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Elijah Proves
1-2For three years no rain fell in Samaria, and there was almost nothing to eat anywhere. The Lord said to Elijah, “Go and meet with King Ahab. I will soon make it rain.” So Elijah went to see Ahab.
3-4At that time Obadiah was in charge of Ahab's palace, but he faithfully worshiped the Lord. In fact, when Jezebel was trying to kill the Lord's prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves and gave them food and water.
Ahab sent for Obadiah 5and said, “We have to find something for our horses and mules to eat. If we don't, we will have to kill them. Let's look around every creek and spring in the country for some grass. 6You go one way, and I'll go the other.” Then they left in separate directions.
7As Obadiah was walking along, he met Elijah. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down, and asked, “Elijah, is it really you?”
8“Yes. Go tell Ahab I'm here.”
9Obadiah replied:
King Ahab would kill me if I told him that. And I haven't even done anything wrong. 10I swear to you in the name of the living Lord your God that the king has looked everywhere for you. He sent people to look in every country, and when they couldn't find you, he made the leader of each country swear that you were not in that country. 11Do you really want me to tell him you're here?
12What if the Lord's Spirit takes you away as soon as I leave? When Ahab comes to get you, he won't find you. Then he will surely kill me.
I have worshiped the Lord since I was a boy. 13I even hid 100 of the Lord's prophets in caves when Jezebel was trying to kill them. I also gave them food and water. 14Do you really want me to tell Ahab you're here? He will kill me!
15Elijah said, “I'm a servant of the living Lord All-Powerful, and I swear in his name that I will meet with Ahab today.”
Reflect
What a wonderful story!
The worst king of Israel had Obadiah as his palace administrator. Obadiah was a man who had respect for the living God. At the risk of his life, he had hidden and fed 100 prophets of the Lord, in spite of the famine which was striking Samaria.
These prophets had remained faithful in spite of the persecution of the queen, Jezebel, and the drought that God had sent. They had a vision of the world that helped them see further than the present events. They believed in God and had hope that he would watch over them.
We read in Proverbs “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he wishes.” (Proverbs 21:1)
Although everything often seems to indicate that the powerful of this world are controlling things, it is so only to a certain degree. Behind what humans perceive, there is a spiritual reality far more powerful than we are.
The apostle Paul declares that it is the invisible God who created that which is invisible and visible (Colossians 1:16).
For us, miracles and wonders are extraordinary, but for God they are easy, for he is all powerful. Let’s trust the Lord with our circumstances and choices, when they are difficult or impossible.
Respond
O Lord, you who know us perfectly, remind us of your presence in our difficult moments, so that by your grace, your will might be done and not ours. Amen.
Denis Bourget
Born in Montreal, Denis Bourget trained as a military engineer. He went to work in Toronto; while in Toronto, he was saved and began to follow Jesus Christ. Bourget and his wife Martha have three children who are all believers. He has had the opportunity to serve the Lord as both a businessman and an educator. Bourget returned to Quebec in 1998, having felt a deep burden for families. He was Regional Director for Focus Famille (Focus on the Family) for ten years, and now heads the Connexions Famille (Family Connections) ministry.