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1 Kings 19:4

Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon

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1 Kings 19:4. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die;

What inconsistent beings men are! Elijah had fled to save his life, yet "he requested for himself that he might die;" - that he might die because he was afraid of death, die under a juniper tree in the wilderness in order to escape death at the hand of Jezebel.

1 Kings 19:4. And said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

This was the man who never died, yet "he requested for himself that he might die." How gracious it is, on God’s part, not to grant the requests of his people when they are unwise, as this petition of Elijah was! Had he known that he would go up by a whirlwind into heaven, riding in a chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire, surely he would not have prayed after this fashion, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."

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