Who better to talk about sarcasm than me? Some people don't know me personally on this group, but I'm sure through earlier posts you can see my love of the subject. I would like to thank Nolan for inspiring me to write about this subject. He was reacting harshly to a post one day and I was looking for a verse to teach him a lesson about how sarcasm can hurt but I ended up coming across one of my favorite bible stories from a prophet who is slowly creeping into my top 5 bible characters.
Here we go....
Elijah facts:
- unreal spiritual power. So much so that his confidence in God backing him is almost unequal only to Jesus
- During Passover, Jews pour an extra glass of wine for Elijah and leave the door open for him to come in and chill
- He performed many miracles first that Jesus later built on and made famous in the New Test. He did the fish and bread trick using olive oil and flour. He also rose a child from the dead by laying on them three times and calling on God's power.
This is all in the book of Kings 1, by the way if youre following along at home.
Chapter 18 is one of the best stories in the bible. It starts out with a huge drought in its peak in Israel. Also, Jezebel (the King Ahab's wife) is killing off prophets left and right for failing. She is a known Baal worshipper and she controls the king like a puppet on a string.
Elijah pays a visit to the King and as soon as he walks in the door they start taunting each other. The king calls Elijah a "troubler of Israel" to which Elijah says basically "no, I'm not you are". E is there to call out all of Jezebel's priests to a showdown. There were about 450 prophets of Baal and 400 of Asherah. He says your Lord vs my Lord winner take all. "how long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God follow him". Elijah gets a bull and says we both will call on our God and whoever incinerates the bull wins. 850 prophets vs Elijah......chaaaallleeeeeengge!!
Well, here is where the sarcasm comes on stronger. As you can imagine, the Baal priests have been at it all morning. They are crying to the heavens and dancing and just going nuts. Elijah is cracking up. He says to them "Cry aloud, surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened" Some interpretations actually have Elijah saying maybe he is in the bathroom, ha. Taunt!
The priests take it to a new level, they start cutting themselves begging for their god to light the bull. They get dust. Imagine that. Elijah has seen enough. He builds an alter with 12 stones (one for each tribe) and soaks the bull three times so no one can say it was a parlor trick. Elijah prays "let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Answer me, O Lord answer me" (I think we all need to get some version of that prayer going in our daily lives)
Ok, and here comes the climax that hollywood could not script. God blows that bull up so fast it is ridiculous. He burns up the bull, the stones, and the water! All the Israelites fall on their faces and praise. All of a sudden Elijah calls them to slaughter all the prophets of Baal. All 850 of them on the spot. This is the vengeance side of God, and then a huge cloud appears and the heavens open up with rain and the drought is instantely over.
This story continues with Jezebel going after Elijah, but I will stop here. I love this story and it just sends one of the most powerful messages. How much stock did Elijah have in his Lord? Do you have that much confidence in Him? Awesome, awesome story.
Praise God and his infinite power and timing.
ONE
Ty
4 comments:
I've never heard that story in my life. It proves the point that God opens our eyes more and more as we draw closer. I love the way it all layed out, you're right his confidence in God is unparalleled. I wish you would write more, good work. God is moving.
Elijah was such a beast!!! So much so that people thought Jesus was actually Elijah...which is understandable since Elijah was one of only a couple people in the history of the Earth to never experience death (folks just thought he had finally come back to Earth). Whenever you show up in Jesus' entourage on the mount of transfiguation it's pretty impressive.
Elijah is a Hall-of-famer for sure...
Elijah is definitely in Jesus' "my faves"
"Jesus' entourage on the mount of transfiguration" that is a star on a resume that will put you at the top of pile. What could be better than being part of Jesus' entourage? Elijah is now in my top 3 just because of this conversation. Thanks Park, Nolan! Good food for me.
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