MPV Commentary

He Is Comforted by an Angel.

Elijah traveled a day's journey into the wilderness, a vast expanse of sand hills covered with broom shrubs that provided a refreshing shade. His gracious God did not abandon him but watched over him and miraculously met his needs, enabling him to continue on his way despite being in a wrong frame of mind. At Sinai, God appeared to instruct Elijah.

"What are you doing here?" was a searching question addressed to one who had been called to such an urgent mission. By a demonstration of divine power, Elijah became aware of the speaker and was silenced, his heart touched, and he was told to return to Israel immediately and resume the Lord's work there. To convince him that idolatrous nations would not go unpunished, God commissioned him to anoint three individuals destined to avenge God's controversy with the people of Israel.

Anointing here means appointing or setting apart for a specific task (Jud 9:8). Although only Jehu received the consecrated oil on his head, all three were appointed for this purpose. They would play key roles in destroying idolaters, although in different ways. Elijah personally carried out only one of these commissions: calling Elisha to be his assistant and successor (1Ki 19:19), who then accomplished the other two tasks (2Ki 8:7-13; 9:1-10).

Having satisfied Elijah's zealous but misguided concerns, God corrected his impression that he was the only one adhering to true religion in Israel. God knew there were seven thousand people who had not worshiped Baal (literally, "kissed the hand" of Baal).

Abel-meholah, which means "the meadow of dancing," is located in the valley of the Jordan.