Title: Evil King Ahab (1 Kings 18:1-18)
Contents 1. Causes of national disasters (1,2)
There was no rain for three years and there was a famine. There was neither the joy of the harvest nor the joy of the welcoming fruits that come to us all year round. Even when I went to the market, it was empty. Many people are weak from hunger and thirst.
King Ahab could no longer be in the palace. He had to search for water for his livestock. He did not realize that it was because of his sin of worshiping idols that he had been so wretchedly cursed. Often in the country, society, family, or church, we do not know that we are suffering because of our sins and that we are suffering others around us.
How much better it would have been if they had labored and labored in search of water, but came to the God who gave them rain, confessed their sins, and asked for rain, so that they could drink and the people would drink and live animals as well. But we hate to go out and ask God, who gives us eternal things and what we need.
Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and he will give you all these things. Even if you try and work hard to find all these things, you are only tired, disappointed, and discouraged. Stop looking for everything in the world and come to God, then you will meet God and God will give you what you are looking for.
When you leave God's side to search for things in the world, you must remember that God is looking for you, a life that is more precious than the world.
King Ahab spared no effort for his beasts, endured suffering, but was indifferent to his dying people. It shows that there are many people who live for their own property or profit, without regard to the people, who say that they are for the country and for the people.
2. Faith to fear God (3, 4, 13) 1) Practical faith - A person who has lived a life of faith since childhood. He had a practical faith in helping prophets in need. Bread and water were very precious during the famine. Obadiah was a practical believer who was able to use his position and wealth freely for those in need.
He had the beautiful faith to do good when the opportunity to do good came, and to dedicate himself with joy when he needed himself and his possessions for the kingdom of God.
2) He was a brave saint who kept his faith even in the sinful world of corruption, depravity, and idolatry. I kept my faith in the middle of the royal palace. It is easy to live a godly life with a godly person. But it is a precious faith that preserves itself uncontaminated in a sinful world. Living a life of light in a dark world and serving as salt in a corrupt place is precious.
3) However, there was no faith that transcends life. (7-16) There was no faith in the resurrection of life after death. Even Peter was determined to follow the Lord, but when the threat of death came, he denied the Lord three times. It is a rule that people are born and die once, but they are afraid of death. It is a great faith to have a martyr's faith that leads to death. Resurrection faith is required of us.
3. Elijah's faith (1,) 1) Faith that obeys the Word
2) The faith of the resurrection that transcends death - Because there was a faith experience that saved the son of a woman of Zarephath who had already died. Experiential faith rather than theoretical faith makes the saints courageous.(15)
3) Ahab does not know that the disaster is his fault and is blaming Elijah. But Elijah Responsible Faith - Salvation Sin Suffers
4) King Ahab is a selfish person who bought for himself and money. Elijah went to God and asked for rain for the people, and the problems of all Israel were solved by God- Agape Love Jesus By dying for the salvation of all peoples, sinners are saved, and the Lord Himself is glorified in heaven.