"Yahweh Is My God"

 

I Kings 17:1-24

 

    Three years ago, in 2004, I preached a series of sermons on the prophet Jeremiah.  That series of sermons without a doubt got the coolest reception of any series of sermons I have ever preached.  It has taken me three years to get up the courage to preach on one of the prophets again.  This time we are going to read about the prophet Elijah.

 

     I should not have been surprised to the negative reactions to the sermons.  Let's be honest, the prophets are different. They are just not regular people.  They are not counting down the days until the Tennessee football season starts.  They wouldn't have been standing in line the night the Harry Potter books went on sale.  They don't care who is on the top ten list of the most beautiful people in the world. 

 

       Therefore, I need to issue a word of warning.  The message of the prophets is not one that is easy to hear.  If we are to listen to the prophets we have to be open to an alternative way of looking at things.  They try to see the world as God sees it and share with the world what they see.  They give us as close to God's vision of the world as is known among people except for Jesus.  In him we find the ultimate truth. 

 

      One person I read suggested that I and II Kings are misnamed.  They should be called I and II Prophets because they are they are not about the kings as much as they are trying trying to get people to think like prophets.  The kings are only used for dating purposes.  In the Old Testament the real history makers are the prophets, not the kings. 

 

     Ahab was king of Israel when Elijah came out of nowhere and Ahab was not prepared for him.   It was a little bit like John the Baptist coming out of nowhere calling upon people to repent.  Herod was not ready for him.    Ahab had married Jezebel who was from Tyre.  Jezebel brought with her the worship of Baal and had a temple erected in Israel where Baal could be worshipped.  Ahab seemed to think that this was not a problem.  He could worship Baal and Yahweh.  He could please his wife and the people of Israel.  That is where Elijah enters the story.  His name should have told Ahab something, it means Yahweh is my God.  The name Elijah reminds me of the words of  Joshua, "As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."

 

      Elijah was not about to tell King Ahab what Ahab wanted to hear.  Elijah reminded Ahab of the responsibilities of the king.  They can be found in Deuteronomy 17.  "When he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, and it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by keeping the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brethren, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment; so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children."

 

       And what is the first commandment?  "You shall have no other gods before me."  Elijah was calling upon Ahab to make an intentional decision for God.  You can serve Yahweh or you can serve Baal, but you cannot serve both if you want to keep the community from being destroyed. 

 

      The first Psalm reminds us that it is not just the king who is called to pay attention to the law of the Lord.  "Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season."  There is a correlation between paying attention to the word of the Lord and fullness of life.  According to the prophet it is not both/and, worshiping both Baal and Yahweh.  It is either/or.  Choose who you will worship and serve, Baal or Yahweh.  The life of the community depends on that choice.

 

      When Elijah entered the picture there was a drought in the land.  It is believed that this is a result of the policies of Ahab.  We are told in I Kings that Ahab did more to provoke the Lord to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.  At issue here is who controls life and death, Baal or Yahweh.  Elijah is letting them know that there will be no dew or rain until it comes from the hand of Yahweh.  There is no use calling on Baal for assistance.  Nor will it help to call on the king.  They are powerless.

 

       Elijah is sent into hiding because of the growing opposition.  The opponents of Jezebel had to go underground.  He goes to the home of a widow and her son.  The river has dried up.  Elijah asks her for food and at first she balks at his request saying that she is preparing a last meal for herself and her son.  Elijah let her know that God will provide.

She shares what she has with Elijah and they never run out of food. 

 

       At that point the son of the woman became gravely ill.  There was no breath left in him.  She responded with the theology of the day saying that she now knew why Elijah had come, to make her pay for her sin by taking the life of her son.  When Elijah revived her son the woman responded, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth." 

 

       The truth was not in Ahab.  The truth was not in Baal.  The truth was not in worshipping both Baal and Yahweh.  The truth is that only God gives life.  If there is to be fullness of life it will come from God, not from chasing after idols or powerless kings. 

 

       Jesus said the kingdom of God is like a treasure hidden in a field.  And the man who found it in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  The thought that comes to my mind after reading this first story about Elijah is that if we gave God our full attention, if we worshipped and served God alone, is it possible that we would we find a fullness of life beyond anything we have ever imagined or experienced.