Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's 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." 1Kings 18: 22-24
The Bible says the prophets of Baal called on him from sunrise until dusk but no answer. They shouted louder and slashed themselves until their blood flowed but no answer. They endured the taunting of Elijah yet no answer from their false God. Elijah then soaked his offering three times with water and still God answered and burned it up. The 450 prophets of Baal were slain a mighty move of God on display for all to see as well as Elijah. However, Elijah would also flee the harder road. Queen Jezebel demanded his head and even though he had just seen how mighty God was, Elijah fled into the wilderness where he told God he wanted to die. He believed the fear in his heart and seemingly forgot all that God had done.
We too can be facing our wilderness experience and
like Elijah, believe death is a better option. We too can begin to think that
the slavery we know is better than the unknown road that requires faith.
Realize that most of the time when the road is marked with suffering it could
very well be because of how we approach the road. Because the Israelites did
not believe in the power of God when they first approached
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths - Proverbs 3:5
He directs your paths by saying, "This is the way,
walk in it." But in order to hear Him we need to trust Him with all of our
heart. On
But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." Numbers 13: 31-33
In whose eyes did they seem like grasshoppers? Their own eyes! The enemy will always sell you short and God as well. Thankfully, Joshua and Caleb got it right:
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them." Numbers 14: 6-9
Joshua and Caleb understood that if the Lord was with them, it didn't matter how big the enemy was. They acknowledged the Lord in all their ways and their path became clear to them. This was what Elijah needed to realize when the threat from Jezebel reached his ears. This is what we need to realize as we strive to listen to the voice of the Lord. God could have made it easy on Elijah but there was much the Prophet needed to learn. He could have made it easy on the Israelites but there was much growth needed in His people. That growth would not have occurred on the easier road. We too need to grow and learn. He will make our paths known only through faith. When He says "This is the way, walk in it", we need to remember that while the world may have an opinion, God has the answer.
Reverend Anthony Wade July 30, 2009
