The cause for miserable life is an idol
In the Old Testament, God was Lord of Israel. In the New Testament, regardless of nationality, sex and religion God is Lord for all people who believe in Him. In both testaments, idol worship is a major problem. Herewith; we are going to see how an idol is a wrong god. Here is a story that happened in the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, in the reign of King Ahab in 840 B.C, Israelites were worshipping Baal, the idol god of Canaanites and Phoenicians. Elijah warned Israel to refrain from worshipping Baal. Without listening to him, they continued to worship Baal assuming him as god of rain, fertility and storm.
In that confused time, a revelation came to Elijah to challenge, to renounce Baal’s power over fertility and to proclaim drought, locking the sky from giving rain in the name of Yahweh. When Elijah came with this revelation, Israel did not repent. Instead, they went ahead with their Baal worship. . See 1st King17:1.
When people of Israel believed in Baal, they assumed that the grass would be fertile and green on the other side. I other words, they assumed that Phoenicians and Canaanites had a mighty and wise god than Israel. In doing so, instead of correcting themselves; they entangle themselves from one problem to another or better to say that, instead of getting out from a very bad situation, they entered into an even worse problem. To make the matter worse, they ignited fire on to an existing problem. King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, not only believed in Baal but also financially supported 850 Baal prophets that came from Phoenicia, the country of Jezebel.
These false prophets were eating together with King Ahab on the same table. After eating, they were dancing in the palace of Israel. That was a big trouble. When this happened, Elijah got angry. He took the issue serious. He intervened in the drama of this theater, to portray, that Yahweh controls rain and fertility and not Baal. See 1st King 18:18.
When intervened, Elijah proposed a contest to prove whether God of the Bible is a true God or not. Birds of the same feather flock together. All those Israeli people that supported Baal, 850 Baal prophets, King Ahab, Jezebel was on one side. The rest of the Israelites who supported Elijah, were on the other side. Both parties were on Mount Carmel, watching the contest.
When everybody was silent, Elijah stepping forward said:” How long will you sit on the fence? If God is the true God follow Him and if Baal is true follow Him. With that consent both parties agreed to see which one has power and authority over rain and fertility. See 1st Kings 18:21.
Apparently, to make the contest pass by, followers of Baal agreed to slaughter one ox. Elijah also agreed to slaughter the other ox and to offer as a sacrifice for God, bringing fire from Heaven that would consume the meat. Accordingly, therefore; the basis and foundation of their agreement boiled down to one point:” God who answers by fire is a true God.”
Elijah was not selfish. Based on the agreement, he allowed followers of Baal to offer to their god their sacrifice first. Both parties were on the right place and time of the contest. There is an old sarcastic proverb which says:”You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.” Elijah gave them the first chance, but these false prophets could not bring fire from Heaven.
Even though, he gave them the first chance there was no response or / voice /from Baal, their god. They were simply shouting, lashing their hands, dancing and limping on the altar calling Baal by name. No response from their god for over six hours. When Baal followers were sluggish, Elijah was mocking and mimicking at those wobbling wrong prophets. King David said:”I hate those who believe in worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord.” He said this, because he knows that God is jealous, who does not tolerate any rival god. See Psalm 31:6.
Just like David, Elijah strongly believes in God. He was sure that God would answer by fire. Without kneeling down, s with faith, he prayed for a few seconds. Because he had faith, suddenly; fire coming from Heaven consumed the meat that he arranged to offer for God. When this miracle happened, Israel believed that God of Elijah is a true God.
God does not change. He is the same all the time. Today, similar problems exist in the world we live in. Just like Elijah, if we also pray sincerely in the name of Jesus, God hears and answers our prayer.
By
Molla Nigatu
No comments:
Post a Comment