Title: Elijah's Mountain
Contents
The people most admired by the Israelites are the first Abraham, the second Moses, and the third Elijah. King Ahab and his queen Jezebel served the god Baal, and Elijah was a man who said to the king, “You are the one who afflicts Israel,” and I admire his faith and courage.
The Israelites circumcise their children on the eighth day after giving birth. On the day of the circumcision, the father of the baby delivers the sword to “Mohel,” who is performing the circumcision, which means that the father is giving away the authority to do it. Mohel, who received the sword, is circumcised and moves the chair on which the baby will lie in the middle of the living room, saying, “This is Elijah’s chair.” People around him say, “Blessed be those who remember him.” It is precious to see a circumcised baby lying on Elijah's chair. I hope you will be blessed by hearing and remembering the words of Elijah today.
???????? mountain of prayer
Ahab brought all the prophets together to Mount Carmel. Elijah also went up to Mount Carmel. 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah gathered on Mount Carmel (verse 19). “Elijah said to the people, “I am the only prophet left of the LORD, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. Then you shall bring in two calves, and cut them one calf, and put each one on a tree... Call on the names of your gods. I will call on the name of the LORD, and the god who answers with fire is God. All the people answered, “You are right” (verses 22-24).
The prophets of Baal began to pray in the morning and prayed until noon. “Answer us, Baal.” At noon, Elijah mocks them. “Call aloud, he is a god, is he meditating, or is he out for a while, whether he needs to wake up?” he teases. They cried out louder, stabbed themselves with swords and spears, bleeding. They talk like crazy, but there's no sound. Elijah's taunting made him cry harder. It caused a frenzy with faster movements.
Elijah's prayer is short and quiet. But it has a core and is full of conviction. “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that the Sovereign LORD is God, and that you turn their hearts” (verse 37).
Jesus said, “When you pray, do not keep babbling like the Gentiles, for they think that they will be heard when they speak much” (Matthew 6:7). Elijah's prayers are unmistakable. Don't repeat empty words.
Elijah gives an example of prayer. He knew who he was and who God was and prayed. “…that it may be known today that I am Your servant, and that I do all these things according to Your word” (verse 36).
Spiritual authority does not come from being promoted. It is obtained through much prayer and tears. We receive blessings during prayer time. Prayer has a magical effect. Prayer is a great strength during intellectual activities. Prayer makes us see light in the dark.
Elijah was not afraid of death, nor did he fear or compromise, no matter how many Baal prophets and how many his minions were kings. Elijah praying took the mountain as his way. People climb mountains to build up their physical strength. We must climb the mountain of prayer to develop our spiritual power. Prayer makes a powerful person. Prayer eases suffering. Seek wisdom. you give it away
???????? mountain of answers
“Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones and the dust, and licked up the water in the trench” (verse 38), which shows the results of Elijah’s prayer. Elijah's prayer was answered. God heard his prayer. The goal of prayer is to be heard in the ears of God.
There is a reason for unanswered prayers. This is because the relationship between the person praying and God is wrong. God is not involved in self-centered prayer. If you're far away, you can't even hear the scream. Whispers are audible when close. The problem is distance from God. “The Lord is far from the wicked, and He hears the prayers of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29). Isaiah said, “Call upon God while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6).
If the motive of prayer is impure, He does not tolerate it. The sins we hold in our hearts close the ears of God. “But ask in faith, and do not doubt at all. He who doubts is like a wave of the sea tossed and tossed by the wind; We must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
Elijah's prayer was answered because it was the prayer of faith.
The first thing Elijah asked God for on Mount Carmel was fire, and the second was rain. He was sure of saving the fire and heard the rain before saving it. “There is the sound of a heavy rain” (verse 41), thinking of the rain and praying. I believed that if I prayed, God would give me rain.
“Elijah was a man like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
Mount Carmel is Elijah's mountain. A prayer on that mountain made fire and rain.
Fire purifies us as gold and silver are refined (Malachi 3:2-3). The coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost came like tongues of fire (Acts 2:3). Fire is the healing grace of human nature. “Ask for rain from the LORD, who gives lightning” (Zechariah 10:1). The God who sends fire also makes rain.
Prayer was the dominant feature of Elijah's life. His prayers made him a man who could bear any hardship and any sacrifice.
For Jesus, prayer was a daily habit. He prayed every day in a quiet place (Luke 5:16), and sometimes he prayed all night (Luke 6:12). He emphasized the importance of private room prayer (Mark 6:46). They offered supplications and wishes with severe pain and tears (Hebrews 5:7). Please pray like Elijah. Like Elijah, I hope you will become the protagonist of the prayer that is answered.
???????? mountain of victory
“When all his people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, The LORD, he is God. The LORD is God” (verse 39). Elijah triumphed on Mount Carmel. All the people fell on their faces before Elijah before the LORD. When they saw the fire, they cried out that the LORD is God. Mount Carmel is the mountain of victory. He showed the living God there.
There were many twists and turns before Elijah could wave the flag of victory on Mount Carmel. He personally heard “the sound of the heavy rain.” But there were no signs of rain. He prayed. I prayed and prayed again. Every time he prays, he sends a servant to see a sign that it will rain.
The sound transmitted to him through the servant is not rain news. No good news. “There is nothing” is just repeated. How long is the blood-drying continuum? Until the sixth time, I only heard the words, “There is nothing.” “The clouds are rising.” “It started to pour like a torrential rain.” That's what I want to hear. But you don't hear what you want to hear. Elijah says to the servant.
“Go back up to seven times” (verse 43), so you can see how persistent he is. Elijah prays and waits, prays and waits again. Be patient and cry! cry out! cry out! Winners don't give up. Those who give up cannot win. The victor does not back down. You can't win if you back off. Elijah is not a frustrated character. He didn't stop until the end.
A lot of people try once or twice or three times and give up if it doesn't work. Delay is not a rejection. Even if it is slow, you have to wait. You must pray not only seven times, but 70 times. After praying seven times, the servant returns and reports. “A cloud as small as a man’s hand rises out of the sea” (verse 44).
Elijah's prayer was fulfilled on the seventh. After six failed attempts, I succeeded the seventh time. At first a small cloud arose. It was a harbinger of a heavy rain. The spirit of Elijah is the spirit of Jacob. What did Jacob say when he prayed? “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:26). This is the spirit of number seven.
Go back up to seven times! The walls of Jericho fell on the seventh day after they went around seven times. Naaman, a leper, went to the Jordan River and washed himself seven times before being cleansed (2 Kings 5:14).
Elijah is the most glamorous and romantic figure born to Israel. The name appears more than 30 times in the New Testament.
He served God more diligently than anyone else. He was always the same person. The word “Elijah” means “Jehovah is my God.” God was indeed the God of Elijah. The God of Abraham is my God! The God of Elijah is my God!
He sought fire on Mount Carmel and received it. Fire is passion. It rained after 3 years and 6 months. Rain is grace and blessing. “Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). There is a secret in prayer. May you discover the secret of prayer.
He triumphed on Mount Carmel. Thousands of people have confessed that Jehovah is God. They forsook idols and returned to the Lord.
“You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask erroneously, to spend it on lust” (James 4:2-3).
“Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7)
Please live with the God of Elijah as my God.