Elijah The Man
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 3 viewsNotes
Transcript
Ahab and Jezebel
Ahab and Jezebel
In order to understand Elijah, it is helpful to understand the scene God prepared him for
Ahab was the son of Omri, who had become king through a military conquest
The kings of Israel were commanded to follow God., and to teach the people to do so, but they would nopt
Omri did more evil than all that were before him (1 Kings 16.25).
He caused Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God to anger with their vanities
After Omri’s death Ahab became king and was even more evil
29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel; and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
As if it was a trivial thing.... to sin....
he added this evil, that he married Jezebel
we are commanded to marry those who also share the faith of christ - not to be unequally yoked
this was a political union- her father was king of the Sidonians -
But they worshipped the false god Baal -
God had commanded that they not marry people of false faiths, because they would turn their hearts away from following HIM
The built altars to Baal -
they also outlawed the worship of Jehovah God,
began to put to death the prophets of the LORD
led the people to follow in this sin and evil
finally, these things provoked God to anger
Enter Elijah
Enter Elijah
Elijah splashed onto he pages of scripture with no introduction
No genealogy or background is given - no pedigree, no education credentials
Suddenly, the author writes “Elijah the Tishbite, said unto Ahab”
He is described as being a Tishbite, which probably refers to a place known as Tishbe
not a lot is known about his town, in the region of Gilead.
it was probably a rugged and rural area. maybe poorer, and of no real political consequence
no noble people from there, no great prophets or priests
When Elijah showed up at the palace that day he was probably not taken too seriously - perhaps even considered a madman
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
2 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.
So, Elijah left for the Brook
the people probably thought little of it, maybe laughed
He stayed there for a while, where he had plenty of water, and ravens brought him food every day
alone, and at peace - on a retreat
In the meantime — no rain
the crops are affected
the livestock are affected
the economy is affected
people begin to die
Its not so funny any more
Find Elijah!! Warrants are issued
After w while, the brook dried up
One morning the water was gone
one morning the raven brought no food
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”
12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
Now, the great prophet who has been eating at the hand of God, is told to rely on a poor widow
She has no food to offer - she is poor, and ready to die
But Elijah says - “Fear Not” keep doing what you plan, but make something for me first, then take care of you and your son
imagine the audacity
put God first - even before your life - Fear Not
But he did not stop there -
He offered a promise with that instruction
14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ”
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah ...
the oil lasted, the flour lasted
He stayed there with her “many days”
Here in Zarephath they had enough to eat, while back in Israel things were getting worse - much worse
Zarephath was a city in Sidon (present day Lebanon )
3 1/2 years went by all together and not one drop of rain in Israel -
think about that - the pain, suffering and death
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.”
Finally - time to show Ahab
a warrant had been out for him
the whole country and army were looking for him - and blaming him
not unlike what is to come in the last days
Meets Obadiah
promises to meet Ahab
Ahab accuses him - the one who trouble 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.”
Time for the showdown with baal
Elijah challenged the people - make up you minds -
Follow the god that is GOD
which god are you following today?
Are you serving a God that can give you eternal life? Or only temporary comfort?
450 for Baal, One for the Lord
They prepared the altars and the sacrifice
the bulls
the wood
no fire
they danced, they sang, the bled, even til the blood gushed out, no fire
Elijah mocked them
Finally Elijah’s turn came
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.
We may need to “repair” some broken altars
there are a good many Christians who have allowed the altars itn heir lives to become broken down
the places that were one holy
they things they would not compromise
the lines they would not cross
the values they one stood for
compromised, compromised, compromised, until they are all broken down
and the drought will come
Elijah built the altar
Made a trench around the altar
put the wood in order
cut the bull in pieces
then called for water - 4 barrels
poured it on the sacrifice, and the wood. Then a second time, then a third time
the water ran on all the sacrifice and wood, and filed the trench also
And then, Elijah offered his simple prayer -
no shananigans
no crying and screaming and dancing and cutting
no shouting and drama, just this simple prayer:
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!”
The Lord, He is God
then the prophets of baal were killed
Elijah told Ahab, the rain is coming
And then, Elijah went to the top of Carmel to pray
this is an important point here:
Elijah know that it was God’s will to send the rain
he had done everything according to God’s Word
Now, he went to pray for the rain --- Why?
So many people have a Que Sera Sera attitude when it comes to prayer
we are to be part of the process - we are supposed to pary
we see this again and again in the bible - Daniel for instance
Elijah set himself to pray for the rain
even when you are sure that God has purposed a thing, intends to do a thing, it is good to pray
42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”
So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
And finally, there was the rain - the drought does not last forever
even the tribulation will be temporary
we look to the Lord for the rain in our lives
Elijah’s Legacy
Elijah’s Legacy
There is more to say about Elijah, how he ran form Jezebel and how he fasted 40 days, and sought the Lord and found him, and called Elisha, etc.,
but we will leave off here for today, and move to his legacy
Around nine hundred years later, James the brother of Jesus writes to us about elijah
In James chapter 5 we can learn one of the most important things about the life of Elijah, and his faith, and his miracles.
James is writing to us here about our faith, and our prayers, and our ministry
And he admonishes us to consider Elijah
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
Is anyone sick?
Does anyone have a need?
Does anyone need forgiveness?
Does anyone need healed?
Does anyone need a miracle?
The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much!
Elijah Was A Man!
Elijah Was A Man!
Elijah was not a god.
He was not an angel, or a ghost.
He was not a supernatural being from heaven
He was a man - with a nature like ours
“like ours”
When he met before Ahab the first time, he was probably nervous
when the brook dried up, he was probably dissappointed, maybe even discouraged
He might have been angry, or humiliated by having to go to a widow for support
When he went to meet Ahab again, he was probably really conerned
he was terrified and ran for his life when Jezebel threatened to kill him
he was discouraged and wanting to die when he sought the Lord and fasted
Elijah was a man, just a man
he got hungry, and angry, scared, and happy. He laughed, he cried, he lived and he loved.
And He prayed - in faith - and it did not rain
And we are just men - and we can pray likewise - in faith - and things will happen now!
Is there a need? Is there a heart to believe?