Burunche’s Blog

1 Kings 21:25 – 28 “(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel. He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”

What can we say about Ahab? This meme summarizes Ahab’s character quite adequately. After marrying a priestess of Baal from Sidonia, Ahab was completely dominated by this evil wife. Ahab shirked royal responsibility, enjoying childish things and being petulant beyond belief. When God led Elijah to pronounce doom for Ahab, it was no more than Ahab deserved!

“This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

 Ahab’s track record was atrocious. After all this, you would be waiting to learn that these terrible prophecies came true for Ahab and that Ahab died a miserable death. Jezebel did die exactly as Elijah predicted, and the dogs ravaged her body. But for once in Ahab’s life, he finally did something right. When Elijah pronounced doom on Ahab, Ahab repented! Let’s say that again: AHAB REPENTED!  That’s right. This weak – minded character whose wife led him by the nose into every unspeakable practice imaginable truly and completely repented. And what’s equally amazing is that God ACCEPTED that repentance!

APPLICATION: People are fond of pointing to the example of the thief who repented while dying on a cross next to Jesus as they were both being crucified. Truly, that man did repent and Jesus acknowledged that repentance and promised him a place in paradise. But hundreds of years before the thief on the cross took his decision, Ahab humbled himself and repented, and God honored that repentance as coming from Ahab’s heart.

Will we see Ahab in heaven? Only God knows; however, when Ahab repented, he was throwing himself on God’s mercy. But what about us? It’s tempting to read the story of Ahab and Jezebel and to feel pretty smug. After all, we have never offered sacrifices to idols, nor have we indulged in fertility rites or burned babies in the arms of a statue of Molech. But what are the images that play in our minds? What movies do we watch? What TV shows? These days, reality TV continues to descend to new depths in search of sensational topics that will capture the imagination of the viewing audience. The recent controversy over the Supreme Court decision has revealed a large number of people who are more interested in their own selfish interests than in the sanctity of life.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” What is our mode of dress? The outfits worn by many people attending churches are so immodest that people of other faiths, such as Islam, find them offensive. Recently in Ghana, one Christian musician stopped singing solos during the offering because the ladies who were dancing forward to put in their money were so scantily clad that he found it distracted him from concentrating on God. Ahab repented and wore coarse scratchy sack cloth. How many of us are willing to give up our right to dress provocatively so that we will honor God rather than advertising ourselves?

DO WE REALLY HAVE TO REPENT OF OUR SINS? Jeremiah 17:9 says “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (New Living Translation) Romans 3:21 – 25 tells us, “But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Wicked King Ahab never knew about Jesus, but he knew enough to throw himself on God’s mercy. God honored that repentance and spared Ahab from a terrible fate. We too must repent. We must ask God to open our eyes to those things in our hearts that offend Him. Once God shows us those things, we must repent, turning away from them completely and never going back to them. God wants us to live lives filled with “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” But God can’t fill our lives with His goodness until we confess our sins so that He can clean us up and get rid of those sins.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have done many wrong things and that we continue to do so. By ourselves, there is nothing we can do to earn Your forgiveness. But You are the same God who forgave King Ahab, and You are the One who sent Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, forgive our sins and graciously help us to turn away from them completely and to follow You closely. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 21:1 – 24 “Some time later, Naboth the Jezreelite happened to own a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.

Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?”

Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’ ”

But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”

So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them. They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people. And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!”

So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”

And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, of which he has gone to take possession.

Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’

Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’ ”

When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.”

He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel,

both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

In Israel, the land had been given out by lot and was a precious inheritance from generation to generation. Naboth had a magnificent vineyard that had been bearing for many years. It’s likely that the vineyard was older than Ahab. The vineyard might even have been there when Omri bought the hill from Shemer to build Samaria. But Ahab felt entitled and had no regard for the Law of Moses or the customs of Israel; moreover, Ahab was married to a Sidonian who knew nothing about Israelite customs and cared even less.

Ahab took a whim that he needed a vegetable garden next to the palace, never mind that the land he coveted was Naboth’s ancestral land. Vegetables were re – planted annually, while vineyards could last for hundreds of years. When Naboth courteously refused to give up his vineyard, Ahab withdrew to the palace and sulked, refusing to eat. Jezebel then concocted a horrible plot to falsely accuse Naboth, murder him, and seize his vineyard. Fearing Jezebel’s wrath, the city elders went along with the plot, despite its evil intent. But by instigating this horrific act, Jezebel sealed her fate. The shedding of innocent blood brings curses on a land, and Jezebel had already murdered so many of God’s prophets. Now she was plotting the murder of a righteous man who had done nothing to deserve death.

Elijah confronted Ahab and pronounced a spine – chilling judgment over both Ahab and Jezebel. “This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

You have to feel sorry for Ahab’s slaves and other servants! Even though these poor people had no say in anything, they too were to bear the curses for Ahab and Jezebel’s evil deeds.

To the Israelites, dogs were unclean animals, and vultures were just as bad. It was anathema if there were no body to bury. Even if only part of a body was left to bury, it was still better. (https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ancient-burial-practices)  “To give a decent burial to a stranger ranks with giving bread to the hungry and garments to the naked (Tob. 1:17 – 18)” A common Mesopotamian curse was “may the earth not receive your body!” To sleep with one’s fathers, i.e., to be buried with them, was also considered an enormous blessing. When King David offered Barzillai the chance to accompany him to Jerusalem, Barzillai refused, stating that he wished to be buried with his father and mother.

APPLICATION: Do God’s promises and God’s curses still work? Yes! God has not changed. In Numbers 23:19 God put His words into the mouth of Balaam the pagan prophet. “God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” We make a tragic mistake when we assume that God’s purity and His Holiness have somehow slipped over the years and that He is willing to overlook our pet sins. God is still calling out to us through environmental disasters, through political upheavals, and through so many other cataclysmic events. If we will repent of our sins and turn to God, God will heal us and will heal our countries and the land and waters in them.

There are no deeds that we can perform that are good enough for us to earn our way into heaven. If each of us is honest, we know that we are not perfect and that our minds are full of all kinds of angry evil thoughts many times a day. This is why Jesus, God’s only Son, had to come to earth to live as a man and to die on the cross at Calvary, giving up his blood and his life as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. But a sacrifice only works if you believe in it. Paul and Silas told the jailor at Philippi, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us, even though we do so many wrong things each day. Lord, we acknowledge that nothing we do can possibly gain us a place with You in heaven. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, we believe that Jesus has come, that he has died, and that he has risen from the dead, conquering death and the grave. We now trust that You will forgive our sins because of that sacrifice Jesus has made for us. Thank You for forgiving us. Help us to love You and to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 20:26 – 43 “In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them.

The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”

For seven days the armies camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle ensued, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans—a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.

The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’ ”

And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.”

“Go and get him!” said the king.

Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.

Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”

“By this treaty I release you,” Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.

Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!”

But the man refused to strike him.

Then the prophet said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, as soon as you depart from me a lion will kill you.”

And when he left, a lion found him and killed him.

Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!”

So the man struck him and wounded him, and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.

As the king passed by, he cried out to the king: “Your servant had marched out into the middle of the battle, when suddenly a man came over with a captive and told me, ‘Guard this man! If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be exchanged for his life, or you will weigh out a talent of silver. But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”

And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.”

Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’ ”

Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.”

Well, the Syrians are at it again! Believing that the God of Israel must be a God of the hills, the Syrians have chosen to attack on the plains. Bad move! God empowers the Israelites, and they slaughter 100,000 Syrian soldiers. When the Syrians retreat to the city of Aphek, a wall collapses, killing another 27,000 men. At this point, Ben – hadad is desperate, and approaches Ahab wearing sackcloth around his waist with ropes on his head rather than a crown. Puffed up by a victory in which he has had only a small part and blinded by his own sense of importance, Ahab magnanimously makes a treaty with Ben – hadad, calling him his brother. Ben – hadad makes promises to Ahab and then returns to Damascus a free man.

Ahab has really blown it this time! God wanted Ahab’s forces to destroy Ben – hadad; however, Ahab has allowed his ego to overshadow common sense and has released Ben – hadad, even making a treaty with him. God cannot allow this tragic mistake to pass without notice.  

One of the prophets orders a man to wound him. When that man refuses, the prophet predicts that the man will be killed by a lion and this promptly happens. The prophet orders another man to wound him, and that man obeys – obviously, he doesn’t want to become lion bait. The prophet covers his face with a bandage and then approaches Ahab with a story about being charged to watch a prisoner. The prophet claims that the man who gave the prisoner into his care threatened that if the prisoner escaped, the prophet would pay with his life. Now the prophet is complaining that “as your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”

From the height of his chariot, Ahab grandly proclaims that the prophet has pronounced judgement on himself and that he should die for failing to guard the prisoner carefully. At this point, the prophet whips the bandage off his head and turns on Ahab, telling Ahab that Ahab has made a tragic mistake. God wanted Ahab and his forces to completely annihilate Ben – hadad and all of his men; instead, Ahab has entered into a short – sighted treaty that leaves Israel open to attack from Syria in the future. After all, it was Ben – hadad who demanded that Ahab hand over all the gold, silver, and even his favorite wives and children. Why in the name of common sense would anybody be foolish enough to trust such a man? Ahab’s failure to eliminate Ben – hadad will eventually result in the death of Ahab and his people. “‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’ ”

What might Ahab do at this point? If Ahab were to repent before the Lord, things might be different. Ahab should immediately beg the prophet of the Lord for advice to see if there is anything he can do to save the situation. If ever there were a time when Ahab needs to humble himself and ask for God’s help, this is it. But Ahab does nothing of the sort; instead, Ahab becomes offended, sticks out his lower lip and pouts all the way back to Samaria.

APPLICATION: Viewed from the vantage point of nearly three thousand years, we can readily see how foolish Ahab has been. Ahab is the king of a relatively small country with a few thousand troops while Syria has massed at least one hundred twenty – seven thousand or more men. Only divine intervention has protected Ahab and his people from being completely wiped out. Ahab should recognize that God is the One who has saved Israel and he should ask the prophet for guidance when Ben – hadad and his men appear in sack cloth. But Ahab is a creature of passion; logic and faith play little or no part in his thinking.

One key statement that echoes down through the centuries is the excuse. “And as your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” Totally unaware of God’s purpose for this battle, Ahab has been busy “here and there” and has allowed Ben – hadad to escape. Ahab has failed to ask God for guidance, and the results are disastrous. But how many of us occupy ourselves with things that don’t really matter, failing to realize that God has called us to some particular work? When God has called us to preach the Gospel, are we settling for light shows? Are we offering God our good works and our plans in the hopes that He will rubber stamp them and overlook our failure to fulfill His perfect Will for our lives?  May God send His Holy Spirit to convict us, so that we don’t respond like Ahab and go off and pout.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to truly seek Your Will for our lives and not to become distracted or to try to offer You something less or something else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 20:1 -25 “Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it. Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’ ”

And the king of Israel replied, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”

 The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.  But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to search your palace and the houses of your servants. They will seize and carry away all that is precious to you.’ ”

Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”

And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”

So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’ ”

So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad.

Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”

And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’ ”

Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”

“By whom?” Ahab asked.

And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’ ”

“Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab.

“You will,” answered the prophet. So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.

They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. And the young officers of the district governors marched out first.

Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”

“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”

Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them, and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry.

Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.

Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”

Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail. So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers. And you must raise an army like the one you have lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail.”

And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly.”

The King of Syria, Ben – hadad, assembles a huge army with 32 other kings and all their soldiers and chariots to besiege Samaria. When Ben – hadad first demands that the people of Samaria hand over their silver and gold and their best wives and children, Ahab is such a wimp that he agrees! But then Ben – hadad increases his demands, and the city elders all advise Ahab to resist. Ben – hadad sends Ahab an arrogant message, but for once, Ahab says the right thing. “Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”

And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’ ”

Go, Ahab!

While the Syrians are lining up against Samaria, a prophet of the Lord tells Ahab that God is going to destroy the Syrian army. Ahab not only listens, but takes advice from the prophet, sending the 232 young governors of the provinces to lead his 7,000 soldiers into battle. With the Lord’s help, the Israelites massacre the Syrian troops and their horses; however, Ben – hadad manages to escape. The same prophet of the Lord warns Ahab to begin planning because the Syrians are going to regroup and attack again in the spring. The Syrians fail to realize that they are fighting the One True Living God, so they think that if they can fight on the plains instead of the hills, the God of Israel will be powerless.

APPLICATION: This is an amazing story for many reasons. Jezebel has tried to kill all the prophets of the Lord; yet, this man has come and is advising Ahab. The first miracle is that Ahab actually listens and follows God’s advice. The result is a resounding victory. The second miracle is that for a brief moment in time, Ahab actually speaks like a man of faith, advising Ben – hadad not to boast until the battle is over. And the third miracle is that when the prophet of God returns, Ahab again listens to him.

What has made the difference for Ahab? The encounter on Mount Carmel has just taken place and the demonic power of the Baals and the Asherah has been broken, leaving Ahab open to godly influence. The results are obvious; a relatively small Israelite force defeats a huge army, shredding them. Is Jezebel still around? Oh yes! Are there still people in Israel worshiping demons? Most likely. But God through Elijah has sovereignly moved, and it’s likely that those righteous ones left in Israel have taken courage and are praying as they never have before.

We are living in a day when flood tides of evil appear to be engulfing many countries. Economic conditions are deplorable, environmental disasters threaten, and there are a host of other problems. But we can take heart from this story. Ahab is not a believer; however, the prayers of Elijah and others and the breaking of demonic power have left this ruler open to godly influence. St. Paul repeatedly urged those to whom he wrote to pray for all those in authority. God told Elijah on Mount Horeb that there were 7,000 men in Israel who believed in Him. God always has a remnant who pray. Rather than whining and complaining, let us become part of that prayer force! Who knows how much the course of history might be changed if we pray seriously?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to pray rather than to complain. Help us to trust that when we pray, You will act to change the course of history for entire nations. You are the God of heaven and earth and nothing is too difficult for You. Let us trust in that fact and worship You as Savior and Lord and King. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 19:19 – 21 “So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.

So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.”

“Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”

So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s equipment, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.”

When Elisha got up that morning and went out to plow, he had no idea that by the end of the day, the purpose of his whole life would be radically changed. Elisha’s father was a well – to – do farmer with twelve teams of oxen, and Elisha was plowing when the prophet Elijah came to him and threw his cloak around him. This act of Elijah was to symbolize that God was passing the mantle of prophecy from Elijah to Elisha. But what happened to Elisha when that cloak wrapped around him?

When the mantle of the Lord wrapped around Elisha, the tectonic plates of his life shifted, resulting in a spiritual earthquake. Shaken out of the ordinary, Elisha suddenly realized that God was calling him for something amazing. As a dutiful son, Elisha begged to tell his parents farewell, and this was a critical juncture. Elijah WANTED Elisha to follow him, but God had constrained Elijah so that if Elisha failed to respond appropriately, there was nothing that Elijah could do about it. That was why Elijah gave such a strange reply to Elisha.  

Why did Elisha immediately go back, slaughter the team of oxen that he was driving, and use the wooden yoke and the plow for firewood to cook the meat? Elisha was making a burnt offering of his previous life. When Elisha slaughtered those oxen, he was demonstrating that he was turning his back on everything he had done up until now and that he was entering a new life. Elisha’s final act as a son of that household was to serve up the meat from his team of oxen to the people around him. From that point onward, Elisha followed Elijah.

APPLICATION: Radical commitments! If our lives are to count for God, we must reach a point at which we are willing to leave everything we have done previously and enter into a new way of living. When Jesus called his disciples, they were fishing, they were collecting taxes, they were doing all kinds of ordinary work. But when that call came, it was so compelling that these men left everything to follow Jesus immediately.

Billy Sunday was a great evangelist in the early part of the Twentieth Century. When Billy Sunday heard the call of God, he was a drunken baseball player standing outside the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. While all Billy’s mates went off to find more beer, Billy turned and entered the revival service, choosing a transformed life.

Jim Elliott, one of the five missionaries martyred by the Auca Indians, wrote in his diary, “He is no fool who gives  what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” It was also Elliott who said, “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” William Borden was the heir to the Borden Dairy fortune, but he left wealth and social position behind to go to Egypt. Borden died of meningitis while studying Arabic so that he could become an evangelist to Muslims. Borden’s comment on his life choice: “No reserves, no retreats, no regrets.”

What is God calling you to do today? The times in which Elijah and Elisha lived were troubled ones. Ahab and Jezebel were still ruling Israel and promoting the worship of Baal and Asherah. Economic conditions were harsh and uncertain. But when Elijah threw that cloak over Elisha, Elisha didn’t hesitate; he left everything behind to follow Elijah and the call God was placing on his life.

When God has called you to do something, don’t hesitate and don’t deliberate, but move forward. Francis Schaeffer was a highly successful minister in America with a large congregation and a comfortable situation. In 1955 God called Schaeffer and his family to leave everything and to move to a remote part of Switzerland. What the Schaeffers did not anticipate was that God would use that move to allow them to establish the L’Abri Retreat Center. (L’Abri is French for “the shelter.”) L’Abri became a place where people who were earnestly seeking God could have their questions answered and find faith. Others had their faith strengthened by the clear incisive writing of Francis and Edith Schaeffer. Only God knows the millions whose lives have been touched because Francis and Edith Schaeffer made that radical move.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, You are calling all of us to come up higher and to leave the ordinary to follow You. Give us hearts that are willing to listen, minds willing to receive, and the courage to follow where You lead us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 19:1 – 18 “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed!”

And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself traveled on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep.

Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.

A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”

So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”  

Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a still, small voice. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram. You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.

Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.

Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal d and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Elijah was exhausted! Not only had Elijah had a power confrontation with the prophets of Baal, but he followed that with an intense prayer session on Mount Carmel, followed by a fifteen – mile run through the wilderness to Jezreel. Little wonder then, that when Jezebel snarled her threats, Elijah grabbed his servant and they both ran for the wilderness. Knowing that Jezebel was only out for his blood, Elijah left his servant in Beersheba while he passed on into the wilderness of the Negev. Finally, Elijah collapsed under a broom tree, begging God to let him die.

What did God do at this point? Did God smite Elijah dead? Did God criticize Elijah? No! God gave Elijah food and water and let him sleep. Once Elijah was rested, he journeyed on to Mount Horeb, where he spent the night in a cave. What happened while Elijah was hiding in the cave? God ordered Elijah to come out of his cave as the Lord passed by. Immediately after this, storm winds, earthquakes, and lightning shook the mountain, but God was not in any of these events, nor did Elijah respond to them. But after all the shaking, noise, and smoke had dissipated, there came the still small voice of God, and that was when Elijah came to the mouth of the cave.

God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here?” Elijah responded, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.” Both God and Elijah knew that the first part of this statement was true. But Elijah did not have all the facts.

At that interview on Mount Horeb, God re – confirmed his acceptance of Elijah as His prophet and gave Elijah a new commission. Elijah was to anoint three different men – Hazael as king over Syria, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha to succeed Elijah as the prophet of God. God promised Elijah that these three men would kill those who had been opposing God and Elijah. But God also informed Elijah that Elijah was not alone; in fact, there remained 7,000 men who had not worshiped Baal.  

APPLICATION: H.A.L.T. – Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired – these are four of the most common stressors that prevent people from recovering from any kind of addiction, obsession, depression, etc. Looking at Elijah, you realize that Elijah was suffering from all of these stressors.

I love the story of Elijah, but I despise some of the teachings that have come from it. Elijah was a man of tremendous faith, and yet there are those with practically no faith who feel qualified to criticize Elijah, as if they would certainly have done better. I love what D. L. Moody had to say about this situation:

“I suppose that if we asked the men in Elijah’s time what kind of a man he was, they would have said, “He is very peculiar.” The King would have said, “I hate him.” Jezebel did not like him; the whole royal court did not like him and a great number of the nominal Christians did not like him; he was too radical.

I am glad that the Lord had seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal; but I would rather have Elijah’s little finger than the whole seven thousand. I would not give much for seven thousand Christians in hiding. They will just barely get into heaven; they will not have crowns. See that “no man take thy crown.” Be willing to be one of Christ’s peculiar people, no matter what men may say of you!”  

God fed Elijah, gave him water, and let him sleep before he undertook a strenuous journey. Then God re – commissioned Elijah, but it was going to take three men to replace him. Eventually, God even took Elijah up into heaven without Elijah dying. For those who would criticize Elijah, my question is this: what has God done in your life? Have you ever ministered to the point of total exhaustion, or have you hoarded your resources prudently? Have you ever risked your life for God?

During the school shootings at Columbine, one teen – age girl was asked if she was a Christian. When this young lady answered, “Yes,” she was shot and killed. In athletic terms, Elijah left everything he had out there on the playing field. Are we willing to do the same?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to be willing to risk everything for You, if You call us to do so. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 18:41 – 46 “And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”

So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees. “Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant.

So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.”

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.”

And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”

Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.”

Ahab has just watched in horror and amazement as God has sent fire from heaven to consume Elijah’s sacrifice, the stones of the altar, the water, and even the dust. Elijah and the Israelites have killed the 450 prophets of Baal and possibly the 400 prophets of Asherah as well. At this point, Ahab is so distraught that he can barely wipe his own nose. No wonder Ahab is taking orders from Elijah! Elijah sends Ahab off to get something to eat, telling him that there is the sound of a heavy rain, something Elijah is hearing in his spirit. While Ahab goes off to eat, Elijah climbs to the very highest point on Mount Carmel and begins praying.

Six times, Elijah sends his servant to look towards the sea, and six times the servant comes back and reports that he sees nothing. Each time this happens, Elijah orders him to go back and look again. Finally, the servant reports that he sees a tiny cloud “no bigger than a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Elijah then orders Ahab to get in his chariot and take off for Jezreel before the rain stops him. As Elijah is saying this, the storm clouds are gathering and the rain that will break that three – year drought is beginning. As Ahab is speeding to Jezreel in his chariot, God moves on Elijah, who tucks his cloak in his belt and runs all the way to Jezreel, arriving before Ahab.

APPLICATION: Three years of drought! Three years of watching people and livestock suffering from thirst and possibly dying from hunger when the crops failed! What brought the drought in the first place? It was the sins of Ahab and Jezebel compounded by the mute acceptance of that evil by the Israelites that brought such terrible weather. And what broke this drought? The drought was broken when Baal was graphically demonstrated to be a worthless idol while the One True Living God of Israel showed His power and His might by consuming Elijah’s sacrifice. Was it necessary to kill all those prophets of Baal? Well, if those men had lived, they might have devised new means of deceiving the unwary. Certainly, Jezebel had done everything she could to eliminate the prophets of God so that they could not teach the people the right way.

It is a sad mistake when we assume that weather patterns cannot be influenced by spiritual conditions. In the “Transformations” series of videos, George Otis Junior and the Sentinel Organization have graphically demonstrated that all kinds of climate changes have occurred in Fiji, in Guatemala, and in other parts of the world when people in those areas have repented and have turned to worship the One True Living God. (https://www.sentinelgroup.org/documentaries) Today there is a lot of attention being paid to the concept of global warming; however, very few people seem to realize that we need to seek to please God, who controls all of our weather.

What about Elijah’s prayers and his servant’s obedience? What can we learn from the way Elijah prays?

1. Elijah isolates himself so that he can concentrate on his prayers. While everyone else is leaving the area, Elijah climbs to the highest point on Mount Carmel.
2. Elijah buries his face in his lap so that he will not become discouraged and so that he can focus totally on what God is saying to him. Sometimes we need to close ourselves off so that we will not be distracted and that we will listen fully to God. John Wesley’s mother, Susanna, had nineteen children; yet, her children knew that when she sat down and threw her apron up over her face, she was praying and they were to be quiet and leave her alone.
3. Elijah refuses to give up or to give in. Elijah sends his servant to look out toward the sea six times, and each time the servant returns to report that he sees nothing new. Many of us might have stopped long before six times, feeling that we have prayed long enough and that surely God should have answered by now. But Elijah is made of stronger stuff, and he refuses to give up. Finally, on the seventh time, the servant returns to report that he sees a small cloud rising out of the sea.  George Mueller, a famous prayer warrior of the nineteenth century, prayed for the salvation of one man for much of his life. It was only when that man learned of Mueller’s death that he came to know Christ. IF GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO PRAY FOR SOMETHING OR FOR SOMEONE, DON’T GIVE UP!!!
4. Elijah’s servant is obedient and continues to follow Elijah’s instructions, trusting that they are from God. At no point does it appear that the servant questions Elijah as some of us might have done. “Hey, boss! I’ve already looked six times and there was nothing. What’s the point of looking again?”
5. Elijah doesn’t even look at the sea himself but trusts his servant to have given him a true report. Not only is Elijah talking to God, but God is also talking to Elijah. God has probably told Elijah to keep praying until the servant brings him a certain answer. Now that answer has come. It’s time for Elijah to act.
6. After praying, Elijah allows God to touch him, tucks his cloak up into his belt and runs all the way to Jezreel. This distance is roughly fifteen miles and remember that the terrain is very rough and very hilly. Perhaps Elijah is able to take footpaths to Jezreel while Ahab has to take a road; however, this is still an impressive feat. All those weeks in the wilderness have helped prepare Elijah for this distance run. Many times, we fail to realize that our sufferings are preparing us for greater things.

Persistence in prayer and a willingness to continue until God moves – these are the lessons we can learn from Elijah’s sojourn on the top of Mount Carmel. But also, when God moves us, we must be ready even if it’s running fifteen miles through the wilderness!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to learn as much as possible from Your Word so that our lives will conform to Your perfect plan. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 18:16 – 40 So Obadiah went to inform Ahab, who went to meet Elijah. When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people did not answer a word.

Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.”

And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”

And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!”

But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.

At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.

Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.” And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. (15.6 liters)

Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.”

“Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time.

“Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time. (12 full waterpots total)

So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command. Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”

Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.

When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.”

When Elijah shows up, Ahab immediately begins insulting and accusing him, but Elijah makes it clear that Ahab has brought disaster on Israel because of his sins and the sins of his wife Jezebel. The time for hiding is over, and it’s time for a showdown. Elijah orders Ahab to bring all the prophets of Baal and the Israelites to Mount Carmel.

Elijah opens the confrontation on Mount Carmel by demanding to know whom the Israelites are going to worship, whether they will follow Baal or the God of Israel. The Israelites remain quiet, waiting to see how this whole thing is going to turn out. This passivity on the part of the Israelites has helped lead to the problems of Ahab and Jezebel. Kings of Israel are only supposed to marry Israelites; however, after the poor example set by King Solomon, that regulation has been ignored. Nobody has spoken out as Jezebel has massacred prophets of the God of Israel; only Obadiah has had the courage to hide 100 prophets. It’s decision time for the Israelites, but they are still hoping to evade committing themselves.

Elijah issues a challenge: bring two bulls and allow the prophets of Baal to sacrifice theirs first. If Baal is really God, then he should answer with fire that consumes the sacrifice. The prophets of Baal cry out for hours, even cutting themselves until they are covered with blood, but Baal remains silent. Elijah taunts the Baal worshipers, suggesting that Baal is occupied, on a journey, asleep, etc. Finally, it’s Elijah’s turn. Elijah builds a simple altar with 12 stones representing the tribes of Israel and then digs a large trench around the altar. After arranging the bull and the wood for the sacrifice, Elijah orders the entire offering be drenched with twelve large waterpots. Not only is Elijah demonstrating his faith that God is going to send fire, but he also believes that God will send enough rain to replace the water he is now pouring out on the sacrifice.

Everything is in place just in time for the traditional evening sacrifice. Unlike the prophets of Baal, Elijah simply prays, asking God to demonstrate His power and turn the hearts of the Israelites back to Him. ZAP!!! God answers with so much fire that everything is consumed – the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and even the water in the trench. All that’s left is a huge scorch mark on the ground. The Israelites immediately turn back to God and slaughter the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah.   

APPLICATION: Why did the Israelites tolerate the reign of Ahab and Jezebel and allow themselves to be led into Baal and Asherah worship in the first place? Although King David loved God, he failed to disciple most of those around him, nor did he train Solomon in the ways of God. Solomon was so occupied with sex, wealth, and flaunting his wisdom that he did little to actually promote the worship of God. The kings that followed Solomon were even worse. None of the kings of Israel ever copied the Law of Moses for himself for personal study.

By the time Ahab and Jezebel arrived on the scene, many of the Israelites had only a vague idea of who God was or why He was worthy of worship. If those Israelites had lived today, they would have felt that they were good people because they shared inspirational memes on Facebook. These people had no understanding of the holy calling God had placed on the lives of all Israelites; they were far more interested in a religion that pandered to their lusts and didn’t make them feel uncomfortable. Given this attitude, it’s no wonder that the Israelites fell flat on their faces when God sent His fire to consume Elijah’s sacrifice, the altar, the water, and even the dust.

Although the Bible only mentions the killing of the prophets of Baal, it makes sense that Elijah would have wiped out the prophets of Asherah as well. Why leave prophets of a fertility cult?

The confrontation at Mount Carmel was nothing short of electrifying, but what were the long – term results? Did the Israelites truly repent and serve God, or did they slide back into their same idolatrous practices? God used this showdown between Elijah and the false prophets to demonstrate His power and His glory. But humans have an amazing ability to ignore large amounts of truth if they choose to believe lies. What did Jezebel have to say about all this? Jezebel wasn’t on Mount Carmel, nor did she see the fire of God fall.

Hundreds of years later, Jesus told his disciples that those who would not listen to Moses and the prophets wouldn’t even pay attention if someone rose from the dead. How much attention are we paying to what God is doing in our lives? Are we allowing God to speak to us, or are we trying to ignore Him in hopes that He will go away?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to listen for Your voice and to obey You when You speak to us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 18:1 – 15 “After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.” So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria, and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace.

(Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD, for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)

Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”

So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.

Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”  “It is I,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’”

But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death? As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you. And now you say, ‘Go tell your master that Elijah is here!’

 I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth. Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water. And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord that Elijah is here!’ He will kill me!”

Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”

Consider Obadiah! Even in the face of all the evil that Jezebel and Ahab are pouring into the northern kingdom, there are still true believers who fear the One True Living God and who will serve Him no matter what. Obadiah is in charge of Ahab’s palace and at risk constantly; yet, when Jezebel has begun whole – sale slaughter of the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah has successfully hidden 100 prophets of the Lord in two caves, 50 to a cave, and has managed to keep them supplied with food and water. Has Obadiah been diverting resources from the palace to sustain these men of God?

Now Obadiah and Ahab have split up and are traveling throughout the land searching for grazing and water to keep their livestock alive. It’s fascinating to think that Ahab is doing this himself; you would think that Ahab would dispatch herdsmen for this task. Evidently, Ahab has so abused his helpers that Obadiah is the only one he can count on apart from himself.  

When Elijah meets Obadiah and orders Obadiah to tell Ahab that he is coming, this news leaves Obadiah shaking in his sandals. Ahab has been searching throughout the region for Elijah and has demanded that surrounding nations swear that they were not harboring him. The supreme irony is that for much of the time Ahab has been searching, Elijah has been living quietly in Ahab’s father – in – law’s kingdom of Sidon in the town of Zarephath. But who would think that a poor widow and her son would be able to help anybody? It is the very obscurity of this widow that has helped protect Elijah.  

The obscure position of the widow of Zarephath foreshadows the birth of Jesus Christ to a young couple in a small Judean town during a Roman census. Later, that same couple move to another village where Jesus quietly grows up as the son of a local carpenter. In Jesus’ day, nobody is anticipating that the Messiah will come from such circumstances.

APPLICATION: Today, there is a flood – tide of evil engulfing much of the world. Nations that have previously stood for righteousness appear to be crumbling morally. But consider Obadiah’s position. Obadiah was the palace administrator and knew everything that was happening in the palace, including every detail of Jezebel’s demon worship. Obadiah could easily have shrugged his shoulders and could have chosen to “go along to get along.” But Obadiah feared the Lord and managed to save 100 men of God when Jezebel was trying to slaughter them. Then Obadiah kept these men supplied with food and water in the midst of a terrible drought. Surely, there must have been others who quietly assisted Obadiah so that his support for these men did not become obvious. Although Ahab might have valued Obadiah sufficiently to withhold punishment, Jezebel would have gleefully murdered him had she known.

The name “Obadiah” means “servant of God” in Hebrew, and here Obadiah is clearly living up to his name. For those of us facing evil in our time, the decision is clear: either we serve God or we have failed in the purpose for which God has intended us. Sometimes we might feel that the evil we are facing is so overwhelming that resistance is useless; however, if we refuse to face evil, who will do so? We must also continue to support all those in positions of authority who are serving in the tradition of Obadiah. Obadiah’s efforts remained unnoticed by anyone apart from God. Who knows how many righteous men and women are quietly laboring in the tradition of Obadiah? Let us never forget that God always has a remnant and let us persistently support that remnant with prayer and fasting.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, only You know those who are laboring on Your behalf. Protect, guide, comfort, and keep the righteous wherever they are working and help us to take courage and to stand for righteousness as well. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

1 Kings 17:17 – 24 “Later, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill, and his sickness grew worse and worse, until no breath remained in him. “O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”

But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”

So he took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.  Then he cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, have You also brought tragedy on this widow who has opened her home to me, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, please let this boy’s life return to him!” And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah, and the child’s life returned to him, and he lived. Then Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. “Look, your son is alive,” Elijah declared.

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is truth.”

God has saved the widow of Zarephath, her son, and every member of her household by providing miraculously through Elijah the prophet. But somehow this lady has yet to believe that Elijah is really a man of God and that his God really is true. It takes another miracle for this lady to believe.

The son of the widow falls sick and becomes increasingly worse until he dies. These days, rainy season has arrived in northern Ghana, and we are treating lots of children with malaria and severe anemia each day. Those children who receive blood and medicines rapidly enough live, while others who arrive too late will die. The same thing can happen for children with typhoid fever. Given the drought that has gripped the land, typhoid from infected food or water might be a good possibility here. At any rate, the son dies.

In many parts of the world, sons of widows are critically important. It is those sons who give a woman hope that they will grow up and will support her in her old age. In Elijah’s day, such a widow with one son would still be regarded as a productive member of the community. But if that son were to die, the poor woman would be left with little hope for the future.

Elijah can scarcely believe that this tragedy has taken place. Why would a loving God allow such a thing to happen to the very woman who has sheltered God’s prophet at the cost of her own resources? But God has a much better plan. God knows that even though this woman has seen the miracles of the multiplication of her resources, she has yet to truly believe.

Elijah is distraught at the death of this lively young boy whom he has come to love as if he were his own son. Calling out to God, Elijah bears the boy’s body upstairs to the place where he is staying. Elijah stretches his body out over the boy’s as if he could pour his life into the boy. And Elijah does this not once, but three times. It is after the third time that God raises the boy from the dead. What if Elijah were to only stretch himself out twice? Would the boy remain dead? Elijah is desperate and is ready to continue to stretch himself out over the boy’s body until God either raises the boy from the dead or orders him to stop. Blessedly, after the third time, the boy begins breathing, opens his eyes, and is alive and fine. And it is then that the boy’s mother says, ““Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is truth.”

APPLICATION: We read this story and wonder. After all, God has already saved this lady and her entire household by multiplying their resources in a time of drought. Why hasn’t she believed already? But this woman lives in a culture in which magic abounds. Perhaps she has assumed that Elijah is really some kind of magician. At any rate, it takes the death and resurrection of the woman’s son for her to truly believe that Elijah is a man of God and that the word of the Lord is true.

What about us? What does it take for us to believe? The widow nearly lost her only son, but God has sent His only Son, Jesus, to live as a man and to die for the sins of the whole world. Jesus did not need a prophet to raise him from the dead. Jesus rose from the dead by the power of the Living God, defeating death, hell and the grave for all time. Elijah was only the means by which God raised one young boy from the dead. But Jesus has shed his blood so that all who will believe in Him and who will follow Him will have eternal life, even though their physical bodies will die and decay.

God has already given us His Word in the Bible and has given us many accounts by faithful witnesses as to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God gave the widow of Zarephath the opportunity to believe when He raised her son from the dead. God has given us many opportunities, but we must choose and choose wisely.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, let everyone who reads these words feel the gentle tug of Your Love on their hearts. Let them truly believe in You and in Your Son Jesus Christ. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.