Standing Alone

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. 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.  I Kings 17:21-22

Elijah had quite the commission from God.  He was a prophet during the reign of Ahab.  King Ahab did evil in the sight of God; he was disobedient and heavily influenced by Jezebel. Elijah’s mission was to confront the conflict between the worship of the Lord God and the worship of Baal.  Elijah was to awaken the Israelites to their sin and call them back to loyalty to the God of Israel.  It is said that Elijah was a restorer.  His devotion to God is an example of faith, courage, and loyalty in the face of intense opposition and persecution. Life’s trials are hard.  We face many obstacles daily and it seems every waking moment is a fight to keep our head above water.  Elijah knew all too feel how we feel.  The king’s wife wanted him dead, and God had asked him to go to the king and tell him about the coming drought (3 years to be exact).  Yes, God provided for Elijah, the ravens fed him by the brook and the widow’s obedience brought water and food during the 3 years.   We know the end of the story.  It is easy to read 1 Kings 17-19 and say “good job” Elijah. But we shouldn’t read it without understanding Elijah’s feelings. He was hungry, homeless and hunted. 

Elijah was exhausted, discouraged and afraid.  Just like us.  When it came down to make a stand, Elijah stood alone.  He stood alone against 450 of Baal’s prophets.  No one spoke up for the Lord or for Elijah.  He stood anyway.  He stood because he knew God was faithful and he knew the power of prayer.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, but his earnest and persistent prayer of faith accomplished much. When it was 450 to 1 God showed up!

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. 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.  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. 

1 Kings 18:37-39

Pastor Julia Scott