7/9/23 Sermon

So, I prepared a handout(included below) that’s in the back of the chapel that includes some important information as we move forward in this sermon series. We’ve taken 2 weeks off as I was out of town and then we had our joint worship service. But we left off at chapter 7 of 1st Kings and we’re picking up here at chapter 17. A lot of stuff happens in those past 10 chapters. The handout gives you a very brief summary of those chapters we aren’t covering, a description of the god Baal and some background information on him, and also it tells you a little bit about the prophet Elijah who makes his first appearance here with us today. I was going to use all that material in the sermon today, but we would have been here longer than we liked. So, I figured it would be better just to assign you some homework rather than giving a 2 hour lecture up here today. Also, I think there are some things we need to talk about before moving forward in this sermon series.

As we start to move into a deeper discussion and look into the work of some of the most important prophets in the Hebrew bible, I think that it’s important for us to really understand what a prophet it in the context of the Jewish faith and what it is they’re setting out to accomplish. I remember when I was a kid, I always thought that a prophet was like Nostradamus. They came to predict the future and tell us what God is going to do. Their writings were like secret messages we needed a decoder ring to unlock and we could find the future of the world if we could interpret them correctly. I don’t think this was anything I was actually taught in church. I think I got that impression through weird books called things like “Unlocking the Bible Code” and the “History” Channel and by growing up in a time where things like Waco and the Branch Davidians were happening. People were claiming to be prophets and said they were able to tell what the future held through their interpretation of scripture.

But the weird thing is as I studied scripture more, I realized that while prophets do in some cases make predictions about the future, their goals and predictions aren’t like Nostradamus or the end-of-times people at all. In fact, the only times they really make “predictions” - if you want to call them that - is when they are warning the people about the consequences of their actions. Essentially, it would be like my kids saying I was psychic because I told them if they touch the hot stove, they’ll burn their hands. And then they touch it, burn their hands, and think that I somehow know the future. The role of the prophet in the Hebrew Bible isn’t to predict the future.

But rather, what their job was - what their primary function was - would be better understood as a social commentator. They were essentially tasked with being the moral compass of the community. From what I can tell, there are like 6 main functions of what a prophet is and does:

The first is Communication with God: Prophets were chosen and called by God to receive divine revelations and messages. They were uniquely gifted to hear God's voice, often through visions, dreams, or direct communication. And Through this communication, prophets gained insight into God's plans, judgments, and instructions for the people.

The second job of the Prophet was the Proclamation of God's Word: Prophets were tasked with delivering God's messages to the people of Israel. They weren’t just fortune-tellers or predictors of the future but primarily served as mouthpieces for God. Prophets spoke God's truth, calling the people to repentance, exposing sin and idolatry, and proclaiming blessings or judgments.

They were Advocates of Justice and Righteousness: Prophets played a crucial role in challenging social and moral injustices within society. They confronted corrupt rulers, denounced oppression, advocated for the poor and marginalized, and called for social justice and righteousness. Prophets emphasized the importance of ethical conduct, fairness, and compassion.

Prophets were Intercessors and Mediators: They often interceded on behalf of the people, pleading for God's mercy and forgiveness. They stood between God and the nation, offering prayers and sacrifices to avert divine judgment. Prophets were mediators in the sense that they sought to reconcile the people with God and restore the covenant relationship.

While it’s not the primary focus, prophets sometimes provided predictions or prophecies about future events. These prophecies served to foretell God's plans, warn of impending judgment, or offer hope for restoration and redemption. Prophecies often had both immediate and long-term implications for the nation. But like I said, it was more about warning the people about their action or inaction.

Lastly, Prophets served as Models of Holiness and Obedience: They were expected to live lives of holiness and obedience, serving as examples to the people. They were called to personal integrity, faithfulness to God's commands, and devotion to the true worship of Yahweh. Prophets were often set apart by their distinctive lifestyles, symbols, and actions that represented God's truth and presence.

And because that’s what a prophet is and does - that they are in many ways the conscience of the nation - sometimes -if not most of the time- we find the stories of their lives and their writings to be highly political. It wasn’t like today where we as a country have had the separation of church and state ingrained in us. Gods were national gods. Yahweh was God of Israel. Yahweh was a national God. Baal was the God of Sidon and Canaan. Baal was a national god. It can be unclear if they gave any credence as to whether or not Baal was an “actual god” and it’s just that Yahweh was a better, more powerful, more real god or if they thought the idea of other gods was just ridiculous.

But because Religion and nationhood were so tied together, because there was no separation between a spiritual life and a secular life, because God was so tied into everyday living and experience, the writings of the prophets and what they say take on a very political tone. And it’s important to understand that moving forward. The bible is political. It isn’t partisan. But it is political. The prophets are combining things like God’s will with the direction their country should take. And they try to teach and show what a godly country does and look like according to their specific context.

Like for instance take chapter 17 here this morning. The chapter starts off with Elijah being called by God to go tell Ahab who’s married to the famous Jezebel that a famine is coming as a part of God’s judgment. Why is God making this judgment? Because Jezebel basically converts Ahab to worshipping Baal and turning from God - thus turning the nation against God. And why is God’s judgment a famine and not something else - like occupation from an outside force? Well, it doesn’t explicitly say but I think we can assume that it’s because Baal is a god who was considered a storm and fertility god. He was believed to have power over the rain, thunder, and lightning, which were essential for agricultural prosperity. And Baal was often depicted as a warrior with a thunderbolt or a spear, symbolizing his control over the forces of nature.

And how do you show someone that their fertility god who supposedly has power over the rain is useless? You dry up the rain and kill the fertility of the land and harvest. Baal was the Sidonite God. Yahweh was the Israelite God. So I guess in this case there’s both a political and partisan message - Israel should not let Sidonite influence seep in too much. But there’s an even more compelling and a bit of a complex narrative developing here in chapter 17.

You have this story of Elijah going to this widow’s house. He’s essentially running from Ahab after delivering the bad news and ends up in the land of Baal worship. He’s a foreigner and an outsider. And he goes to a widow’s house who would have been an outsider too just from her status in life. And yet Yahweh provides for both of them. The widow doesn’t have enough food to provide for her and her child, let alone to provide for some foreigner, because of the drought. But Elijah tells her that Israel’s God - Not Sidon’s God - the Lord - which is the translation of Yahweh - and not Baal - Elijah is very clear on what’s going on here. Yahweh and NOT Baal will provide for them both. He’s making a point on the Character of his God and thus the character of his people. MY God will provide for you unlike your God just as my people will care for you unlike your people.

The Ancient Hebrews hearing this story wouldn’t have missed the point that the author of Kings is making here. And if we remember back to a few weeks ago to the context in which this story is being written - that this is being compiled and written while the Jewish people were in Babylonian captivity and they were losing a sense of who they were both as a nation and as a religion, this story would serve as a reminder of who they want to be.

Don’t let this outside culture of Babylon lead us too far astray or influence us to the point that we lose sight of who we really are and to which God we belong. If we cling to God even while there’s famine, God will somehow provide for us through it and lead us to help others who may not necessarily be on the same side of us but who have been silenced and marginalized just the same. And even though we may not like and disagree with these people who are essentially oppressing us, we still have an obligation to love them, to care for them, and to raise them to new life because that’s what God does. There are almost too many layers here to unpack in one sermon.

These stories and the Bible are political in that they’re telling the people this is what our God does and therefore it’s what we as a people and a nation are to do - why we worship this God, how we’re to treat others, and where we draw our strength and hope from. That we’re to provide because God provides, we’re to care about others because God cares about others, we’re not to overlook someone just because they may not be one of us because God doesn’t overlook anyone. And if the Jewish people are going to be a nation that claims to follow this God, this is what it looks like to follow this God.

But it isn’t partisan in that the Bible isn’t going to tell us whether or not we should be Republican or Democrat. It’s not going to tell us what makes a good national policy on issues like immigration in this place and at this time - but it IS going to tell us how we should treat immigrants if we’re going to claim to be faithful to God. It isn’t going to propose what a good social safety net looks like in America, but it IS going to tell us that we have an obligation to care for people. And I just want us to be aware that as we now begin to move forward in the book of Kings - as prophets begin to bump up against and challenge monarchs and call their country to accountability - that we are going to be getting a little political because the Bible gets political - but we aren’t going to get partisan because the Bible doesn’t get partisan…

Handout

Chapter 7: This chapter focuses on the construction of King Solomon's palace and the temple in Jerusalem. It describes the details of the elaborate craftsmanship involved in building these structures.

Chapter 8: Solomon dedicates the temple to God, offering prayers and sacrifices. The presence of God fills the temple, and Solomon addresses the people, emphasizing the importance of following God's commandments.

Chapter 9: God appears to Solomon again, reaffirming the promises made to King David but also warning of the consequences of turning away from Him.

Chapter 10: The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon, impressed by his wisdom and wealth. Solomon's riches and wisdom are highlighted, and he continues to prosper.

Chapter 11: Unfortunately, Solomon's heart turns away from God as he marries foreign women who lead him into idolatry. God becomes angry and promises to divide the kingdom after Solomon's death.

Chapter 12: Solomon's son, Rehoboam, becomes king after his father's death. The people of Israel demand lighter taxes and less oppressive rule, but Rehoboam responds harshly, causing a revolt that divides the kingdom into Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom).

Chapter 13: A man of God prophesies against the idolatrous altar in Bethel and performs miraculous signs, but he disobeys God's instructions and is killed by a lion.

Chapter 14: Jeroboam becomes the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel. The chapter focuses on the sins of Jeroboam and the judgments pronounced against his house.

Chapter 15: Several kings reign over Israel and Judah, and their actions are evaluated based on their faithfulness to God. The chapter provides a historical account of the kings and their deeds.

Chapter 16: The chapter continues to describe the kings who reign over Israel and Judah, highlighting their disobedience and the consequences that follow. The chapter concludes with the introduction of King Ahab, the son of Omri. Ahab's reign is marked by extreme wickedness, as he marries Jezebel, a Phoenician princess who leads him and the nation into the worship of Baal. Ahab builds an altar to Baal in Samaria, further provoking God's anger.

Baal is an ancient deity that was worshiped by several cultures in the ancient Near East, including the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other Semitic peoples. The word "Baal" is a generic term that means "lord" or "master," and it was applied to various local manifestations of the deity in different regions.

In the Canaanite and Phoenician pantheons, Baal was considered a storm and fertility god. He was believed to have power over the rain, thunder, and lightning, which were essential for agricultural prosperity. Baal was often depicted as a warrior with a thunderbolt or a spear, symbolizing his control over the forces of nature.

Worship of Baal involved various rituals and practices, including animal sacrifices, offerings, and prayers. Sacred places such as temples, high places, or groves were dedicated to his worship. The people believed that by worshiping Baal and engaging in fertility rituals, they could secure the god's favor and ensure bountiful harvests and fertility for both crops and livestock.

Baal worship was accompanied by various immoral practices and idolatrous rituals, including temple prostitution and human sacrifices. These practices were condemned by the Israelite prophets and considered an abomination in the eyes of the God of Israel.

In the biblical narrative, Baal worship is often depicted as a major challenge to the faith and worship of the true God, Yahweh. The prophets, such as Elijah and Jeremiah, frequently confronted the worship of Baal, denouncing it as a false religion and calling the people to turn back to the worship of Yahweh alone.

Overall, Baal was a significant deity in the ancient Near East, particularly in Canaanite and Phoenician religious traditions. However, with the spread of monotheism and the rise of the Israelite faith, the worship of Baal gradually declined and was ultimately abolished in the regions influenced by biblical teachings.

Enter Elijah

The prophet Elijah is one of the prominent figures in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. His story is found primarily in the books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings. Elijah's name in Hebrew, "Eliyahu," means "My God is Yahweh," which reflects his central mission of calling the people of Israel back to the worship of the one true God.Elijah's life and ministry are marked by his unwavering commitment to the worship of Yahweh, his boldness in confronting idolatry and injustice, and his demonstrations of God's power through miracles. He serves as an inspiration and a model for faithfulness, reminding us of the importance of standing firm in our convictions and relying on God's provision and guidance in all circumstances

Elijah's background and lineage are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. He is introduced suddenly in 1 Kings 17 as a prophet from the town of Tishbe in Gilead. Elijah emerges during the reign of King Ahab of Israel, who was known for promoting idolatry and worshiping Baal..

Upon his arrival, Elijah boldly confronts King Ahab, predicting a severe drought as a consequence of the nation's idolatry. This drought lasts for three and a half years, during which time Elijah goes into hiding.