Elijah Falls Into Depression

Remembering always that there are many causes for depression.

Elijah was one of the most famous prophets of ancient Israel.  He lived in a time when government was corrupt and had led the nation into the worship of false gods.  It fell to Elijah to challenge those things in the name of God.  His most famous confrontation with the false prophets of Baal took place on Mount Carmel.  He challenged to prophets of Baal to a contest to determine whether their sacrifice or his would be accepted by God.  It is a story that is great for telling, but I will cut to the chase.  God accepted Elijah's sacrifice but not the sacrifice of the prophets of Baal.  At the end of the contest Elijah had the 450 prophets of Baal put to death.  This enraged the Queen Jezebel and she swore an oath that she would see Elijah dead.  Elijah fled to Mount Horeb -a forty day journey.  Now let's think about that for a moment.  Elijah had just seen an incredible miracle and the huge power of God and yet he was not able to translate that faith into trust that God would also protect him from the Queen.  Elijah arrived tired and feeling sorry for himself.  He had slipped into depression.  God met him there and asked him: "What are you doing here?"  Elijah replied "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.  The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword.  I am the only one left and now they are trying to kill me too."  The end of the story is essentially this:  God tells Elijah to get back on track and gives him instructions about what to do next - instructions and actions that would assure the future of God's people and their heritage of faithfulness.

Why had Elijah slipped into depression?  He probably had been running high on adrenalin and when the events finally overtook him he had his moment of doubt.  Depression can come when we lose hope and yet the Christian faith is one of constant hope.  "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings of eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.:  (Isaiah 40:30-31)