Lessons Learned from Elijah and Obadiah

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Lessons Learned from Elijah and Obadiah

• 1 Kings 181-16

Sculpture of Elijah on top of Mt. Carmel in Israel
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The Prophet Elijah

• Among the greatest of the prophets
• Appeared with Moses at Jesus transforma-tion
  (cf. Mt. 171-13)
• Great signs accompanied his ministry (Drought,
  Ravens, Oil and Flour, Fire from Heaven)

• Note a man with a nature like ours, and he
  prayed earnestly (cf. James 516)
• Austere man, and straightforward in dealing with
  the sin he witnessed (1 Kings 1818 1827
  2120-24)

3
1 Kings 1818

• And he answered, I have not
  troubled Israel, but you and your
  father's house have, in that you have
  forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have
  followed the Baals.
• To King Ahab, when accused by the King.

4
1 Kings 1827

• And so it was, at noon, that
  Elijah mocked them and said,
  "Cry aloud, for he is a god either he is
  meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey,
  or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.
• Mocking the prophets of Baal onMt. Carmel

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1 Kings 2120-24

• So Ahab said to Elijah, Have you found
  me, O my enemy? And he answered,
  I have found you, because you
  have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the
  LORD 21 Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I
  will take away your posterity, and will cut off
  from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and
  free. 22 I will make your house like the house of
  Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of
  Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the
  provocation with which you have provoked Me to
  anger, and made Israel sin. 23 And concerning
  Jezebel the LORD also spoke, saying, The dogs
  shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 The
  dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies
  in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat
  whoever dies in the field.

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1 Kings 2119

• You shall speak to him, saying,
  Thus says the LORD Have you
  murdered and also taken possession?
  And you shall speak to him, saying, Thus says
  the LORD In the place where dogs licked the
  blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even
  yours.
• We know his plain speech was appropriate, because
  they were words from God Himself

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Obadiah The servant of Ahab God

• In charge of Ahabs house (183)
• There was a limit to Obadiahs faithfulness to
  Ahab (Thwarted Jezebels attempt to kill all of
  Jehovahs prophets, by hiding 100 of them in
  caves). (3-4)

• Lesson 1 Obadiahs (and our) primary allegiance
  is to God! (Acts 527b-29)

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Acts 527-29

• ... And the high priest asked them,
  saying, Did we not strictly command
  you not to teach in this name? And
  look, you have filled Jerusalem with your
  doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on
  us! 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered
  and said We ought to obey God rather than men.
• Shadrach, Meshach Abed-Nego refused to bow down
  to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 314-15)
• Daniel continued to pray (and prospered) despite
  King Darius prohibition (Dan. 628)

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Obadiah The servant of Ahab God

• In charge of Ahabs house (183)
• There was a limit to Obadiahs faithfulness to
  Ahab (Thwarted Jezebels attempt to kill all of
  Jehovahs prophets, by hiding 100 of them in
  caves). (3-4)

• Lesson 1 Obadiahs (and our) primary allegiance
  is to God! (Acts 527b-29)
• Lesson 2 Entangle-ments with the world do not
  make us worldly, if we maintain personal
  righteousness (1 Cor-inthians 59-10)

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1 Corinthians 59-10

• I wrote to you in my epistle not to
  keep company with sexually immoral
  people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean
  with the sexually immoral people of this world,
  or with the covetous, or extortioners, or
  idolaters, since then you would need to go out of
  the world.
• Pay Taxes to evil government
  (Romans 131-7)
• Provide for family (even if, as Obadiah, our
  employer is ungodly (1 Timothy 58)
• Avoid sinning brethren (1 Corinthians 511)

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Observations from the Conversation

• Obadiah was respectful of the great prophet
  (187) (Some are worthy of special respect 1
  Tim. 51 Heb. 1317 Gal. 66)

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1 Timothy 51

• Do not rebuke an older man,
  but exhort him as a father,
  younger men as brothers.
• Those who are our elders are deserving of great
  respect and honor. They are to be treated with
  dignity.

13
Hebrews 1317

• Obey those who rule over you,
  and be submissive, for they watch
  out for your souls, as those who must give
  account. Let them do so with joy and not with
  grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
• The elders of our local congregation are
  deserving of great respect.

14
Galatians 66

• Let him who is taught the
  word share in all good things with
  him who teaches.
• Those who instruct us in the word should receive
  special consideration as well.

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Observations from the Conversation

• Obadiah was respectful of the great prophet
  (187) (Some are worthy of special respect 1
  Tim. 51 Heb. 1317 Gal. 66)
• Elijah accepted Obadiahs testimony of his
  faithfulness (1812-13) (Be careful when judging
  another Rom. 103)

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Romans 103

• For they being ignorant of
  God's righteousness, and seeking
  to establish their own righteousness, have not
  submitted to the righteousness of God.
• One only has to raise himself to Gods standards,
  not mans. To his own master he stands or
  falls (Romans 144).

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Observations from the Conversation

• Obadiah was respectful of the great prophet
  (187) (Some are worthy of special respect 1
  Tim. 51 Heb. 1317 Gal. 66)
• Elijah accepted Obadiahs testimony of his
  faithfulness (1812-13) (Be careful when judging
  another Rom. 103)

• Obadiah did not compromise! (1812) (No man can
  appeal to Obadiah as an example of compro-mise
  with sin!)
• Elijah showed great courage (181, 18)
  (Preachers, elders stand at the battle front
  should be encouraged.)

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Is There Room in the Kingdom?

• The Elijahs of our day are heavily criticized.
• However, they are righteous servants.
• True Elijahs are not
• Sectarians
• Prideful
• Lacking in personal integrity
• Improperly motivated

• Some Obadiahs are criticized as well.
• They too are righteous servants
• True Obadiahs are not
• Sectarians
• Prideful
• Compromisers, fellowshipping errorists
• Compromisers with the world

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Conclusion

• We are not all the same.
• However, we all, despite different temperaments
  and different positions, can be faithful to God.
• If one is faithful, he should be respected by all
  his brethren. This is necessary for the unity
  demanded by our Lord!