The Chariot of Israel and fulfillment of Prophecy
The Days of Elijah • Sermon • Submitted
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· 17 viewsThe chariot of fire, the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecies
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Today we finish our series on the days of Elijah
The series started with the sudden appearance of Elijah
God’s judgement against Israel and its king - drought
God cares for Elijah during the three years of drought
Then at the end of the three years Elijah returns
Elijah calls out Ahab as the troubler of Israel
Challenges 850 prophets
Rain returns and the foot race to Jezreel
Jezebel is not happy at the news of the slaughter of the 850 prophets
Seeks to kill Elijah
Elijah runs away
Ends up at Mt. Horeb, the Mt. of God
God speaks to Elijah and we learn of a remnant of faithful followers of the Lord
Elijah appears again to Ahab and brings message of disaster upon the House of Ahab for the death of Ahab and the taking of his vineyard
Ahab humbles himself at the news of the disaster
For his humility God will promises that the disaster will not come in the days of Ahab, but in the days of his Sons
Ahab dies and Ahaziah becomes king, and falls through the lattice of the window in his palace.
Doesn’t seek God, instead Baal-Zebub god of Ekron
He will not get up from his bed
Ahaziah dies and his brother Jehoram becomes King of Israel.
This is where we are as pick up the narrative today
Chair bible page 250
1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years.
2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and his mother; for he removed the memorial stone of Baal which his father had made.
3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into which he misled Israel; he did not abandon them.
Are you ready for the message God has for us today?
Cool let’s begin
It seems in the house of Ahab, sons follow in their fathers foot steps.
Now Jehoram is evil but not to the extant of his father or brother.
Though he still sinned in the ways that Jeroboam had sinned, and misled Israel
These are the days of Elijah, his last days in fact came during the reign of Jehoram
Elijah & The Chariot of Israel!
Elijah & The Chariot of Israel!
1 Now it came about, when the Lord was about to bring Elijah up by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left Gilgal with Elisha.
2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”
So we see as chapter 2 opens what we are about to read is what leads into the taking of Elijah in a Whirlwind
Let’s remind ourselves that God has told Elijah to select Elisha as his replacement prophet of the Lord
He was told this in 1 Kings 19 while he was on Mt. Horeb
Then we are told how Elisha was called by Elijah
Elijah found Elisha in the field working with 12 yoke of oxen.
Elijah calls him and before he left to follow Elijah, Elisha was allowed to prepare a feast for his family, kiss them, and say goodbye.
So from that time until now as we pickup the narrative Elisha has followed and learned from Elijah.
Elijah has battled and fought faithfully for the Lord God. That warfare is now accomplished, God is going to translate his faithful prophet in a special manner to heaven. A manner not seen before or after.
It seems in his last moments God sends him to Bethel and Jericho with groups of prophets in these cities. A guild or brotherhood of prophets mentioned in 1 Kgs 20:35 but more common in the Elisha stories. Such guilds were stationed in cities throughout the land of Israel, including Bethel and Jericho.
35 Now a man from the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of the Lord, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him.
So maybe he was imparting some final teaching from God to these prophets. Who knows the narrative doesn’t say.
In both Bethel and Jericho Elishas is asked by the prophets 2 Kings 2:3
2 Kings 2:3 (NASB 2020)
3 “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”
Also on the way to Bethel, at Bethel and at Jericho Elijah implores his servant Elisha to stay behind. Three times he does this and three times Elisha states, “As surely as the Lord lives and as yourself live, I will not leave you.”
The text does not say why Elijah did this to Elisha.
Perhaps he wished to spare Elisha the sudden pain of such a quick departure from life
Perhaps he was testing the affection of Elisha
No one knows for sure
What we do know is that Elisha is not going to leave the side of Elijah on his journey.
Something happens at the Jordan, three times in scripture God parts the Jordan
Joshua and the Israelites - Joshua 3:14-17
Elijah here 2 Kings 2:8
8 And Elijah took his coat, folded it, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
3. Elisha 2 Kings 2:14
14 Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
I think that is just amazing!
Now once on the other side of the Jordan Elijah speaks to Elisha
9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”
Wow, a double portion. Think of all that Elijah had done and Elisha asks a double portion.
We know he saw Elijah leave, yet the only indication we have comes once he is on the other side of the Jordan
15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.
From there the narrative picks up Elisha as the prophet of God.
What a reward for Elijah, to not see death instead to be taken in a whirlwind
Something stood out to me as I read the narrative this time
11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.
12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see Elijah again. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
I thought Elisha went in the chariot of fire?
Nope the chariot of fire was used to separate Elijah from Elisha.
Elijah went up in the whirlwind, or windstorm the word indicates
There was another time we see chariots of fire
17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
So chariots of fire seem to indicate the presence of the Lord’s army.
This meant that Elisha was not allowed to pass any further toward Elijah
What a way to go! This to me says a great deal about the kind of prophet Elijah was
No wonder he is seen as the greatest prophet of all
But, what about the prophecies concerning Ahab’s house?
The Fulfillment of Elijah’s Prophecies
The Fulfillment of Elijah’s Prophecies
Jehu anointed king of Isreal 2 Kings 9:6-10
6 He then got up and went into the house, and the prophet’s servant poured the oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel.
7 And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.
8 For the entire house of Ahab shall perish, and I will eliminate from Ahab every male person both slave and free in Israel.
9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah.
10 The dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’ ” Then he opened the door and fled.
It is interesting that Elijah was told to anoint Jehu, but it was a servant of Elisha that fulfilled task
Servants of Jehoram recognize that Jehu is now king they lay their garments and blow the trumpet and shout Jehu is King!
Jehu then fulfills his God given task as king
2 Kings 9:22–24 (NASB 2020)
22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is your intention peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What ‘peace,’ so long as your mother Jezebel’s acts of prostitution and witchcraft are so many?”
23 So Joram turned back and fled, and he said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, Ahaziah!”
24 Then Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his arms; and the arrow went through his heart, and he sank in his chariot.
Joram’s body is picked up an taken to Naboth’s vineyard in fulfillment of what the men heard concerning the Lord say
26 ‘I have certainly seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will repay you on this property,’ declares the Lord. Now then, pick him up and throw him on the property, in accordance with the word of the Lord.”
The death of wicked Jezebel
Jezebel hears that Jehu is coming and she get all dressed up.
It says she puts on makeup, adorned her head in preparation.
Jehu though has other plans - 2 Kings 9:33-35
33 Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her underfoot.
34 When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, “See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.”
35 So they went to bury her, but they found nothing of her except the skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands.
The men came back and recognized what happen to her as the fulfillment of the words of Elijah.
Jehu has to then write a couple of letters to encourage people of Samaria to take care of the 70 remaining sons of Ahab then finally,
7 When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy men, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel.
Finally everyone of Ahab’s house is gone 2 Kings 10:10-11
10 Know then that nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab, shall fall to the earth, for the Lord has done what He spoke through His servant Elijah.”
11 So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, his acquaintances, and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.
17 When he came to Samaria, he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had eliminated them, in accordance with the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah.
As a final act Jehu gathers and kills all who worship Baal and serve as the false god’s priests and having deceived them he has them killed
28 So Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel.
However, with all of this Jehu has this as his memorial
30 Yet the Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in performing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab in accordance with everything that was in My heart, your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.”
31 But Jehu was not careful to walk in the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not desist from the sins of Jeroboam, into which he misled Israel.
Thus is fulfilled all that God has said
God Keeps His Word!
God Keeps His Word!
Though it took time, God’s time not man’s, God kept every word he told to Elijah.
The house of Ahab was destroyed just as God had said.
The lesson God keeps His word, keeps His promises!
This continues in the New Testament - Titus 1:1-3
1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,
3 but at the proper time revealed His word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;
If God makes a promise we can be assured that God will keep it.
We may not know when or how long it will take God will keep His promise.
That is the lesson from the life of Elijah!
The Messiah was promised but it took thousands of years for the time of His visitation
That is because things happen in God’s time not ours.
Messiah came in fulfillment of God’s promise and now forgiveness sins is possible!
Conclusion
Here is what we have learned from the days of Elijah
God needs faithful followers who will relay His message
Society sits in the same spot Israel was - serve self or serve God!
Over come fear with the encouragement that we are not alone in all our struggles and joys of life
With God there is always hope!
God always finds His people! No matter how dark things may be!
God keeps His word!
We open the altars today!
Where are you with God?
Do you hear God calling you?
Do you need to pray?