been of old with God; but just for a moment, just for refreshment, and just for clarity of thought. But, rise up now and move forward for the Glory of God. Live openly for Jesus!
HLFA,
Jeff
Happy Mother's Day - 2013