What do you want to be remembered for? That seems to be a thought common to people as they get older, increasingly wanting to make their last days count.

It is now towards the end of Elijah’s life, and here we find his last recorded public act. There is still a private act to go, but as far as the wider world can see this is the last ting Elijah does, and it is clearly aimed by our inspired author to leave a clear imprint upon the public consciousness.

Yet the emphasis is not on Elijah making a memorable splash as he leaves this world, but on the sameness or constancy of his ministry. He finishes as he started his public ministry. There are a lot of parallels here to those first days, as indeed to the key moments of his public ministry.

We can admire the wisdom and power of God, who can make his people better by their sufferings. Behold, I show you a mystery: sin brought affliction into the world, and God  makes affliction carry sin out of the world.
God has never intended more good to his children than when he deals most severely with them. He would rather fetch blood than lose a soul. A suffering condition is not as formidable a thing as flesh and blood represents it. The world only judges by outward appearances, for it cannot see the divine teaching upon the heart. Our blessed Saviour was heard when he offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears (Heb. 5:7). How was he heard? Not in that ‘Save me from this hour’, but in that ‘Father, glorify your name’ (John 12:27, 28).
The best return of our prayers is that which works for [...]