Gods Sabbath

254

E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

“Elijah should not have fled from his post of duty. He should have met the threat of Jezebel with an appeal for protection to the One who had commissioned him to vindicate the honor of Je hovah. He should have told the messenger that the God in whom he trusted would protect him against the hatred of the queen. Only a few hours had passed since he had witnessed a wonder ful manifestation of divine power, and this should have given him assurance that he would not now be forsaken.” Prophets and Kings , 160.1. It was the plan made in heaven which had brought Elijah to the gates of Jezreel. He had no mandate to move from that place until God gave him fresh instructions. It was his duty to remain there no matter how terrible the threats against him, nor how great the cost, for the results accruing from following plans made by God are not the responsibility of the worker. His only duty was to carry out the instructions given to him and then leave the consequences entirely with God. God knew what Elijah was doing and was not caught by sur prise when Jezebel, in the face of actual defeat, threatened Eli jah as if she was still in total control. The Lord had made full provision to meet this development, and the sacrifice of Elijah’s life was not a part of the plan. Perfect protection was assured him, although this should not have been a consideration with Elijah. If the scheme called for his martyrdom, the prophet should have been submissively willing to accept this too. What a tragedy it is that Elijah, after faithfully following God’s instructions for so long, turned from trusting God’s to his own works when the divine plan was almost fulfilled and total victory nearly gained.

Daniel’s Three Friends

God’s workers should have nothing to do with either the plan making or the consequences resulting from the divine plans He has made for their lives. If we wish to serve God, we need to learn and practice this vital lesson. We must do our part of the work in faith and leave the rest with the Lord, even when apparent dan gers threaten us. This principle can be stated in the following way: