Elijah faith, Gods Power (4)
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1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”
2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.
3 And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.
4 For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)
5 And Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.”
6 So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is that you, my lord Elijah?”
8 And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’ ”
9 So he said, “How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.
11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here” ’!
12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.
13 Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.” ’ He will kill me!”
15 Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.”
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.
19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it.
24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”
25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”
26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to 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, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.”
34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.
35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”
40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.
You have had the saying a mountain top experience.
Think about have a spiritual mountain top experience.
A prayer mountain top experience.
Elijah was about to have a true mountain top experience.
It was God against the false God.
The man of God against the false prophets. 450 of them.
We will see the power of God.
We will see a prayer answered in a great powerful way.
We will see the great faith of one man, when all others were against him.
King Ahab and married a pagan named Jezebel. She was evil, through her influence the people were now worshipping Baal.
The people of Isreal had turned form God, and turned to the worship of Baal.
God had been preparing Elijah.
3-1/2 years before Elijah had confronted Ahab, he told there would be no rain until he said.
1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”
2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.
God’s commandment to Elijah is the opposite of what He had told 3 years before.
God had told Elijah to go hid, now God tells him go present you to Ahab the King.
Remember, he had stood before Ahab 3-1/2 years before and told Ahab, it ain’t going to rain until I say. Now God tells him to go back.
This would take courage, faith, boldness. God may call us to do things that seem impossible. But He will always give us a way, He will give us the strength.
Elijah is giving a command, now he has to respond.
Vs 2 shows his response. He does as God commands.
I’ve talked about this a lot in these messages about Elijah. Either someone needs it or I need it.
Obeying God is not always easy. God calls us to do things that seem impossible.
God will call us to do things that we may not want to do.
God will call us to do things that are so far out of our comfort zone.
God will equip for what He calls us to do.
Elijah had always done as God commanded.
So he leave the widow and her son, it may have been a tearful good bye.
1 Kings 18:3–6 (NKJV)
3 And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.
4 For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)
Not the Obadiah that wrote the book of Obadiah.
A man of great authority, he was administrator of the royal palace and the supervisor of whatever estates the king possessed.
Some think he was wrong for being a Godly man and having the job he had.
Sometimes Christians work in a place where it is difficult being a Christian. God puts people is places to make a differences.
But was he a courageous servant of God (his name means “servant of Jehovah”)
The Bible tells us that Obadiah “feared the Lord greatly” and proved it during Jezebel’s Prophet killing, he risked his life to rescue and support one hundred prophets of the Lord. LOOK AT VS 4 AGAIN.
Now since he feared the Lord, he did not worship Baal.
That doesn’t sound like a man who was compromising his testimony! Even through there was wickedness in the palace, Obadiah feared the Lord.
The Lord had put Obadiah in the palace to use his God-given authority to support the faithful prophets at a time when openly serving the Lord was a dangerous thing.
1 Kings 18:5–6 (NKJV)
5 And Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.”
6 So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
Ahab has a plan to find water. He will go one way, Obadiah will go the other way.
Notice something. “Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.”
Not for the people, but the livestock.
Horse and mules where used by the Army.
So Ahab sends out Obadiah, a man he could trust.
1 Kings 18:7 (NKJV)
7 Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is that you, my lord Elijah?”
This is where we see the all knowing of God. It wasn’t a coincidence that Obadiah went the way that Elijah would be. God knew.
Elijah had been gone for 3-a/2 years. No one knew where he was, well God did.
Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him;
If it had been an hour later or sooner, then would not have met.
But, God was it this. It is amazing to me how God will put people in the right place at the right time
They met suddenly
and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is that you, my lord Elijah?”
8 And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’ ”
9 So he said, “How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
READ AND ELAB
Serving God is not always easy.
1 Kings 18:10–15 (NKJV)
10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.
11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here” ’!
12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.
I would loved to have seen this between these two. Elab
READ VS AND ELAB
13 Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid one hundred men of the Lord’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.” ’ He will kill me!”
15 Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.”
You can imagine how Obadiah felt. Jezebel had been killing to prophets, we don’t know haw many. But Obadiah was able, through a miracle to hid and feed 100 of them.
In vs 15 Elijah is giving Obadiah some reassurance.
1 Kings 18:16–20 (NKJV)
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
Ahab is calling Elijah a trouble maker.
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.
19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
You talk about courage, taking a stand.
Elijah to Ahab, its not me, its on you. You and your fathers house. You have turned your back on God, and followed Baal.
Doesn’t this look like our county today.
Now we see the challenge, and Elijah sets the rules. VS 19
Jezebels table. (On her pay roll)
.
1 Kings 18:20–22 (NKJV)
20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
Ahab has the people of Isreal come to gather. There going to be a great contest.
VS 21
If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
Elijah tells the people, you have a chose. God or Baal.
We have to chose follow God or not.
Follow: Follow, go after, to obey.
I see this as putting our trust in God.
1 Kings 18:22 (NKJV)
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
Elijah was the only prophet of God. Baal had 450. Seems to not so good odds. But he had God on his side.
He was the lone prophet, but he was not alone. Remember, whatever God calls you to, He is with you.
23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it.
24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”
We see boldness in Elijah. The King have had him killed here. But Elijah does not fear Ahab. Elijah takes control here. He tell the King how things are going to go down.
READ VS AGAIN.
25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”
26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
LOOK AT VERSES AND ELAB.
Their prayers were not answered.
27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
I love this verse. Elijah mocks them. His talking trash.
Cry louder, he is our god.
Maybe he is meditating.
Maybe he is busy. (going to the bathroom)
He is on a journey. (Vacation)
Perhaps he is sleeping, and needs to be awakened.
28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
They step it up.
God just wants us to pray and trust Him all our heart.
29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
NOTHING. Why? There was no one to hear them.
Elijah just sitting back, watching them. Looking at his watch.
Elijah had seen enough.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near him. And he repaired the [old] altar of the Lord that had been broken down [by Jezebel].
Is your prayer alter in need of repair?
PGBC, is our prayer alter in need of repair?
Is the alter in our lives in need of repair?
Things in life can break down our spiritual alter.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.”
34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.
35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
Elab on thes
1 Kings 18:36–40 (NKJV)
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”
Elijah prays a simple prayer.
He wants the people to see that God is the Lord of Israel. He wants them to turn back to Him.
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”
40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.
Their fear of Jezebel, Their fear of Ahab was gone.
Elab on what they did.
Elijah had to take a stand for God.