Title: Elijah's Altar / 1 Kings 18:30-40
Content Elijah's Altar / 1 Kings 18:30-40
Elijah was the most powerful prophet among the Old Testament prophets. He is the person who discussed the salvation of mankind with Moses when Jesus was having a conversation on the Mount of Transfiguration. Elijah's time was the Ahab dynasty. It was a very prosperous age, but it was a very spiritually corrupt age. God continued to warn us through Elijah. He wants us to learn a lesson through Elijah's ministry. Elijah's ministry
1. We fought with the evil age.
The culture of Ahab's time was idol culture. It was an era when politics and secular culture mingled to oppose God and persecute the saints. Ahab is a very broad human being, and although he has human resourcefulness, he is an unrighteous person. He married the princess of the king of Tire named Jezebel. He is a prophet who showed the heart of God in an age when idolatry/secularism/ethics and morals are collapsing.
2. They fought Baal and Asherah.
Elijah was a God-fearing man. He is a person who is passionate about God. Ahab's queen, Jezebel, was the daughter of the king of Tire and was particularly zealous for the god Baal. As a trading city in Tire, it was international and served many gods as well as many products (polytheism). God of reality. He is the god of lewdness. They had a spiritual struggle with idolatry.
3. He built an altar.
1) The characteristics of the Altar of Baal are
① There are many altars. The Altars of Baal were outnumbered and further supported by the power of the world. It is a challenge in which the people and power are united. Elijah was not afraid. Because they believed in the power of God and believed in justice.
② They are zealous priests of Baal.
③The Altar of Baal is an altar dedicated to a false god.
2) Elijah's Altar
①It is a lonely altar. It is written in numbers and has no background. But Elijah was not afraid. Victory is not in numbers, but in believing that comes from God.
②This is the altar that was rebuilt (30). The destroyed Altar of Jehovah was rebuilt. In the old days, this is the altar where God's servants glorified God through worship, but it is said that the altar of God collapsed due to the corruption of the people and the persecution and indifference of the leaders. At a time when he is diligently building the Altar of Baal instead of the Altar of God, Elijah is lonely and is about to build the altar of God and offer sacrifices. It means that even if I am alone, I will have to build an altar.
③It is the altar of faith (32). They built an altar of stone in the name of the Lord. In the name of the lord. The name of Jehovah means for the person and work of God. The purpose of Elijah's altar was the glory of God.
④It is the altar of the Word (36).
⑤ It is an altar of prayer (37). Elijah's prayer is an earnest prayer/Prayer for the people/Prayer that testifies that God is alive.
⑥It is an altar of fire (Altar of Answers/38). Elijah's altar and prayer are characterized by being answered with fire. It has the power to dry up water and burn sacrifices. Fire represents the zeal and power of God. When the fire of God comes into our hearts, we become people of God. When the fire of God comes on our bodies, all diseases will go away. When the fire of God comes upon your head, you will be filled with the Spirit of Wisdom.
⑦ It is an altar overflowing with praise and thanksgiving (39). When they saw the presence of God coming from this fire, all the people fell on their faces and sang praises and hymns, saying, The Lord is God. Thank you. The altar where God is with you is closed with praise and thanksgiving. I pray that this morning prayer meeting will become an altar of prayer for Elijah. Let it become an altar of blessing that is answered by fire from heaven. In particular, I hope that it will be an opportunity to pray for the country and people. I hope that it will be a sacrifice and prayer that is built up and offered in front of the nation. It is an opportunity for the members of Daechung to gather the will of faith and offer an altar that urges the nation's repentance and spreads the existence of God to the world.