Utumishi Blog

1 Kings 18

Theme: Yahweh is the Real God, who’s Word never returns void.

Introduction:   Who is the real God?

Since time immemorial, there have been many gods at display, gods of wood, gods of iron, of silver and other materials but all made of human hands. But all these so called gods have never done man any good. Why so many religions and so many god’s. I think it is alright to ask the question; who is the real God? Who says what goes and it goes? In this pluralist world; whose voice should we listen to? In today’s passage we encounter Elijah calling for a contest, that people may know who the Real God is.  Is it Yahweh or Baal?

And how does Yahweh prove Himself to be the real God and no one else? Well, let us see.

Context

“After a long time, in the third year, the word of Yahweh came to Elijah” (v1).  I would like us to keep in mind those four words… “the word of Yahweh.”  That is because it is by the Word of Yahweh that we see Him at work and reigning sovereign above all other gods.

From the previous Chapters, we learn that, Elijah had announced that there would be no rain or dew for some years.  In 17:1 “…there shall be no dew or rain these years, except by my Word.” This was Yahweh’s judgement to Israel because of the sins they had committed. They had violated their covenant with Yahweh; they had made the wrong choice of bowing to Baal instead of the Sovereign Yahweh.  (In Deut. 11:16-17) one of the repercussions of a broken covenant was that God would shut the heavens and there would be no rain. After Elijah made this announcement, he had to leave and settle east of Jordan River. By doing this, he obviously escaped death but also, as the prophet of God, he was the one who spoke the word of God to the people and therefore without him there was no God’s word to Israel during the dry spell. “There will be no rain except by my word” (17:1). Elijah’s word was the word of Yahweh.  Three and a half years have passed… without rain.

The weather focus was always the same, clear skies, plenty of sun, no clouds and no rain. Thus it had been for over three years.

The barns are running out of food, the wells are drying up; there is no grass for the animals. Elijah has come to speak the word of Yahweh, so that it may rain as God had declared. Their problem was no rain but now the resolution of the problem has been announced – there is Good news “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” (A good news flash… is it not?)

1. Yahweh preserves His servants in the midst of opposition

While Elijah was away a lot has happened including the killing Yahweh’s prophets. (vv2-6) But there was a man by the name of Obadiah – who was in the king’s service. Look at this contrast – Ahab was a wicked man who did more evil than all the kings that preceded him (1 Kings 16:30). Obadiah was a godly man who feared the Lord from his youth.

Obadiah was a man who feared God.

• A devout believer in the Lord (v3)
• He feared the Lord from his youth (v12).
• He hid 100 prophets of the Lord in a cave to keep Jezebel from killing them (v4).
• He also supplied those prophets with food and water to keep them alive (v4)
• He put his life at risk by hiding 100 prophets of Yahweh when Jezebel was on a killing spree, killing the prophets of Yahweh.

I call this an act of courage. This man has guts .Can you imagine what Jezebel would have done to Obadiah, if she found what Obadiah was doing? But above courage is the grace of God. The very same God who protected  Elijah, fed him and quenched his thirst is also protecting and providing for  His other prophets through Obadiah. Obadiah serves the real God in the most unlikely place, in a time of tension and obstacles.

Because of the drought king Ahab and his servant Obadiah takes a trip in search for grass so that the king’s animals may not die of hunger. It is while on this trip that Obadiah meets with Elijah.

(vv 7-17) Obadiah can’t believe his eyes!  Elijah the prophet of Yahweh is finally here after a long time.  He is here and he wants to meet with the king, and who is better placed to inform king Ahab than Obadiah his servant.  And therefore Elijah sends Obadiah to the king. But Obadiah won’t just go no – “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah (v9), “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? Is this a joke? Has Obadiah misunderstood Elijah? Is he protesting out of ignorance no!

Elijah had a reputation for disappearing without a trace…  No wonder the reason Obadiah says… v12 “I don’t know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you when I leave you.” Any time the Spirit of Yahweh can take Elijah away and nobody will trace him until he appears again. Obadiah then narrates to Elijah how busy he has been protecting the prophets of Yahweh from the wrath of viscous Jezebel.

(v10) After Elijah went away….The king ordered a search for Elijah, The CIA or the NSIS or MI6 of that time… has been having  a busy schedule, a busy time trying to track him down. However they can’t trace him. Yet he didn’t go very far. He was well protected by Yahweh. He was hidden from the king. Just like Obadiah Elijah was in danger. His life was at risk. But he continued to serve God amidst all this danger.

Application:

Yahweh preserves both Elijah and Obadiah in the midst of opposition to Yahweh and His Word. Through Obadiah, Yahweh protects other prophets as well.   In the midst of opposition to Yahweh’s rule and Word, he will surely protect and preserve His own.  What of those who get persecuted – e.g. in Islamic countries?

In our next point we see that God is not only a speaking God but also a listening God…