In 1 Kings 19:9b-18 we have the record of Jehovah's commission to Elijah in his discouragement. When Elijah was thoroughly disappointed, God came in to give him a further commission so that he might learn something more.
Elijah's shutting up of the heavens, his opening of the heavens, and his calling fire down had nothing to do with God's economy. When the disciple John asked whether the Lord Jesus wanted them to command fire to come down and consume a village, He rebuked them, saying, "You do not know of what kind of spirit you are" (Luke 9:55). This indicates that the Lord Jesus did not come to be an Elijah. Rather, He came to accomplish God's economy by being put on the cross.
God's economy is altogether beyond the physical world. Today's Christianity, however, focuses on the physical world, and many like to see miracles and healings. The Lord Jesus did many healings and even raised people from the dead. But when He was arrested, He did not call fire down. He delivered Himself into His killers' hands. Even though they came to kill Him, He did not do anything to save Himself.
The situation was similar with Paul. At the beginning of his ministry, Paul did many miracles. However, later, when Timothy was sick, Paul only said to him, "Use a little wine for the sake of your stomach" (1 Tim. 5:23). When Paul was ready to be martyred, there was no miracle. Instead, there was only the Triune God to be Paul's enjoyment in the spirit as the bountiful supply, enabling him to endure persecution willingly and triumphantly. Paul was ready for persecution and martyrdom because he was full of God, saturated with God, and constituted with God. Caesar Nero killed him, but through his fourteen Epistles Paul gained the entire world.
Elijah had not learned these lessons. He ran away in fear because, unlike Paul, he did not have the Triune God wrought into him. He entered into a cave to hide, thinking that he could do nothing and that it was better for him to die. God did not rebuke him, but instead He indicated that there was still a commission for Elijah to carry out.