A MAN LIKE YOU
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (James 5:17-18)
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “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 Kings 17:1)
They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.” The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.” (2 Kings 1:8)
All we know is that he comes from Tishbe No more no less! We have information on how they called other prophets, their training and all, but this one, nothing except that he was a Tishbite. Can we then safely deduce that there was nothing to him except that he was a prophet and all by himself, he shook the nation. We learned that he stood before God so was privy to the goings-on in the presence of the father. The first time we heard about him, he was rattling the king and unsettling the whole nation. One man!
The Word had said the whole nation under Ahab had gone a whoring. Elijah came on the scene, and faced the source of their livelihood. He touched the root. His thoughts, ‘If it does not rain on your crops for three and a half years, you definitely will pay attention to God.’ We learned that Elijah was a man, just like us. He was just as passionate and just as fearful. He rattled a whole nation but ran from a woman.
Our emphasis today is his prayer: the Word recorded that he prayed earnestly. Yeah, he stood before God, so He knew how God operated. Yet he prayed fervently; we even learned that at some point, he put his head between his knees. What was the content of his prayer? Basically:
* • That God will do something that would arrest the people's attention and shake them out of their evil ways.
* • That the land would be rid of the perpetrators of evil.
* • That the people may know the true God.
* • That it would be obvious who owned the land.
* • That the people would see that he was not running his agenda.
At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. (1 Kings 18:36-38)
How does this affect us? Simple. God will use you if you yield yourself. You too can be God’s oracle here on earth. You do not have to have a fancy background before God can find you useful. A heart for the things that bother God is all you need.
Elijah did not offer the sacrifice anyhow; he did at the time of the evening sacrifice. He put things in order before he lit any fire.
He represented the whole land. Even though Israel at that time was split in two, he went to God on behalf of everybody (you cannot be sectarian and expect to see the hand of God the way Elijah did). God is the God of the whole earth. Jesus died for all, and he feels the same about of all of His children.
What should we do? Examine yourselves. Are we partisan or prejudiced?
Stand in God’s presence and see with His eyes. Be passionate about God matters. Speak against sin wherever you see it. God will help us all in Jesus name.
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