Rain is Coming

I believe that the life of Elijah is an emblem of God’s mercy. God could have forsaken the Kingdom of Israel because of their sins but instead, God promised to send rain to end a famine that was the result Israel’s king Ahab and his wife Jezebel. As I studied the narrative of Elijah, God was speaking to my heart about how he deals with his children. In this situation, God would have been just in letting the famine persist, instead he promised to provide rain that would end the famine and restore the people of Israel from the terrible leadership of Ahab and Jezebel. God is so merciful to his children rather than repaying what is truly deserved.

The Title of Today’s Message is: Rain is Coming

While many people focus on judgement and damnation in relation to the topic of sin, I want to note that indulgence in sin feels like a spiritual famine. the more you eat sin, the more hungry and empty you feel. Can someone else testify to that? May we encounter God’s mercy, understanding that he is a provider if rain in a drought, while idols have no ability to provide for or sustain. In 1 Kings 18:20-22, God shows us that no idol can compare to him, for he is the true God.

1 Kings 18:20–45 (NRSV)

20 So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel.

21 Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not answer him a word.

C- When we think about Idols, we often speak of being enslaved to sin. I think that Israel’s idolatry during this era, was due to their decision to trust in something they can see and touch. Yahweh wasn’t visible, and he could’t be touched

I will attempt to contextualize Israel’s idolatry. It seems that Israel wanted to make God in their image rather than trusting that they were made in God’s image themselves. What does it mean to be made in the image of God?

I think the reason they make God out of created things is because they are unaware that they are actual representations of God themselves.

22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets number four hundred fifty.

King Ahab re-erected the high place or altar where they worshipped Baal who was a fertility god. The way they would worship Baal in the temple was through acts of intercourse because this action would make Baal more fertile, resulting in rain for the crops, animals, and people.

When turn to idols when we don’t trust God to supply all our needs. One of my favorite verses that highlights the provision of God and His heart to care for His children is in Romans 8:32 “32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?”

When we are in a drought spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally, our Savior desires to supply the rain that we ultimately need. I know He wants too because he did not spare his own son for us. Why would he not take care of our basic needs if he died for us? I pray that God will satisfy your needs starting today. So, who or what will you choose?

23 Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it.

24 Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord; the god who answers by fire is indeed God.” All the people answered, “Well spoken!”

25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.”

26 So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made.

27 At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”

28 Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them.

Our God would never require such an action from us that would jeopardize our health to serve him, or simply to get him to answer a prayer. We glean peace and rest from God’s mercy. God answers us because he is God, not because we punish ourselves to earn his blessings. Instead of us receiving lashes and a whipping to be blessed, Jesus was beaten and battered in our place. This is what unlocks God’s blessings in our life. Jesus took care of our sin problem disqualifies us from receiving from God.

Our idols don’t truly bless us. They steal our health and peace, but praise be to God that He is faithful and true.

29 As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come closer to me”; and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down;

31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name”;

32 with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed.

33 Next he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”

34 Then he said, “Do it a second time”; and they did it a second time. Again he said, “Do it a third time”; and they did it a third time,

35 so that the water ran all around the altar, and filled the trench also with water.

36 At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding.

37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God.”

40 Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” Then they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon, and killed them there.

41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of rushing rain.”

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees.

43 He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” He went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” Then he said, “Go again seven times.”

44 At the seventh time he said, “Look, a little cloud no bigger than a person’s hand is rising out of the sea.” Then he said, “Go say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”

1 Kings 18:45 “45 In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel.”

God was faithful to his promise to provide rain in the midst of a famine. No one could have accomplished this except God.

I ask again, “who or what will you choose? Elijah still chose God even though Jezebel killed other prophets and was going to kill him. Ge could have surrendered to the lifestyle of Ahab and Jezebel, but instead he found value in serving God. There is value in serving God especially in the moments of discomfort.