4/13 Daily in the Word

An Ordinary Man in Extraordinary Times
1 Kings 17:1

God is looking for ordinary people to stand for Him in these extraordinary times.

Not much is told to us about Elijah prior to his stepping onto the scene. 1 Kings 17 begins with Elijah's proclamation to King Ahab from the Lord, but history tells us a few things about the situation surrounding Elijah. Ahab was king of the ten northern tribes of Israel during Elijah's time. A man many would view as a weak king, Ahab was married to Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Zidonians. The Zidonians were noted for their Baal worship and belief in false gods. Ahab allowed a Baal worshiper into his life, home, and kingdom, and all three were changed for the worse.

Notice how God describes Ahab in I Kings 16:29-33, "And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him." Out of all the evil kings Israel had seen, Ahab did the most to move God's people away from God.

Idol worship and paganism was rampant in Israel because of Jezebel. In a time of national rebellion and spiritual sin, God called on Elijah to take a stand and proclaim the truth. He was given a command to approach King Ahab and pronounce God's judgment on Israel because of Ahab's sin.

Yet notice what James 5:17-18 has to say about Elijah, "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." Elijah was a normal man, subject to desires like we are.

Elijah was a simple man, not any better than you or I, yet God used him to make a difference during a time of wickedness in Israel. Like Noah, Elijah didn't have any special talent or experience; he simply obeyed God and followed Him even when others in his nation were turning away from God.

Our society is turning away from God. Unlike any other time in history we are seeing a move away from God and toward false idols. The fear of God that many of our ancestors had is gone from our generation. As sad as that realization is, there is still hope in the churches of America, in the Christians still committed to following God's will.

The times we live in truly are extraordinary times of wickedness, yet God is looking for ordinary Christians to stand strong and continue serving Him no matter what others do. Can God count on you to be an Elijah during this time in history? Will you continue following God even if all the world turns against Him? Make a commitment with God today that you will continue proclaiming His Word, fighting the Christian fight, and standing firm on His truths no matter what others do.

Daily Bible Reading
1 Samuel 22-24 | Luke 12:1-31

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