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From the Pastor |
From Rev. Matthew Genzlinger
October 4, 2009
Living Courageously - The Story of Elijah
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
Three thousand years ago there were two nations that sprung from Israel, or Jacob - the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. The story of Elijah is set in Israel, the northern kingdom. It has the classic confrontation between the courageous prophet, Elijah, and Ahab and Jezebel, the wicked King and Queen who had introduced idolatry into the land and murdered all the prophets of Jehovah.
The worship of Jehovah was based on the Ten Commandments, and on rituals prescribed in the Old Testament. In spite of this, the kings and the people often turned to idolatry, as Ahab and Jezebel did.
Worshipping idols was more attractive for several reasons. First, the idols allowed excesses - adultery and debauchery often formed part of their rituals. Second, the priests would require such horrible things as infant sacrifices, which were supposed to hold magical promises of future benefits. Third, idol worship allowed the people, or the priests, to make up their own rules, which often favored the very evils the Ten Commandments forbade.
There were very good reasons, indeed, why the first of the Ten Commandments was, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them” (Exodus 20:3-5). This story is told at a time when the kingdom of Israel, led by its rulers, had delved deeply into idolatry.
Elijah, the greatest prophet in Old Testament times, stood alone in Israel, fighting to return the people to the worship of the true God, Jehovah. He faced a wicked king and queen, and 850 prophets who served idols. Through the remarkable miracles the Lord performed for him, the people were returned to Jehovah.
This Biblical narrative contains a spiritual story, which tells of our own progress toward worshiping the Lord in our lives. Elijah’s eventful life is the story of our convictions. If we strive to make our faith work to change our lives, we will risk opposition from our more destructive feelings. If we resist, then Elijah’s miracles have a counterpart in our minds and hearts. This is how the Lord helps us to change our way of life and start on the path to heaven.
Please join us from October 4th through November 15th for a seven week series where we will explore the story of Elijah from the Old Testament and look at how it teaches us about living courageously by following the laws of God.
Matthew
Suggested Readings: 1 Kings 16:29 - 19:21; 2 Kings 2:1-18