Who is Elijah? A man who is Courageous

Who is Elijah?

A man who is Courageous

                During the time of Elijah, Ahab was king and under

his direction, Israel had fallen into Baal worship. Ahab build a temple to Baal in Samaria and had set up an Asherah pole which was an object associated with pagan worship. Ahab worshiped before false gods and so when Elijah stated, ”As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word, ” Elijah was very courageous. Israel depended upon the agricultural industry to sustain them. Baal was considered the fertility god- or rainmaker god. God was then going to demonstrate to the people to whom they should trust.

It is then Elijah who steps in to the palace of King Ahab and tells him what is going to happen. Ahab was evil- more than all who were before him (I Kings 16:30) He copied and multiplied the sinful practices of the first king Jeroboam. Ahab also introduced Baal worship and raised it to the same level of importance as God.

Idol worship was not only something that occurred in the past. Idolatry is putting something else, anything else in the place of God and this occurs today if we consider the following gods:

Humanistic- people- sports stars, musicians, leaders

Materialistic- money and what it buys

Sensual- no fornicator, unclean person, no covetous man

Relational- Jesus first—then parents, children   (Mt10:37)

Elijah courageously shares his message that there would be 3 years of drought and then is gone from King Ahab’s palace.   Then to find out more about Elijah we turn to James 5 where Elijah is proclaimed as ‘a man just like us.’ Elijah was righteous but when he prayed he confessed his sin and been forgiven. He was in good standing with God. He also prayed earnestly for the rain  to be withheld and it was, for 3 years. He prayed specifically that there would be no dew or rain and the drought followed in order that the people would come to know God. Elijah prayed.

               

REFLECTION      

Elijah understood the power of prayer and he practised it. How well/ often do you pray?

Do you think that your effectiveness for God is dependent on your talents or position? Or are you dependent on God Himself?

Do we see the true God as the one and only object of our worship? Or are yoru hearts and minds clouded by other gods?

Are you living in the reality of the resource of prayer through which God can do amazing things?

PRAYER

Wonderful God we thank you for the courage that Elijah had as he stood in the palace and proclaimed that there would be no rain until changes came to the people. Changes that involved serving and following you. O how we could ask this today and have the people to turn you! We have the courage to ask but are we willing to share our story of faith and bring others into the knowledge of your love in Jesus? Help us O God to be courageous in all that we say and do. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Resource: Bill Crowder, Trusting God in Hard Times Lessons from the Life of Elijah Discovery Series, 2016