It seems that things only keeping getting worse with Israel... each succeeding king it seems we are told, and this king "did worse than all the kings that were before him." And then Ahab arrives on the scene, and we are told, "And Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him." (1 Kings 16:29) Wow! Where do we go from here?
As I've been reminded lately in my own life, "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." (1 Cor. 1:27-28)
So in the midst of King Ahab's pompous idolatry, into the scene walks Elijah... a unknown Tishbite. Ellen White gives us a little more glimpse into the life of this man that came out of obscurity to rebuke the idolatry of Israel:
Among the mountains of Gilead, east of the Jordan, there dwelt in the days of Ahab a man of faith and prayer whose fearless ministry was destined to check the rapid spread of apostasy in Israel. Far removed from any city of renown, and occupying no high station in life, Elijah the Tishbite nevertheless entered upon his mission confident in God’s purpose to prepare the way before him and to give him abundant success. The word of faith and power was upon his lips, and his whole life was devoted to the work of reform. His was the voice of one crying in the wilderness to rebuke sin and press back the tide of evil. And while he came to the people as a reprover of sin, his message offered the balm of Gilead to the sin-sick souls of all who desired to be healed.
As Elijah saw Israel going deeper and deeper into idolatry, his soul was distressed and his indignation aroused...Viewing this apostasy from his mountain retreat, Elijah was overwhelmed with sorrow. In anguish of soul he besought God to arrest the once-favored people in their wicked course, to visit them with judgments, if need be, that they might be led to see in its true light their departure from Heaven. He longed to see them brought to repentance before they should go to such lengths in evil-doing as to provoke the Lord to destroy them utterly.
Elijah’s prayer was answered. Oft-repeated appeals, remonstrances, and warnings had failed to bring Israel to repentance. The time had come when God must speak to them by means of judgments... The apostate tribes of Israel were to be shown the folly of trusting to the power of Baal for temporal blessings. Until they should turn to God with repentance, and acknowledge Him as the source of all blessing, there should fall upon the land neither dew nor rain.
To Elijah was entrusted the mission of delivering to Ahab Heaven’s message of judgment. He did not seek to be the Lord’s messenger; the word of the Lord came to him. And jealous for the honor of God’s cause, he did not hesitate to obey the divine summons, though to obey seemed to invite swift destruction at the hand of the wicked king. (From Prophets and Kings, p. 119-120)So Elijah, this unknown Tishbite, visits Ahab and announces that there will be no more rain! What a bold move he has made, one he could only make knowing that he was called by God. But I love this story and how it progresses. It's hard for me not to read ahead to tomorrow, because I know what's going to happen in the ultimate show-down between God and Baal!
However, as I consider our world today... we too are suffering for want of rain -- for want of the Latter Rain! That rain has been held back because of the apostasy, I believe, of our land and world. That rain (the Holy Spirit) is only going to fall again as God's people repent and turn back to Him. We are so far from where we should be, so far to go... may we humble our hearts and seek Him with all our heart today, while His grace is still to be found...
Tomorrow's Reading: 1 Kings 18-19 and 1 Cor. 16
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