FOLLOW YOUR GOD (1 KINGS 18:1-46)

 

FOLLOW YOUR GOD

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 KINGS 18: 1-46

Picture taken from Google
Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page

JANUARY 16, 2022

MEMORY VERSE

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

JOHN 12:26

 

INTRODUCTION:

Israel had come to the time of its history which it hit battle. King Ahab was a very wicked man. He had introduced all kinds of immoral practices among the people. The nation had sunk to the bottom. He had married a woman named Jezebel whose name is synonymous with “evil” and together this couple introduced the worship of Baal, the worship of Ashtoreth. They were guilty of leading the people away from God. In fact, they had set about to execute all the prophets of God. Suddenly during this period of history, a man seemed to appear to nowhere. We know a very little of his background and in fact we know nothing of his background. This man stood before the king and before the people and he said, “It is not going to rain again until I give the word” and then he disappeared. At first people didn’t matter before they may be thinking who he thinks he is who can control the weather. When the year without a rain, they began to wonder “who was that man, where did he go.” Two years they began to search for him; no rain drought had set in. The king ordered that they be found and be delivered to the king and when the searched parties came back they said “We’d searched all over we can’t find him.” The king ordered to put them to death to those who unable to find the prophet. In the third year, King Ahab called Obadiah, the governor of the palace; they will be both finding fountain of water, brooks and grass for the cattle. King Ahab went his way while Obadiah went in other direction. Then Obadiah met Elijah on the way and he fell on his face. Elijah asked Obadiah to tell the king that he wanted to meet him but Obadiah refused because he might be killed by the king when he would tell him but then eventually caught by the spirit of God and disappeared. In the verses 12 to 15, Obadiah explained how he fear the Lord and helped the prophets during the slain by the order of the queen Jezebel.

In verses 17-18, we can see how the king was in denial of his sins. Let’s read, “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” Then Elijah rebuked him, “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.” In the next verses, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and Asthoreth (verses 19-20.

When the people of Israel gathered together, Elijah said in verse 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.”

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  STOP HALTING BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS (1 KINGS 18:21)

There are three groups that had assembled in Mount Carmel. The prophet of God, Elijah the Tishbite. We don’t know the meaning of Tishbite; it probably indicates the locality where he came but even the scholars don’t know where the location is or what it is. What we know is, he was a rough and rugged fellow dressed in rough clothing and carry a heavy message. He comes on the scene very suddenly in times of great spiritual crisis but his name is very significant; the name Elijah means “Jehovah is My God.” Next, there in the mountains were gathered the prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth. These were the men who were defiling the land by leading the people in those abominable practices. They were leading the people in this moral decay; leading the nation down to worship other gods. These men were openly defiant against Jehovah the God of Israel. And then there was the third group, the halting multitude; the multitude that Elijah was cried out to. Imagine you took an opinion poll; you believe in God that you would gotten probably believe in God 100% but they were also all of them bowing their knees at the altar of Baal. They were mixed: in their devotion, in their commitment; in fact, they just worked committed and that was their problem. They were neither committed to God nor were they were committed to Baal; they were sort in between. Since that time, times have changed but people haven’t changed. Still today, we have three classifications of people same three categories. We have here, committed their lives as Elijah took totally serving the Lord. They are involved in active service; they are seeking to get more involved than they are waiting patiently for the call of God to lead them in what particular ministry or area of service that God would have them to commit their lives. Those who have made that decision and commitment. They are those who have given their lives to evil.

Then there is the large vast majority of the halting multitude. Those that who haven’t just made a commitment either direction. Jesus describes them as lukewarm. You were neither cold nor hot. Jesus said to them “I would rather that you be cold or hot” but because you are lukewarm, “I would spew you out in my mouth.” Uncommitted lukewarm condition or uncommitted multitude is the silent majority. The silent majority who stand by and do nothing; they just watch, stand for nothing, and thus, allow anything. These were the crowd Elijah was addressing and when he challenged them, “How long will you halt between two opinions? How long will you live out of the fence? How long will you go without making a real commitment?

For illustration, take your little son up to main street in Los Angeles. Walk down the sidewalk with him and let him see all of those men lying there on the gutter. Their own vomit caked on their clothes. Let them smell the stench. Let them look at the destroyed ruined lives of men who were one professionals but to see them lying helpless on the gutter. Within the mind of your son, will come a strong resolve, “I would never drink or take drugs.” But you in the uncommitted class, where the son watches you savor your wine at the dinner table, watches you seldom go to church, watches you don’t commit your life in the ministry, watches you prioritizing some other else rather than spiritual matters, watches you spending time watching television rather than reading the Bible and pray. You would say, “I would able to handle it” but how do you know what you kindling in your son’s little bosom and mind and he will not able to distinguish and you were actually encouraging him to go the path you wouldn’t like. Your influence upon him is far worse than the person who is turned themselves totally to evil.

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.”

Let’s read again in the last line, “And the people answered him not a word.”  So the uncommitted people in this verse allow the evil to continue and you would say to yourself, “I can handle it” but you just encourage others who can’t handle it. Your liberty becomes a stumbling block to the weaker. How many times pastor asks you, “Would you commit?” and you answer him not a word. Elijah said, “How long you halt between two opinions?” Would I commit or not?

To those who have committed but halting between two opinions which means committed in paper but not in heart, beware of your silent work in the ministry. Some Christians only committed in a few months then no show after that; God sees everything.

To others until know who is still in the state of being indecisive, Elijah said, “How long you halt between two opinions?” What is indecisive? (of a person) not having or showing the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively. Again, Elijah said, “HOW LONG?”

2.  CHOOSE WHOM YOU WILL SERVE (1 KINGS 18:21)

 “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.”

If we take notice of the prophets of Baal, we can see many things: their courage; they had the courage to accept the challenge of the prophet of God. They hadn’t seen the power of Baal but they took the courage. Also, we can see their enthusiasm; not only did they pray but they began to leap on the altar, they began to cut themselves and screamed. Another thing, their determination; they stocked with that all day long up until evening. How about us, what we got? That we would be as enthusiastic and as determined in the causes of righteousness as they are who are involved in the causes of evil; that was be a different world.

Elijah said in verse 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.”

After the prophet of Baal had tried everything and nothing happened, this verse shows that the god that they’d chosen, the god they were bowing their knees to, came a great question, are you sure that he can hear you in the day of trouble? Psalms 135:16-17 say, “They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.” t

 

 

 Is your god that way? You see every man has a god; every man has a master passion that governs his life. Every man bows his knee to some ideal, to some philosophy and to some ambition. There is that the heart of your life that keep you going that which occupies your mind whether it will be pleasure, whether it will be educational pursuit, whether it will your business, whether it will be your bank account and some materials things that devoting yourself to. It is your god that has the control your life but the thing is, is it able to help you in time of need. Will your god be asleep? Do you see pity in the life of the prophets of Baal? Imagine their bodies gushed out with blood when they cut themselves (verse 28) and they were weak, and tired, they leaped, screamed all day till evening. They had chosen god who cannot hear nor speak.

In Elijah, the prophet of God, you see the courage; he’s alone. There are 850 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth and he stood alone for God and yet stands for the Lord, yet he stands alone. His calmness in times of the prophet of Baal did the demonstration is what we should I admire. He trusted God and saw that God was in control and able to meet the need.

In the mixed multiplied, nothing much to admire; they were the one that responsible that whole evil happened; they didn’t speak against it they were allowed to happen. Elijah was addressing to them, “How long halt ye between two opinions? How long you will sit and let things happen?  If the Lord be God, then follow him: commit yourself, get involve! Don’t just sit, but commit yourself to following Him, serving Him with all your heart, and begin to love your God with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength and make that commitment.

And in verse 30 and onwards, he showed the great demonstration. Though the altar was wet and he started praying, then the fire of the Lord fell to the altar.

 

CONCLUSION:

In which of the three categories do you fit? Where would you place yourself? Those who are fully committed to following Christ? Those who are fully committed to evil? Or are we the one who are halting between the two? How long will we stay there? If the Lord Jesus Christ is God, let’s begin to commit and serve Him. Bible says in John 12:26,

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”