In my preceding message I gave a background of Israel's descent into decadence because of idolatry and apostate leadership. This was before the appearance of Elijah.
Elijah was devoted to God; deeply concerned and grieved by the idolatrous behavior of his people. He was intimately acquainted with the writings of Moses. At Sinai God said:
"If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish for your sins seven times over. I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yealed its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit"
He was also acquainted with Solomon's published prayer which says:
"When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for inheritance."(1 Kings 8:35-36)
When Elijah prayed to God in James 5:17, God was touched by his sincere prayer. He gave Elijah the authority to determine when the famine would end. Elijah's faith was so compelling that it allowed him to take God at His word. When Elijah went to King Ahab he made this declaration
"As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word…" (1 kings17:1)
This had not happened before and was difficult to believe. As days continued to pass without drop of rain, it became apparent that someone had caused the rain to cease.
There is an important end time parallel here. Revelation predicts that during the Great tribulation, there will be no rain for three and a half years. A worldwide famine is coming for the same reasons that a nationwide famine occurred in Elijah's day. Consider this text:
"These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will" Rev. 11:6.
Many Christians believe the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. My study led me to a different conclusion. Instead, the two witnesses (to be studied later) will empower the 144,000 prophets of God to do miraculous things just like Moses and Elijah. God will grant the 144,000 prophets miracle working powers so that their antagonistic message will be carefully and thoughtfully considered by people whose minds are dull and darkened by idolatry and sin.
During the third year of famine all the vegetation was either dead or dormant. James writes (James 5:17):
"Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops"
God allows human beings to experience His dilemma. God knows all about pain. When He called Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice, He wanted Abraham to feel His own loss when He offers Jesus on the cross. The same applied to Elijah who experienced the pain of seeing the suffering of people, animals and vegetation. When he had enough, he prayed for rain with the same intensity that he prayed for famine.
The bible says:
"After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land, So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab…" (1 kings 18:1,2)
As the famine continued, Elijah became the most wanted man in Israel, dead or alive. He had caused a lot of people to die and the survivors were quick to blame Elijah. When Ahab learned that Elijah wanted to see him, he was surprised. "When he saw Elijah, he said to him, is that you, you troubler of Israel? I have not made trouble for Israel, Elijah replied. But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals" (1 kings 18:17,18)
He simply confronted the king with unvarnished truth and the king sensed that divine power rested upon Elijah. The king realized that Elijah was no ordinary person. More than three years of hunger and thirst made the king think otherwise. He was talking to a man who by the power of God starved people and animals. Elijah wanted God to be exalted and Ahab wanted relief.
Famine did not occur because God loved Elijah and hated Israel. It was a clearly stated provision contained in the covenant given at Mt. Sinai.
End time Parallel.
Famine is coming during the time of the great tribulation ahead of us. During the great tribulation Authorities will regard the 144000 servants of God as the troublers of the nations. They will be found through out the world in different nationalities and languages. As the servants of God they will be hated and hunted for the same reasons Elijah was hated. The 144000 will use miracle powers as they see it fit to overthrow demonic powers. They will also perform miracles of healing and restoration. They will receive respect from those who love the truth and hate from those who love evil.
The second reason is, when the time of trouble comes the religious and political authorities will mandate the worship of God in order to appease God. The problems will be phenomenal that the 144000 will be regarded as the troublers of the nations. They will hunt them down to be jailed or killed.
When Elijah spoke, the king obeyed orders. He said, " Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel."
When the day came, thousands of people came for a showdown at Mount Carmel. It was going to be Jehovah or Baal and Asherah. Elijah stood alone. He had no one on his side besides God. On the other side were 850 prophets holding up religious icons, smoking censers and wearing imposing priestly regalia. The other side stood a country boy from Tishbe wearing a garment of a poor man. Time is coming when standing for the truth will mean standing alone like Elijah. Be prepared for it, it is near.
In 1kings 18:21-25 it is said, " Elijah went before the people and said, 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him. But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, 'I am the only one of the prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The God who answers by fire - he is God.' Then all the people said, ' What you say is good.' Elijah said to the prophets of Ball, 'Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the of your god, but do not light the fire,"
The story has it that the prophets of Baal failed to cause fire to come down. When Elijah's turn came he rebuilt the Lord's alter and placed his sacrifice on it. He then stepped forward and prayed a short prayer and fire came down. When the people saw it they fell prostrate and cried, 'The Lord he is God! The Lord he is God. 1 Kings 18: 30-39.
What is critical and parallel to our time in this story is the coming down of fire from heaven in full view of men. This will be the most deceiving event in men's spiritual history. If your faith is based on sight, the devil will take advantage of you. Revelation 13: 13,14 says, " And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived"
If there is a time you should know your Bible, it is now. Soon you will not need to trust your eyes or feelings. Faith in Jesus will be the measuring stick for every being on earth. These are the times of building our faiths and trust in Jesus because time of testing is outside our doors. The stories of Elijah's experiencies we have always taken as "Bible stories" will soon be a reality for us. Soon and very soon we will stand for our faith without an intercessor.
Elijah was an ordinary man. He had faith and believed in the Lord and that changed the destiny of Israel. The people could not stand between two opinions. They had to choose. This is also our spiritual position of authority. To have faith in God in totality and to make the people choose God and be saved.
(I am preparing a topic about Christ as the Son of God, you don't want to miss it.) May the Lord bless you as we study His word.