Why Elijah's Tree

“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets” (of Baal) “with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’ Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree.” 1 Kings 19:1-4a

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life! He had never run away before. Empowered by the Lord God he had confronted King Ahab, raised a widow’s son from the dead, faced down the prophets of Baal and Asherah against 850 to 1 odds, and prayed down rain after a long drought! What a terrific ministry! But now he was fearful, discouraged, exhausted and feeling all alone. So he ran and sought refuge under a broom tree and poured out his heart to God, asking that he might die and said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” (1 Kings 19:4) And then he lay down and went to sleep. This prophet and faithful servant of God was burned out, depressed, and at the end of his rope.

And there under that broom tree, Elijah found much-needed rest. “and behold an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’ And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.” (1 Kings 19:5-6)

Elijah’s experience and God’s provision of help recorded in 1 Kings inspired the name for this ministry. We want our ministry to be a place of rest, restoration, and renewal for the Lord’s servants.