Spurgeon Morning and Evening May 19 PM

Biblical Context

The book of 1 Kings tells the story of Israel’s kings, from Solomon’s grand reign to the kingdom’s division and the subsequent parallel histories of Judah and Israel. While traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, the compilation of Kings likely involved multiple prophetic writers, part of what’s often called the Deuteronomistic History.

Our verse tonight finds the prophet Elijah in a truly low place. Just before this, in chapter 18, Elijah had experienced a huge victory for God on Mount Carmel, defeating the prophets of Baal in a dramatic showdown that proved Yahweh was the one true God. You’d think he’d be on top of the world. However, Queen Jezebel, enraged by the slaughter of her prophets, sent a message to Elijah threatening his life. Instead of standing firm, Elijah fled into the wilderness, overcome by fear and weariness. It’s here, under a juniper tree, that he makes his desperate plea to God, asking to die.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at the word “die” in our scripture, from the Hebrew word מוּת (*muth*).

This isn’t a complex, metaphorical word here. It means exactly what it sounds like: to die, to be dead, to be put to death, or to kill. When Elijah said, “Let me die,” he wasn’t looking for a break, a change, or a spiritual transformation. He was craving the complete cessation of life, an end to his suffering and burden. He wanted to give up, utterly and completely, and wished for death itself to be the answer.

Elijah’s Desperate Plea

It’s a remarkable thing to think about. Here’s a man whom God had chosen for something truly special. He was never going to see death in the usual way; God had planned for him an infinitely better way out of this world. This was the man who would be carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, taken directly to God without passing through the grave. Yet, here he is, praying, “Let me die, I am no better than my fathers.” The scripture in 1 Kings 19:4 says, “And he requested for himself that he might die.” This great man of God, a hero, was so crushed that he wanted it all to end. His experience shows us that even the strongest among us can hit rock bottom.

His future, as recorded in 2 Kings 2:11, was extraordinary: “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” This was God’s plan for Elijah, not death under a juniper tree. It really shows us a crucial truth: God’s plans for us are always better than our own, especially when we’re at our lowest point.

God’s Answer: Better Than We Ask

What we see here is a strong proof that God doesn’t always answer our prayers exactly as we ask for them. He might not give us the ‘kind’ of answer we expect, but He always answers ‘in effect.’ He gave Elias something far better than what he requested. God really heard him and truly answered him, not by taking his life, but by renewing it and setting him back on track.

It’s strange, isn’t it? The same Elijah who bravely faced hundreds of Baal prophets on Carmel was now so depressed by Jezebel’s threat that he wanted to die. But what’s truly amazing is how kind our heavenly Father was. He didn’t take His discouraged servant at his word. He didn’t say, ‘Okay, you asked for it, so be it.’ Instead, He showed His love and care, proving He knows what’s best for us even when we’re too down to know it ourselves.

The Limits of Faith’s Prayer

There’s a limit to how we understand the ‘prayer of faith.’ We shouldn’t expect that God will just give us absolutely everything we choose to ask for. We know from scripture, like in James 4:3, that sometimes we ask for things and don’t get them. The Bible says, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” This means our motives matter.

If we ask for something that hasn’t been promised to us – something that goes against the spirit God wants us to have, or something that is contrary to His will or His established plans for our lives – we shouldn’t expect to receive it. If our prayers are just about making our own lives easier, without any thought for God’s glory, then we can’t count on getting what we ask for. It’s important to check our hearts and our intentions when we pray.

Receiving Equivalents, or More

Still, even with these limits, when we do ask in faith, truly believing and not doubting, we can be sure of this: if we don’t get the precise thing we asked for, we will get something just as good, or even better. We’ll receive an equivalent, and often, it’s much more than an equivalent for what we requested.

As someone once put it so well, “If the Lord does not pay in silver, He will in gold; and if He does not pay in gold, He will in diamonds.” This simple truth helps us understand God’s generosity. If He doesn’t give you exactly what you asked for, He will give you something that is just as valuable, something you’ll be truly happy to receive instead. So, dear reader, keep praying a lot. Make this evening a time for serious prayer, but make sure you think carefully about what you ask for. God always has your best interests, and His glory, at heart.