A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART XII

"I, Elijah, the prophet of God, know that it is time for action.... I have just told the people to get two bulls ready..... The prophets of Baal can choose one of the bulls.... They can then get it ready to be sacrificed.... But they are not to set fire to their sacrifice... Instead they are to ask their god to burn up their sacrifice.... I will take the other bull.... And I will place that cut up bull on my altar on top of the wood.... I will not set fire to my sacrifice either.... But I will call out to my God to send fire down from heaven,".... Please read the typed out attachment when the prophet Elijah tells the people to get two bulls ready to be sacrificed....


             ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART XII

Elijah tells the people to get two bulls ready to be sacrificed. One bull is to be sacrificed by the prophets of Baal and the other is to be sacrificed by him as you can read in I Kings 18:23-24

"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 same of the Lord. The god who answers by fire - He is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good."

The time for the sacrifice has come. The false prophets of Baal are to call out to their god and Elijah is to call out to his God. The people respond by saying what Elijah has proposed is good.

                          A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART XI

"I, Elijah, the prophet of God, have told king Ahab to gather all the people at Mount Carmel... Baal's prophets are here as well.... There are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.... There is only one of me.... You cannot blame me for pointing that out to the people.... It looks like I am the only one who still loves God.... King Ahab does not love God.... None of the people love God either.... It us true, Obadiah did mention he took care of some prophets.... But they are not here.... Perhaps they have given up on God as well.... Just like all the people have done."... Please read the typed out attachment when the prophet Elijah decided that he is the only one in his nation who still loves God....


                ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART XI

In this section you have a glimpse of Elijah's humanity, which you might easily miss but you can see it in his words from I Kings 18:22

Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, But Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets."

It looks like Elijah is throwing a kind of a pity-party, as all human beings can do at times, because he really wants to say, "People look at me, I am the only one who still loves God. There is no one else who cares about Him."But what about all the prophets Obadiah has been taken care of? Elijah seems to have forgotten that fact and this continues to play a role in his view of things as you will find out a little later on.

 



                             A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART X

"I, Elijah, the prophet of God, have climbed Mount Carmel... I am not the only one here... At my instruction all the people of Israel have gathered here.... So have all the false prophets who belong to queen Jezebel.... There are eight hundred and fifty of them... One against eight hundred and fifty....But their god is no match for my God as they will soon find out.... My people need to realise that as well.... I must challenge them to choose.... They must make up their mind today who they want to follow.... If they want to follow the Lord, so be it.... If they want to follow Baal, so be it.".... Please read the typed out attachment when the prophet Elijah challenges the people of Israel to make a choice as to whom to follow....


             ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                            THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART X

The prophet Elijah addresses the people after they have gathered on Mount Carmel as you can read in I Kings 18:21

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.

Elijah shows the people they are compromised in their faith. His words are very powerful.

                         

                         A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                 THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART IX

I, Elijah, the prophet of God, have just met with king Ahab.... It was the first time I saw him again after I spoke with him three years ago.... At that time I was instructed by the Lord to tell him there was going to be a drought.... The drought is about to come to an end..... But not yet... The people of Israel need to choose who they want to serve.... They will need to choose whether they want to continue serving Baal or the Lord.... So I have told king Ahab to instruct all the people to meet me at Mount Carmel... I have instructed him as well to gather all the false prophets who are here at the invitation of his wife, queen Jezebel... Their time is surely coming to an end.".... Please read the typed out attachment when we will learn further details about the prophet Elijah's meeting with king Ahab....


            ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART IX

It is time for an encounter between the God of Israel and king Ahab's god, Baal, as you can read in I Kings 18:19-20

Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and 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.

King Ahab has all the people of Israel assembled as directed by the prophet Elijah, together with the false prophets of Baal and Asherah who had been brought to Israel by his wife Jezebel.

                       A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART VIII

"I, Elijah, the prophet of God, left the widow at Zarephath in Sidon to meet with king Ahab as directed by the Lord.... Obadiah, who is in charge of king Ahab's palace arranged our meeting... It has been three years since I last saw the king... At that time I told the king that there would be a drought.... My words have come true... We have had a drought from the day I predicted it.... It is time for the drought to come to an end.... But some things must take place before that can happen.... The king must realise that he is responsible for the drought... He believes that I have made trouble for Israel.... I have already told him that is not so.... I have told him as well that he is the cause of all the difficulties because he and his father's family have abandoned the Lord and have followed false gods.... I have yet more things to say to him.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn what the prophet Elijah begins to say to king Ahab...
           

               ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                              THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART VIII

You can read of the encounter between king Ahab and the prophet Elijah in I Kings 18:17-18

When he (king Ahab) saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, troubler of Israel?" "I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You abandoned the Lord's command and have followed the Baals."

After three long years of drought the kind and the prophet Elijah finally meet up again. God is going to send rain once again. It is clear from Ahab's words that he has no idea as to why there has been no rain for three years. According to him, this dreadful situation the nation finds herself in is entirely the fault of the prophet. I has nothing whatsoever to do with him.But Elijah sets the record straight by telling the king that he and his father's family are to be blamed for the misery the whole nation finds herself in: they have forgotten the God of Israel and have followed other gods.

                      A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                              THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART VII

"I, Elijah, the prophet of God, have been staying with a widow and her son at Zarephath in Sidon.... I knew, however, that eventually I would leave.... That day finally came when the Lord spoke to me and told me to go and present myself to king Ahab.... I said goodbye to the widow and her son....I thanked her for her hospitality and made my way to king Ahab.... On the way I met a man named Obadiah.... He is in charge of king Ahab's palace.... He is a good man.... He has been protecting one hundred prophets from king Ahab's wife, queen Jezebel....I asked him to arrange a meeting between king Ahab and me....He was very reluctant to do so in case the Lord would take me to another place.... But I promised him that the Lord would not carry me anywhere.... So I gave him my word that I would meet with king Ahab today.... Obadiah has now gone to speak to king Ahab."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn about the prophet Elijah's encounter with Obadiah so that a meeting between him and king Ahab can be arranged....


            ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                              THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART VII

We may well want to say to James, "James, have you read what the prophet Elijah did do next?" This is recorded in I Kings 18:1-2

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. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.

The meeting between Ahab and Elijah is arranged by a man named Obadiah. He is in charge of the palace and is  devout man who has been able to protect one hundred prophets from Ahab's wife, queen Jezebel.Apparently, she does not like God's prophets very much  and has shown that by having them killed off as you can read in I Kings 18:3-16

And Ahab had summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water). Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. May be we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals. So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognised him, bowed down to the ground and said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?" "Yes," he replied. "Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here." "What have I done wrong," asked Obadiah "that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or a kingdom that my master has someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. But now you tell me to go to my master and say, "Elijah is here."I don't know where the Spirit of the Lord may carry you when I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn't find you, he will kill me. Yes I your servant have worshipped the Lord since my youth. Haven't you heard my lord what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord's prophets in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. And now you tell me to go to my master and say, "Elijah is here." He will kill me!" Elijah said, "As the Lord Almighty lives, who I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today." So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

Obadiah is very reluctant to do what Elijah asks of him and that is not surprising. After all, Ahab is very angry with Elijah, blaming him for the famine. Nevertheless, Obadiah does go and tell king Ahab that Elijah is back in the land and wants to meet with him.

                     A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                 THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART VI

"I, Elijah, the prophet of God, did go to the town gate at Zarephath in Sidon... For God sent me there.... I am supposed to be taken care of by a widow.... I did meet a widow.... She has a son living with her.... At that time she told me she planned to prepare one final cake for herself and her son before dying of starvation.... But I believed God had better plans for her and her son.... I, therefore, asked her to go home and prepare a small cake for me first.... And I told her that she would not run out of food if she prepared something for me first.... I then waited to see what she would do.... To my delight she got up and walked home... I stayed at the town gate.... A little while later she returned with a small cake for me.... That was the beginning of a daily miracle for the three of us; the widow, her son and myself.... For God has been multiplying the flour and the oil on a daily basis so we continue to have food up to this very day.... I wonder if we are coming to the end of the drought for we have had this drought for something like three years by now... But only God knows the exact date when the drought is to come to an end.".... Please read the typed out attachment when we will learn that the Lord multiplied the little flour and oil on a daily basis for the widow, her son and the prophet Elijah.....


     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                        THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART VI

But it seems the prophet Elijah knows something that you may not be aware of as you can read in I Kings 17:14-16

For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: "The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day of the Lord gives rain on the land." She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

It is very clear from these words that Elijah has great faith and, very likely, you don't think you can match his faith so you may well want to say to James, "See James, look at the faith of this man. You know I don't have this kind of faith."

                         A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                   THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART V

"I, Elijah, the prophet of God have just been talking with a widow at the town gate at Zarephath in Sidon..... God has sent me here to meet a widow to take care of me.... I know that she did not seem to be the ideal candidate.... For she was gathering sticks to prepare a final meal for herself and her son... I heard her say that she plans for her son and herself to die after they have eaten whatever food they have left over in the house.... It was just as well that no one else was around when I asked her to make me a small cake first before making something for herself and her son... For anyone who would have heard me say these things would have thought me to be extremely selfish... Had anyone else been there they may well have come to me and tell me off for asking her for something she could not possibly provide since she only had a little flour and oil left for herself and her son.... But I dared to ask her to do the impossible.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the prophet Elijah asks something quite impossible of the widow at Zarephath in Sidon.....


     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                 THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART V

The prophet Elijah has no doubt that God has selected this widow at Zarephath in Sidon to take care of him as you can read in I Kings 17:13

Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son."

You may well like to say to him, "Elijah, how can you ask this poor widow to bake you a cake first? How can you be so selfish? You must know that she has no spare flour left for you so how can you insist that she not only make a cake for you besides making a cake for herself and her son, but you insist that she makes a cake for you before making one for her and her son. You ought to realise that this poor woman may not have enough flour and oil for three people. It will mean, therefore, that, very likely, she will end up giving her portion to you and that will surely mean death for her."

                          A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART IV

I, Elijah, the prophet of God, left the brook I had been staying.... I then made my way to Zarephath in Sidon..... I looked for a widow the moment I arrived at the town gate.... For God had told me He had commanded a widow to take care of me.... I was a little surprised at His words.... For I know that widows are usually poor.... It may therefore not be so easy for any widow to take care of me.... Moreover, He was not sending me to a widow in Israel but to a widow outside of Israel.... So things did not make much sense.... However, as far He has taken care of me.... by providing me with water from a brook and food via ravens.... I could therefore trust Him to take care of my in this new season.... I did, in fact, see a widow.... She was gathering sticks.... Not a very hopeful sign.... However, I decided to call out to her and ask her for some water.... She responded positively to my request..... I then decided to ask her for a piece of bread.... Her answer was not very promising.... She first of all let me know that my God is not her God since she is not an Israelite.... Moreover, she told me that she did not have any bread in the house.... She had just a little flour and oil left for herself and her son.... God has not told me that the widow He had selected for me had a son.... And she told me that she and her son will have one more meal before they will die.... She sounds very desperate."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn about the prophet Elijah's encounter with a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.....


             ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      THE RUNAWAY PROPHET PART IV


 As directed by the Lord, the prophet Elijah went to Zarephath to meet a widow the Lord had selected for him to take care of him as you can read in I Kings 17:10-12

So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread." "As surely as the Lord your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread - only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son that we may eat -  and die."

Just imagine that you are Elijah. Would you not feel very uncomfortable after your encounter with this widow? You may well question yourself if you still have the prophetic ability you used to have when you accurately predicted to king Ahab that there would be no rain for three years.That word has proven to be all too true. However, in the case of the widow you may initially believe you have approached the right widow but then she tells you she plans on dying. So either you have picked the wrong widow or, dare you think it, God has not done what He has promised He would do; he has not commanded this widow to take care of you.