LIFE OF ELIJAH

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LIFE OF ELIJAH

• Elijah was a man just like us . . .
• James 517

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Sermon Outline

• Review
• Historical Context
• Development of Apostasy
• Baalism
• The Cultural / Political Context
• New Whos causing all the trouble?
• Acknowledge the source
• Recognize the remedy

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The Historical Context

• The Monarchy 1050 930 B.C.
• Saul, David, Solomon (40 years each)
• Solomons idolatry division coming
• Jeroboam, official in Solomons reign, promises
  by God through prophet Ahijah (10 pieces).
  Solomon tries to kill him
• Solomons death son Rehoboam takes throne
• Jeroboam returns from Egypt
• People appeal for tax relief older advisers
  yes, younger advisors no.
• Rehoboam 1 Kings 12 Read my lips. . .
• People change we cant live with!
• Division of Monarchy 1 Kings 11, 12
• Jeroboam takes Northern 10 tribes
• Rehoboam - takes Judah, Benjamin

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DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM 930 BC

• 1st King Jeroboam
• Tribes 10 (Lost?)
• Capital Samaria
• Total number of kings 19
• Total Righteous Kings 0
• Year of Invasion 722 bc
• Invading nation Assyria
• Deportation, Importation
• Intermarriage, impurity
• Result Samaritan Jews
• Generational Hostility John 4
• Theology Alternative
• Center Mt. Gerazim
• Temple 400 bc, Jews destroy

• 1st King Rehoboam
• Tribes 2
• Capital Jerusalem
• Total number of kings 20
• Total righteous 8
• Year of Invasion 586 bc
• Invading nation Babylon
• 70 years of exile (Sabbath)
• 50,000 return under Ezra, Nehemiah, rebuild walls
  etc.
• Result purified people
• Theology Synagogue
• No animal sacrifices

• NORTHERN KINGDOM ISRAEL

• SOUTHERN KINGDOM
• JUDAH

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Development of Northern Apostasy Apo (from)
Stasy (place, stand). 930 850 BC

• Jeroboam I false worship of the true God
• Institution of forbidden Calf Idols (2nd
  commandment)
• Two new unauthorized worship centers (top,
  bottom)
• Built unlawful shrines on high places (groves of
  trees)
• Change Feast month (parallel, but not linked to
  history)
• Non-Levitical Priests (anyone with money)
• Built unauthorized altar at Bethel, offered
  non-jurisdictionally permitted sacrifices (1
  Kings 13)
• God condemns his actions 23 times in the OT
• Kings Nadab, Elah, Omri, Baasha, Zimri
  slippery slope
• Ahab 1 Kings 1629 34 (850 BC)
• official state sponsored worship of idols
• marriage to Canaanite wife

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Baalisms Destructiveness Gods Warning

• God of thunder, fire, weather
• Required sacrifice of children (ones seed) to
  guarantee the future fertility of family, flocks,
  and fields (who is sovereign?)
• Archeology Baal worship area 20,000 infants
  burned. Dt. 1229 - 31
• Immoral worship practices ritual prostitution
• Israels early compromise and Gods judgment
  Numbers 251 5 1 Corinthians 108.
• Gods promise and warning to second generation
  Dt. 712 16 to Judah Micah 65
• Gods plan eliminate the awful evil from His
  land (Canaan), demonstrate His wisdom, and
  preserve a seed for His anointed One

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The Cultural / Political Context

• The general apostasy of Palace, Priest, People
• Purpose of a Prophet to tell the future?
• Return to the Covenant repentance, renewal
• Entrance of Elijah to turn hearts back to God
• Announcement to Ahab no rain promise based
  prayer, covenant conditions.
• Elijah sent Cherith, Zarephath
• Elijah returns after 3 ½ years sets up
  confrontation with the people, priest, palace
• What is the significance of the confrontation on
  Mt. Carmel?

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Turning Hearts Truth and Grace

• Acknowledgement of the true source of trouble
• Ahab whole royal family forsaken God and
  sponsoring idolatry thats the source.
• First casualty in war Truth.
• First casualty in the first war truth about
  God John 844. False prophets worse than real
  weapons
• Elijah praying? To a long since rejected God?
  How can that be causing trouble? Answer God
  keeping His promises!
• Blindness of idolatry if Baal is real, how
  could Elijah be the source of trouble?
• People must decide Who is God?
• Contest rules no possible fraud

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Turning Hearts Truth and Grace

• Acknowledgement of Grace reaching out
• 12 stones entire nation, not just Israel
• Irony / Ridicule appropriate for pretentious
  falsehood and serious discourse E.g. Jonathan
  Swift
• Prayer is a pleading for God to be seen it is
  not about Elijahs reputation
• Amazing miracle is not an attestation to Elijah
  as shaman, but as covenant mediator message!
• Elijah is not trying to turn back the clock,
  and God is trying to recapture the hearts of the
  people, for He keeps His promises and commitment
  to the relationship established at Sinai 600
  years prior!

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Modern Parallels

• Truth
• Maintain the historic orthodox doctrines
  exclusiveness of Gods voluntary self-disclosure
  through scripture Matthew 2029
• Maintain the holiness of God, the depth of sin,
  and the gospel of Jesus as only means of
  reconciliation
• Remember the history of incremental apostasy
  development, and watch for new false prophets
  Acts 2028-30
• Seek Gods courage to walk in the truth 3 John
  4 John 1837
• Encourage and admonish others James 521

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Modern Parallels

• Grace
• Give God all our affections Revelation 33
• Maintain love in all relationships, especially in
  the church 2 Cor. 211 Eph. 427
• Ask God to break patterns of lie based emotions
  that cause trouble
• Practice promise based prayer for all people and
  situations

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Application

• Relationship to the Lords supper
• 1 Cor.1014 -22 1127 32
• Great Awakening beginning in New Jersey
  Theodore Frelinghuysen
• Am I convinced of the Lordship of Christ
  objectively truth?
• What is God doing to turn my mind to Him?
• Am I submitted to the Lordship of Christ
  subjectively grace?
• What is God using to turn my affections to Him?