Read 1 Kings 18:19-40

God is Always There for the Faithful

When Elijah challenged Ahab and his prophets of Baal, he knew that God would show Himself powerful. Elijah knew that Baal was the product of man’s imagination, whereas man is the creation of God. Baal does not really exist.

The scene must have been something to behold. Elijah sarcastically said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27). Can you imagine Deity going on vacation?

The true God of heaven is always there for His children. He is never too busy for your prayers! Day or night, winter or summer, in good times or bad times, God wants to hear the desires of your heart. “Seeing then that we have a High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all pointed tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Jesus told His disciples just before His ascension, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). We should never be afraid to do what the Lord has commanded!

We have a promise from God that Baal could never make to his followers. The Hebrews writer said, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

The creations of man can never provide anything for man, but the Creator of man can (and will) bless His creation. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Read 1 Kings 18:1-19

Who is the Troubler?

After three years of drought, God sent Elijah to king Ahab. Upon seeing the prophet, the king declared, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17). One can imagine the amount of political propaganda Ahab had produced to blame the prophet for the drought, since Elijah was God’s mouthpiece in delivering the news (1 Kings 17:1). Hence, the king saw Elijah as the troublemaker, the one at fault.

Elijah made it clear, however, that the drought was Ahab’s doing. Elijah said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals” (1 Kings 18:18). When one turns his back on God, he has no one to blame but himself for what happens. Still, the sinner will try to shift the blame.

This has been the habit of man since the beginning of time. The serpent tempted Eve to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and she did. Then she gave to her husband, and he ate. When God confronted Adam, what was his response? “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12). The man blamed not only his wife, but even blamed God Himself! To paraphrase, Adam said, “God, if you hadn’t made her in the first place, I wouldn’t be in this predicament now!”

Eve’s response to God was no better. “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:13). In essence, she claimed, “The devil made me do it!” Friends, the devil cannot make you do anything! Sin is a choice that we make. He can tempt you, but he cannot make you do anything!

Ahab wanted to blame Elijah for the drought, but it was Ahab’s rebellion against the truth that caused it. Elijah was not the troubler of Israel; Elijah wanted Israel to do what was right! Ahab was the man who “did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him….Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:30, 33).

When confronted with sin, what is your response? Do you call the one who attempts to restore you the troublemaker? Do you shift blame to others? Or do you accept the responsibility and consequences for your own actions?