4/7/2024 0 Comments Bible study about elijahIn Christ, people from every ethnicity, culture and kingdom are united ( Galatians 3:28). Elijah’s altar of twelve stones expressed a desire for God’s people to be unified – God’s people (which meant the 12 tribes of Israel in Elijah’s day) were meant to be together, not split up into multiple kingdoms (which they were at that time).Nine centuries later, He accepted a far greater sacrifice for sin and vindicated His Son, by raising Him from the dead. Elijah offered a sacrifice, and God accepted it – The Lord vindicated His servant Elijah by sending a bolt out of the blue and burning up his sacrifice.Elijah preached that God’s people should follow Him alone – Jesus too warned against trying to serve two masters ( Matthew 6:24) and insisted that, “No one who “puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” ( Luke 9:62).For John the Baptist, it was Yahweh-in-the-flesh, the man Christ Jesus, who saved His people on Mount Calvary. For Elijah, it was the Yahweh who would show His power on Mount Carmel. Elijah proclaims repentance to Israel – Much like the later “Elijah” (John the Baptist) would do, he prepares the hearts of Israel for an encounter with the Lord.Until I wrote this sermon ( here’s the transcript), I had never really studied 1 Kings 18 with that question in mind. Nevertheless, this Christocentric approach to Scripture study now has me asking about every OT story, in a way that I never did as a high schooler or for years afterward, the question, “How does this point to Jesus?” Of course I did not invent this idea it is as old as the Bible itself. Over the years, I have become borderline obsessed with the idea that every story in the Tanakh (AKA the Hebrew Scriptures, AKA the Old Testament) points forward to Jesus Christ and the New Covenant in some way. I even adapted it into a short story in my junior-year English class at Glenbard East High School (looking back, there was probably something close to plagiarism going on there, in how closely I followed the biblical narrative). This story, in which the wild man Elijah calls down the fire of the Lord, slaughters the treasonous Baal prophets and launches a revival in the nation of Israel, has always fascinated me. It was the latest installment of our “Great Stories” series. 18 ( R)Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not ( S)kissed him.Yesterday I had the privilege of preaching at Park Community Church from 1 Kings 18 on the story of an ancient prophet of Yahweh’s confrontation with the pagan prophets of a false god. 17 And the one who escapes from ( O)the sword of Hazael ( P)shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu ( Q)shall Elisha put to death. 16 ( M)And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and ( N)Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, ( L)thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And behold, ( J)there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, ( K)“I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. 13 And when Elijah heard it, ( I)he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the wind ( H)an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, ( C)thrown down your altars, and ( D)killed your prophets with the sword, ( E)and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and ( F)stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and ( G)a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And behold, ( A)the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very ( B)jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. 9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it.
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