Four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah battled with Elijah on Mount Carmel. Elijah was outnumbered, 850 to one. Knowing the odds were stacked, Elijah allowed the prophets of Baal every advantage. In the contest to call down fire from Heaven, the false prophets chose their animal for sacrifice and went first. Elijah granted them all the time they needed. After they failed to bring fire from Heaven, Elijah even handicapped his own effort by pouring water on his sacrifice and altar and, since the day was waning, kept his prayer brief: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Fire fell from Heaven and consumed not only Elijah’s sacrifice, but the altar and water around it too. 1 Kings 18:39 (NIV) records, “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord–he is God! The Lord–he is God!”

Elijah excelled that day, defeating the false prophets of Baal and Asherah and (temporarily) winning over the hearts of Israel and turning people back to God. The false prophets were executed and God rewarded the repentance of his people by ending a 3-year drought. Elijah was a national hero.

A depressed hero.

That’s right. In the next scene, angered that her prophets have been bested in the contest, Jezebel “sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” Elijah ran into the desert like a scared rabbit, trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and the incensed Queen. Alone, sitting in the desert under a broom tree, Elijah then asked God to end his life.

What turns a bold prophet of God from being one who will courageously take his stand against 850 false prophets into one running from one evil woman and attempting suicide by prayer? Part of the problem stems from Elijah’s (false) sense that he fought alone; God assured Elijah that He had 7000 others who are also faithful servants. But part of the problem comes simply from fatigue. Elijah has gone through a tough time, faced multiple enemies and helped a nation find their spiritual footing. But after a victory is won, a project completed or a mission accomplished, there’s often a letdown. Elijah is just plain tired.

Rather than ending Elijah’s life, God gave Elijah what he really needed: food and rest. Then, after reminding Elijah that he wasn’t alone, God sent his prophet back to work. Elijah had more to do.

There’s a lesson here for folks who are worn down and wrung out by the relentless demands of life. Even successful and productive activity can still be exhausting. The strongest and the best still need time to catch their breath and catch up on our sleep. That’s why, in Exodus 20:8-10, God commanded, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.”

The importance of this command is emphasized in Exodus 31:15 – “For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death.” It’s significant that the “work” contemplated in Exodus 31 is the construction of the Lord’s Tabernacle. Even while engaged in doing the Lord’s work the people were commanded, under penalty of death, to stop and rest!

God Himself set the example. When God issued that command to “remember the Sabbath” (“Sabbath” means to cease or to rest.), God tied it to His own activity. Exodus 20:11 reads, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.”

God rested. We all should.

Mark Wilmoth is with Pinehurst Christian Church in Marietta and can be reached at Minister@PinehurstChristianChurch.org