These Are the Days of Elijah: How God Uses Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things

I was intrigued to read These Are The Days Of Elijah by R. T. Kendall - the idea of God using "ordinary people to do extraordinary things" (and the beautiful cover) caught my eye.

I'm just going to get it out there now - that's where the excitement ended for me.

Once I started reading the book, I realized that this is basically just a collection of expository sermons on the passages in 1 and 2 Kings that have to do with Elijah. Although that in itself is not a bad thing, it was just not what I was expecting/hoping for.

I found it pretty dry with very little new insight into the life of Elijah. When there was new information, it seemed to always be stated like it was a fact and with no back story for how the author came to that conclusion. I found that interesting in light of the fact that the author states in the book: "When I preach or write I need to know it is God's Word I am teaching - not my silly point of view - and that the purity of His Word is at stake." (p. 99) The last few chapters were the most interesting to me - but I almost didn't make it to them.

Overall I felt like the book didn't live up to what I was expecting, but if you are looking for a review of the life of Elijah this may be just what you are looking for.

FTC Declaration: The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through Chosen Books. This does not change the fact that I will give my honest opinion in my reviews.

Elijah is one of my top three favorite people in the bible. I relate to the way Elijah feels in certain situations and his desire for God. Because of that, I was eager to read These Are the Days of Elijah: How God Uses Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things by R. T. Kendall.

Unfortunately, I have mixed feelings about the book. There were certain chapters that I loved and got a lot out of, such as the chapters on depression and when God seems unfair. Those chapters were focused and clear. Their bible references were sound and there were practical suggestions drawn from Elijah's story. There were other sections of the book that were so unfocused as to cause me to keep forgetting what chapter I was in. More troubling, though, were the places where the author made assumptions by stretching scripture almost to the breaking point. He also early on defined some words in a way that I have never seen defined that way, such as oath meaning infallibility. Oaths are not necessarily infallible. Things like that are small, but causes my trust in the author to waiver.

Overall, I recommend this book to someone who is doing a study on Elijah or someone willing to sift through the lesser chapters in order to get to the few chapters that are gems.

I was provided a free copy of this book by Baker Publishing in return for my honest opinion.

[Note: This book was received for free from Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.]

As someone who has written and thought about the relevance of Elijah to my own life, I wondered whether this book would add depth to my own understanding of Elijah. What I found in this particular and mostly encouraging little book (less than 200 pages) was not a great deal of scholarly depth, but rather an approach that seeks to humble the arrogant and encourage those who might think of themselves too modestly to be avenues for God's glory in a wicked world. This book is likely to appeal most to those who enjoy a chatty but not entirely well-informed author to those who are seeking scholarly depth. There is a time and place for friendly chattiness, though, and no one ought to look down on it.

Make no mistake that this author has some seriously wrong ideas about aspects of the story of Elijah. Among the most intriguing is that after discussing nearly every mention of Elijah in the Bible that one particular story is omitted, strictly the letter that he wrote after his chariot ride into the first heaven (the atmosphere) and his relocation somewhere else. There are reasons why this story is omitted, mostly because it contradicts his mistaken ideas. That said, the blunt honesty and friendliness of the author is such that even if his faults cannot be entirely excused, they do not remove all worth from this book as a source of encouragement to those who will read in this book an appreciation of Elijah as an honest man who struggled with many problems that I am all too familiar with personally. The author makes some very thoughtful comments on such matters as depression and its frequent roots in child abuse, something I know all too well. The presence of both error as well as a large amount of personal matters and internecine Protestant squabbles does not make this book worthless, but it does make this work clearly a personal one rather than a scholarly one.

That is not necessarily a bad thing. We do live in a world that is deeply morally corrupt and in need of people who are willing to be honest and sincere both about their humanity as well as whatever God-given insight they possess. People who are ordinary, and even more than a little flawed, need to know that God does not demand perfection of us before (or after) He starts working with us, but rather He demands commitment to doing our best and growing and overcoming by His strength and not our own. Any wisdom or strength that we possess in spiritual matters is due to God's grace and mercy and is not something we can claim personal credit for. Particularly useful in this book is the examination of the difference between demonic oppression (which I know a fair amount about) and demonic possession (which I never want to know about) as well as the three states of any new relationsihp: vaneer (where everything appears good), disappointment (where problems appear and people often respond harshly to real or perceived faults), and reality (where people appreciate the imperfect but real understanding of the other). This book has a lot to offer, even given its occasional flaws, and the fact that it reads as a chatty and personal work makes it appealing given its honest and sincere imperfections. I can give it no higher compliment than to say that the spirit and approach of this particular book is similar to much of my own personal writing, and if that is good enough of a recommendation for you, then it will be an enjoyable enough read despite its flaws.

This is an awesome book! The shipping was good. And R.T. Kendall has some very beautiful and Godly insight.

When I first saw the title of this book, I immediately began humming the tune to the song by that name, one I first heard as a teenager attending Chrysalis. With that happy memory as a starting point, I read and enjoyed These are the Days Of Elijah: How God Uses Ordinary People to Do Extraordinary Things by R.T. Kendall. Despite the short chapters, this book took me longer to read than most others I've read this year. However, I didn't mind reading it like a devotional. There was plenty to digest in each chapter. It was my first time studying the life of Elijah in depth, and I really enjoyed the insights Kendall offered. What I loved about the story of Elijah was summed up perfectly by John Paul Jackson in the book's Foreward: "The oft-overlooked crux of Elijah's ministry is that he was a human being who dared to believe God could use him." Kendall describes Elijah as one would describe an old and dear friend. His knowledge and life experiences are rich and enlightening.

Only years of maturity in the prophetic mantle could produce this quality material. As an Elisha, I appreciated Kendall. He answered many question for me as did Elijah did for his understudy. I recommend, "The Elijah Legacy" by Morris Cerullo for anyone who found this book of interest or value. DH

About the Book:

God used Elijah to accomplish great things--and He can use you, too.

Elijah is marked as one of the greatest prophets of the Bible. More than a gifted seer, he spoke directly for God, and with His authority. Elijah is the only prophet to have called down fire from heaven, and one of only two individuals in Scripture taken to heaven before tasting death. Yet this remarkable agent of the Lord was also very human, afflicted with the very same failings and fears you have.

With keen insight and practical application, beloved theologian and teacher R. T. Kendall explores the triumphs and contradictions of this powerful man of God. You will love seeing how Elijah was like you--righteous but proud, strong but cowardly, blessed but tested by trial and doubt.

And you will take joy in realizing how God will use you, as He did Elijah, for His perfect glory.
About the Author:

Dr. R. T. Kendall, a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Oxford University (D.Phil.), was the senior minister of the historic Westminster Chapel in London for 25 years. The author of numerous bestselling books, he conducts conferences throughout the world. He and his wife, Louise, now live in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Visit rtkendallministries.com

My Review:

This book is an excellent resource on the prophet Elijah. Elijah was much like you and me but yet was set apart for many great and wonderful things done solely to glorify God. I see alot of similarities in some of the things Elijah done and the things that Jesus accomplished. Don't know if there is a connection there it was just something I noticed. Elijah was a very notable character in the Old Testament.

He was one of the two human beings that was taken to Heaven before he had a chance to actually die. He killed 850 false prophets only to be afraid of the one and only Jezebel. Those two facts alone; about him, interest me probably more than any other prophet in the Bible. The author has taken what we learned from Elijah and all he proclaimed in his day and applied it to today and what we should consider and look for in the days leading up to Christ's return.

The author has also mentions Elisha which came after Elijah to finish the work that Elijah started. But he is described as being even more powerful than the former prophet. If you are interested in learning more about this book you can do so here.

**Disclosure**I received this book for free for my honest review from Bethany House/Chosen Publishing Group

Wonderful book !

Good

excellent.