Speaker 1: Thandies and gentlemen, Welcome to Sunday Service, episode sixty six.
Speaker 1: I am your host, Josh Monday. If you know me,
Speaker 1: I'm a Christian rapper, devoted husband, father, and Army veteran.
Speaker 1: And thank you so much for joining me on this
Speaker 1: awesome episode. And this is brought to you by Cope
Speaker 1: of Conspiracy Podcast. And yeah, thank you guys. I really
Speaker 1: appreciate everybody that has been listening to the shows and
Speaker 1: commenting as well. I was very excited because last week
Speaker 1: on Wednesday Service, was it Wednesday Service or last week
Speaker 1: I'm sorry, last week on Sunday Service we ended up
Speaker 1: having We're back to nine comments, which is so great.
Speaker 1: Thank you guys. Brad Gillis, thank you, JACN forty four
Speaker 1: twenty Thank you, Whiskers White, thank you again, and thank
Speaker 1: you again. Jacon. Thank you again, Brad, because you're always there. Angela,
Speaker 1: thank you so much. Mikayla, I think it's Mikayla Michaela,
Speaker 1: thank you so much as well. Be I appreciate you. Nikki,
Speaker 1: thank you no poop Scoop, that's an awesome name. Appreciate you.
Speaker 1: And then MDMP twenty two, thank you so and Makayla,
Speaker 1: you said you suffered a loss this year from my job,
Speaker 1: my relationship. I needed to remind it that God's always provides. Amen.
Speaker 1: God does always provide an update on my job interview.
Speaker 1: My goodness, guys. God is so great. And you know,
Speaker 1: here's the thing about being a podcaster that is like
Speaker 1: the utmost amazing thing that I found out just by
Speaker 1: doing this interview because I haven't I've been at my
Speaker 1: job for nine years. You know, I didn't podcast when
Speaker 1: I first interviewed at my job. You know, I did
Speaker 1: sales for when I was in my younger years, so
Speaker 1: I kind of still have that sales salesmanship in me.
Speaker 1: So you know, when I when I did do my
Speaker 1: interview at my other job, when I first got my
Speaker 1: job at my current job, they told me you did excellent, interview,
Speaker 1: did great. So this time I go to this place
Speaker 1: and it's an awesome Uh it's a really good position.
Speaker 1: And man, I sit down and I honestly feel like
Speaker 1: like how I feel when I do a podcast interview,
Speaker 1: because I've been interviewed several times by different people, you know,
Speaker 1: different shows, and I'm just like, man, what an awesome thing.
Speaker 1: God blessed me with, you know, to be a podcaster,
Speaker 1: because he blessed me with the ability to go to
Speaker 1: an interview and just sit down and I got three
Speaker 1: people in front of me, and it's just kind of
Speaker 1: just a whole different ballgame when you're a podcaster, when
Speaker 1: you go to interviews. I don't know if anybody else
Speaker 1: out there that's podcasting, if you listen to this, understand
Speaker 1: that's you know, all you got to do is in
Speaker 1: your mind, you just got to say, you know what,
Speaker 1: this is exactly what I do every single week. So
Speaker 1: I got this. You know, I've interviewed Gary Wayne, I've
Speaker 1: interviewed doctors, I've interviewed theologians, I've interviewed people that are,
Speaker 1: you know, supposedly big in the industry. Everybody puts their
Speaker 1: pants on the same way though, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1: Everybody puts their pants one pant leg at a time,
Speaker 1: so we're all on an even playing field. So when
Speaker 1: I walked in there, I was like, all right, all
Speaker 1: I had. As long as I was, I was feeling
Speaker 1: good because I dressed you know, nice. But here's the thing,
Speaker 1: this is the crazy part. It's funny because I had
Speaker 1: a jacket to put over with my tie, my shirt.
Speaker 1: My neck got so big. I was trying to I
Speaker 1: was trying to button my tie. I was like I
Speaker 1: couldn't even get the neck. I was like, babe, can
Speaker 1: you help me? She told me, hey, my wife told me, listen,
Speaker 1: you better make sure you try on that outfit because
Speaker 1: you got to make sure it fits. And I'm like,
Speaker 1: oh no, I'm good, man, I'm good. I've been lifting weights,
Speaker 1: you know. But the thing is, I think I got
Speaker 1: a little bit bigger from lifting weights because when I
Speaker 1: put my jacket on, Oh my gosh, I was like
Speaker 1: a fat guy and a little coat, like Chris Farley,
Speaker 1: like fat guy and a little coat. Because when I
Speaker 1: put that thing on, I was like I can't even
Speaker 1: pull my arms down. I was like, oh my god,
Speaker 1: to take it off real quick. And I was like,
Speaker 1: I feel like I was gonna be late. So I
Speaker 1: just kind of went in there with the shit and tie.
Speaker 1: And as soon as I met the manager there, you know,
Speaker 1: the district manager, I told him, hey, man, how you doing.
Speaker 1: I said, hey, I had a jacket in the car,
Speaker 1: but I can't even put it on. But I put
Speaker 1: it on it I was about to rip it and
Speaker 1: he started laughing, you know, you know, you start out
Speaker 1: with the with a joke and then the compliment. You know, hey,
Speaker 1: I heard a lot of great things about your company,
Speaker 1: and I'm really looking forward to this interview, you know.
Speaker 1: And that's what I did, man, and it just went. Man,
Speaker 1: he tossed me the ball, Thank you, Lord, God is great.
Speaker 1: God tossed me that ball and allowed me to hit
Speaker 1: out the park. So yeah, So I have a second
Speaker 1: interview on Tuesday. And supposedly this interview is not going
Speaker 1: to be like you know, them trying to find out
Speaker 1: if I got the job. Supposedly I already have it,
Speaker 1: and this is supposed to be an interview to talk
Speaker 1: like kind of discuss numbers. So hopefully that's what it is.
Speaker 1: And I know that God has my back. I could
Speaker 1: do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. And also
Speaker 1: if God is with you, who could be against you? Nobody?
Speaker 1: So that that's how I feel. I feel great. I
Speaker 1: feel so awesome. I feel amazing. So thank you guys
Speaker 1: for the prayers. If you guys prayed for me, Thank
Speaker 1: you guys so much for just any thoughts or anything
Speaker 1: like that. Thank you. I really appreciate it. And let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and check out too. On Wednesday service, we
Speaker 1: had a couple of people leave some comments. We had
Speaker 1: MDMP twenty two Thank you, Angela Kelly, thank you, and catalysts. Jones,
Speaker 1: my brother, you're a podcast two man. So next time
Speaker 1: you do a job interview, if you end up doing
Speaker 1: one in the future, just no boom. I got this.
Speaker 1: I interview all day long, you know what I mean,
Speaker 1: got it so much. Love to you, brother, thank you
Speaker 1: so much. And we're starting out in First Kings seventeen,
Speaker 1: so let's go ahead and do the intro for First
Speaker 1: Kings seventeen. And honestly, we have four chapters before we
Speaker 1: finish First Kings, okay, so we'll do our best. I mean,
Speaker 1: these might take a while because I got a lot
Speaker 1: of notes, like the Bible study notes and everything. I
Speaker 1: have a lot of them. So it's awesome. It's such
Speaker 1: an amazing blessing that God blessed me with to have
Speaker 1: these different Bible study booklets, you know, and notes, you know.
Speaker 1: Thank you Lord for the notes. So let's go ahead
Speaker 1: and do an intro. Fet King seventeen provides us with
Speaker 1: an insightful account of the prophet Elijah's life. Let's go,
Speaker 1: particularly his experience during a period of severe famine. The
Speaker 1: chapter conveys the dynamics of faith, trust, miracles, and divine provision,
Speaker 1: showcasing Elijah's unyielding faith in God's promise and his ability
Speaker 1: to provide even in the most challenging circumstances. Okay, So
Speaker 1: I really like to hear about Elijah. This this kind
Speaker 1: of stuff is is good, you know, because he's able
Speaker 1: to perform miracles, Okay, And it's just just amazing because
Speaker 1: he's quite the character. And we're going to read about it.
Speaker 1: And I don't want to get too much into him
Speaker 1: because I don't want to do any spoiler alerts. So
Speaker 1: what I want to do is, let's go ahead and start.
Speaker 1: So it says Elijah proclaims a drought, and Elijah, the
Speaker 1: Tishbite of the inhabitants of Gilead, said Ahab said to Ahab,
Speaker 1: as the Lord God of Israel lives before whom I stand,
Speaker 1: there shall be no do nor reign these years except
Speaker 1: by my word. So right there, he's boldly claiming, boldly
Speaker 1: claiming and declaring to the king a have that's Ahab,
Speaker 1: that he's speaking to King Ahab that there will be
Speaker 1: no reign except that his word. This demonstrates the power
Speaker 1: of God's word and the authority given to prophets. And
Speaker 1: you see the way he speaks except by my word,
Speaker 1: and he's speaking to a human king. Usually when you're
Speaker 1: talking to a human king, you gotta you gotta have
Speaker 1: a little more respect there. I mean, I'm not saying
Speaker 1: he's not he's disrespecting the king, but he's letting him
Speaker 1: know that you might be king, but it's by my word,
Speaker 1: because my God is stronger, you know. So, Uh, let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and check out what it says here and
Speaker 1: if you dig a little deeper into that. Elijah, one
Speaker 1: of the most prominent prophets in the Old Testament, is
Speaker 1: renowned for his bold declarations and miraculous acts that demonstrated
Speaker 1: the power and sovereignty of the God of Israel. His
Speaker 1: prophetic ministry is primarily recorded in the Books of King
Speaker 1: of First Kings and Second Kings. Eliza's declaration declarations were
Speaker 1: often uh direct confrontations against idolatry apostlecy in Israel, particularly
Speaker 1: during the reign of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, which
Speaker 1: we're going to get into. So, like I said, I
Speaker 1: don't want any spoiler alert, so let's go ahead and
Speaker 1: dig into the chapter and first Kings Uh one King seventeen,
Speaker 1: verse two. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
Speaker 1: get away from here and turn eastward and hide by
Speaker 1: the brook of Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And
Speaker 1: it will be that you shall drink from the brook,
Speaker 1: and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.
Speaker 1: Very interesting because ravens are unclean. So what's gonna happen
Speaker 1: is the ravens are actually gonna be bringing him food.
Speaker 1: And if it's an unclean animal, a raven bringing him food,
Speaker 1: if you're not supposed to touch an unclean animal, it's
Speaker 1: kind of interesting that God chose a raven, right, So
Speaker 1: that's three through six, Okay, I'll go ahead and continue,
Speaker 1: and verse five says so he went and did according
Speaker 1: to the word of the Lord. For he went and
Speaker 1: stayed at the brook of Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.
Speaker 1: The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning,
Speaker 1: and bread and meat in the evening, and he drink
Speaker 1: from the And it happened after a while that the
Speaker 1: brook dried up because there had been no rain. In
Speaker 1: the land. Let's pause there, so we have Elijah proclaiming
Speaker 1: the drought, and let's go ahead and see what's up
Speaker 1: with this part. It says God instructs Elijah to hide
Speaker 1: by the brook of Cherith, where ravens bring him bread
Speaker 1: and meat. This illustrates God's ability to provide in miraculous ways,
Speaker 1: even using unlikely sources. Of course, it's unlikely now to us,
Speaker 1: any bird bringing us food is unlikely, you know. We
Speaker 1: think that that's a miracle, you know, and has to
Speaker 1: be God given or God sent, because we don't have
Speaker 1: birds going and grabbing meat for us and bringing it
Speaker 1: back to us, and not grabbing bread and bringing it
Speaker 1: back to us. Right. But the miraculous part is that
Speaker 1: God's using an unlikely source of a raven to complete
Speaker 1: this mission. So it says this. The account of God's
Speaker 1: provision at the Brook of Cherith is found in One
Speaker 1: King seventeen won through This narrative is set during the
Speaker 1: reign of King Ahab in Israel, a tarm might a charm,
Speaker 1: a time marked by widespread idolatry and apostasy. Elijah the Tishbite,
Speaker 1: a prophet of the Lord, emerges as a pivotal figure
Speaker 1: in confronting the spiritual decline of the nation. In response
Speaker 1: to the ram rampant worship of Bail, Elijah declares a
Speaker 1: divinely ordained drought, saying, as the Lord God lives, whom
Speaker 1: will I stand? They will neither be do or rain
Speaker 1: in these years except by my word, which is one
Speaker 1: king seventeen to one divine command and obedience. Following the
Speaker 1: bold proclamation, the word of the Lord comes to Eliza,
Speaker 1: instructing him to hide by the brook of Cherith, east
Speaker 1: of the Jordan. The Lord commands, you are to drink
Speaker 1: from the brook. I've commanded the ravens to feed you there.
Speaker 1: Elijah's obedience to God's directive is immediate and unwavering, demonstrating
Speaker 1: his faith and trust in God's provision and protection. And
Speaker 1: of course he has only has trust in God because
Speaker 1: what some pharise you would probably say is I can't
Speaker 1: be eating from a raven. No way, That's an unclean animal.
Speaker 1: You're gonna have to choose a different one God, You
Speaker 1: see what I mean. No, whatever God says he's gonna do,
Speaker 1: he's gonna do. If he tells you it's gonna be
Speaker 1: a raven Elijah's not questioning the Lord. Elijah's saying, if
Speaker 1: it's gonna be a raven that you need to use,
Speaker 1: then then it's gonna be a raven. You don't you
Speaker 1: don't see anywhere where Elijah's just like, uh, it's gonna
Speaker 1: be a raven. But Lord, it's unclean. I can't do that. Oh,
Speaker 1: according to this, I have to I can't. You know,
Speaker 1: he's not saying that. So it's very interesting. At the
Speaker 1: Brook of Truth, this is miraculous provision. At the Brook
Speaker 1: of Truth, Elijah experiences God's miraculous provision at a time
Speaker 1: of severe drought and famine. The Ravens, creatures typically considered
Speaker 1: unclean according to the levitical law, are divinely appointed to
Speaker 1: bring Elijah bread and meat every morning and evening. This
Speaker 1: extraordinary means of sustenance underscores God's sovereignty over creation and
Speaker 1: his ability to provide for his servants in unexpected ways.
Speaker 1: Eliza's reliance on the brook for water and the ravens
Speaker 1: for food highlights the theme of divine provision and care.
Speaker 1: Do you see how humans taking care of humans is
Speaker 1: above the law? Okay, the law is there, but when
Speaker 1: it comes to you starving and needing food. Then God's
Speaker 1: not going to be like, nope, I want you to
Speaker 1: starve to death because I don't want you to break
Speaker 1: the law. You know, He's like, He's like, you know
Speaker 1: what we need to if you need to eat or
Speaker 1: you need to feed you, just like Jesus when the
Speaker 1: when he goes by the wheatfield and the and the
Speaker 1: the apostles were grabbing the wheat and Jesus was eating it.
Speaker 1: They were eating it on the Sabbath, and they came
Speaker 1: and they tried to check Jesus and they tried to
Speaker 1: check his disciples, I said, his apostles, but his disciples,
Speaker 1: they tried to check them. And Jesus was telling him.
Speaker 1: You know the story of David when he went in
Speaker 1: and he got the bread out of the that were
Speaker 1: only the priests are supposed to eat it, but they
Speaker 1: were and it was a time that they needed to
Speaker 1: go and break that law. And do you think that
Speaker 1: he was you know, God was just like, oh, David,
Speaker 1: I'm not gonna ever roll with him again, or I'm
Speaker 1: not gonna listen to him anymore because he ate that
Speaker 1: meat or that that bread. No, Jesus was saying that
Speaker 1: because Jesus was like, hey, that you guys need to
Speaker 1: understand what the law is there for. And if God
Speaker 1: tells you something like he did with these ravens, you
Speaker 1: got to be like Elijah, not question it and just
Speaker 1: go ahead and just go ahead and sorry, something is
Speaker 1: calling him my flip goodness, and go ahead and just
Speaker 1: follow God's commands whatever he's saying. And then what's the
Speaker 1: spiritual significance? The episode at the brook Charith serves as
Speaker 1: a powerful testament of God's faithfulness and his ability to
Speaker 1: sustain his people in times of trial. It illustrates the
Speaker 1: principle that God often uses unlike the instruments of a
Speaker 1: philla's purposes and meet them the needs of his followers.
Speaker 1: Elijah's experience as a reminder of the importance of obedience
Speaker 1: and trust in God's promises even when circumstances appear dire.
Speaker 1: What is the theological implications? So the narrative emphasizes God's
Speaker 1: control over nature and his intimate involvement in the lives
Speaker 1: of his prophets. It reflects the broader biblical theme of
Speaker 1: God's provision for his people as seen throughout scripture. The
Speaker 1: account also for settles the New Testament teaching of God's
Speaker 1: care for his children. As Jesus later assures, Therefore, I
Speaker 1: tell you do not worry about your life, what you
Speaker 1: will eat or drink, or about your body what will
Speaker 1: you wear? Is not life more than food, in the
Speaker 1: body more than clothes Matthew six, verse twenty five. And
Speaker 1: then for the Lessons for believers. For contemporary believers, the
Speaker 1: account of God's provision at the Brook of charit offers
Speaker 1: encouragement and assurance of God's faithfulness. It calls Christians to
Speaker 1: trust in God's provision even in the face of uncertainty, adversity,
Speaker 1: and adversity. Eliza's example of obedience or alliance on God
Speaker 1: serves as a model for living a life of faith,
Speaker 1: confident in the knowledge that God is able to meet
Speaker 1: all needs according to riches in glory. Amen to that.
Speaker 1: All right, so good stuff right there? Now, we have,
Speaker 1: you know, kind of an overview of Chapter seventeen, verses
Speaker 1: one through seven, So as we know, it starts out
Speaker 1: with Elijah announcing a severe draft to the King Ahab
Speaker 1: as judgment of Israel's idolatry, and being miraculously sustained by
Speaker 1: the ravens at the Kurrith Brook, demonstrating God's power over
Speaker 1: nature and his provision for his prophets even in barren,
Speaker 1: unlikely paces, teaching teaching lessons in obedience, trust in God's
Speaker 1: sovereignty through unexpected means like ravens instead of angels, until
Speaker 1: the brook itself dries up, leading to a next phase
Speaker 1: of his ministry. So we see some of the key
Speaker 1: lessons that we've learned. We kind of already went over those,
Speaker 1: you know, God's judgment and sovereignty. The drought initiated by
Speaker 1: Elijah's word punishes Ahab and bil worships, showing Yahwai's absolute
Speaker 1: control over weather and fertility, a power bill supposedly held,
Speaker 1: and then obedience and trust. Elijah's obedience to God's command
Speaker 1: to hide at Carith and his trust in God's provision.
Speaker 1: Raven's bringing food water from the brook highlights the necessity
Speaker 1: of following God's word even when uncomfortable and then unexpected provision.
Speaker 1: God uses ravens, unclean birds, and Jewish law to feed Elijah,
Speaker 1: showing his ability to provide through the unlikely sources, like
Speaker 1: we talked about earlier, learning the barrenness the drying brooks
Speaker 1: signifies that even God's immediate provision can cause, teaching reliance
Speaker 1: on his sustaining word, not just temporary comforts. And then
Speaker 1: divine calling from obscurity Elijah. The tishbite from an unknown
Speaker 1: place emerges to confront the powerful king, emphasizing that God
Speaker 1: calls and uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. Amen preparation
Speaker 1: for the next step, The drying brook forces Elizah to
Speaker 1: move on to Zerapath, setting up the next miraculous provision
Speaker 1: with the window A story of faith and resurrection. In essence,
Speaker 1: this passage is about God demonstrating his supreme power and
Speaker 1: his personal care for his prophets through hardship, teaching lessons
Speaker 1: of radical trust and obedience. Let's go all right, one
Speaker 1: King seventeen Elijah and the widow on King seventeen, verse eight.
Speaker 1: Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, arise,
Speaker 1: go to Zeraprath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there.
Speaker 1: See I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.
Speaker 1: So he arose and went to Ziapath. And when he
Speaker 1: came to the gate of the city, indeed, a widow
Speaker 1: was gathering sticks. And he called to her and said
Speaker 1: please bring me a little water in a cup that
Speaker 1: I may drink. And as she was going to eat it, sorry,
Speaker 1: And as she was going to get it, he called
Speaker 1: to her and said, please bring me a morsel of
Speaker 1: bread in your hand. And she said, as for the Lord,
Speaker 1: your god lives, I do not have bread, only a
Speaker 1: handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil
Speaker 1: in a jar. And see I am gathering a couple
Speaker 1: of sticks that I can may go in and prepare
Speaker 1: it for myself and my son, that we may eat
Speaker 1: it and die. And Elijah said, do not fear go
Speaker 1: and do as you have said, but make a small
Speaker 1: cake from it first, and bring it to me, and
Speaker 1: afterward makes some for yourselves and son. Thus says the Lord,
Speaker 1: God of Israel, the bin of flowers shall not be
Speaker 1: used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry,
Speaker 1: until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.
Speaker 1: So she went and did according to the word Eliza,
Speaker 1: and she and he and her household eight. For many
Speaker 1: days the bin of flower was not used up, nor
Speaker 1: did the jar of oil dry. According to the word
Speaker 1: of the Lord, which he spoke by Elijah, a man,
Speaker 1: let's go. So the widow of Ziapath. So God sends
Speaker 1: Elijah to a widow, promising that her jaraflower and juggo
Speaker 1: will not run dry. This encounter shows God's compassion and
Speaker 1: provision for those who trust Him, regardless of their circumstances.
Speaker 1: So let's learn a little bit about this. The widow
Speaker 1: of Zarapath is a significant figure in the Old Testament,
Speaker 1: specifically in the narrative of the prophet Elijah. Her account
Speaker 1: is found in One King seventeen verses eight through twenty four.
Speaker 1: Or She plays a crucial role during a time of
Speaker 1: severe drought and famine in the land of Israel. This
Speaker 1: account highlights themes of faith, divine provision, and the power
Speaker 1: of God working through his prophets. So what's our historical
Speaker 1: and geographical context here? We got Zarapath was a Phoenician
Speaker 1: town locating between the cities of Tyree and Saddam in
Speaker 1: the region of Sedonia. This area was outside the borders
Speaker 1: of Israel, indicating that the widow was actually a gentile.
Speaker 1: The choice of Zeropath as the setting for this miracle
Speaker 1: underscores the reach of God's compassion and power beyond the
Speaker 1: confines of Israel, foreshadowing the inclusion of gentiles in God's
Speaker 1: redemptive plan. Let's go. I love that, And then what's
Speaker 1: the biblical narrative here? The narrative begins with the Word
Speaker 1: of the Lord coming to Elijah instructing him to go
Speaker 1: to Zeropath, where a widow would provide for him One
Speaker 1: King seventeen eight through nine. Upon arrival, Elijah encounters the
Speaker 1: widow gathering sticks and requests a drink of water and
Speaker 1: a piece of bread. The widow responds by explaining her
Speaker 1: dire situation. She has only a handful of flour and
Speaker 1: a little oil, which she plans to prepare as a
Speaker 1: last meal for herself and her son before they die
Speaker 1: of starvation. So that's why she said that right there.
Speaker 1: That's why she said that we may eat it and die,
Speaker 1: because she feels like she's gonna make this food and
Speaker 1: it's going to be the last meal, and that they're
Speaker 1: both gonna die of starvation. First Kings seventeen ten through twelve.
Speaker 1: Elijah reassures her, do not be afraid, go and do
Speaker 1: as I have said. Both make a small cake of bread,
Speaker 1: which we already read. It's a First King seventeen three,
Speaker 1: and then he delivers a promise from the Lord, the
Speaker 1: jariflower will not run dry and exhausted, and the jug
Speaker 1: of oil will not run dry until the day of
Speaker 1: the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.
Speaker 1: In faith, the widow obeys Elijah's instructions as promised, The
Speaker 1: flower and oil miraculously sustain Elijah, the widow, and her
Speaker 1: household throughout the duration of the famine, and then the
Speaker 1: miracle of resurrection is talked about in seventeen through eighteen.
Speaker 1: I don't want to talk about that yet because I
Speaker 1: do not want to give you a spoiler alert. So
Speaker 1: what's the cultural and literary aspects of this? The Widow
Speaker 1: of Zeropath's account is a compelling narrative that combines elements
Speaker 1: of suspense, divine intervention, and personal transformation. It reflects the
Speaker 1: natural realities of ancient Nearest Eastern that reflects the cultural
Speaker 1: realities of ancient Near Eastern society, where widows were often
Speaker 1: vulnerable and dependent on the charity of others. The widows
Speaker 1: encounter with Elijah challenges to societal norms and reveals the
Speaker 1: transformative power of faith and divine provision. In summary, the
Speaker 1: Widow of Zeropath is a pivotal figure that whose account
Speaker 1: illustrates the boundaries God, the boundless reach of God's mercy,
Speaker 1: and the profound impact of faith in the face of adversity.
Speaker 1: Her narrative continues to inspire and teaches valuable lessons about
Speaker 1: reliance on God's promise and the inclusivity of his love.
Speaker 1: Let's go all right, so let me give you a
Speaker 1: little summary. Oops, go back, okay, So let me give
Speaker 1: you a little summary of One King seventeen eight through six.
Speaker 1: That was a pretty good summary I just went through.
Speaker 1: It tells the story of Prophet Elijah being sent by
Speaker 1: the God to a gentile widow zeb Path during a
Speaker 1: superior famine where she has only a little flower oil
Speaker 1: for her her son's last meal. Both through her obedience
Speaker 1: and faith in Elijah's word, God miraculously this days their
Speaker 1: food supply until the drought ends, illustrating divine provision, the
Speaker 1: universal universality, universality of God's care, and the power of
Speaker 1: trusting God's promises even impossible situations. Some of the key
Speaker 1: themes were God's unexpected provision. God sends Elijah to a
Speaker 1: non Israelite woman, showing his care extends beyond Israel, faith
Speaker 1: and obedience, The Widow's willingness to share her tiny portion
Speaker 1: despite her dire situation as a profound act of faith,
Speaker 1: demonstrating that obedience even costs. The obedience leads to blessing
Speaker 1: and experiencing God's faithfulness. Trusting in God's word. Elijah's promise
Speaker 1: the jar of bial would not be empty to the
Speaker 1: jungle fail mirrors God's earlier promise to Hagar, empowering the
Speaker 1: widow to step into a new reality of God's provision
Speaker 1: and then God's sovereignty. The story highlights that God's power
Speaker 1: is superior to famine and political rulers, providing for his
Speaker 1: people even when human resources fail, as shown by the
Speaker 1: endless oil and flower. Both Elijah, who risk appearing selfish,
Speaker 1: and the widow, who risks starvation, took leaps of faith,
Speaker 1: revealing that faith often involves vulnerability and trusting God beyond
Speaker 1: what seems possible. Very important there, Okay, so let's go
Speaker 1: ahead and start reading. In verse seventeen, Elijah revives the
Speaker 1: widow's son is what the title is now? What happened
Speaker 1: after these things? That the son of the woman who
Speaker 1: owned the house became sick, and his sickness was so
Speaker 1: serious that there was no breath left in him. So
Speaker 1: she said to Elijah, what have I to do with you,
Speaker 1: Oh man of God? Have you come to bring my
Speaker 1: sin to remembrance and to kill my son? And he
Speaker 1: said to her, give me your son. So we took
Speaker 1: him out of her arms and carried him to the
Speaker 1: upper room where he was laying, and he laid him
Speaker 1: down on the bed. Then he cried out to the
Speaker 1: Lord and said, Oh Lord, my God, have you also
Speaker 1: brought tragedy on the widow of whom I lodged by
Speaker 1: killing her son? And he stretched himself out on the
Speaker 1: bed three times and cried out to the Lord and said,
Speaker 1: Oh Lord, my God, I pray let this child soul
Speaker 1: come back to him. Then the Lord heard the voice
Speaker 1: of Elijah, and the soul of the child came back
Speaker 1: to him, and he revived wow. And Elijah took the
Speaker 1: child and brought him down to the upper room of
Speaker 1: the house and gave him to his mother and Elijah
Speaker 1: and said, see your son lives. And the woman said
Speaker 1: to Elijah, now by this I know that you are
Speaker 1: a man of God, and that the word of the
Speaker 1: Lord and your mouth is the truth. So that's awesome
Speaker 1: because she is a gentile woman, right, kind of like
Speaker 1: a pagan woman, probably worshiping other gods, and Bail is
Speaker 1: supposed to feed you, and that's what it says, like
Speaker 1: he's in control of famine. And she was probably you know,
Speaker 1: I know they had other gods that were probably praying
Speaker 1: to to try to help me out. And I'm sure
Speaker 1: that she had other gods. He was maybe trying to
Speaker 1: pray to to have her son get helped, or maybe
Speaker 1: she was just praying to Yahweh because maybe Elijah came in.
Speaker 1: But she said, right there, man. Then the woman said
Speaker 1: to Elijah, now this, now by this that you are
Speaker 1: a man. Now by this, I know that you are
Speaker 1: a man of God speaking to Elijah, and that the
Speaker 1: word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.
Speaker 1: How awesome we let God be true in every man
Speaker 1: a liar Romans three four. The word that Elijah did
Speaker 1: have is the truth one hundred percent. All right, So
Speaker 1: let's go ahead and check out what I have in
Speaker 1: my notes. The raising of the widow's son. When the
Speaker 1: widow's son falls ill and dies, Elijah prays and God
Speaker 1: restores as the boy's life. The miracle underscores God's power
Speaker 1: over life and death and his responsiveness to earnest prayer.
Speaker 1: The raising of the widow son is a miraculous event
Speaker 1: recorded in the Gospel of Luke, specifically in seven. Why
Speaker 1: is it talking about Luke? Well, the raising of the
Speaker 1: widow son is a miraculous event recorded the Gospel of Luke. So,
Speaker 1: I guess it's just comparing contrasts the Luke seven verse
Speaker 1: eleven through seventeen and then First Kings seventeen through twenty four.
Speaker 1: So let's go ahead and check that out. Let's see
Speaker 1: if it's gonna mention that nineteen eleven. Okay. So the reaction, Yeah,
Speaker 1: we're's kings at. I'm sorry, guys, I'm just trying to
Speaker 1: all right. So it says the raising of the widow
Speaker 1: son is a miraculous event recorded in the Gospel of Luke,
Speaker 1: specifically in Luke seven eleven through seventeen. This is the
Speaker 1: account where Jesus Christ compassionate divine authority over life and death,
Speaker 1: serving as a testament to his messianic identity and the
Speaker 1: inauguration of the Kingdom of God. Biblical event. Biblical account.
Speaker 1: This event takes place in the town of nine, small
Speaker 1: village of Galley, as Jesus opposes the town gate. Okay,
Speaker 1: so I don't know why it just switched to that,
Speaker 1: but it's all good, no worries, because it does stay
Speaker 1: down here response to the people, it says. The reaction
Speaker 1: the crowd is one of awe and reverence. Fear gripped
Speaker 1: them all, and they began to glorify God, saying a
Speaker 1: great prophet has appeared among us, and God has visited
Speaker 1: his people Luke seven, verse sixteen. People recognize the divine
Speaker 1: nature of the miracle, drawing parallels between Jesus and the
Speaker 1: great prophet Elijah, that's what and Alicia, who also performed resurrections.
Speaker 1: This miracle, therefore, not only affirms Jesus identity as the Messiah,
Speaker 1: but also served as a catalyst to the spread of
Speaker 1: his fame through Judea and surrounding regions. This account of raising,
Speaker 1: the account of the raising of the widow's sons profound
Speaker 1: illustration of Jesus's mission to bring life, hope, and salvation
Speaker 1: to a broken word world. So what they're trying to
Speaker 1: do is they're just prepared to contrast of those two
Speaker 1: stories and these notes. So let me just do a
Speaker 1: little quick review about One King seventeen seventeen through twenty four.
Speaker 2: Oops, all right, sorry about that, all right.
Speaker 1: One King seventeen seventeen through twenty four tells the story
Speaker 1: of the prophet Elijah raising a widow's dead son back
Speaker 1: to life, demonstrating God's power over death and testing faith
Speaker 1: during a severe famine. The widow initially blames Elijah for
Speaker 1: bringing tragedy, but after her son's revival, she confesses, now
Speaker 1: I know that you are a man of God, and
Speaker 1: that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth,
Speaker 1: signifying her transformed belief in God's life giving power. The
Speaker 1: passage highlights themes of trust suffering in God's ultimate sovereignty,
Speaker 1: showing how difficult situations can reveal his glory and power
Speaker 1: to bring life from death, even foreshadowing Christ's resurrection. The
Speaker 1: story in brief, which I don't think I needed the
Speaker 1: story in brief because we kind of already read it.
Speaker 1: But the widow had moracacy sustaining Elijah and herself with
Speaker 1: dwelling flower and oil. We already read about that. The
Speaker 1: accusation overcoming with the grief, the woman confronts Elijah, believing
Speaker 1: his presence brought God's judgment to her past sins, a
Speaker 1: common interpretation of suffering in that era. Eliza's power and action.
Speaker 1: Elijah takes the boy, prays fervently to God, stretching himself
Speaker 1: over the child three times, and God restores the boy's life.
Speaker 1: The confession, seeing her son revived, the widow declared her
Speaker 1: faith in Elijah and the Lord, recognizing God's power over
Speaker 1: life and death. What are the key meanings of this well,
Speaker 1: God's power over death. This is a foundational Old Testament
Speaker 1: story showing God's ability to reverse death, a power later
Speaker 1: seen more fully in Jesus Christ in the Book of Luke.
Speaker 1: Like we just talked about faith in doubt, it illustrates
Speaker 1: the journey from doubt, the widow's accusation to profound faith,
Speaker 1: her final confession, purpose and suffering. While the widow initially
Speaker 1: sees death as a punishment, the event reveals a greater
Speaker 1: purpose is to display God's power and strengthen faith and
Speaker 1: then the true God. The story contrasts the life giving
Speaker 1: power of Yahweh with the barrenness of idle worship like bail,
Speaker 1: solidifying Elijah's message human vulnerability. It shows that even in
Speaker 1: the righteous experience immense pain, and that God works in
Speaker 1: desperate situations, preparing people for greater challenges. All right, good stuff,
Speaker 1: So all right, we went over that and we went
Speaker 1: over chapter seventeen. Now let's go over some practical applications
Speaker 1: for the chapter. First one, trusting in God's provision. Like Elijah,
Speaker 1: we can trust God to provide for our needs even
Speaker 1: in the dire situations. He is faithful and knows what
Speaker 1: we need before we even ask. But we still want
Speaker 1: to ask right, pray always right. Trusting God's provision. Obedience
Speaker 1: to God's instruction is the next one. Elijah's obedience to
Speaker 1: God's commands led to miraculous outcomes. We should strive to
Speaker 1: follow God's guidance even when it seems unconventional. So we
Speaker 1: got one, two, and three Faith in God's promises, the
Speaker 1: widow's faith in Elijah's word resulting in God's provision. We
Speaker 1: are called to have faith in God's promises, knowing he
Speaker 1: is true to his word. And then power of prayer.
Speaker 1: Elijah's prayer for the widow's son teaches us the importance
Speaker 1: of fervent prayer and the reliance on God's power in
Speaker 1: times of crisis. Amen, All right, now, let's check out
Speaker 1: some additional scriptures that connect to this. We have Matthew
Speaker 1: six twenty five through thirty four. Jesus teaches about God's
Speaker 1: provision and encourages us not to worry about our needs,
Speaker 1: reminding us of God's care for his creation. Then we
Speaker 1: have James five seventeen through eighteen. James references Elijah's prayer life,
Speaker 1: emphasizing the power of a righteous person's prayer. And that's
Speaker 1: going to be excuse me, let's go ahead and go
Speaker 1: there real quick. James five seventeen through eighteen. Right, let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and check that out. James five seventeen through eighteen. Okay,
Speaker 1: it says Elijah was a man with a nature like ours,
Speaker 1: and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, And
Speaker 1: it did not rain on the land for three years
Speaker 1: and six months, and he prayed again, and the heaven
Speaker 1: gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. James references
Speaker 1: Eliza's prayer life, emphasizing the power of a righteous person's prayer.
Speaker 1: And then we have Then we have Philippians four, verse nineteen.
Speaker 1: Paul assures us that God will supply all our needs
Speaker 1: according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Let's
Speaker 1: check out that one very important for you guys and me.
Speaker 1: Four verse nineteen, it says, and my God shall supply
Speaker 1: all your need according to his riches and glory by
Speaker 1: Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory
Speaker 1: forever and a men all right, ever and ever. Amen,
Speaker 1: there we go, So there we go. So we went
Speaker 1: ahead and went over chapter seventeen, moved quite smoothly through that.
Speaker 1: Oh you know what I have. We have Kings all
Speaker 1: the way to chapter twenty two. Oh okay, I thought
Speaker 1: it was only to chapter twenty. So we'll do seventeen,
Speaker 1: eighteen and nineteen today and then next week we could
Speaker 1: probably do twenty twenty one and twenty two. That's where
Speaker 1: I have it over rule. So okay, we went ahead
Speaker 1: and finished chapter seventeen. Let's go ahead and go to
Speaker 1: chapter eighteen now and I will read the There we
Speaker 1: go one. Kings eighteen narrates a pivotal event in Israel's
Speaker 1: spiritual history, where God's prophet Elijah challenges King Ahab and
Speaker 1: the prophets of Bail in a monumental showdown. This chapter
Speaker 1: offers a fascinating exploration of faith obedience divine intervention and
Speaker 1: the true power of God. There we go Amen to that.
Speaker 1: Let's go ahead and check out our teaching points. Yes,
Speaker 1: there's a lot here, all right, So let me go
Speaker 1: to eighteen, and it's going to be Elijah's message to Ahab.
Speaker 1: Let me go ahead and pull up. So we'll do
Speaker 1: one through nineteen and then I have some notes and
Speaker 1: some things to talk about it. We'll just do one
Speaker 1: through nineteen, all right. One Kings eighteen, verse one. And
Speaker 1: it came to pass after many days that the word
Speaker 1: of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying,
Speaker 1: go present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain
Speaker 1: on the earth. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
Speaker 1: And there was a severe famine in Samaria, and Ahab
Speaker 1: had called Abadiah, who was in charge of his house.
Speaker 1: Now Abadiah feared the Lord greyly. For so it was
Speaker 1: while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord that Abadiah.
Speaker 1: Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them fifty
Speaker 1: to a cave, and he had fed them with bread
Speaker 1: and water. And Ahab had said to Obadiah, go into
Speaker 1: the land of all the springs of water into all
Speaker 1: the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass to keep the
Speaker 1: horses and mules alive, so that we will not have
Speaker 1: to kill any livestock. Divided the land between them to
Speaker 1: explore it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah
Speaker 1: went the other way by himself. Now, as Obadiah was
Speaker 1: on the way on his way, suddenly Elijah met him,
Speaker 1: and he recognized him and fell on his face and said,
Speaker 1: is that you, my Lord Elijah? And he answered him,
Speaker 1: saying it is Go and tell your master Elijah is here.
Speaker 1: And he said, have I sinned that you are delivering
Speaker 1: your servant into the land of Ahab to kill me?
Speaker 1: As a lord your God lives. There is no nation
Speaker 1: or kingdom or my master has not sent someone to
Speaker 1: hunt you. And they said he is not here. He
Speaker 1: took on an oath from the kingdom or nation that
Speaker 1: they could not find you. And now you say, go
Speaker 1: and tell your master Elijah is here. And it shall
Speaker 1: come to pass as soon as I am gone from you,
Speaker 1: that the spirit of the Lord will carry you into
Speaker 1: a place I do not know. So when I go
Speaker 1: and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will
Speaker 1: kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the Lord
Speaker 1: from my youth. Was it not reported to you, my Lord,
Speaker 1: that I did when Jezebel what I did when Jezebel
Speaker 1: had killed the prophet of the Lord. How I had
Speaker 1: one hundred men of the Lord's prophets fifty to a
Speaker 1: cave and fed them with bread and water. And now
Speaker 1: you say, go and tell your master Elijah is here,
Speaker 1: he will kill me. Then Elijah said, as the Lord
Speaker 1: of Hosts lives before whom I stand, I will surely
Speaker 1: present myself to him today. So Obadiah went to meet
Speaker 1: Ahab and told him that Ahab went to meet Elijah.
Speaker 1: Then it happened when Ahab saw Elijah, and Ahab said
Speaker 1: to him, is that you o troubler of Israel? And
Speaker 1: he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you and
Speaker 1: your father's house have in that you have forsaken the
Speaker 1: commandments of the Lord and have followed the Bales. Now, therefore,
Speaker 1: send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel.
Speaker 1: The four hundred and fifty prophets of Bail and the
Speaker 1: four hundred prophets of Assaroth, who eat at Jezebel's table
Speaker 1: oh man, look what we got here. So Elijah's stepping
Speaker 1: up to the plate here, he has some boldness when
Speaker 1: he's talking to King Ahab here, right, So it says
Speaker 1: Elijah confronts King Ahab and challenges the prophets of bel,
Speaker 1: demonstrating his unwavering faith in God. He's telling him to
Speaker 1: summon all, well, the profits of Bel to Mount Carmel. Right,
Speaker 1: they're gonna be going on a high mountain. You know
Speaker 1: that these these The reason why they're going to meet
Speaker 1: at Mount Carmel or Carmel is because that's what these
Speaker 1: pagans think they have to do. They need they want
Speaker 1: to go to high places because they knew in Biblical
Speaker 1: cosmology where is the spiritual entities they're located where. Well,
Speaker 1: it says it in Ephesian six twelve. It says they're
Speaker 1: in high places, heavenly places, spiritual host of wickedness in
Speaker 1: heavenly places. This is not just a pagan idea that
Speaker 1: comes out of nowhere. They know that they're to a
Speaker 1: host of wickedness in high places. Right. So that's why
Speaker 1: Elijah is saying, you know what, we can go to
Speaker 1: Mount Carmelo on your home field. You can have home
Speaker 1: field advantage. We're going to be right here. You can
Speaker 1: bring your four hundred and fifty prophets and your four
Speaker 1: hundred and fifty Bail prophets and four hundred prophets of
Speaker 1: Astaroth and meet me there. So he is bold. Let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and read about it real quick. Elijah the Tishbite,
Speaker 1: a prophet of the Lord from Jiliads now for his
Speaker 1: extraordinary boldness in the face of idolatry apostlecy in Israel.
Speaker 1: His life and ministry has recorded in the books of
Speaker 1: First Kings and Second Kings, exemplify a profound commitment to
Speaker 1: the sovereignty of God and fearless proclamation of his truth
Speaker 1: the confrontation with Aheb and the Prophets of Bail. His
Speaker 1: boldness is perhaps most vividly displayed in his confrontation with
Speaker 1: King Aheb and the prophets of Bail on Mount Carmel Carmel,
Speaker 1: during the time when Israel was steeped in the worship
Speaker 1: of Bail, Elijah stood alone as a prophet of the
Speaker 1: Lord in One Kings eighteen, verse twenty one, which we
Speaker 1: haven't read yet. So we're going to go ahead and
Speaker 1: go over that soon. So what is the legacy of boldness?
Speaker 1: Elijah's boldness leaves a lasting legacy, serving as an inspiration
Speaker 1: for future generations. His fearless proclamation of God's truth and
Speaker 1: his unwavering stand against idolatry or celebrated in the New Testament,
Speaker 1: where he is mentioned as a model for fervent prayer
Speaker 1: and prophetic power James five seventeen through eighteen, which I
Speaker 1: just read a little bit ago. The additional scriptures of
Speaker 1: the last chapter Elijah's life demonstrates that true boldness is
Speaker 1: grounded in a deep faith in God and commitment to
Speaker 1: his purposes, regardless of the opposition faced. Okay, so perfect,
Speaker 1: and yeah, we will read about verse twenty one, you know,
Speaker 1: twenty through twenty through forty soon. Okay, just yes, let
Speaker 1: me just finish this little review real quick, and then
Speaker 1: we'll and then we'll read it. And I said, it's
Speaker 1: a it's very interesting what happens here. So that's thirty seven,
Speaker 1: that's verse twenty one. Okay, we'll get we'll get to that.
Speaker 1: So all right, let me just go over like a
Speaker 1: little brief description of what's going on in chapters one
Speaker 1: or verses one through nineteen. Uh, one. King's eighteen one
Speaker 1: through nineteen sets this stage for Elijah's showdown with Bail.
Speaker 1: With Bail prophets on Mount Carmel. Carmel revealing God's judgment
Speaker 1: drought and calling Israel to choose between Yahweh and idols.
Speaker 1: It highlights Eliza's faith, Abehab's wickedness, Obadiah's fear mixed courage
Speaker 1: in God's power to end the famine, culminating in the
Speaker 1: people's call to decide who is God. The drought end
Speaker 1: after three years. God tells Elijah to appear to King Ahab,
Speaker 1: promising to send rain, signifying God's readiness to act after
Speaker 1: Israel's prolonged disobedience. Ahab's blame. Ahab blames Elijah for Israel's suffering,
Speaker 1: and it's revealed Ahab's idolatry, influenced by Jezebel, brought the curse,
Speaker 1: showing that evil leaders blame God's people for their own sins,
Speaker 1: and then Obadiah's dilemma. The good governor. Obadiah fears both
Speaker 1: Ahab and Elijah, but hides one hundred profits, demonstrating that
Speaker 1: even faithful people struggle with fear and compromise, yet can
Speaker 1: still do good, and then the challenge issued. Elijah's boldly
Speaker 1: tells Ahab, it's time to choose. How long will you
Speaker 1: go limping between two opinions, challenging all Israel to decide
Speaker 1: between Yahweh and bail. And then Mount Carmel, Carmel, dang,
Speaker 1: I keep seeing Carmel. It's Carmel. I'm so sorry. I
Speaker 1: guess The dramatic location has chosen from a public test
Speaker 1: of power, a fertile significant mountains, setting the scene for
Speaker 1: God to prove his supremacy over Bail. All right, and
Speaker 1: then what's some deeper meanings idolatryes folly. The story contrasts
Speaker 1: the silent, unresponsive Bail with the living God who answers,
Speaker 1: you're gonna see soon, I don't want to. It's a
Speaker 1: call for radical, decisive faith, urging people to fully commit
Speaker 1: to God and rather than trying to serve two masters
Speaker 1: as notes, and then God's timing. God acts after a
Speaker 1: significant period of judgment the drought, showing his patient he
Speaker 1: is patient, but ultimately brings his word to pass. And
Speaker 1: then faith under pressure. Obadiah's action actions show that even
Speaker 1: in corrupt times, individuals can use their positions to honor God,
Speaker 1: even in imp even if imperfectly in essence. The passage
Speaker 1: moves a severe judgment, moves from a severe judgment drought
Speaker 1: to a decisive confrontation, challenging Israel time to abandon bail
Speaker 1: and to return to the one True God Yahweh, who
Speaker 1: demonstrates his power through Elijah. Perfect. All right, so we
Speaker 1: went ahead and went over that. And now next, let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and start in one Kings eighteen verse twenty
Speaker 1: Elijah Elijah's Mount Carmel victory. All right, We'll make sure
Speaker 1: I say that right. This is a first Kings eighteen
Speaker 1: verse twenty. So Ahab sent out for all the children
Speaker 1: of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
Speaker 1: And Elijah came to all the people and said, how
Speaker 1: long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord
Speaker 1: is God, follow him, but if beil follow him. But
Speaker 1: the people answered him not a word. Then Elijah said
Speaker 1: to the people, I am I am all, I am,
Speaker 1: I alone am left a prophet to the Lord. But
Speaker 1: Bel's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore, let
Speaker 1: him give us two bulls and let them to one
Speaker 1: bull from themselves, cut it into pieces and lay it
Speaker 1: on the wood, but put no fire under it. And
Speaker 1: I will prepare the other bull and lay it on
Speaker 1: the wood, and I will put no fire under it.
Speaker 1: Then you call in the name of your gods, and
Speaker 1: I will call in the name of the Lord, meaning
Speaker 1: Yahweh and God, and the God who answers by fire,
Speaker 1: he is God. So all the people answered and said,
Speaker 1: it is well spoken. So for Elijah, wait, let me see.
Speaker 1: Let's see. Now. Elijah said to the prophet Bail, choose
Speaker 1: one bull for yourself, and prepare it first, for you
Speaker 1: are many, and call in the name of your God,
Speaker 1: and put no fire under it. So they took the
Speaker 1: bull which was given to them, and they prepared it
Speaker 1: and called on the name of Bail from morning until
Speaker 1: from morning even till noon, saying, oh, Bail, hear us.
Speaker 1: But there was no voice. No one answered, and they
Speaker 1: leaped about the altar that they had made. Then they
Speaker 1: leaped about the altar that they made. And so it
Speaker 1: was at noon that Elijah mocked them and said, cry aloud,
Speaker 1: for he is a he is a god. Either he
Speaker 1: is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on
Speaker 1: a journey or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.
Speaker 1: So they cry out aloud and cut themselves, and as
Speaker 1: was the customs, with the knives and laces, until the
Speaker 1: blood gust got out on them, and that and then
Speaker 1: when midday passed. When midday was passed, they prophesied until
Speaker 1: the time of offering of the evening sacrifice. But there
Speaker 1: was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.
Speaker 1: Let me stop there real quick, okay, because I have
Speaker 1: some notes. So it says a call to repentance. Elijah
Speaker 1: calls the people to choose whom they will serve highly
Speaker 1: in the necessity of the decision and commitment to God.
Speaker 1: So the call to repentance, it's a central theme throughout
Speaker 1: the Bible, emphasizing the need for individuals to turn away
Speaker 1: from sin and return to God. This call is a
Speaker 1: is not merely an invitation, but a divine command that
Speaker 1: carries significant spiritual implications. Repentance is portrayed as a transformative
Speaker 1: process that involves a change of mind, heart, and behavior,
Speaker 1: aligning oneself with God's will and purposes. An example would
Speaker 1: be in the Old Testament would be prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Speaker 1: and Ezekiel were in Schamel and calling the people of
Speaker 1: Israel back to God. Isaiah fifty five, verse seven states,
Speaker 1: let the wicked man forsake his own way, and the
Speaker 1: unrighteous righteous man his own thoughts. Let him return to
Speaker 1: the Lord that he may have compassion, and to our Lord,
Speaker 1: for he will freely pardons. Highlights the mercy and forgiveness
Speaker 1: available to those who repent. And then another good account
Speaker 1: is the account of Jonah and the city of Nineveh
Speaker 1: as a profound example of collective repentance. Jonah three verse
Speaker 1: five records and the people of Ninevah believed God. They
Speaker 1: proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest
Speaker 1: of them to the least. The repentance of Nineveh led
Speaker 1: to God's relenting from the disaster he had planned, demonstrating
Speaker 1: his readiness to forgive. And the New Testament, the call
Speaker 1: to repentance is intensified and given new depth through the
Speaker 1: ministry of John the Baptist. In Jesus Christ, John the
Speaker 1: Baptist message was clear. Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven
Speaker 1: is near Matthew three, verse two. His baptism of repentance
Speaker 1: prepared the way for the coming Messiah. Jesus Christ continued
Speaker 1: this call, emphasizing repentance for essential as essential for entering
Speaker 1: the Kingdom of God. Mark one, verse fiveeen, Jesus proclaimed,
Speaker 1: the time is fulfilled, that the Kingdom of God is near.
Speaker 1: Repent and believe in the Gospel. All right, So what's
Speaker 1: the conclusion. The call to repentance is a timeless and
Speaker 1: universal message that resonates throughout scripture. It is a call
Speaker 1: to experience God's grace, mercy, and forgiveness, leading to a
Speaker 1: restored relationship with Him. As such, it remains a foundational
Speaker 1: aspect of the Christian faith and life. Okay, so now
Speaker 1: we've gone through looking for thirty seven. Oh we haven't
Speaker 1: gone through that yet. Okay, let's go ahead and continue.
Speaker 1: First Kings eighteen, verse thirty. Then Elijah said to all
Speaker 1: the people, come near to me. So all the people
Speaker 1: came near to him, and he repaired the altar of
Speaker 1: the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones,
Speaker 1: according to the number of the tribes of the sons
Speaker 1: of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying,
Speaker 1: Israel shall be your name. Then with the stones he
Speaker 1: built an altar in the name of the Lord. And
Speaker 1: he made a trench around the altar, large enough to
Speaker 1: hold two shees of seed, and he put the wood
Speaker 1: in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it
Speaker 1: on the wood, and said, fill fourth water pots with water,
Speaker 1: and pour it to the burnt and pour it on
Speaker 1: the burnt sacrifice in on the wood. Then he said,
Speaker 1: do it a second time, and they did it a
Speaker 1: second time, and he said do it a third time.
Speaker 1: Then they did it a third time. So the water
Speaker 1: ran all around the altar, and he also filled the
Speaker 1: trench with water. And it came to pass at the
Speaker 1: time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah
Speaker 1: the Prophet came near and said, Lord, God of Abraham,
Speaker 1: Isaac and Israel, let it be known this day that
Speaker 1: you are God and Israel, and I am your servant,
Speaker 1: and that I have done all these things at your word.
Speaker 1: Hear me, O, Lord, hear me, that these people may
Speaker 1: know that you are the Lord God, and that you
Speaker 1: have turned their backs against you again. Then the fire
Speaker 1: of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice in
Speaker 1: the wood and the stones and the dust, and it
Speaker 1: licked up the water that was in the trench. Now,
Speaker 1: when all the people saw it, they fell in their
Speaker 1: faces and said, the Lord God, he is God, The Lord,
Speaker 1: he is God, the Lord, he is God. And Elijah
Speaker 1: said to them, seize your prophets of bail, do not
Speaker 1: let do not let one of them escape. So they
Speaker 1: seize them, and Eliza brought them down to the brook
Speaker 1: of Kashan and executed them there. Wow, wow, all right,
Speaker 1: So we have the power of prayer. That's going to
Speaker 1: be a first Kings eighteen, verse thirty seven. Elijah's prayer
Speaker 1: is a simple yet powerful showing his reliance on God.
Speaker 1: Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that the people
Speaker 1: will know that you, o Lord, are God, and that
Speaker 1: you have turned, and that you have turned their hearts
Speaker 1: back again. Amen. And you know. Power prayers fundamental aspect
Speaker 1: in the and the Christian faith. It's serving as a
Speaker 1: means of communication between believers in God. It is both
Speaker 1: a privilege and responsibility, offering believers the opportunity to express
Speaker 1: their admiration, adoration, confession, and thanksgiving and supplication. The power
Speaker 1: of prayer as a reoccurring theme throughout the Bible, demonstrating
Speaker 1: its ability to affect and change, provide comfort and deep
Speaker 1: in one's relationship with God right. And then we have
Speaker 1: in one Kings eighteen, verse thirty nine, God's response. The
Speaker 1: Lord answers Elijah's prayer with fire from heaven, consuming the sacrifice,
Speaker 1: the wood, the stones, and even the water in the trench.
Speaker 1: When all the people saw this, they were They fell
Speaker 1: face down and said the Lord or yah the Yahweh
Speaker 1: is he is God. And the Lord Yahweh he is God. Okay.
Speaker 1: And then God's response. So the concept of God's response
Speaker 1: is a central theme throughout the Bible, reflecting his interaction
Speaker 1: with humanity. God's response is are depicted in various forms,
Speaker 1: including direct communication, intervention in human affairs, and through his
Speaker 1: divine will and providence. These responses are often contingent upon
Speaker 1: human actions, prayers, and the fulfillment of his divine of
Speaker 1: divine purposes. We have God's response. There's a lot of
Speaker 1: different examples of this, like first Kings nine, verse three,
Speaker 1: God responds to solomon prayer at the dedication of the temple.
Speaker 1: Then we have Jonah three, verse ten. Word states when
Speaker 1: God saw their actions that they had turned from their
Speaker 1: evil ways, he relented from the disaster. He was threatn
Speaker 1: He threatened to bring upon them. Then we have Deuteronomy
Speaker 1: twenty eight. We God outlines the blessings that will follow
Speaker 1: obedience to his commandments. Verse two states, and all these
Speaker 1: blessings will come upon you and overtake you. You will
Speaker 1: obey the voice of the Lord your God. God. God's
Speaker 1: response to obedience is characterized by abundant blessings in favor.
Speaker 1: Then we have Second King seventeen, verse eighteen, where we
Speaker 1: read about Israel's exile do the persistent disobedience. Then we
Speaker 1: had Daniel six, verse twenty two. It records Daniel's testimony,
Speaker 1: My God sent his angel and shut the mouths of
Speaker 1: the lions so that they have not so that they
Speaker 1: have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before him.
Speaker 1: Then we have Genesis nine, verse fifteen, where God promises, Noah,
Speaker 1: I will remember my covenant between me and you and
Speaker 1: all the living creatures in every kind. Never again will
Speaker 1: the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Then
Speaker 1: we have the New Testament examples, where we have Ephesians two,
Speaker 1: verse eight through nine. For it is by faith you
Speaker 1: have been saved through sorry, For it is by grace
Speaker 1: you have been saved through faith, And that it is
Speaker 1: not from your is not from yourselves. It is a
Speaker 1: gift of God, not by works, so that no z
Speaker 1: one can boast. And then we have John fourteen, verse
Speaker 1: twenty six. But the advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the
Speaker 1: Father will send in my name, will teach you all
Speaker 1: things and remind you that of everything. I teach you
Speaker 1: all things, and remind you of everything I have said
Speaker 1: to you. And then we have intercession of Christ Hebrews seven,
Speaker 1: verse fifteen. Therefore he is able to save completely those
Speaker 1: who draw near to God through him, since He always
Speaker 1: lives to intercede for them. And then the conclusion. The
Speaker 1: Bible presents a multifaceted view of God's response, emphasizing his justice, mercy, faithfulness,
Speaker 1: and love. Through prayer, repentance, obedience, and faith, individuals can
Speaker 1: experience God's active presence and intervention in their lives. Right,
Speaker 1: so we have perfect cool. Let me just go over
Speaker 1: like a brief description of Versus twenty through forty says.
Speaker 1: In One Kings eighteen twenty through forty, Eliza challenges the
Speaker 1: prophets of bail in a contest out Mount Carmel to
Speaker 1: prove which God is true. After the prophets of Bail
Speaker 1: failed to produce a miracle. Elijah builds an altar, drenches
Speaker 1: the sacrifice in water, prays to God, and fire from
Speaker 1: heaven consumes the offering, proving God's power. So it's just
Speaker 1: it's kind of let me just add some extra layers
Speaker 1: and soak the offering and soak everything so that the
Speaker 1: you know, the fire wouldn't be able to start, and
Speaker 1: God just to send the fire anyways, right, And then
Speaker 1: it says, the people then acknowledge God is the true God,
Speaker 1: and Elijah orders the killing of the prophets of Bail,
Speaker 1: so Eliza's challenge. Elijah confronts the Israelites, who have been
Speaker 1: limping two different opinions about whether to follow let me back,
Speaker 1: whether to follow the Lord Yahweh or Bail, and urges
Speaker 1: them to choose. He proposes a contest. Elijah and the
Speaker 1: four fifty prophets of Bell each will build an altar
Speaker 1: with a bull on it, but without using any fire.
Speaker 1: Whichever God answers with fire is the true God. The
Speaker 1: prophets of Belle carrying out their God, crying out for
Speaker 1: their God in morning until noon, and even cut themselves,
Speaker 1: but received no response. Elijah's prayer and fire from heaven.
Speaker 1: After the prophets of Belle finished, Elijah reports the altar
Speaker 1: of the Lord, gathers stones and has to sacrifice his
Speaker 1: drench in water multiple times. Then he prays to the Lord,
Speaker 1: asking him to reveal himself so that people will know
Speaker 1: that he is God. God answers by sending fire from
Speaker 1: heaven and consumes the sacrifice the wood, the stones, the dust,
Speaker 1: and even the water in the trench aftermath, Upon seeing
Speaker 1: the miracle, the people fall in their faces and declare
Speaker 1: the Lord he is God. Elijah then orders the people
Speaker 1: to seize the prophets of Bale. Following Elijah's instruction the people,
Speaker 1: the people kill the at the Brook of Kashan. The
Speaker 1: chapter concludes with the end of a long drought as
Speaker 1: Eliza praised for rain and it begins to pour. Okay,
Speaker 1: so there we go. All right, so we're gonna talk
Speaker 1: about the Yeah, we're gonna talk about Yeah. Actually, that
Speaker 1: that portion right there concludes, you know, Chapter forty concludes
Speaker 1: with him executing these these bales profits. Okay, so the
Speaker 1: drought part we didn't really get to talk about yet.
Speaker 1: We're gonna talk about it right now. And that's in
Speaker 1: verses forty one through forty six. All right, so let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and start reading the drought ends. Then Elijah
Speaker 1: said to Ahab, go up, eat and drink. But there's
Speaker 1: the sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up
Speaker 1: to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the
Speaker 1: top of Carmel. Then he bowed down on the ground
Speaker 1: and put his face between his knees, and he said
Speaker 1: to his go up, now, look toward the sea. So
Speaker 1: he went up and looked and said there is nothing,
Speaker 1: And seven times he said go again. Then it came
Speaker 1: to pass the seventh time that he said, there is
Speaker 1: a cloud as small as a man's hand rising out
Speaker 1: of the sea, and he said, go up. Say to Ahab,
Speaker 1: prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.
Speaker 1: Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became
Speaker 1: black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.
Speaker 1: So Ahab rode away went to jess Reel. Then the
Speaker 1: hand of the Lord came upon Elijah, and he gurried
Speaker 1: up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the
Speaker 1: entrance of Jezreel. All right, so that's the end of
Speaker 1: chapter eighteen. So to sum it up in First King's
Speaker 1: forty one through forty six, Elijah's perseverance in prayer. After
Speaker 1: defeating Bell's prophets, he prays for rain after three and
Speaker 1: a half year drought, sends a servant seven times he's
Speaker 1: a small cloud, and then, empowered by God, runs ahead
Speaker 1: of King Ahab's chariot of Jezreel, demonstrating God's power answering
Speaker 1: prayer and the importance of persistence, small beginnings leading to
Speaker 1: a big result and intense faith. So after proving Yahweh
Speaker 1: is the one true God on Mount Carmel, this passage
Speaker 1: shows God answering Elijah's prayer for rain, ending the drought,
Speaker 1: and demonstrating his control over nature. Unlike Veil, Elijah prayed
Speaker 1: fervently and repeatedly, sending his servant to look for the
Speaker 1: rain seven times even when there was nothing to see,
Speaker 1: teaching believers to keep praying and not give up small
Speaker 1: beginnings and big results. A small cloud of a size
Speaker 1: of a man's hand, a small sign grew into a
Speaker 1: massive downpour, illustrating how great blessings can how great blessings
Speaker 1: can start out small. Elizah's faith in humility, he prayed
Speaker 1: with his face to the ground, humility, but the power
Speaker 1: of faith, expecting God's God to answer base on his promise,
Speaker 1: not just his ability. And then God gave Elijah the
Speaker 1: strength to run miles ahead of Ahab's chariot, showing his
Speaker 1: provision and power of his servants. The passing highlight. The
Speaker 1: passage highlights trusting God's plan even when the answer aren't immediate,
Speaker 1: and that he will provide what is needed when the
Speaker 1: time is right. Cool. So we went over. We went
Speaker 1: ahead and finished chapter eighteen kind of quick, and now
Speaker 1: I'm going to go over some practical applications. Stand firm
Speaker 1: in the faith. Stand firm in faith. Like Elijah, we
Speaker 1: are called to stand firm in our faith even when
Speaker 1: it seems we are alone, trusting in God's power and presence.
Speaker 1: Number two. Pray with expectation. Approach God with bold prayers,
Speaker 1: believing that he hears and answers according to his will.
Speaker 1: Choose whom will you will serve. Make a conscious decision
Speaker 1: to follow God wholeheartedly, rejecting the idols of our time.
Speaker 1: Witness to God's power. Share testimony testimonies of God's work
Speaker 1: in your life to encourage others to point them to him. Yes,
Speaker 1: very important to share your testimony of what God has
Speaker 1: done for you. Now, let's check out some additional scriptures.
Speaker 1: We have James five seventeen through eighteen. We've already gone
Speaker 1: over that one, so I'm not going to read it.
Speaker 1: Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly. Okay,
Speaker 1: so we read that part Joshua twenty four, verse fifteen.
Speaker 1: But if it is unpleasing to your sight to serve
Speaker 1: the Lord, then choose for yourselves this day whom you
Speaker 1: will serve. But as for me, in my house, we
Speaker 1: will serve the Lord. I have that in my room.
Speaker 1: That's one of the verses on my wall. I love
Speaker 1: that Hebrews eleven six. And without faith, it is impossible
Speaker 1: to please God. Okay, Without faith, it is impossible to
Speaker 1: please God. How do you build faith? Faith by hearing
Speaker 1: and hearing by the word of God Romans ten seventeen.
Speaker 1: So it's impossible to please God without reading the word.
Speaker 1: It's impossible to please God without praying. It's impossible to
Speaker 1: believe God without believing, Okay, it says, but because anyone
Speaker 1: who approaches him must believe that he exists and that
Speaker 1: he rewards those who are earnestly seek him, very important guys.
Speaker 1: So there we go. We went ahead and went over
Speaker 1: chapter eighteen. Moving right along here two chapter nineteen. Let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and do that. Chapter nineteen is going to
Speaker 1: be intro first Kings. Nineteen presents a fascinating narrative of
Speaker 1: the prophet Elijah's journey from the depths of despair and
Speaker 1: fear to a divine encounter with God, leading to the
Speaker 1: commissioning of new key players in the Israelite story. The
Speaker 1: chapter demonstrates God's mercy, reveals his gentle whispers and in
Speaker 1: life's tumultuous storms, and showcases his plans continuity continuity, showcasing
Speaker 1: his plans continuity. All right, I'm gonna go ahead and
Speaker 1: pull up some of some of my teaching points here,
Speaker 1: and let's go ahead and start. In chapter nineteen, Elijah
Speaker 1: escapes from Jezebel, and Ahab told Jezebel, all right, hold on,
Speaker 1: let me take a drink of water. Thank you for
Speaker 1: your patience. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done,
Speaker 1: also how he had executed all the profits with the
Speaker 1: sword that Jezebel said him to Elijah, saying so let
Speaker 1: the gods do to me. And more also, I do
Speaker 1: not make your life as the life of one of
Speaker 1: them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that,
Speaker 1: he arose and ran for his life, and went to Bersheba,
Speaker 1: which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But
Speaker 1: he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and
Speaker 1: came and sat down under a broom tree. And he
Speaker 1: prayed that he might die, and said, it is enough now, Lord,
Speaker 1: take my life, for I am no better than my father's.
Speaker 1: Then he lay and slept under a broom tree. Suddenly
Speaker 1: an angel touched him and said to him, arise and eat.
Speaker 1: Then he looked, and there by his head was a
Speaker 1: cake baked on coals in a jar of water. So
Speaker 1: we ate and drank, and lie down again. And the
Speaker 1: angel of the Lord came came back the second time
Speaker 1: and touched him and said, arise and eat, because the
Speaker 1: journey too great for you. So we arose and ate
Speaker 1: and drank. And he went in the strength of that
Speaker 1: food forty days and forty nights as far as horror
Speaker 1: of the Mountain of God. And there he went into
Speaker 1: a cave and spent the night in the place, and behold,
Speaker 1: the word of the Lord came to him and said
Speaker 1: to him, what are you doing here, Elijah? So we said,
Speaker 1: I have been very zealous from the Lord, God of Hosts,
Speaker 1: for the children of Israel. Or sorry, I've been very
Speaker 1: zealous of the Lord. Or Yahweh, God of Hosts for
Speaker 1: the children of Israel. Have forsaken your covenant, torn down
Speaker 1: your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I
Speaker 1: alone am left, and they seek to take my life.
Speaker 1: All right, we'll go ahead and stop there. Check out
Speaker 1: the notes here, see what's going on. So Elijah fears,
Speaker 1: Elijah's fear and flight. After Queen Jezebel threatens his life,
Speaker 1: Elijah flees to the wilderness, demonstrating how evil and the
Speaker 1: most faithful can experience fear and discouragement. So we have
Speaker 1: one of the most prominent prophets, Elijah, and the Old
Speaker 1: Testament is renowned bra It's zealous commitment to the worship
Speaker 1: of Yahweh during a time when Israel had stepped steeped
Speaker 1: in idolatry. His ministry took place during the reign of Ahab,
Speaker 1: king of Israel. We already know all that, and then
Speaker 1: let's just talk about the threat. So the threat of Jezebel.
Speaker 1: After Elias Trumpet and Mount Carmel, where God answered his
Speaker 1: prayer with fire from heaven, he ordered the execution of
Speaker 1: the prophets of Bail. This act in cited the wrath
Speaker 1: of Queen Jezebel, who vowed to take Eliza's life. In
Speaker 1: One Kings nineteen two, Jezebel sends a message to Elijah, saying,
Speaker 1: so made the gods do to me, and even more
Speaker 1: by this time tomorrow, I will not make your life
Speaker 1: like the lives of those you killed, and then in
Speaker 1: Eliza's fear and flight upon recovery. Upon receiving Jezebel's threat, Elijah,
Speaker 1: despite his recent victory, was overcome with fear. First King's
Speaker 1: nineteen verse three states and Elijah was afraid and ran
Speaker 1: for his life when he came to Bersheba and Judah.
Speaker 1: He left his servant there. This reaction highlights the human
Speaker 1: frailty even the most faithful servants of God. Elijah's fear
Speaker 1: led him to flee to the southern kingdom of Judah,
Speaker 1: distancing him distinct distancing himself from the immediate threat posed
Speaker 1: by Jezebel. The wilderness experience. Elijah's journey took him into
Speaker 1: the wilderness, where he experienced a deep sense of despair
Speaker 1: and exhaustion. In First Kings nineteen verse four, Elijah sits
Speaker 1: under a broom tree in praise. Is it not enough?
Speaker 1: For Lord? Take my life? For I am no better
Speaker 1: than my father's. This moment of vulnerability reveals Elijah's struggle
Speaker 1: with feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness despite his previous succession.
Speaker 1: And then in First Kings nineteen six through seven, describes
Speaker 1: how Elijah ate and drank and the Angel instructed him right.
Speaker 1: So God provided for Elijah through an Angel of the
Speaker 1: Lord right. And then the encounter with God at Horeb
Speaker 1: and Mount Horeb. We're going to talk about that soon.
Speaker 1: God's revelation to Elijah. We haven't I don't want to
Speaker 1: give you any spoiler alerts. So significance. Elijah's fear and
Speaker 1: flight serve as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced
Speaker 1: by God's servant servants. Despite his momentary lapse into fear,
Speaker 1: Elijah's account illustrates God's faithfulness in providing strength, guidance, and purpose.
Speaker 1: His experience in the wilderness and encounter with God at horror,
Speaker 1: highlighting the importance of alliance on divine strength and the
Speaker 1: assurance of God's presence even in times of deep personal crisis.
Speaker 1: All right, so very good stuff. God provides the physical
Speaker 1: needs of food and rest, showing his compassion and understanding
Speaker 1: for human fance frailty. So that was that was the fear, okay,
Speaker 1: so also in verses five through eight. The concept of
Speaker 1: God's provision and care is a central theme throughout the Bible,
Speaker 1: reflecting the belief that God is actively involved in the
Speaker 1: lives of his people, providing for their needs and guiding
Speaker 1: them through life's challenges. The entry explores the biblical basis
Speaker 1: for understanding God's provision and care howl in key scriptures
Speaker 1: and theological insights. And you know, we have Genesis one
Speaker 1: twenty nine through thirty is a good one to go over.
Speaker 1: Genesis three twenty one. Even after the fall God God,
Speaker 1: God's care continues as he closes Adam and Eve. And
Speaker 1: then we have Exodus sixteen, four, seventeen, and six. Deuteronomy E.
Speaker 1: Three emphasizes that God humbled you and let your hunger
Speaker 1: and fed you with manna. And then we also have
Speaker 1: Psalms twenty three, verse one through two, which declares the
Speaker 1: Lord is my shepherd. I will not want. He makes
Speaker 1: me lie down in the green pastors, he leads me
Speaker 1: beside quiet walk. This imagery of God as a shepherd
Speaker 1: underscortes his role as a provider and protector. All right,
Speaker 1: what's the conclusion? The Bible narrative consistently reveals a God
Speaker 1: who provides and cares for his creation, inviting his people
Speaker 1: to rely on a sufficiency and to participate in his
Speaker 1: work of provisions and care for others. Perfect and then
Speaker 1: let me just go over. A brief description of verses
Speaker 1: one through ten. Kings nineteen one through ten describes the
Speaker 1: propheta Liz's deep discouragement and flight after his victory over
Speaker 1: Bail's prophets. Fearing Queen Jezebel's death threat, he runs into
Speaker 1: the wilderness, despairs and praised to die, feeling alone ineffective,
Speaker 1: only to be met by God's provision of food, rest,
Speaker 1: and guidance in Mount horeb, highlighting themes of divine care
Speaker 1: amidst human frailty, the reality of spiritual burnout in God's presence,
Speaker 1: and quietness just a spectacle so what is Jezebel threat?
Speaker 1: After Elijah calls down fire on Mount Carmel, Queen Jeesuel
Speaker 1: avows to kill him, causing him to fille in terror,
Speaker 1: illustrating that even great spiritual leaders face intense fear and pressure,
Speaker 1: despair and prayer. Exhausted and feeling his and feeling his
Speaker 1: mission failed, Elijah wants to die, hiding in the wilderness
Speaker 1: and praying for an end to his life, showing profound
Speaker 1: spiritual and emotional exhaustion. Divine provision and Angel provides food
Speaker 1: and water, sustaining Elijah on a forty day journey to
Speaker 1: Mount horeb Syinai is what it is, It's actually Mount Siinai,
Speaker 1: demonstrating God's compassion compassionate care for his weary servant, And
Speaker 1: then in verses nine to ten, in a cave, God asked,
Speaker 1: what are you doing here, Elijah, prompting Elijah to confess
Speaker 1: his fear, isolation, and belief that his last faithful prophet,
Speaker 1: revealing his human vulnerability, and then burnout and discouragement. Even
Speaker 1: after major victories, profits get tired, scared, and feel like
Speaker 1: giving up God's presence and quietness. God meets Elijah not
Speaker 1: in when earthquake or fire, but in a still small voice,
Speaker 1: showing he works in subtle, quiet ways, just not just
Speaker 1: dramatic ones. Honesty with God. Elijah's raw, honest confession of
Speaker 1: his feelings through despair was crucial to his encounter with God.
Speaker 1: And then God's faithfulness. God doesn't abandon Elijah, but provides
Speaker 1: him with a and prepares him to guide him back
Speaker 1: to his mission, showing God's continued work and provision even
Speaker 1: when he felt alone. Let's go now, We're going to
Speaker 1: go ahead and read God's revelation to Elijah, Verses eleven
Speaker 1: all the way to eighteen. God's Revelation to Elijah. Then
Speaker 1: he said, go out and stand on the mountain before
Speaker 1: the Lord, and behold, the Lord passed by, and a
Speaker 1: great and strong wind tornto the mountains and broke the
Speaker 1: rocks into pieces. Before the Lord, but the Lord was
Speaker 1: not in the wind. And after the wind, and earthquake,
Speaker 1: but the Lord was not in the earthquake, and after
Speaker 1: the earthquake of fire, but the Lord was not in
Speaker 1: the fire, and after the fire, a still small voice.
Speaker 1: So it was when Elijah heard it that he wrapped
Speaker 1: his face in the mantle and went out and stood
Speaker 1: in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came
Speaker 1: to him, saying, what are you doing here, Elijah? And
Speaker 1: he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord,
Speaker 1: God of Hosts, because the children of Israel has forsaken
Speaker 1: your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets
Speaker 1: with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek
Speaker 1: to take my life. Then the Lord said to him,
Speaker 1: go and return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus.
Speaker 1: And when you arrive, annoyed Hazel as king over Syria.
Speaker 1: Also you shall annoy Jehu the son of Nimshi, as
Speaker 1: king over Israel, and Alisha the son of Samfat, and
Speaker 1: Abelmnok Mahala, you shall annoy as prophet in your place.
Speaker 1: It shall not be whoever escapes the sword of Hazel
Speaker 1: Jay who will kill, and whoever escapes the sword of
Speaker 1: Jayhu Alicia will kill. Yet I have reserved seven thousand
Speaker 1: in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to bail
Speaker 1: in every mouth that has not kissed him. All right,
Speaker 1: so very interesting there we have. The gentle whisper of God.
Speaker 1: Is something I want to go over real quick. So
Speaker 1: we're done with eleven through eighteen. Let me just go
Speaker 1: ahead and go over the gentle whisper of God. God
Speaker 1: reveals himself not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but
Speaker 1: in the gentle whisper, teaching us that his presence is
Speaker 1: often found in the quiet moments. So let's go ahead
Speaker 1: and look this up. The concept of the general whisper
Speaker 1: of God is often associated with the way God communicates
Speaker 1: with his people, emphasizing his intimate and personal nature. This
Speaker 1: idea is most prominently illustrating the account of the prophet
Speaker 1: Elijah in First Kings nineteen eleven through thirteen. After Elijah's
Speaker 1: dramatic confrontation with the prophets of bel Mount Carmel, he
Speaker 1: fled to Horeb, which is Mount Sinai, the Mountain of God,
Speaker 1: where he experienced God's presence in a unique and profound way.
Speaker 1: In One Kings nineteen eleven through thirteen, the narrative describes
Speaker 1: Elijah's encounter with God. Then the Lord said, go out
Speaker 1: and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Behold, the
Speaker 1: Lord is about to pass by, And a great mighty
Speaker 1: wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before
Speaker 1: the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind.
Speaker 1: After the wind was After the wind, there was an earthquake,
Speaker 1: but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after
Speaker 1: the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was
Speaker 1: not in the fire. And after the fire came a
Speaker 1: still small voice. Okay. This still small voice, often translated
Speaker 1: as a gentle whisper or thin silence, signifies this subtle
Speaker 1: and quiet manner in which God chooses to reveal himself
Speaker 1: to Elijah. Unlike the dramatic and powerful manifestations of wind, earthquake,
Speaker 1: and fire, God's voice came in a gentle whisper, highlighting
Speaker 1: his desire for a personal and relational connection with his prophet.
Speaker 1: He could have been like yelling or being you know,
Speaker 1: like he already these these events already happened right with
Speaker 1: the fire of the earthquake and wind. So he could
Speaker 1: have came with vengeance, you know, But he didn't. He
Speaker 1: came with a still small voice. Theological significance the general
Speaker 1: whisper of God underscores the idea that God is not
Speaker 1: always found in the granduis or the spectacular. Instead, he
Speaker 1: often communicates in quiet, intimate ways that require attentiveness and
Speaker 1: receptive and a receptive heart. This mode of communication reflects
Speaker 1: God's character as one who is close to the broken
Speaker 1: hearted and near to those who seek him in humility
Speaker 1: and sincerity. Throughout Scripture, God is depicted as a personal
Speaker 1: being who desires a relationship with his creation. The general
Speaker 1: Whisper serves as a reminder that God's presence is not
Speaker 1: limited to extraordinary events, but is accessible in the everyday
Speaker 1: moments of life. This aligns with the broader biblical theme
Speaker 1: of God's eminence, his nearness to his people, and his
Speaker 1: willingness to engage with the theme on a personal level.
Speaker 1: What's the practical implications for believers? The General Whisper of
Speaker 1: God encourages a posture and quietness and alternative and attentiveness
Speaker 1: in their spiritual lives. It calls for a discipline of
Speaker 1: listening where one's uh, where one sets aside the noise
Speaker 1: and distractions of the world to hear God's voice. This
Speaker 1: can be cultivated through practice practices such as prayer, meditation
Speaker 1: on scripture, and solitude. The General Whisper also serves as
Speaker 1: a comfort to those who may feel overwhelmed by life's challenges.
Speaker 1: It reassures that God is present and speaking even when
Speaker 1: he seems silent or distant. In times of distress or uncertainty,
Speaker 1: believers are reminded to seek God's voice and the stillness,
Speaker 1: trusting that He is near and ready to guide them.
Speaker 1: The general whisper of God related to other biblical themes
Speaker 1: we'll see so God's eminence, the idea that God is
Speaker 1: present and active within his creation, as seen in passages
Speaker 1: like Psalms one thirty nine, seven through ten, where the
Speaker 1: solemness acknowledges God's omni presence. Divine communication the various ways
Speaker 1: God communicates with his people, including dreams, visions, prophets, and
Speaker 1: ultimately through his son Jesus Christ in Hebrews one, verse two,
Speaker 1: and then also that's also talked about in Numbers twelve,
Speaker 1: verses four through eight, where God comes to prophets and
Speaker 1: visions and dreams, but to Moses he speaks to him
Speaker 1: face to face. Also Deuteronomy thirty three, where it says
Speaker 1: he speaks to to Moses like a friend. The role
Speaker 1: of silence. The importance of silence and solitude in the
Speaker 1: spiritual life is exemplified by Jesus practice of withdrawing to
Speaker 1: solitary places to pray. Luke five, verse sixteen the heart's posture.
Speaker 1: The necessity of a humble and contrite heart to hear
Speaker 1: God's voice has emphasized in passages like Isaiah sixty six,
Speaker 1: verse two, where God esteems those who are humble and
Speaker 1: contrite in spirit in some way. The gentle whisper of
Speaker 1: God is a profound expression of his desire for a
Speaker 1: personal relationship with his people, inviting them to listen and
Speaker 1: respond to his voice in the quiet moments of life. Okay.
Speaker 1: And then in verses fifteen through eighteen, God reassures Elijah
Speaker 1: by giving him a new mission, reminding us that He
Speaker 1: has plans for us even when we feel useless or defeated. Obviously,
Speaker 1: Elijah was feeling some type of way right, and this
Speaker 1: is a renewed purpose okay. It refers to a revitalizing
Speaker 1: sense of direction and meaning in one's life, often resulting
Speaker 1: from a spiritual awakening or a deeper understanding of God's will.
Speaker 1: This concept is deeply rooted in the Christian faith, where
Speaker 1: believers are encouraged to seek God's guidance and align their
Speaker 1: lives with this divine plan. Renewed purpose is not merely
Speaker 1: a change in goals or ambitions, but a transformation of
Speaker 1: the heart and mind, leading to a life that reflects
Speaker 1: God's glory all right, and then examples from scriptures, several
Speaker 1: biblical figures exemplify the theme of renowned purpose renewed purpose.
Speaker 1: We have Moses, after fleeing Egypt, living in Midian, encouraging
Speaker 1: God in the burning bush, encountered God in the burning
Speaker 1: bush and received a renowned purpose to lead the Israelites
Speaker 1: out of bondage Exodus three, verse ten. And then we
Speaker 1: have the Holy Spirit plays a crucial wile in guiding
Speaker 1: believers towards renewed purpose in John sixteen, verse thirteen, where
Speaker 1: Jesus promises, however, when the Spirit of truth comes, he
Speaker 1: will guide you you into all truth. He will not
Speaker 1: speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears,
Speaker 1: and he will declare to you what is to come.
Speaker 1: And then the transformative transformation and renewal. The concept of
Speaker 1: renewed purpose is closely linked to the idea of transformation
Speaker 1: and renewal in the Christian life. Romans twelve, verse two.
Speaker 1: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
Speaker 1: by the renewing of your mind, that you will be
Speaker 1: able to discern what is good pleasing and the perfect
Speaker 1: will of God. All right, So what is the conclusion?
Speaker 1: While the journey of renewed purpose may involve challenges and sacrifices,
Speaker 1: it ultimately leads to a more fulfilling, and meaningful life
Speaker 1: in Christ. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and
Speaker 1: the transformative power of God's Word, believers can find and
Speaker 1: embrace the purpose for which they were created. All right,
Speaker 1: very important, So all right, we went through that. So
Speaker 1: let's just go over a little brief description of Versus
Speaker 1: A eleven through eighteen, the ones we just went over.
Speaker 1: It describes Elijah's encounter with God at Mount Horeb where
Speaker 1: or Mount Sinai is what it is. After dramatic when
Speaker 1: earthquake and fire, God appears not in power, but as
Speaker 1: a small, still voice, a gentle whisper, revealing his presence,
Speaker 1: rebuke in Elijah's despair and commissioning him to anoy successors Alicia,
Speaker 1: emphasizing God's quiet faithfulness in the existence of a faithful
Speaker 1: remnant seven thousand in Israel. Not just dramatic power, but
Speaker 1: it's a story of finding God in quietness after turmoil,
Speaker 1: dealing with burnout, and God's persisten self to work. God's
Speaker 1: presence beyond spectacle. God wasn't in the noisy, powerful displays
Speaker 1: when earthquake and fire, but in the silence that followed,
Speaker 1: showing his presence isn't always loud or overwhelming. This general
Speaker 1: whisper signifies God's tender, persistent and personal communication, often more
Speaker 1: powerful than ground than grand displays, leading to guidance and comfort.
Speaker 1: God's faithfulness and remnant. God assures Elijah he has an
Speaker 1: abandoned Israel seven thousand, having bowed to bail, and he
Speaker 1: affirms his covenant, showing his enduring faithfulness despite apparent failure
Speaker 1: Elijah's burnout in despair. The passage addresses prophet burnout, despair
Speaker 1: and the temptation to quit, offering encouragement that God meets
Speaker 1: people in their lowest moments God and then commissioning its succession.
Speaker 1: God commands Elijah to return to his work and anoint
Speaker 1: new leaders Hazel, Jehu and Alisha, signifying a new phase
Speaker 1: and God's ongoing plan has seen when he calls Alisha
Speaker 1: a new Moses. Elijah's journey to Horeb echoes Moses' experience
Speaker 1: with God or horror of his Mount Sinai. God renewing
Speaker 1: his covenant and work through his prophet. So in Somebody
Speaker 1: the pastest teaches that God often works subtly, subtly sustains
Speaker 1: his faithful people, even profits in despair, and calls them
Speaker 1: back to duty, even through quiet reassure, even though quiet
Speaker 1: reassurance rather than overwhelming force, reminding us that God's quiet
Speaker 1: presence is always present even when we feel alone. Okay,
Speaker 1: so perfect, all right, good stuff. Now, let me just
Speaker 1: go ahead, and we have renewed purpose, general whisper of God,
Speaker 1: God's provision. We went over all that. All right, Now
Speaker 1: we are going to go ahead and read verses nineteen
Speaker 1: through twenty one. So he departed from there and found Alicia,
Speaker 1: the son of Safat, who was plowing with twelve yoke
Speaker 1: of oxen. Before him. He was with the twelfth. Then
Speaker 1: Elijah passed by and threw his mantle on him, and
Speaker 1: he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said,
Speaker 1: please let me kiss my father or my mother, and
Speaker 1: then I will follow you. And he said, go back again,
Speaker 1: for what for what have I done to you? So
Speaker 1: Alicia turned back from him and took a yoke of oxen,
Speaker 1: slaughtered them and boiled them. Flesh using the oxen's equipment
Speaker 1: and gave it to the people and they ate. Then
Speaker 1: he arose and followed Elijah and became his servant. Very interesting.
Speaker 1: So so in versus forty one through forty six, which
Speaker 1: we just read, we have elijah It's perseverance in prayer
Speaker 1: after defeating Bell's prophets, he prays for rain after a
Speaker 1: three and a half year drought since his servant seven
Speaker 1: times sees a small cloud and then empowered by God
Speaker 1: and runs ahead of King Ahab's chair. Hold on, what
Speaker 1: am I doing? I'm in nineteen Sorry, guys, what happened?
Speaker 1: Was it? It went a little too far down there
Speaker 1: we go? Nineteen through twenty one? Okay, nineteen one. Kings
Speaker 1: nineteen nineteen through twenty one describes Eliza's column of Elisia
Speaker 1: as his prophetic successor, symbolizing a divine transfer of responsibility
Speaker 1: and mentorship, highlighting God's initiation of calls, the need for
Speaker 1: total commitment and finding God's work in everyday life, even
Speaker 1: in farming. As Alisha leaves his comfortable life plowing with
Speaker 1: twelve yokes of oxen to follow Elijah, signifying a radical
Speaker 1: break from a higher purpose. The core meaning is about succession, discipleship,
Speaker 1: and complete dedication to God's will, showing that God equips
Speaker 1: God's God equips and calls people for his work, often
Speaker 1: unexpectedly God's initiative. God, through Elijah initiates the call, not
Speaker 1: Alicia seeking to seeking it out in religious settings, but
Speaker 1: in his field, showing God's call can come in daily life.
Speaker 1: The mantle is a symbol Elijah throwing his cloak or
Speaker 1: mantle on Alisha symbolizes the transfer of prophetic office already
Speaker 1: in spiritual power, signaling Alisha as the next profit. And
Speaker 1: it's not Alisha, it's Elisha, but it's just hard for me.
Speaker 1: It's Elijah. It's like Elisha, all right, it's not Alisha,
Speaker 1: but it's just easier for me to say it that way.
Speaker 1: So you guys know that Elijah. It's gonna get real
Speaker 1: confusing if I start saying Alisha and Elijah. So I
Speaker 1: just say Elisha instead of Elijah. Okay, it's hard for
Speaker 1: me to say it that way, so it says Elishah's
Speaker 1: or Alisha's response. Slaughtering his own oxide, burning the plowing equipment,
Speaker 1: and serving the people shows a complete, immediate and sacrificial
Speaker 1: break from his former life to follow God's call passing
Speaker 1: the torch. This act assures Elijah that God's work won't
Speaker 1: end with him, providing continued continuity, continuity, and purpose from
Speaker 1: Elijah after his despair servant leadership. It demonstrates that true
Speaker 1: calling involves humble service and readiness to leave comfort for
Speaker 1: divine purpose. A model for Christian discipleship, this passage is
Speaker 1: about transition and faithfulness, showing God's plan for his kingdom
Speaker 1: to continue through chosen individuals who are willing to leave
Speaker 1: everything behind for his service, just as Alicia did for Elijah.
Speaker 1: All right, A mean to that? So we went ahead
Speaker 1: and knocked that out pretty quick. I'm just gonna check
Speaker 1: what twenty's looking like here. Ahab defeats the Syrians verse twenty. Yeah,
Speaker 1: they got some alrighty, all right, so let me just
Speaker 1: go over some practical applications for verse nineteen. Seek and
Speaker 1: seek rest and renewal recognize the importance of rest and
Speaker 1: nourishment both physically and spiritually, especially during times of stress
Speaker 1: and exhaust That sounds really good right now. Yeah, I
Speaker 1: feel like I'm I haven't been stressed, but definitely exhausted,
Speaker 1: but I'm very happy, right now, God is so great,
Speaker 1: He's blessing me with this, blessing me with so much.
Speaker 1: So it's so great. But exhaustion, it happens to us,
Speaker 1: you know. But this is so true, you know, recognize
Speaker 1: your portance of rest and nourishment. That happens too. I
Speaker 1: mean sometimes you know you're me. I mean, for example,
Speaker 1: I sometimes I just do too many podcasts in a row,
Speaker 1: Like I did a podcast this morning at five point
Speaker 1: thirty and then now I'm doing one tonight at you know,
Speaker 1: nine o'clock at night. So what's happening is sometimes if
Speaker 1: you do too much of that, like I was doing
Speaker 1: a lot. I was doing it a lot, you know,
Speaker 1: way too much in the last year where I was
Speaker 1: like I'd have two interviews set up, I have to
Speaker 1: do one Sunday service, and then I also have to
Speaker 1: do Wednesday service that week, so I have four interviews
Speaker 1: going and some of the shows where I'd be interviewing
Speaker 1: somebody and then or I'd be getting interviewed. So what
Speaker 1: I did is I'm what I'm doing right now is
Speaker 1: on my regular show, Josh Monday Chris Nan Conspiracy Podcast,
Speaker 1: I am going to not do interviews anymore. I'm just
Speaker 1: gonna do straight Bible studies. I'm gonna take the Bible
Speaker 1: studies that I have from here and slowly release them there,
Speaker 1: which I've been doing already. But these interviews that I'm
Speaker 1: that I had set up, I mean, I just can't
Speaker 1: fit it all in, you know, because this new job
Speaker 1: I have is gonna have me. They want me to
Speaker 1: get a Class A license. They want me to get
Speaker 1: a Class A with a I don't know what it
Speaker 1: was anyway, class A license, So that's something I'm gonna
Speaker 1: just gonna take some time up. They want me to
Speaker 1: get a collections certificate, which I already have a distribution
Speaker 1: three and a treatment to Now I got to get
Speaker 1: a collections certificate. That way I can be on call
Speaker 1: for them for collections and drive this big old truck.
Speaker 1: And then they also want, you know, I'm gonna want
Speaker 1: to get a treatment three and a distribution four. So
Speaker 1: if you guys could do me a favor right now,
Speaker 1: let's go ahead and bow your heads. I'm just gonna
Speaker 1: pray over this because I just mentioned it, you know,
Speaker 1: and since it's since I'm in the show, I'm gonna
Speaker 1: pray over it real quick. So, by the God in
Speaker 1: the name of Jesus, I just pray that you assist
Speaker 1: me and assist everybody that's listening with any goals that
Speaker 1: they have. I have goals, Lord, and I know I'm
Speaker 1: saying them out loud for you to hear them, so
Speaker 1: that you are part of these goals, and that it
Speaker 1: happens by your will, Lord, let it be done. I
Speaker 1: want to get my Class A license, Lord, and I
Speaker 1: want to have I want to pass that with ease. Lord,
Speaker 1: give me all my military experience and everything when I
Speaker 1: passed that when I was driving trucks. Lord, assist me
Speaker 1: in passing the permit and then assist me in passing
Speaker 1: to get my Class A license. Lord, I want to
Speaker 1: get my collections one also. Lord, I know you can
Speaker 1: help me and assist me in doing that. Please let
Speaker 1: me get my D four and my treatment three. Lord,
Speaker 1: Distribution four and treatment three. This will be one year.
Speaker 1: This will be one heck of a year. Lord, if
Speaker 1: you could just allow me to do all that. Please
Speaker 1: allow me to do that. Lord, and anybody that's listening
Speaker 1: that has these goals that they've set forth, Lord, and
Speaker 1: they said it out loud, when you knock, the door
Speaker 1: shall be open. We need the door open. Lord, please
Speaker 1: and assist me in getting this job. I know Tuesday
Speaker 1: is my last interview, and I just want to make
Speaker 1: sure Lord that you assist me with every word that
Speaker 1: I speak. Lord, allow me to take a deep breath
Speaker 1: before I even speak, because sometimes I talk so fast,
Speaker 1: So please allow that, Lord, and I really appreciate everything
Speaker 1: you do. I love you in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you, guys.
Speaker 1: I just wanted to pray real quick because I might
Speaker 1: as well. I need it. Listen for God's whisper Cultivate
Speaker 1: a habit of quietness and solitude to hear God's gentle
Speaker 1: voice amidst the noise of life. Okay, Next, embrace God's plan.
Speaker 1: Trust that God has a purpose for you, even when
Speaker 1: circumstances seem overwhelming or unclear. Yes. Amen, And then let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and check out some additional scriptures. Connect We
Speaker 1: have Psalms forty six, verse ten, be still and know
Speaker 1: that I am God. This verse echoes the importance of
Speaker 1: stillness and recognizing God's presence. And then in Matthew eleven
Speaker 1: twenty eight through thirty, Jesus invites the weary defind rest
Speaker 1: in him, paralleling God's care for Elijah, and then we
Speaker 1: have Philippians four verse six encourage his believers to bring
Speaker 1: their anxieties to God in prayer, promising peace that guards
Speaker 1: our hearts and our minds. Perfect. So, yeah, I'm gonna
Speaker 1: just give me one second. Let's go, guys, yep, let
Speaker 1: me just get back on there. I wasn't expecting to
Speaker 1: do twenty, so I just want to get all my
Speaker 1: ducks in a row before we start, all right, So
Speaker 1: let me just do first Kings twenty. I'm gonna do
Speaker 1: the the intro. So in one Kings twenty we encounter
Speaker 1: a chapter of juxta position. Juxta positions. I never saw
Speaker 1: that word before. So the lowly Israelites, led by King
Speaker 1: Ahab against the mighty Armenians lead to ben Hadi humility
Speaker 1: versus arrogance, mercy versus justice, and divine guidance versus human defiance.
Speaker 1: Any series of unexpected urns. We see God's power and
Speaker 1: mercy intervening for Israel, an ungodly nation led by an
Speaker 1: unworthy king, a have against a seemingly unsurmountable enemy. All right,
Speaker 1: so let's go ahead and start. Let me get to
Speaker 1: my teaching points here. Perfect. Wow, this seems like a
Speaker 1: very Yeah, we have about twenty five minutes left, so
Speaker 1: hopefully we can get through this chapter because it seems
Speaker 1: like there's a lot a have defeats the Syrians. So
Speaker 1: we're gonna go ahead and read one all the way
Speaker 1: through twenty two and then we're gonna do a little
Speaker 1: summary about it. I'm going to do a summary and
Speaker 1: then and we'll try to get through this fairly quickly.
Speaker 1: It says now Ben Hadid, the King of Syria, gathered
Speaker 1: all his forces together. Thirty two kings were with him,
Speaker 1: with horses and chariots, and he went up and besieged
Speaker 1: Samaria and made war against it. Then he sent messengers
Speaker 1: into the city of Ahab, King of Israel, and said
Speaker 1: to him, thus says Ben Hadid, your silver and gold
Speaker 1: are mine, Your loveliest wives, your loveliest wives and children
Speaker 1: are mine. And the King of Israel answered and said, oh,
Speaker 1: my lord, O King, just as you say, I and
Speaker 1: all that I have are yours. Then the messengers came
Speaker 1: back and said, thus speaks Ben Hadid, saying, indeed I
Speaker 1: have sent you saying you shall deliver to me your
Speaker 1: silver and gold, your wives, and your children. But I
Speaker 1: will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time,
Speaker 1: and they shall search your house and the houses of
Speaker 1: your servants, and it shall be that whatever is pleasant
Speaker 1: in your eyes, they will put it in their hands
Speaker 1: and take it. So the King of Israel called all
Speaker 1: the elders of the land and said, notice, please, and
Speaker 1: see how this man seeks trouble. For he sent to me,
Speaker 1: sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver,
Speaker 1: and my gold. And I did not deny him. And
Speaker 1: all the elders of the people said to him, do
Speaker 1: not listen or consent. Therefore he said to the messengers
Speaker 1: of ben Hadid, tell my lord the King, all that
Speaker 1: you sent for your servant, and the first time I
Speaker 1: will do. But this thing I cannot do. And the
Speaker 1: messengers departed and brought back word to him. Then bed
Speaker 1: Hadid sent to him and said, the gods do so
Speaker 1: to me. And more also, if enough dust is left
Speaker 1: of Samaria, for a handful for each people will follow me.
Speaker 1: So the King of Israel answered and said, tell him,
Speaker 1: let not one who puts on his armor boasts like
Speaker 1: the one who takes it off. And it happened when
Speaker 1: ben Hadid heard this message that he and the kings
Speaker 1: were drinking at the command post, and he said to
Speaker 1: his servants get ready, and they got ready to attack
Speaker 1: the city. Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab, King of Israel, saying,
Speaker 1: thus says the Lord, have you seen all the great multitude?
Speaker 1: Behold that will deliver it into your hand today? And
Speaker 1: you shall know that I am the Lord. So Ahab said,
Speaker 1: by whom, And he said, thus says the Lord, by
Speaker 1: the young leaders of the provinces. And then he said,
Speaker 1: who will settle the battle and who will set the
Speaker 1: battle in order? And he said, he answered you. Then
Speaker 1: he mustered the young leaders or provinces, and there were
Speaker 1: two hundred and thirty two. And after them he mustered
Speaker 1: all the people, all the children of Israel, seven thousand.
Speaker 1: So they went out at noon. Meanwhile, Ben Hadid and
Speaker 1: thirty two kings helping him, getting drunk at the command post.
Speaker 1: The young leaders of provinces went out first, and Ben
Speaker 1: Hadid sent out a patrol, and they told them men
Speaker 1: are coming out of Samaria. So he said, if they
Speaker 1: have come, if they have come out for peace, take
Speaker 1: them alive, and then they will come out. They came
Speaker 1: out for war. If they came out for war take
Speaker 1: them alive. And these young leaders or provinces went out
Speaker 1: to the city with the army which followed them, and
Speaker 1: each one killed. This man killed his men. So the
Speaker 1: Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, and Ben Hadid, the
Speaker 1: King of Syria, escaped on a horse with the cavalry.
Speaker 1: Then the King of Israel went out and attacked the
Speaker 1: horses and chariots and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
Speaker 1: And the prophets came to the King of Israel and
Speaker 1: said to him, go strengthen yourself. Take note and see
Speaker 1: what you should do, for the spring of the year
Speaker 1: of the King of Syria will come up against you.
Speaker 1: All right, So let's go ahead and stop there, and
Speaker 1: we'll read a little brief description of this. So we
Speaker 1: have in First Kings twenty verse one through twenty two.
Speaker 1: It means God, through a prophet.
Speaker 3: Gives wicked king Ahab of Israel an unexpected, miraculous victory
Speaker 3: over the invading Syrian army, Ben Hadid demonstrating Yahweh's power
Speaker 3: over bail. But Ahab's failure to execute the defeated enemy
Speaker 3: highlights his spare blindness and foreshadows judgment for showing mercy
Speaker 3: to a treacherous foe, emphasizing themes of divine grace, human disobedience,
Speaker 3: and the need for true repentance just not just political compromise.
Speaker 3: Ben Howdiat's arrogance, the seing King Hadid, drunk and proud,
Speaker 3: makes outrageous demands. Gold wives children on Ahab, viewing God
Speaker 3: as a local mountain God, not universal. Ahab initially agrees
Speaker 3: and then rejects demands, but the prophet tells God tells
Speaker 3: him God will grant victory, a chance for Ahab to
Speaker 3: prove God's might. The famous lion let him, let not
Speaker 3: him the girdeth on his harness, boast himself as he
Speaker 3: as he putteth it off. Means means don't celebrate before
Speaker 3: the fights. One means do not celebrate before the fights.
Speaker 3: One God's deliverance, a young prophet tells Ahab to attack
Speaker 3: now with a large army, but with servants providing, proving
Speaker 3: God's fight for Israel, wins decisively, showing Yahwei's power Ahab's failure.
Speaker 3: After the miraculous victory, the prophet warns Aha to prepare
Speaker 3: for Ben Hadid's return to the next year, as God
Speaker 3: is showing his power beyond mountains plains, and will judge
Speaker 3: Ahab for sparing the enemy. Deeper themes God's grace versus
Speaker 3: Ahab's disobedience. God gives undeserved victory, but Ahab fails to
Speaker 3: obey the spirit of a holy war, showing mercy to
Speaker 3: a cruel enemy instead of punishing him, setting up future
Speaker 3: conflict true versus false worship. The story contrasts a limited regional.
Speaker 1: View of Bail, God of the mountains, with Yahweh, the
Speaker 1: lord of all creation, who fights for Israel even when
Speaker 1: they led by a wicked king. Ben Hadieds drunkenness and
Speaker 1: Ahab's misplaced mercy both show an inability quick sorry, something
Speaker 1: I was about to try to get me. Ben Hadied's
Speaker 1: drunkness and a have misplaced both mercy oh an inability
Speaker 1: to grasp God's true power and justice. Okay, so all right,
Speaker 1: let's go ahead and continue reading verses twenty three through thirty.
Speaker 1: Real quick, then this is the Syrians again defeated. Then
Speaker 1: the servants of King of Syria said to him, their
Speaker 1: gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger
Speaker 1: than we. But if we fight against them in the plane.
Speaker 1: Surely we will be stronger than they. So do this thing.
Speaker 1: Dismiss the kings, eat from his position, put captains in
Speaker 1: their places, and you shall muster an army like the
Speaker 1: army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot
Speaker 1: for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plane.
Speaker 1: Surely we will be stronger than they. And he listened
Speaker 1: to their voice and did so. So it was in
Speaker 1: the spring of the year that Ben Hadid mustered the
Speaker 1: Syrians and went up to apex Aphex to fight against Israel.
Speaker 1: And the children of Israel were mustered and given provisions,
Speaker 1: and they went against them. Now the children visual and
Speaker 1: camp before them like two little flocks of goats, while
Speaker 1: the Syrians filed filled the countryside. Then a man of
Speaker 1: God came and spoke to the King of Israel and said,
Speaker 1: thus says the Lord, because the Syrians have said the
Speaker 1: Lord is God of the hills, but he is not
Speaker 1: God of the valleys. Therefore, I will deliver all this
Speaker 1: great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that
Speaker 1: I am the Lord. And they encamped opposite each other
Speaker 1: for seven days. So it was even on the seventh
Speaker 1: day the battle was joined in and the children of
Speaker 1: Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians
Speaker 1: in one day, but the rest fled to Apek, into
Speaker 1: the cities, into the city, then a wall fell on
Speaker 1: twenty seven thousand of the men who were left, and
Speaker 1: Ben Hadid fled and went into the city, into the
Speaker 1: inner chamber. Okay, so now with this we have First
Speaker 1: Kings twenty twenty three through thirty shows the Syrian king
Speaker 1: Ben Hadid's advisors mistakenly believe in their God's only control.
Speaker 1: Their God only controls hills, not plains, leading to another
Speaker 1: crushing Israelite victory, proving to Israel and Syria that Yahweh,
Speaker 1: the God of Israel, is the supreme, all powerful God
Speaker 1: over all places, not limited to local pagan deities, demonstrating
Speaker 1: God's grace and might and might even to rebellious Israel
Speaker 1: and their enemies. Through ahabs mercy to Ben Hadid will
Speaker 1: later bring judgment, though Ahab's mercy to Ben Haadi woul
Speaker 1: later bring judgment. Misunderstanding God's nature, the Syrians thought that
Speaker 1: Yahweh was a god of the hills, a localized deity,
Speaker 1: and planned to fight on the plains where they assume
Speaker 1: their gods were stronger. This highlights pagan polytheism versus the
Speaker 1: singular universal God of Israel God's sovereignty. The repeated decisive
Speaker 1: Israelite victory, especially on the plains where the Syrians expected advantage,
Speaker 1: prove Yahwei's power isn't geographically limited. He is the God
Speaker 1: of all places and circumstances. As explained in verses twenty
Speaker 1: eight and twenty nine, divine purpose and grace. God allowed
Speaker 1: Israel to win again, showing his mercy and granted and granted,
Speaker 1: granting an opportunity for repentance, even through Ahabs subsequent lenient
Speaker 1: treatment of Ben Hadid verse thirty one would invite future trouble,
Speaker 1: as prophesied by another prophet instruction for nations. The victory
Speaker 1: served to teach Israel and other nations that God is
Speaker 1: the ultimate sovereign, not their local idols. But he fights
Speaker 1: for his life. Okay, So yeah, so that's good there.
Speaker 1: Now we have verses thirty one through thirty four, which
Speaker 1: we're kind of going through fairly quickly, but it's okay.
Speaker 1: It's because we only have like about ten minutes, so
Speaker 1: I just want to kind of get through this. Ahab's
Speaker 1: treated with Ben Hadid. Then his servants said to him, look,
Speaker 1: now we are we have heard that the kings of
Speaker 1: the House of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us
Speaker 1: put sackcloth around our waist and ropes around our heads,
Speaker 1: and go out to the King of Israel. Perhaps he
Speaker 1: will spare your life. Then they wore sackcloth around their
Speaker 1: waist and put ropes around their heads, and came to
Speaker 1: the King of Israel and said, your servant Ben Hadid says,
Speaker 1: please let me live. And he said, is he alive?
Speaker 1: He is my brother. Now the men were watching closely
Speaker 1: to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him,
Speaker 1: and they quickly grasped at his word and said, your
Speaker 1: brother ben Hadid. So he said, go bring him. Then
Speaker 1: Adid came out to him, and he had him come
Speaker 1: up into the chariot. So Ben Hadid said to him,
Speaker 1: the cities which my father took from your father, I
Speaker 1: will restore, and you may set up marketplaces for yourselves
Speaker 1: in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria. Then Aphab said,
Speaker 1: I will send you away with this treaty. So he
Speaker 1: made a treaty with him and sent him away. So
Speaker 1: basically in verses third one thirty four. It describes Ben
Speaker 1: Hadid's desperate, humble plea for mercy to the Israelite king Ahab,
Speaker 1: using sackcloth and robes to signify surrender, a tactic based
Speaker 1: on reports of israel Israelite mercy. Ahab flattered, spares him,
Speaker 1: calling him brother and making a treaty. But this active
Speaker 1: clemency against God's command to destroy him sets up a
Speaker 1: divine judgment showing human mercy overriding divine justice, which God
Speaker 1: later punishes through a prophet's parable, which we're going to
Speaker 1: go through. Let me see it's going to be next
Speaker 1: in thirty five through forty three. We'll hear that parable.
Speaker 1: A subtle submission, humble submission. After the Syrian defeat, ben
Speaker 1: Hadid's officials advise him to appeal to Ahab's mercy. They
Speaker 1: dress in sackcloth, mourning penitence, and put robes on their
Speaker 1: next symbolizing servitude and death, and big Ahab to spare
Speaker 1: the king, claiming Israel's kings are merciful. Ahab's response as
Speaker 1: flat to show the submission, and he is my brother,
Speaker 1: and spares ben Hadid, even inviting him to his chariot
Speaker 1: the treaty, ben Hadid offers a return the cities his
Speaker 1: father took and grant trade rights in Damascus, leading Ahab
Speaker 1: to make a treaty and release him, meaning a significant
Speaker 1: meaning and significance human versus divine will. The core meaning
Speaker 1: lies in Ahab's disobedience. God had commanded destruction in previous verses,
Speaker 1: implied in the context as the pet Prophet's rebuke, but
Speaker 1: Ahab's human compassion and pride led him to spare his enemy,
Speaker 1: failing God's command. So ben Hadid's desperate humility highlights the
Speaker 1: power of seeking mercy, while ahabas easy forgiveness driven by flattery,
Speaker 1: shows how success can corrupt rulers, a theme echoed in
Speaker 1: the letter Parable of the Prophet. This act of spraying
Speaker 1: ben Hadid is presented as a grave heir, foreshadowing judgment
Speaker 1: of a have for disobeying God's specific instruction, even if
Speaker 1: it seemed merciful. Merciful spiritual parallel commentaries see this as
Speaker 1: a lesson for believers. Seeking God's mercy humbly brings hope,
Speaker 1: but misusing God's grace like Ahab did, leads to consequences,
Speaker 1: reminding us to align our actions with his commands as
Speaker 1: shown by Jesus's teachings. Okay, so there we go. Now
Speaker 1: we have verses thirty five through forty three. Now a
Speaker 1: certain man of the sons of the Prophet said to
Speaker 1: his neighbor, by the word of the Lord, strike me please,
Speaker 1: And the man refused to strike him. Then he said
Speaker 1: to him, because you have not obeyed the voice of
Speaker 1: the Lord, Surely, as soon as you depart from me,
Speaker 1: a lion shall kill you. And as soon as he
Speaker 1: left him, a lion found him and killed him. And
Speaker 1: he found another man and said, strike me please. So
Speaker 1: the man struck him, inflicting a wound. Then the prophet
Speaker 1: departed and waited for the king by the road, and
Speaker 1: disguised himself with age over his eyes. Now, as the
Speaker 1: king passed by, he cried out to the king and said,
Speaker 1: your servant went out in the midst of battle. And
Speaker 1: there is a man who came over and brought a
Speaker 1: man to me, and said, guard this man, but if
Speaker 1: by any means he is missing, your life shall be
Speaker 1: for his life, or else you shall pay talent of silver.
Speaker 1: While your servant was busy here and there he was gone.
Speaker 1: Then the King of Israel said to him, so shall
Speaker 1: your judgment be and yourself be decided. And he hastened
Speaker 1: to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the
Speaker 1: King of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
Speaker 1: Then he said to him, Thus says the Lord, because
Speaker 1: you have, because you have let slip out of your
Speaker 1: hand a man whom I have appointed under destruction. Therefore
Speaker 1: your life shall go for his life, and your people
Speaker 1: for his people. So the King of Israel went to
Speaker 1: his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria. So
Speaker 1: there you go. So, yeah, we got about five minutes.
Speaker 1: So First Kings forty three five through forty three is
Speaker 1: a prophetic parable where a prophet uses a dramatic story
Speaker 1: about a prisoner and a lion to show King Ahab
Speaker 1: his sin, sparing the saying King ben Hadid after God
Speaker 1: commanded his destruction, resulting in a divine judgment where Ahab's
Speaker 1: life will be taken for ben Hadid's. The core meaning
Speaker 1: emphasizes God's absolute authority, the severe consequences of disobedience, even
Speaker 1: seemingly small ones, and the crucial lesson that obedience to
Speaker 1: God's direct word is more important than human's judgment or
Speaker 1: mercy the parable events the command. A prophet tells another
Speaker 1: prophet to strike him, saying, by the word of the Lord,
Speaker 1: strike me disobedience and consequences. The second prophet refuses and
Speaker 1: killed and is killed by a lion, disobeying God's direct command.
Speaker 1: And then the first prophet asks a third man, who
Speaker 1: strikes and wounds him. The injured prophet waits in the
Speaker 1: road disguised as a soldier who is filled to guard
Speaker 1: or vulnerable prisoner. When Ahab sees him and a prophet
Speaker 1: tells his story. Ahab declares the man who deserves death
Speaker 1: for failing his duty. The prophet removes his bandage, revealing
Speaker 1: the judgment. Because you have let go of your hand.
Speaker 1: Because you have let go of your hand, a man
Speaker 1: whom I have appointed to utter destruction, your life shall
Speaker 1: go for his life, and your people for his people.
Speaker 1: God's will versus human will. Ahab's mercy on ben Hadid
Speaker 1: was a humanitarian act but a divine failure. Humanitarian act
Speaker 1: but a divine failure, showing his preference for human agreement
Speaker 1: over God's command. The lion's death for a disobedient prophet
Speaker 1: highlights the disobeying that disobeying God, even for a seemingly
Speaker 1: good reason, like the second Prophet's fear, brings serious consequences,
Speaker 1: as seen in King Saul's story Prophetic Truth. The story
Speaker 1: demonstrates how prophets use symbolic actions parables to convey God's
Speaker 1: message even when it's harsh, challenging kings to face their sin,
Speaker 1: and then Ahab's hypocrisy. Ahab, who spared ben Hadid, judged
Speaker 1: that the disguised prophet for his fictional failure, revealing his
Speaker 1: own hypocrisy and lack of understanding of God's justice. In essence,
Speaker 1: the passage serves as a stark warning that God's commands
Speaker 1: must be followed without compromise, and failure should do so
Speaker 1: bring severe inescapable judgment, as prophesied by Ahab. All right,
Speaker 1: so let's go ahead and look at some practical applications.
Speaker 1: Trust in God's power when facing challenges. Remember that God
Speaker 1: is able to deliver us, no matter how dire the
Speaker 1: situation may seem. Next, recognize God's sovereignty. Acknowledge that God
Speaker 1: is in control and his plans are higher than ours.
Speaker 1: Obedience to God. Follow God's commands fully, understanding that partial
Speaker 1: obedience can lead to consequences, humility before God, avoid and
Speaker 1: self reliance. Recognizing that victory comes from the Lord. Yes, amen,
Speaker 1: it comes from the Lord, not from us. So some
Speaker 1: additional scriptures that connect is Proverbs twenty one, verse thirty one.
Speaker 1: The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but
Speaker 1: victory is of the Lord divine strength and weakness Tewod
Speaker 1: Corinthians twelve, verse nine. But he said to me, my
Speaker 1: grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected
Speaker 1: in weakness. And then Deuteronomy seven, verse nine. Know therefore
Speaker 1: that the Lord your God is good. He is faithful.
Speaker 1: He is a faithful God. He is the faithful God,
Speaker 1: keeping his covenant, loving devotion for a thousand generations with
Speaker 1: those who love him and keep his commandments. And then
Speaker 1: in Second and First Samuel fifteen twenty two through twenty three,
Speaker 1: to obey is better than sacrifice, to heed is better
Speaker 1: than the fat of the rams. First Samuel fifteen twenty
Speaker 1: two through twenty three. A men, a, men, Amen, we
Speaker 1: are done with chapter twenty right. LIBS is going to
Speaker 1: stop the screen share. Thank you guys so much for
Speaker 1: tuning in. I really appreciate it. And that was a
Speaker 1: really good study and I really appreciate everybody that's commenting.
Speaker 1: Please comment, Please leave emojis, leave a prayer emoji, whatever
Speaker 1: you want to leave more comments, the better. It makes
Speaker 1: me feel like I'm doing my job and also showing
Speaker 1: cold the conspiracy that I'm doing my job, you know,
Speaker 1: and that's what I need. I need them to see
Speaker 1: that so we can keep the Bible study rolling. Okay,
Speaker 1: So let me just go ahead and end this in
Speaker 1: prayer like I always do. So, Father God, in the
Speaker 1: name of Jesus, thank you so much for this beautiful time.
Speaker 1: Thank you for allowing us to learn these lessons you
Speaker 1: know that you know through Elijah and then also these
Speaker 1: lessons through King a Haveb and the way that he
Speaker 1: handled certain situations where he was not following your word.
Speaker 1: And we see there's consequences of that. Lord, So assist
Speaker 1: us to follow your word. Lord, help us when we're
Speaker 1: in spiritual battles. Lord, help us when we're in spiritual warfare. Lord, Please,
Speaker 1: we really need you supernaturally just be in our lives. Lord,
Speaker 1: Thank you for everything you do for me my family.
Speaker 1: Thank you for everything you do for anybody that's listening
Speaker 1: right now. Lord, thank you for assisting us in everything
Speaker 1: that you assist us with. Lord, thank you. I love
Speaker 1: you and appreciate you in Jesus name. Amen. So there
Speaker 1: we go, guys. If you want to check out my show,
Speaker 1: Josh Monday Christian Conspiracy Podcast, please check it out. If
Speaker 1: you want to subscribe to my YouTube is Josh Monday
Speaker 1: Music and Podcast. And like I said, I appreciate you
Speaker 1: guys commenting and I appreciate all of you guys. Thank
Speaker 1: you and God bless you.