Fire from Heaven
Elijah • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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mothers day
my momma
bro marshalls fire
grandmother callin about up in a tree
whispering under covers
small she worked when needed
Mothers in effect dissappear.
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lives, identity, individual dreams,
She basically wraps up hers within those of her husband and children.
She is the epitome of self abasement, always lifting up her family, always knowing, always encouraging
Somewhere along the way, she becomes her husband’s and childrens’ heartbeat, anchor, confidant, and home.
she is lesser but she has become all. She has removed herself and has become everything
A real godly mother is living proof that
Luke 14:11 “11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
She has removed herself and in exchange has become exalted.
Proverbs 31:28–31 “28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, But thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her own works praise her in the gates.”
to all of you mothers that have willingly disappeared, Happy Mothers Day.
FOCUS VERSE
1 Kings 18:21 “21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26 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. 27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
Last Sunday part 2
Roughly 70 years. The life of a man. One generation.
Solomon’s Temple high
Who is real?
I had testified about God being real. Is that really you God? Are you really talking to me?
70yrs later. The people just dont really know who to believe
Psalm 9:17 “17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God.”
Hell-sheol (darkness, covered over, no remembrance)
There is a general public forgetfulness. leads to darkness absence of light. At first questioning of light, then turning from light, then Running from light, then not being able to see the light
King James Version Chapter 3
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be lreproved.
We are not ignorant of Satan’s devices.
There is a procedure that is followed seemingly
contamination of worship
Jereoboam golden calves dan and beersheba
acceptance/involvement/push towards of other ways from leadership
30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
Resulted in a situation that had the people confused, who is actually God? Are they all the same? Is one way as good as another?
Success in the promised land depended upon allegience to God.
Deuteronomy 11:10–17 (KJV 1900)
10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: 11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. 13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. 15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. 16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17 And then the LORD’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
God had promised that if you turn away from God, he will shut up heaven that there will be no rain.
As Israel turned away, its leadership embroiled in all kinds of legislated lawlessness Up showed Elijah right on cue with the word that God had promised.
King James Version Chapter 17
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
Last week through the provision of God with unclean beings, raven and Gentile woman.
During his stay with the widow, He raised her son from dead
what is happening during this time is alluded too in scripture. Famine was SORE (hazaq) stong.. strengthening… taking control of . It dominated all thoughts and action.
Ahab and his right hand man Obadiah are trying to find any grass to keep all of the livestock from dying. Brooks dried up, no vegetation, animals already dying. one of the most influential men in the world was relegated to trying to find some grass.
During this time period of the Famine, the administration began to do away with opposing voices to their point of view. Obadiah told Elijah
13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
As the famine became stronger and more in control, think of the control it would have over the general population, no food, no water, kin dying or about too...
Baal was the God of Thunder, lightning, rain. Together with his Asherah they controlled fertility as well
God walked right up into Baals supposed wheel house and removed all his so called power at the word of one man.
“how long do you halt between 2 opinions “
There was a swaying indecisiveness and tottering among the people. Back and forth.
Into this emaciated landscape, stolled a man. He was well fed, not thirsty.
Mt Carmel was at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. A ridge of a few miles long. This was between phonecian Sidon area where Jezibel was from and Isreal. Overlooked the Jezreel valley, the battle ground of Israel. Armegaddeon
This ridge was one of the places where Baal was said to reside. (see lightening and storms from Med sea)
So one well fed man walked into an area dying of thirsty and hunger. Because you have followed Baal you have trouble Israel.
Gather Israel, all your prophets, with all their paraphenala. Lets go up to Baals house, walk right up to his front door. All of us. Me you israel all those prophets. Right up in Baal’s living room.
A generation of people dying gathered in the Plain of Jezreel. I can imagine a group of people were spread over the large plain near Carmel. They didnt know why they were here. No one had said anything about Rain. Elijah had made no promises regarding rain. Just come.
People here mixed believers some baal, some YHWH, some both, all probably questioning.
Ahab, people, priests, all gathered with no idea why. One internationally wanted man started this mess and they came to see if… there was a hope for deliverance.
Elijah familiar with satans devices
Front of God and erbody. Elijah through out the challenge. Administration couldnt back down, priest didnt have time to rig a fake response, There was no way to weasel out.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
He gave directions to the prophets.... Everyone could see them including Elijah, Ahab, and ALLL the people
They couldnt fake anything, everyone was watching. The people were spread out below the action looking up watching so they were not cavorting in the sexual worship of Baal and Asherah. Their attention was only on what the priests were doing. no diversion. The priests were stuck. They put on the best show they could hoping that Baal would perhaps answer. Even using the pain of cutting themselves to drive them into an emotional stupor as was so common in ancient world.
Elijah said call on your gods. I can picture him mocking them.. Holler louder cause he is a God WAAAAAAAYYYY up yonder. (remember, they are in his house). He is out chasing something, or gone a journey ( hes not here in his house) Maybe he is over here asleep and dont know we are here
The people are watching… The God OF RAIN is not answering in front of everyone. THere is no response.
After all day of this “draw near” watch carefully my every move.. build, stack, dig, Water....(there is a spring on carmel that perhaps they used if not it had to be carried up the mountain from somewhere else. If The Kishon had any water then maybe there or med. sea.)
SOAKED the carcass, altar and trench.
He didnt pray a long prayer. Jesus one time said that he prayed the prayer not for his own sake but for those listening. Same? Elijah prayed a prayer for the benefit of the listeners. While he was praying, Ahab, Prophets, and people could see his every move. In English he prayed a 63 word prayer. In Hebrew only around 35 or so.
Listen to this prayer from the viewpt of a confused, starving, searching for hope generation. I changed some of it back into Hebrew so you can hear the name being used and its effect.
1 Kings 18:36–37 (KJV 1900)
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Yehovah Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art Elohim in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O Yehovah, hear me, that this people may know that thou art THE ELOHIM YEHOVAH, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
A lot of ancient relics show baal holding his lightening bolt aloft in his right hand. Now remember we are standing on Baals supposedly front porch.
BOOM The fire (lightening) fell and took it all up, carcass, stones, wood, and water.
The People hit their faces in worship calling out. YEHOVAH, He is THE ELOHIM!
When The people hit their faces before the name and majesty , the rain was on its way.
2Chr 7:14 (KJV)
14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
The only salvation is in the name.
Its all in the Name. Generic worship, altered worship, misdirected worship will not save.
Yehovah is Jesus. Yehovah has become my salvation. SAME EXACT GOD . They called on Yehovah that he might provide salvation. We call on him in the form of Jesus who has become our salvation.
for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Phil 2:10-11 (KJV)
10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
11And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In Dark generations , Dark because other Gods have come in, Jesus’ people and teachings are vilified, legislated against, ridiculed, watered down, mixed with other types of worship.
But to the aching, dying, thirsty, hungry, clinging to their last bit of hope, JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION>