*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*THERE ARE MEN OF GOD (3)*
*Scripture Treasure.*
1 Kgs 18: 16-19
*So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.*
*And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?*
*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.*
*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.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
The presence of a man of God may not guarantee the absence of trouble.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
The famine was very severe in Samaria, 1 Kgs 18:2.
In desperation to restore the nation from drought, Ahab sent his servant Obadiah to get food for the animals.
Obadiah, a righteous servant of a wicked king, Ahab, 1 Kgs 18:3, on his way met Elijah.
Elijah told Obadiah to tell Ahab, and after much reluctance, Obadiah told Ahab and Elijah showed himself to Ahab as God had instructed him, 1 Kgs 18:1.
Ahab asked Elijah *......Art thou he that troubleth Israel?*, 1 Kgs 18:17.
An unwelcoming and unrepentant remark by many like Ahab who blame national problems on men of God.
Elijah answered that he was not the one who troubled Israel, but it was Ahab and his household.
Elijah was going to show Ahab and his Baal worshippers and crush Satan before Ahab's very sight, 1 Kgs 18: 20-29.
The activities of Satan through the prophets of Baal reach an unprecedented proportion under Ahab and his wife Jezebel.
While Elijah, with the mantle of prophetic leadership, was consumed with establishing the worship of God in Israel, Ahab's wife was enforcing the course of Baal worship.
All this was under the guiding eyes of Elijah.
Following God's instructions to show himself to Ahab and that He was going to send rain, the first thing Elijah did was to destroy Baal and its prophets.
God will show mercy to the land, but this condition to destroy Baal must be met first, so that Baal and its worshippers will not boast it was their god who brought back the rain, ref Is 48:5-6.
Many of us complain why evil is so uncontrollably showing up everywhere when there are men of God with us.
Their presence may not necessarily point to the God they represent as yet if the people consistently and unrepentantly continue in acts abominable to God.
If unrepentant sin continues in a land, the people will only extend their times of suffering. During these times, God does not forsake His servants, but we must remember that we are only making their work and intercession to God harder because we can not expect grace when sin abounds.
Three and a half years of famine, of which Elijah was also a part of but for God's preservation over his life, was enough to teach us that men of God also go through pains and tragedies that befall nations they dwell in.
His presence was not without the presence of Baal worship, but his presence and persistence would crush Satan and remove Baal worship.
This was the turning point. God opened the Heavens for the abundance of rain.
Rather than blame the men of God for our troubles, we ought to blame ourselves and resolve to shun evil.
When we shun sin, the men and women of God will pray, and God will send rain and abundance of peace unto our lands.
There are men and women of God. They are a gift from God. Individuals, people, and nations who have them are blessed of and by God.
There are men of God, and there is a great God of these men.
*Remorse corner.*
We have men and women of God who when they pray, God hears, but we must not continue in sin and expect God's grace to abound, Rom 6:1-2.
*Call to Word action.*
We must shun sin in order to make the prayers of men of God prevail over us and our nations.
Prov 14:34 *Righteousness exalteth a nation: But sin is a reproach to any people.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
The presence of men of God will not take away the sins of the people. It is the people's response to their prayers to shun their sins and turn to God that will bring their presence to effect God's presence.
*Prayer.*
Lord, l thank you for true men and women of God.
May their prayers bring about a revival that will turn the people to God, in Jesus name.
Good morning all, and have a blessed day.
God bless you.
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