Title: Look at the Hidden Seven Thousands (2011.02.20)
Contents
3rd week of February
See the hidden seven thousand
1 Kings 19:13 18
‘New Sarang Church’ is ‘I’ and ‘I’ is ‘New Sarang Church’.
Elijah fought 850 Gentile prophets and was victorious. It is not too much to say that he is the representative of the prophet who achieved the most dramatic victory among the characters of the Bible. However, Elijah's expectation that a new era would open after this event was shattered. On the contrary, as the queen, Asabel, a horrific incident of a massive purge of those who believe in God takes place.
“How could this happen?” Elijah asks. And the place where I arrived after avoiding 40 days and nights was Mount Sinai. The distance between Mount Carmel and Mount Sinai is an incredible 1,000 kilometers, and you have to fight the cold. Why did Elijah come to Mount Sinai?
Sinai is the mountain of the covenant. The reason I risked my life to go there is that I think that he might have expected God's covenant like Moses. And guess what Elijah felt at that time, when he must have wanted to make a decision with God. But God does not respond to this. And in verse 9, “Why are you here?” “Shouldn’t we be there where there is persecution? That's where you'll stay Go back!” “Go there, anoint the king and appoint Elisha your successor. Go!” he says.
When we look at God's work, there are many times when it does not match our common sense. What is God's will? God commands those who are looking for food and clothing to ‘seek first his kingdom and his righteousness’ and then settle them. In this way, God gives Elijah, who was fleeing to save his life, an unimaginable vision. And verse 18 says that he has left 7,000 men who have not bowed their knees to Baal. It seems that I am alone right now, but God behind me presents the 7,000 visions prepared by me. This is God's work, and this is the purpose of my existence.
So, it is my job to seek the kingdom and righteousness of God, and this is our faith. Soon, Elijah witnessed the work of God with his own eyes. The work of repentance must happen to all the members who come to New Sarang Church now. And you have to get out of your Sunday Christian. Then God will set us up with 7,000 or 70,000 visions behind us.
Our church is a small church. Finances are also not good. But among them, I am grateful for being a church that continues to provide relief and missions. In God's eyes, the number of members of our church is 7,000 or 70,000. Our church wants to change the spiritual flow. I want to love the church more than I do now. And I am the New Sarang Church and I want the New Sarang Church to be me. This is life and faith. I hope you will become such blessed saints.