And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of His Word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. (2 Kings 1:7-8, 13-16)
When the king of Israel sent men to inquire concerning his fever from a false god, the LORD sent Elijah to confront them with their idolatry. The king sent men to apprehend Elijah and the LORD consumed these men with fire from heaven. The third captain surrendered to Elijah and Elijah went with him to the king and confronted the king for his disobedience to the Word of God. The king died on his bed just as the LORD had proclaimed.
Once again God demonstrated his power and presence to those in Israel who refused to believe and obey. The God who brought fire down from heaven on Mt. Carmel brought fire down and consumed these ungodly men who sought Elijah and who worshiped baalzebub the false god of the Philistines. God proclaimed the death of the king of Israel, not only for his idolatry but because of his evil acts and failure to obey God and His Word. He had pronounced judgment upon the house of Ahab and was bringing it to bear upon the sons just as He told Ahab He would.
When those who are truly in Christ by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary seek answers from the world instead of God’s Word and His Spirit our idolatry demonstrates a lack of faith in the power of the God we serve. He has proclaimed, and we ought to believe it in deed and not just in lip service to His character, that He is sufficient and that He alone is God and will provide and care for His people whom He will never leave nor forsake. He has called us to ministry, missions, and discipleship, not following the world’s ways or seeking other gods which are not gods, but resting in Him and doing the work which God has brought us into in order to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach the Word. If we go seeking wisdom and answers anywhere else besides God, we may end up as Ahaziah or as those who confronted Elijah. The same God who protected Elijah from conflict and confrontation will protect His people who are completely sold out and submissive to God in surrender and service to our Creator, Redeemer, and King until He is done with us.
Until that day, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
Once again God demonstrated his power and presence to those in Israel who refused to believe and obey. The God who brought fire down from heaven on Mt. Carmel brought fire down and consumed these ungodly men who sought Elijah and who worshiped baalzebub the false god of the Philistines. God proclaimed the death of the king of Israel, not only for his idolatry but because of his evil acts and failure to obey God and His Word. He had pronounced judgment upon the house of Ahab and was bringing it to bear upon the sons just as He told Ahab He would.
When those who are truly in Christ by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary seek answers from the world instead of God’s Word and His Spirit our idolatry demonstrates a lack of faith in the power of the God we serve. He has proclaimed, and we ought to believe it in deed and not just in lip service to His character, that He is sufficient and that He alone is God and will provide and care for His people whom He will never leave nor forsake. He has called us to ministry, missions, and discipleship, not following the world’s ways or seeking other gods which are not gods, but resting in Him and doing the work which God has brought us into in order to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach the Word. If we go seeking wisdom and answers anywhere else besides God, we may end up as Ahaziah or as those who confronted Elijah. The same God who protected Elijah from conflict and confrontation will protect His people who are completely sold out and submissive to God in surrender and service to our Creator, Redeemer, and King until He is done with us.
Until that day, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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