Thread by @yoshiyahureform

Eliyahu (Elijah) in I Kings 19. If you read the subtext, its one of the sadder sections of Tanach.
A thread:

https://twitter.com/eigenrobot/status/1695641071538102783

Before I begin the thread, many if not all of these ideas are found in Rav Elchanan Samet's book Elijah: The Lonely Zealot which is a must read giving incredible insight into understanding the personality of Eliyahu and the entirety of the Eliyahu Narrative.

First, the background leading up to this perek: Eliyahu brings adrought within the land of Israel, whether by his own initiative or by command from Hashem, Eliyahu sets up a showdown against Achav's prophets of Baal on Har Karmel
Art credit: @ilanblock
ilanblock.com/shop-art-by-il…

quick synopsis: challenges prophets of Baal during a drought to a contest to determine legitimacy. the prophets of Baal cry out to try to get Baal to accept their offering. They fail, Eliyahu mocks them with hilarious sarcastic quip. He prays and Hashem fire consumes his offering

Eliyahu wins and in a glorious moment all those who were there prostrate themselves and call out "Hashem is the God". Eliyahu then gets the people to kill the prophets of Baal. Achav then asks for the drought to end, they go up to the mountain 7 times and then it starts to rain

Following this Achav gets on his chariot and heads back to his palace in Jezreel, and Eliyahu ran in front of his chariot the entire way (distance is about 16 miles)
And thats Chapter 18 in a nutshell. We see Eliyahu at the pinnacle of his role as a prophet of Hashem

It even is relevant to our current time of year. In Selichot we ask that Hashem should answer us like he answered Eliyahu on Har Karmel
Rabbi Jachter in "From David To Destruction" adds that on Yom Kippur we, like the people at Har Karmel cry out loud that Hashem hu HaElokim

This is us trying to reenact that moment at Har Karmel and in some way repent for that moment being so fleeting quickly being snuffed out by Izevel with no backlash by the people
-See also Rav Hayyim Angel Vision from the Prophet and Counsel from the Elders,

Except Achav returns to the palace tells Izevel what happens and she calls for the execution of Eliyahu. Eliyahu flees to Beer Sheva and then enters from there in to the wilderness of Chorev.

So this is where we begin the section that answers the question of the OP: an example of a Navi who is given a task by Hashem and fails or refuses to do it.

Some key points about Eliyahu as highlighted by Rabbi Samet's book (again really a must read). Eliyahu is often misread

as a misanthrope, someone who doesn't like other people. This is misunderstanding Eliyahu he is harsh but he doesn't hate others, rather integral aspect of his personality is that he views himself as the sole individual on a mission, not someone to surround himself with others.

We see this in Perek 18:22 when he says
אֲנִ֞י נוֹתַ֧רְתִּי נָבִ֛יא לַ֖ה' לְבַדִּ֑י
I stand alone as a prophet of Hashem.
Was this true? Not entirely there were still the students of Neviim hiding in caves. Yet Eliyahu still views himself as alone despite this

As Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm eloquently put it: a prophet in a cave is not a prophet. The role of a prophet is to go, be involved and prophecy to the people, not hide. Eliyahu is the sole individual who is out there. Thats what he is fundamentally a loner.
And this culminates in 19

Rabbi Jachter beautifully titles this chapter as: A drought of faith
One way of reading 19:3 is וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ Eliyahu becomes introspective he walks towards his soul. He sees that his actions have not culminated in anything permanent he becomes despondent

that his life has meant nothing but a fleeting moment.
And so on Mount Chorev, which is Har Sinai, he sits underneath a juniper tree and he begs Hashem for death.

Its emotionally a difficult chapter to read. It resonates deeply, we all want a purpose in life, to feel useful

to not feel alone, to feel like we are accomplishing something, and making a difference.
feeling like a failure is a mindset so difficult to overcome and to do so in isolation from others only feed into our worst doubts.
A constant statement from Eliyahu
אֲנִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י

This is 1 of 3 instances where a prophet asks for it to end
§ Moshe: Bamidbar 11:11-15: during the Mitoninim when they complain about food he says he failed and asks Hashem to end it
§ Yonah: 4:2-3 when Hashem spares Nineveh Yonah says he failed and he asks Hashem to end it

As the OP correctly noticed this with Yonah, however the more striking of the comparisons is to Moshe Rabbeinu, again he is at Chorev (Har Sinai) he goes there for 40 days and 40 nights,
Moshe too is at the spiritual high the perek saying they are ready to enter Eretz Yisrael

Then the complainers happen and Moshe similarly comes to the realization all the effort and work, its all skin-deep.
Both made their triumphant victory, Moshe by saying to his FIL we are ready to enter the land. Eliyahu running 16 miles in front of a chariot in the pouring rain

And each are disappointed to learn that their efforts were futile, they failed, they made no impact.
They didn't do anything better than before as Eliyahu says
כִּֽי־לֹא־ט֥וֹב אָנֹכִ֖י מֵאֲבֹתָֽי
I am no better than my ancestors.

This is all deeply depressing of course. Hashem then appears asking Eliyahu "Why are you here" meaning what is your purpose, you are despondent and lacking meaning you are as Rabbi Lamm had put it, a Prophet in a cave.

And each time, an emotionally wounded Eliyahu answers answers because the people are hopeless. As Kohelet would say, its all futile, nothing changes.
Hashem asks this question again, and Eliyahu responds the same way.

And so to answer the OP's question, this is where a Navi gives up. Mechilta notes, of the subsequent tasks
1) Appoint Elisha as his successor
2) anoint Yehu to the kingship and task him with wiping out the house of Omri
3) tell Chazael he will succeed Ben Hadad as king of Aram

Eliyahu accomplishes only the first 1. told to anoint Elisha as his successor. He gave up he believe he failed and by insisting that people cannot change that they are sinners, he can no longer accomplish his goal, thus he appoints his successor and that is the last he does.

Its a depressing Perek, but it ends with the answer and some hope. When we feel like we failed, like we don't make a difference, an impact on others when we feel meaningless, what is the answer?
To that you only need to look at the next pesukim19:11-12:

Eliyahu looked for the voice of God and he couldn’t find it in the earthquake or in the fire but he heard the voice of Hashem which was a quiet voice
The answer: you don’t need immediate change. Big gestures are not as important as the small voice that influences people slowly

Gradualism incrementalism. Sometimes we can get swept up in the grand gestures. The 16 mile run in the rain in front of a chariot. Our moment of blazing glory. And sure those are memorable, but its the small actions that last longer that make the most difference,

finding meaning in the small things, taking pleasure in the small wins.
Yes theyre not as magnificent as the big events but they keep you from the despondent low that follows the grandiose highs.

And more importantly though: surround yourself with others. Take part in their joys, be a part of their lives and occassions. We see this in how we view Eliyahu nowadays, the lonely prophet is now present at every Seder, every Brit Milah. He is always a part of the Klal.

Yes, he might have been unable to rally in the end to find new meaning in his life on the mortal plane, but he has become part of all of our lives.
Eliyahu is no longer alone. and we should take comfort in that.

Thats the thread. Im sorry its depressing, but I think the takeaway message is something to focus on a message of hope something to keep oneself going.
I want to say special thank you again to @IlanBlock for this piece I think this perfectly encapsulates the hope of Eliyahu

@IlanBlock I mean they should get on that by getting you a team.