We're going to see that this is a caving world.

If you and I don't want to be cavers in this time that we have been entrusted, we're going to do it on purpose.

Because in the Christian culture, in this first world country, nothing will come more naturally to you and me than for us to become cavers when we have been called out in the elements to become climbers.

You may be seated and and would you turn with me to First Kings.

We're going Old Testament, First Kings chapter 19, 1st Kings, and we're going to jump right in the middle of the Elijah Saga,

the prophet of God to the people of Israel at the time of the divided kingdom,

and he is serving at this time during the reign of Ahad.

Not only a wicked king but a weak king and there is strong wickedness and there is

weak wickedness and they are equally wicked, but they're different.

And we're going to see just a little bit of that.

And we're told back in 1st Kings, 1630, and Ahab, the son of Omri, did evil in the sight of the Lord

more than all who were before him. So this is the climate.

This was the leadership over Israel at the time that Elijah was called to be a prophet of God. I want to read First Kings 19, verse one. Ahab told

Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he killed all the prophets with the sword. Then

Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, so made the gods do to me.

And more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.

Then he was afraid.

And he arose and ran for his life and came to Bersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

So I want you to see now he is, I mean, in effect, quitting ministry, leaving his coworker heading on.

He himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree and asked that he might die, saying, it is enough now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.

And he lay down and slept under a broom tree.

And behold, an angel touched him and said to him,

...