[Thoughts from I Kings 16to18th Chapters]
God sent Elijah the Prophet to teach Ahab and his people a lesson to show
that he is the God of gods and idol worship is abomination to him. King Ahab,
son of Omri, ruled Samaria in Israel for twenty two years and did evil in
the sight of the LORD. Ahab set up an altar for an idol in the temple at
Samaria and provoked the LORD more than any other kings of Israel that ruled
before. Elijah took the name of the living LORD God of Israel and said to Ahab
there shall neither be dew nor will it rain in that land as he would prophesy.
The LORD said to Elijah to hide in the eastern region by the brook of Cherith
that is before Jordan, where God would provide him drink and feed him food
through ravens . Elijah did as God commanded him and ravens brought him
bread and flesh in the morning and flesh in the evening and he drank from he
brook at Cheirth until the brook dried up for want of rains in the land.
The LORD said to Elijah to arise and go to Zarephath in Zidon and dwell there
and a widow would provide him food and water. Elijah did as the LORD told him
and went to the widow woman at Zarephath, where the widow was gathering sticks.
She and her son were living a poor life in those days when it did not rain.
Elijah asked her to fetch him little water in a vessel for a drink and as she
was going to fetch water for him, he said to her to bring little bread.
The woman said to him that she does not have bread but has little meal and
little oil and that she was gathering sticks so that she may make food for her
and her son and eat and live. Elijah the prophet assured her that her food
and oil will not finish. In such trial times as these are for the widow woman
she provided food and water to the prophet. It so happened that the son of the
widow fell sick and died. The woman was sore with Elijah and asked him
what harm she did to him that her son died and if he went there to call for
remembrance of her sin. Elijah had compassion on her and asked her to
bring her son and when she brought her son to him, he took her son out of her
bosom and took him and laid him on his bed. Elijah stretched himself upon
widow's son three times and prayed to the LORD to let the child's soul return to
him. The LORD heard the voice of Elijah and gave life to the son of the widow.
Elijah gave the living child to the widow woman, who trusted in the man of God
and acknowledged him as the man of God.
Elijah's Challenge:
The LORD said to Elijah to go to king Ahab and that he shall send rain to the
earth and Elijah did as the LORD told him. There was a devout man, who was
governor in the house of Ahab; his name was Obadiah, who greatly feared the LORD
and hid one hundred prophets in two separate groups of fifty each to save them
from the wrath of Jezebel, a wicked wife of Ahab determined to kill Gods'
children. Wife and husband were both working against the will of God and it
troubled the LORD to the extent of showing his strength and power to save his
children from his wrath. It was it this time that the LORD told Elijah to
present before this wicked king, Ahab, who set up idols for worshipping in order
that his people in the land may not worship the living God. In the midst
of severe famine in that land of Samaria, Ahab said to Obadiah to go in to he
land and find if there is any water any where and find grass to save the horses
from death and not lose all the beasts. Ahab and Obadiah went on journey
in two separate directions to find the water and grass. On the way of Obadiah
there was this man of God, Elijah, whom Obadiah saw and fell on his face in
obeisance to him and inquired of him if he was his lord Elijah. The
prophet answered Obadiah that he was Elijah and said to him to go to Ahab and
let him know that Elijah was there. Obadiah was scared to hear this from
Elijah and asked him if was out there to see that he gets killed by Ahab and
kill Elijah as well, inasmuch as the king took an oath to kill Elijah.
Obadiah also feared that he went and told Ahab the whereabouts of Elijah, and in
the meanwhile the Spirit of the LORD carries Elijah to a place that Obadiah does
not know, would it be that Ahab spare him. In an acknowledgement that he feared
Elijah all his life, Obadiah wonders if Elijah did not hear that he hid hundred
prophets, (fifty each separately), from the wrath of Jezebel, who slew the
prophets of the LORD, and fed them with bread and water, and still Elijah
desires that his whereabouts to be disclosed to Ahab. Obadiah feared that king
Ahab would kill him if he disclosed that Elijah was there to see him.
Elijah assures him that as the LORD lives, he will surely show himself to
Ahab that day and, therefore, Obadiah went and told Ahab about Elijah's
whereabouts, and his intention of seeing Ahab. After hearing this from
Obadiah, Ahab saw Elijah, and asked him if he was the one who was troubling
Israel. Elijah denies and tells him that it was not he that was
troubling Israel, but king Ahab, who was troubling Israelites and leading them
away from truth of the LORD and making them obey Baal, an idol and worship that
idol instead of worshipping the living God. Elijah told Ahab that the
latter's father's house have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and followed
"Baalim".
Inasmuch as Ahab was following Baalim, Elijah challenges and throws gauntlet
for a great show down to see the power of the LORD in the face of nothingness of
idols and their power in which Ahab and his family were greatly relying on. Ahab
and his family not only disobeyed the LORD but also made the whole nation to
disobey the LORD and forget about the commandments of the LORD and in addition
his wicked wife was set out herself and slew the LORD's prophets. This
enraged the LORD and sent Elijah for a showdown of his strength and power.
Therefore, Elijah tells Ahab to gather to him all Israel on the mount Carmel and
four hundred and fifty he prophets of 'Baal', and four hundred prophets of the
'groves' that ate at the table of his wife, Jezebel. Ahab agreed and
sent word to gather all the children and the said number of prophets on the
mount Carmel. When they are all gathered, Elijah asked them how long would they
have two opinions about following the real God and if they trusted the LORD they
may follow the LORD or they may follow Baal and goes on for the show down.
Elijah tells them that he was alone standing on behalf of the LORD presenting
himself as the prophet of the LORD, while there are four hundred fifty men
standing as prophets of Baal. Elijah calls for the show down and asks the
prophets of the Baal, to have one bullock and give another to Elijah and cut
their bullock into pieces and lay the pieces on the wood, and put no fire under,
while he would dress the other bullock, cut in to pieces and lay the pieces on
the wood and put no fire under. Thereafter, as per the instructions of
Elijah, they would call their gods and Elijah would call his LORD, and whichever
God answers the prayers be the real God, whom the children of Israel need place
the trust on. It pleased the children of Israel well.
Elijah told the prophets of Baal to chose one bullock and dress it first
because they are many and call on the name of their gods, and put no fire under.
"And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called
on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But
there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which
was made". (1 Kings 18:26 KJV)
Elijah mocked at the prophets of Baal and asked them to cry loud because he
is a god, may be talking to somebody, or he is pursuing on his journey or he may
be sleeping that he needs to be awakened. Oh! What a shame, they cried
aloud more and more and cut themselves with knives and lancets until their blood
gushed out from their bodies. They cried until evening and even then their
sleeping god, or the god who had no ears to hear, did not answer their prayers
or had any compassion on the blood they shed for their god. Their god needed the
blood of their children and yet he was hopeless to help them in their dire need
of a great show down. Their god could not come to their rescue nor did they save
them. All that they had at the end of the day was their sweat, tired
bodies and the blood that they shed for their god. Is it not worth
pondering that their god could not have compassion on them even when they shed
their precious blood for him, just in contrast to our living God, who sent his
one and only son, Jesus Christ, who shed his precious blood for our sake, so
that whoever believes in him shall have eternal life and will not perish?
It is our living God, who loved us first, not that we loved him first that he
sent his one and only son Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins.
Elijah tells all the people to go near him and he repaired the altar of the
LORD that was broken down and took twelve stones according to the number of the
tribes of Jacob, whom God loved and renamed him as "Israel". With the
stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD and made around the altar a
trench of the size that would contain two measures of seed. He set the wood in
order and laid the pieces of the bullock that he cut and ordered the children of
Israel, to pour four barrels of water thrice upon the burnt sacrifice, and on
the wood so that the water ran round the altar and in addition, he filled the
trench with water. It is at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice
that Elijah, came near and prayed to the LORD, that the LORD being the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known that day that he was the God of
Israel, and Elijah was his servant. Elijah prayed, "Hear me, O LORD, hear me,
that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned
their heart back again". (1 Kings 18:37 KJV) and the LORD answered Elijah, "Then
the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and
the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench". (1
Kings 18:38 KJV)
This showdown ended really to prove that the LORD was the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel, and all the people that saw this miracle fell on their faces
and acknowledged that "...The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God...".
Elijah did not leave all that there, but gave instructions that al the prophets
of Baal be taken making sure that not even one of them escapes, and they took
them and Elijah, brought down to the brook Kishon and slew them there.
Elijah, then told Ahab to get up, eat an drink and there was at sound of
abundance of rain. As Ahab went to eat and drink, Elijah, went on to the
top of mount Carmel and prayed to God with his face between his knees casting
himself down on to the earth. While praying Elijah, asked his servant to
go and see if there was rain coming down. The servant went and came and said,
there was no rain, and Elijah did this seven times and lo, there arose a small
cloud out the sea like a man's hand. Elijah said to his servant to go and
say about this to Ahab and prepare his chariot and have a ride and let not the
rain stop him. In the mean while there came down heavy down pour from
heaven, and Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. Elijah had the blessings of having
the LORD's hand upon him and, therefore, he also girded his loins up and ran
before Ahab the entrance of Jezreel.
Thus the LORD's name was glorified and every body trusted in the living God.
Dear Friend,
Few verses and exhortations
Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, was buried and was raised on the
third day. He ascended in to heaven. He is the high priest in heaven [Heb
4:14-18] “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. John 3:3 They
parted his garments, they scourged him, they hurled insults on him and crucified
along with two thieves; yet Jesus was so kind on those who crucified them. “Then
said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they
parted his raiment, and cast lots”. Luke 23:34 Jesus also forgave one of the
thieves who was crucified along with him, when the thief made prayer to him to
remember him when Jesus comes into His Kingdom. Jesus immediately to him, “And
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in
paradise”. Luke 23:43 But on the third day Jesus rose from the dead and after
providing purification for our sins ascended to heaven and is seated at the
right of the Majesty. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that Jesus died
and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him".
Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary so that we may be
reconciled unto Him. There is no difference, whether we are Jews or Gentiles; He
died for all of us, and rose from the dead and ascended in to heaven. We, who
were His enemies, are made His children. The opposition that was caused between
Heaven and Earth by our committing sins is removed once and for all, by the
appeasement of our sins by Jesus Christ dying on the cross for our sake. We are
reconciled unto God through His blood that was shed upon the cross of Calvary.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me". John 14:6 "For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God;" Romans 3:23
If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, today is the day
of Salvation. Please accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, and your Lord,
to enter in to the Kingdom of God.
Salvation is available freely for all who believe in Jesus Christ and confess
his/her sins to Him, and accept Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior and also
acknowledge Him as his/her Lord.
Today is the day of salvation. Please confess your sins to Jesus Christ and be
blessed. Receive Salvation and eternal life. Jesus is the Way, the truth, and
the life. If you confess your sins to Jesus, and express faith in your heart
that he died for you sins and rose from the dead, accept Him as your personal
savior, and acknowledge with your mouth that he is your Lord, you will also be
received in to Paradise immediately after your days on this earth.
God bless you,
Leslie M. John M.A. |
