1 Kings 19:15 And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
Elijah had just come through one of the most intense seasons of his life. He had called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel, seen the prophets of Baal defeated, and yet found himself running in fear from Jezebel, exhausted and discouraged. In the cave at Horeb, he cried out, believing he was alone and that all was lost. But it was there—in the still small voice—that God revealed His presence and His plan.
And then came a surprising command: “Go, return.” Elijah was to leave the place of hiding, the place of despair, and return to the world, back into the midst of God’s unfolding plan. There was still work to do. Elijah was called not just to prophesy, but also to anoint, to prepare the way for new leaders, and to participate in God’s sovereign purposes that extended far beyond his lifetime or understanding.
The instruction to anoint Hazael as king over Syria reminds us that God is at work in ways that cross borders, kingdoms, and expectations. Even in foreign lands, even through leaders who did not know Him, God was orchestrating His justice and mercy. Elijah’s mission was part of a greater tapestry—a plan that God was weaving through history.
Even in the Old Testament, God was at work creating the paths for the greater work of the Kingdom. His dealings with kings and nations, as well as His raising up and tearing down of rulers, were never random or isolated events—they were all threads in the unfolding story of redemption.
His plan works to bring forth the salvation that would ultimately come through Yeshua (Jesus), redeeming people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. Elijah’s task, though it seemed small or even puzzling at the time, was part of preparing the world for God’s greater purposes. So let us lift our eyes beyond our immediate circumstances. Grab hold of the grand plan and understand the grand framework of His workings. Trust that your obedience, like Elijah’s, fits into a design that is far bigger than you can imagine — a design that leads to His glory and the redemption of the world.
However, we can sometimes feel, like Elijah, defeated or isolated. We may think our role is finished or our strength is gone. But God says: Return. Get up. Keep going. I still have a purpose for you. His plans stretch beyond our sight, and our obedience — no matter how weary we feel — places us back in the flow of His divine will.
Is there a place where God is calling you to return — to reengage with His purpose despite discouragement, weariness, or fear? Like Elijah, you may feel alone or that your work has no lasting impact. But the same God who spoke through the still small voice calls you now: Go, return. His plan is far greater than your understanding, weaving your obedience into the tapestry of His Kingdom purposes. What you do today may set in motion blessings and victories that you will never fully see on this side of eternity. So trust Him, step forward, and embrace your part in His unfolding story of redemption!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Elul is unlike any other month. As we mentioned yesterday, it is the 12th month on the civil calendar and the 6th on the prophetic calendar. This dual position gives Elul a unique character — it both closes a cycle and prepares for a new one. That is why the shofar sounds each day during Elul: it is a wake-up call, reminding us to reflect, repent, and return to the Lord before the great and awesome days of the Fall Feasts.
This begins a very special season on God’s calendar — the month of preparation before the Fall Feasts. The month of Elul is unique: it is the 12th month on the civil calendar and the 6th month on the prophetic/biblical calendar. Each day of Elul is marked by the blowing of the shofar, a trumpet call that awakens the soul. These daily blasts prepare our hearts for Yom Teruah (the Feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hashanah) and ultimately for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
We have come to the final meditation in this journey through the Z’roah, the Arm of the LORD. From the Arm that redeemed Israel out of Egypt, to the Arm that pierced the dragon, to the Arm that is coming with reward — all of these revelations lead us here: the Arm that brings His people into rest.
Isaiah’s vision looks ahead — not only to the Arm of the LORD revealed in the Exodus or even in the cross, but to the day when that same Arm will come again in glory. This is not a picture of brute force but of purposeful arrival. The Z’roah — the Arm of the LORD — comes clothed with strength to establish His rule, and He does not come empty-handed. His reward is with Him, and His work is before Him. The promise is sure: He is coming, and He is rewarding.
Isaiah recalls the Exodus as the supreme display of God’s Z’roah, His Arm of glory. Though the people saw Moses raise his staff over the Red Sea, it was not Moses’ power that split the waters. Behind the prophet’s hand was the Arm of the LORD — majestic, glorious, and unstoppable. The sea parted not to honor Moses, but to exalt the Name of the God who sent him. The Red Sea became a stage for God to reveal His glory, so that His Name would echo through generations as the Deliverer of His people.
Jeremiah uttered these words when everything around him looked hopeless. Babylon’s armies surrounded Jerusalem, the city was on the brink of destruction, and yet God told Jeremiah to buy a field as a prophetic sign that restoration would come. The prophet responded in awe: the God who created the heavens and the earth by His outstretched arm (bizroa netuyah) is not bound by human circumstances. The same God who set galaxies in place and boundaries for the seas is the God who still moves to redeem His people. Truly, nothing is too hard for Him.
Isaiah’s words summon one of the most dramatic images of God’s saving power: the Z’roah — the Arm of the LORD — cutting Rahab in pieces and piercing the dragon.
Here, Rahab is not the woman of Jericho but a poetic name for Egypt (Psalm 87:4), often symbolizing arrogant nations and the dark spiritual powers behind them. In Hebrew poetry, Rahab also evokes the sea monster of chaos, a stand-in for the forces that oppose God’s order. To say the Arm “cut Rahab in pieces” is to recall how God shattered Egypt’s pride and broke the grip of the powers that enslaved His people.