Reading the Bible through with me? Then grab your pen and journal and read I Kings 16-18. Read 16:34 again. This is a fulfillment of prophetic curse spoken by Joshua in Joshua 6:26. I want you to see the connection here. God’s word is true, His promises will be fulfilled, and His judgments are always righteous.
In 17:1 we are introduced to one of the Old Testament heroes. His name is Elijah. He prophesied faithfully for years. He confronted the evil king Ahab with courage. He stood firm against 700 prophets of Baal and Asherah to call Israel whole-hearted commitment to Yahweh. He also wrestled with depression and anxiety. Yet, God used him to do amazing things. By the way, Elijah never tasted the inevitable enemy called death. God took him to Heaven with chariots and horses of fire. He also appeared with Moses and Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was the chief of prophets.
If a person is going to have an effective public ministry, they must have their private life in order. We don't know when or why Yahweh called Elijah as a prophet. What we do know is that Elijah might have been a Gentile, a non-Hebrew settler. When he is introduced, no Hebrew tribe or roots are mentioned. He is called a Tishbite from the Gilead "settlers." We also know that God called him, set him apart, and he responded with swift and complete obedience.
For Elijah to function effectively under the great stress of his ministry, he must have had a very intimate relationship with Yahweh. That relationship gave him courage to face kings and crowds, compassion for widows and orphans, and a quality of character that commanded respect from everyone. Well, everyone except King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel. She hated him and was intent on killing him. But God wouldn’t let her do it.
Elijah was a man who was intimate with Yahweh. He heard His voice, obeyed quickly and completely, and waited when necessary. That last one is often the toughest and the one that requires extraordinary faith. Even when it seems that God is silent, we must be patient while we trust Him and obey the last thing He told us to do. That was how Elijah lived his life. Is that how you live your life??
