#488 Their Fruits

And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.

7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.

12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

17 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.

21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house. 1 Kings 21 KJV

So I was curious about a vineyard and it is a lot of work, toil, a labor of love as much as necessity. This is not even the reason that Naboth refuses the king though. It goes back to the Mosaic Laws of Leviticus and Numbers, paternal or tribal property and it's inability to pass tribe to tribe. It could be rented, but not permanently sold and would return to the original owner at anytime someone was able to redeem from family or kinsman. At the year of jubilee, there was no more usury or extension, no squatters or "possession being 9/10 of the law." In that year, which occurred every 50 years, the land was returned to the owner, so you had to understand that in leasing, you needed to know how far out you were from the next Jubilee.

Naboth doesn't want to make this deal, and it is no disrespect, he is well within his right to cherish his inheritance. Ahab wants an herb garden though and it's conveniently next to his own property, it's just not fair. Life is hard, and so he pouts, probably hoping someone will take notice, "sweetie what's wrong?" Fortunately he is married to a problem solver, "don't you worry your pretty head, I will get you that field." Thirty pieces of silver, I know my way around the law, I can use it to my advantage, nothing should be withheld from the king. Send a letter to those that govern in that area, have two men (for the law requires at least two witnesses) say that he has blasphemed God and the king. God, for that is Who according to the law is above all kings, and the king for that is the rule we wanted and God has ordained. He does not bear the sword in vane. We must respect those who have rule over us, but they must respect God, should be the keepers and attenders of His law. It does not place kings above the law, but Jezebel has a much different view of royalty and it's entitlements. She will abuse power and the public trust, for in order to manipulate the law, one must lie and plot against the Spirit and the truth to hang the innocent by the letter. They do it, they bring him to sit in a seat of high respect, where everyone can see him, and then his accusers come in, it is already under the pretense of  a holy matter, the people are fasting as in the days of Jonah, but it is all a sham. It is a moral outrage, and why would these two men make it up, they have no visible reason to lie, so they must be telling the truth. This is why we are having to fast, it is our civic duty to deal with the one who has brought such shame into this court, let's stone him. So they stone him.

Go get your property Ahab, Naboth is dead, and it's not your fault, you didn't call all these plays, and besides, the whole thing could have been avoided if he would just let you have your herb garden. I'm skipping down to my house on the lake, walking out on my new dock, launching my kayak from my yard, instead of having to strap it to my car, I mean that was getting ridiculous, especially with my shoulder issues. Oh no, what are you doing here? Elijah, buzz kill, the enemy of all fun and kingly pursuits, boy am I glad to see you. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't sold your soul to the devil, if you would have been happy with your boundaries, which exceed most men in this world. You deserve to receive what the one who didn't deserve received. You have only listened to your own side, your wife has been set against reason, justice and all Godliness, and you let it go on. There is yet another stain on your kingdom, after the Word of God has been spoken, revealed to you, you have been rescued from your enemies and now Elijah has returned again, and that is never good. This time he humbles himself, this time he doesn't go to Jezebel, he rents his clothes and goes to sack cloth. His kingdom will not continue but his life will be saved in repentance. His son shall bare the iniquity.

12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
goes about with crooked speech,
13 winks with his eyes, signals[c] with his feet,
points with his finger,
14 with perverted heart devises evil,
continually sowing discord;
15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.


16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers. Proverbs 6:12-19

#487 Shots All Around

And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,

3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.

4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.

8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

10 And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.

11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.

14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.

16 And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.

20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.

21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:

25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.

28 And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.

30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

31 And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.

33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.

41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria. 1 Kings 20 KJV

I have put behind me the God of Abraham, followed the gods of men rather than the God that brought us here. Another king, who is by numbers and might, greater than my present ability, stands outside my door. I cannot hope in Baal again, I cannot call out to the only true God that I know of, for I am an idolater. Take my wives and my children then if it will save my skin, here is my silver and my gold. When you stand down this easy, some men may say it is to the greater good, that this is peace which will avoid war. But careful of that yoke you will place upon your own people to avoid the rope that may find your neck. It is your job as the government to defend the freedom and good will of your people. You have live off of Israel, led them to chase idols, taken of their best, mocked and traded their heritage for that of evil doers, and here is your one chance to perform your duty to that of the public good, and you instantly fold. Now thankfully, a thief will know a thief, neither being great shepherds will trust the other, but now Benhadad is showing himself even more brazened. I mean, if the great king Ahab shall give up this much, shall bow down so quickly, then I shall ask for more. Ok, now Ahab sees an issue, now maybe I should seek counsel, I don't think I trust this guy, not so much what he will do to the kingdom, but probably what he may do to me, I sense mischief. He is advised not to surrender. His answer back to the Syrians is a metaphor; don't speak from the position of the fighter whose hand is being raised, when you have not yet stepped in the cage. Benhadad has already won in his mind and as the immature and those posing as the shepherd will do, he is already drunk and celebrating with his princes. Now he will make demands from a drunken and arrogant state, full of himself and what he senses can be within a short reach, grasping at those things that can easily belong to the greater force. 

Now a prophet comes, and he walks the great king through what must be done, and who shall order the battle. Whether they come for peace or war, take them alive, maybe you shouldn't get so drunk in times like these, when you come to threaten people with slavery or to take what does not belong to you. It is a small defending force, and the Syrians continue at their drink, like they have come to be entertained. What they don't know is that the battle is the Lord's and He has given it to Ahab, wow, if Elijah was confused before, he would really be shocked at this. How many times does a man get the chance to repent and be saved, what could Ahab possibly have to claim after this? They destroy the Syrian onslaught, but the prophet warns him to make himself ready, because they will be back. 

The Syrians have some time to reflect and they don't come to the right answer, only another way. We had the numbers, we had the weapons, we almost walked in without a battle, so what happened? I know, it was because we were in the hills, and their gods are the gods of the hills. Remember Moses went up on the mount, that cute story about Elijah and the mountain, the rumbling, the fire, the wind and the rocks. David looked to the hills, so if we brought them down to the valley, away from their hill gods, then we can take them. We laugh now, but so many still put so much together this way, and here it angers God. He will not defend Ahab for his righteousness, because there is none, but that He is understood not for Who He is, and limited to the hills, He will defend the truth. Ahab will benefit because God will let it be known Who He is, the Lord of everything, over every king, hill and valley. It doesn't matter how you see Him, what you think He has jurisdiction over, all that matters is Who He is. Ahab wipes them out, and the king that would own Ahab and all of Israel, is now dressing himself down, he is making an emotional appeal to Ahab's pride and position. Ahab of course has more respect unto position so he protects that in this man, never correcting him of his sin against God. He does not hold up God's name, but takes the worthless and simple honors of having streets named after him, calling this enemy of God, brother. He identifies more with this man, and would be more gracious than God himself, showing mercy where God has not, hoping for it where it cannot be. God's grace also changes us. He makes no mention of it here, and when the prophet ask to be struck, it is what the Syrian king had also begged with his actions, never mind his empty lip service now. If I break into your house uninvited, make myself a threat to your life, then my life is on my own head, if you withhold justice, the defense of yourself and your family, are you really holding to a higher moral standard? Ahab didn't have what it takes to win either time, so he should give God the glory.

When you choose to reject the Son of God, then you choose to stand on your own merit. The law will remain no matter what we think. If we think little of it then we will get to test that in the end, if we think much of our own greatness, our crowns, then we judge that we don't believe what God says, or that He is Who He says. "There is no God," so like the king said, "so shall thy judgement be; thyself has decided it."

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self,[f] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4: 17-24

#486 Cloaked

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lordwas not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lordwas not in the earthquake:

12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. 1 Kings 19 KJV

Ahab told his wife what Elijah had done, like it was all him. She is steadfast in her beliefs and makes an oath by the gods, which isn't much of an oath at all, since they haven't brought rain in 3.5 years or fire after a long day of cutting and dancing. He has something to fear in her since she does have rule and people willing to obey her. She threatens his life, and the man who was willing to face her husband is not willing to stick around for the retaliation promised by Jezebel. It is a difficult situation, frustrating for him, for anyone, she is not phased by the facts and seems to only strengthen her husband's resolve to do nothing. He could have attacked the prophet earlier, thrown a spear through him as he ran before the chariot, or had him arrested for following the God Who responded by fire. I think Ahab is infatuated with darkness, his wife is that of which we crave when we are far from God, when the Creator does not fit our fancy. I was always more about the progressive girls when I was young. I grew up in the 80's, you would call it goth maybe now, you know, "being myself", just like everyone else who was being their punk self. If you gave me a choice between the nice, moral, plain girl or the dark and wild witch, I would pick Elvira every time. I think Ahab is no different, faced with the facts and a token god, it doesn't matter that it's not the truth, it's what he wants, it's what makes his wife happy. Lucifer stood before the glory and majesty of the Creator, and he, a created being, would seek to elevate himself above the position of being made. It is an impossibility, insanity, but Jezebel would worship such things herself, and Ahab would follow such vanity. Look, this is what happened, tell me it doesn't matter, just tell me it's going to be okay; I saw all this, but if you say we're good, then I will follow you, like that pretty song, "into the dark."

Elijah runs, and I am not so sure except of this point, that some courage is only that which is from above. Like the fire from heaven, so the Spirit of God, that Comforter, was also his encouragement. That faith which comes from hearing was bright when it was being spoken, but when the vision plaid out, and his mind was only searching, then he was sure he was alone. He did not wait, but of his own power he ran. I find much stress and anxiety this way, first in playing out what should happen, then planning and preparing, seeing thus far, but not being able to see the craziness of others in advance. This person will do this part for it is their job and so on, but now one has not, yet argues as though they have or that they didn't understand. He must feel like he has laid out a compelling argument, that he has respected God's anointed, and may even now be suspecting reciprocation, to be carried upon the shoulders of Israel and approved by Ahab. He is instead running, and may even feel a bit betrayed, but who can even fathom the offense that the least sinner is to the purist Light? He begs to let it be done, he is exhausted, I am ready to die, and I am stoic about it. The angel feeds him twice, because he must be prepared against 40 more days, that this man will live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, that he will no longer be sustained of meat past these last two meals. There is great temptation to see ourselves as the suffering servants of the Lord, but like Paul, in the end, we should count the present as nothing. Christ was 40 days in the wilderness to be tempted and show His flesh under submission, for man cannot live by bread alone, there is a part of him which is spiritual. Bread did not create man, nor did any part of nature in him, but rather through His Word were all things created. 

I was irritated by this at first, but this is beautiful, after all of this, it is the child that still remains, even in the chief of prophets. Lord, I fought hard for You, I was jealous for You, when others would not stand, I thought Your honor was worth everything. Sometimes it is good to have our running to look back upon, and it is wonderful to have a mirror of high quality, true definition. "What doest thou here, Elijah?" I am no better than my fathers, look, I can't blame this on You, because You're God, Holy, and I am not, but look how it has turned out. What did I do wrong? They are still unconvinced, and if I ran, I know who I am now, it would hurt more to me I probably boast, but I hope because of the honor of God, the smear campaign that my fear and unbelief may impress. We forget that we do not see so far and that substance is of things not seen, the evidence was enough, for Who alone can make the rocks split, the earth tremble, the fire come down? Yet, this is not where the voice of God is heard. Remember, they loved the miracles, but they couldn't hear, wouldn't listen to what would save them. It is not by might, like the signs and wonders ministries would have you believe, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord. When all of that is settled, the crowd will be gone, and Elijah sees it all again, but now it is quiet, so still the silence becomes audible, not my will, but Yours be done. My mind is quiet, the ears of my heart are listening. I cover my face for I fear I am at the very edge of Your Holiness, and it is beyond humbling, undeserved, beautiful, grace. "What doest thou here?" You are not here to die for sure, you will anoint and train your replacement and it is revealed that this is not over, it is just waiting on God's time. He will judge Israel, but quit saying you are all that is left of God's elect, for there are 7000, His remnant still remaining, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. You are here because God brought you here, alive because He says so, and a funny thing about Elijah, he won't die till much later.

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow Me, Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20And at once they left their nets and followed Him.…Matthew 4:19

#485 Call Down Fire

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:

4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10 As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.

13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

15 And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.

45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 1 kings 18 KJV

There were a hundred of God's faithful ministers still left, and there was a man of Ahab's courts, Obadiah, who also remained faithful, seeing to their care. Like David, they had become those who wander in caves, the truth has become a criminal offense. Those that wanted kings now have tyrants, those that wanted the gods of fire and rain, now have a sky of brass, and they have hidden the truth from themselves. Thankfully only hidden and not utterly destroyed, we are never completely so alone as we choose to be.  

Elijah is hidden but well known. Obadiah, like those who hid the Jews in Nazi Germany, did it at great personal risk. He has fed 100 prophets, but is terrified of the prospect of telling his king, "Elijah is here." Why didn't you take him? Why didn't you kill him? He has had 3 years and half a year to boil over this, but he has also had as long to repent. That his servant Obadiah is so afraid, shows that Ahab is still not broken. We are always ready to kill the messenger, it's like having cancer and thinking that killing the doctor who diagnosed it would somehow make it go away. It's like touching the nerve of humanity with feelings, but omitting the truth or calling it unkind. Obadiah does not want to be the messenger for fear that Elijah will disappear again, he is a wanted man, a criminal of the state, a fugitive. They blame you, Elijah, for all this, all their problems are because of you, and if I claim to have seen you and yet you disappear, then I will die. Right, anyway, like I was saying, put your big boy pants on, fear God, Who is eternal, I will be there. He doesn't say it that way, but I picture him not being the most beautiful, clean, well dressed or stately individual. Obadiah probably is well spoken, he would have to be more presentable, and God uses both men, someone that he keeps inside the government of Ahab, a cushion for those who still call upon the name of the only true God, and one who is like a wild man, a John the Baptist, a thorn in the side of the king. 

Ahab comes out to see Elijah himself, and does God not take the plain and base things of this world and elevate them to much importance? Is that you who troubles Israel? Are you that fool that started all of this? This is your fault. No, if you are looking for the man responsible for this, it's not me, you have had 3 and a half years and yet you have not figured that out. It's not me, I only brought you the message, and it hasn't changed, but maybe I can expound a little. You and your fathers led Israel to sin, breaking God's commandments, serving a statue that you made. So lets settle this once and for all, send the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 that are fed by the queen, your wife, the lovely Jezebel. A king and 850 spiritual advisers, the foremost experts in their field, able to tap into the force, yet somehow not make it rain. I am sure they had all kinds of reasons for this, they blamed Elijah too, but their science was still working on the problem. Have faith, we don't know all the answers but we are getting there. Trust us, trust our science. 

Maybe your god is more a god of fire, the last time my God answered with a lot of rain, only 8 people lived. Let's build an altar and the One Who answers by fire is God. Elijah wouldn't do this unless God directed him so, but so many televangelists, "prophets", wolves, will say they are gangster like this, that they have some power like this, or that they move God. They are as vane as the people cutting themselves, God has given His word and you discard it. You claim that those who hold the Bible above tradition, above men's vane thinking, above so called miracles, do not have faith. You ask for signs, you ask for special power, for riches, fame, but He says, heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall remain. Here they will see a miracle, but they could have listened to the word of the Lord all along, it says, repent and be saved. Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You want faith, read your Bible, you want power, live it. You want signs and wonders, then you will probably kill the messenger. You will eat the loaves and the fish, but you will leave when he talks about his body and his blood. You will stop your ears when He says, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But they dance on the altar, and Elijah teases them, but they cut themselves all the more, till the blood gushes. Oh God, I see it, the stain of human effort, the blood of the unclean, spent for nothing, praying to a god that doesn't exist. It plays out everyday in our world, "I am good, good enough, karma says do good things and I have done good things, I try to be a good person, I just want people to be happy, we just need a different government." My righteousness is as filthy rags. John Bunyan said it well, "the best prayer I ever prayed, had enough sin to damn the whole world."  

No fire from Baal, he is sleeping or on a long journey to visit one of the thousands of other gods elsewhere. So much like a man he is that maybe he is out chasing girls, fishing or hunting. Elijah rebuilds and old altar, he uses a stone for each of the tribes, he soaks the altar and the surrounding trench with water. He says a prayer to the God that sent him here and directed him to do this. He doesn't do a fire dance, doesn't cut himself, but the fire falls from heaven and eats the wood, the offering, the stones and the water. Okay, to be fare, they only asked their one, maybe two idol gods, and there are a lot of gods in this world, new ones, born everyday. Maybe they just didn't cover enough bases, maybe Elijah's God just happened to be in the neighborhood. Maybe this is Elijah's fault, he just happens to be a great magician, using the technology of his time, he shut up the sky for three years and then tricked the people into thinking they saw fire come down from heaven and disintegrate everything here. Or, maybe none of this happened, it's just a cool story that someone made up to attribute the workings of a really bad famine. 

Elijah takes the false prophets and kills them by the brook. He has the king eat some food, he goes and prays to God again, and then he cares again for the king, telling him to go before the rain overtakes him. Where there has been no rain for a long time, it is both a blessing and a curse. The mud slides and flash floods can be furious. Elijah runs before Ahab's chariot, make the way straight. He shows respect and care for the one who God has allowed to be king, remarkable, truly remarkable. 

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things.12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. Matthew 17:1-11

#484 Come Back Another Day

And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

20 And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth. 1 Kings 17 KJV

Straight out of Gilead, yes, he said that, it will not rain again until by my word, but who are you? You are not royalty, and if God has something to say to me, let Him do it in person, Himself. I don't even know who you are, who are your parents, who is Elijah? You stand before the king of Israel, a servant of Baal, I have to laugh at this, it means nothing to me.

God sends Elijah away, now that he has given his word, no one will be able to find him, to beg that he take it back, to beat a different judgment out of him. Like John the Baptist eating locust and honey, he retires to the wilderness to be fed meat and bread by scavengers. It is not beneath him, and how little we actually need, I am appalled at myself, and astonished at the breaking point that I would consider inconvenience or unfair. What could God possibly ask of me though that would be unfair? Why do the wicked prosper? Why does Elijah have to go into hiding, shouldn't the inconvenience of this life be upon the sinner, but who is not? I think about it now in comparison to the worse of times then, when you cannot explain it any other way to men who cannot hear reason, but love their position, and the brook Cherith now seems a resort, and the meat and bread from ravens the finest dining. It is the better company to keep, and though they had His words delivered to them, they would not listen, and now His words are gone, and the brook is drying up. No problem, you have your own god, you have a king, this is a man without a house, a nobody, one, so call a hundred prophets, and demand the skies be open again. Was this not written in the words you discarded?

Now this is odd, that in all of Israel, God does not find for Elijah a rescuer, a helper, but He sends him to a widow in Jezebel's country. Where they had already had the rule of Baal worshipers, there is a woman who will shelter him. She is quick to go for water, that Elijah may drink, but she must reconsider his request for a cake. It is all I have left for me and my son and then we wait for death. That's interesting, go make me a cake first, and then go make for you and your son. What does she really have to lose, under the present circumstances her only gain is one last meal? One last moment to stare at misery, to ward off the inevitable, it's all she has, but like the loaves and the fishes, it could be so much more. It is awesome that he, who has been accustomed to meat, will now share in the widow's life. He will gratefully be sustained on such manna as this, and for her it will be the greatest relief and the most blessed company. Give us this day our daily bread. She is like the widow who gave the last two pennies she had, and yet gave more than all the Pharisees and Sadducees that day. I cannot relate to either, for I have lost the opportunity to give many times, in order that I could receive. I needed a night out, an expensive dinner, a new car payment, and now I am hearing about your situation too late, or worse, I heard early enough, but did all else before considering the cost and now I cannot help you. It is a true sign of faith that sets aside to give first, and the widow is learning this now.

Now her faith is tested, for it is a physical world still, and much of the work along with so much of the pain is in earthen vessels. The meal and the oil have not run out, but her son has fallen ill so that his life has left him. She first takes out her frustration and sorrow on Elijah, what have I to do with thee, is this what it means to know you? Then, is this about my sin, are you taking him because of something I have done, my past? Elijah takes him and lays him on his own bed, oh God, this woman that has been kind to your servant. I have spoken daily to this little boy, will you leave your servant here in such a manner, under such a cloud, is this all I shall ever bring with me, a closed sky, a starving people, a dead boy? He stretches across the child three times and begs the Lord to bring the life back into the boy. Lazarus, come forth, and his sister believed, and the women understood the resurrection first, they could hear first and see. Now this widow believes, never mind the oil and the meal, her son was dead and now he lives, now she believes. The life must be brought back into those who are dead, so that we can believe.

Soon afterward[c] he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus[d] gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. Luke 7: 11-17