Learning To Listen to God

Elijah: Disaster After Victory

The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat

•Wide World of Sports catch phrase.•Ski jumper Vinko Bogataj.•Third jump of the day•Suffered a mild concussion.•Never reached levels of performance after the crash as before.

•Not all victories have positive outcomes

•1 Kings 18-19

•Elijah – among the greatest prophets ever.•Faithful to God to a degree that he was taken alive into heaven.•But, suffered a staggering, career ending defeat.

•Meet Ahab and Jezebel

•Among the most wicked rulers in the history of Israel.•Worshipping Baal and Asherah more than any before them. •Putting to death the prophets of the Lord.•Murdering for personal gain.•Ruthless

•1 Kings 18 – A meeting with Obadiah

•Obadiah was one of King Ahab’s servants•Remained faithful to the Lord•Knew of Elijah and the drought that was on the land because Elijah had prayed for the rain to stop. •Very Important: Told Elijah that he had hidden and fed one hundred faithful prophets of the Lord in caves.•Reluctantly goes to Ahab with a request for a showdown on Mt. Carmel.

The Contest on Carmel – 1 Kings 18:18ff

450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah --vs– Elijah and the Lord.

“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

Elijah says, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left….”

Where did he get that idea?

•Fire from heaven

•Contest is simple: whoever’s God answers with fire is the true God.

The end of the contest

Yahweh answers with fire.

Baal and his prophets are defeated.

False prophets put to death

Elijah victorious.Drought ends.

Disaster after victory

•1 Kings 19

•Jezebel sends Elijah a death threat.•Elijah is afraid.•Elijah flees for his life and surrenders the fight•God provides food for him and he fasts for 40 days as he goes to Mt. Horeb (Sinai)

God’s appearance and judgment

Appears to Elijah on the mountain. (chap. 19)

Hears Elijah’s defeatist speech.Says, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in

Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.“

Elijah replaced

1 Kings 19:15-17

Go back and anoint Hazael king over AramAnoint Jehu king over IsraelAnoint Elisha son of Shaphat to succeed you

as prophet.

Hazael and Jehu join leagues to destroy the house of Ahab. Elisha serves faithfully as prophet.

Elijah taken to heaven in a whirlwind

Can We Avoid A Similar Disaster?

Romans 8:31 -- What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Satan ferociously attacks the faithful. He will try to turn our victories into defeats.

Forewarned is forearmed.

Isaiah 54:17 – “…no weapon forged against you will prevail,        and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.        This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,        and this is their vindication from me,"        declares the LORD.”

1 Peter 3:13-15

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Matthew 10:28

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.