I have always loved the way the Scripture introduces people. In most cases it avoids long preambles and goes straight to the fiber of the story, giving us from the very start the light needed to know the people involved.
Thus is Elijah introduced: “And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (1 King 17:1).
This is the first time Elijah’s name is mentioned in the Bible, and right from the start we have the impression to know him.
A man standing before God
Coming from the mountains of Gilead as an unknown figure, Elijah stood before king Ahab with a message able to shake an entire nation. And he spoke it with the boldness of a prophet. There was no hesitation, no introduction, and no attempt to make it palatable. As God gave it, he communicated it to Ahab.
On that first occasion, it seems, there was little dialogue between the two men, for as soon as Elijah had expressed his God-given message the word of the Lord came to him saying:
Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan” (1 Kings 17:2).
Nothing is said about Ahab, absolutely nothing. We don’t know what he made of this hairy man who barged in with such unusual manners. All we know is that there was a man who dared to stand before a king with one of the most concise and provocative message a monarch could ever hear.
Elijah was able to stand unintimidated before Ahab because he was used to stand before Someone infinitely more impressive than an earthly king: “
As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1).
The first half of his message made the second half absolutely authoritative. Notice the present tense, not “before whom I stood” but “before whom I stand”. When Elijah spoke to Ahab he was actually standing before two kings. And you can be sure one was standing in the shadow of the Other, looking pretty small compared.
The relevant question is the following: Where do I stand? Do I stand on the periphery of a dedicated life? Did I position myself on the edge of God’s will, on the outskirts of Calvary? Am I one of those not really outside, yet not really inside? Where do I stand?
Through storms and fire
Elijah had yet to learn how difficult it would be to stand before the Lord of hosts. When He ran from Jezebel to save his life he ended up in Horeb where he went into a cave to spend the night, but soon after, the word of the Lord came to him saying:
What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 King 19:9). To that question the prophet had a ready answer: “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:10).
Now, pay attention to what the Lord tells Elijah after he heard his reply: “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord” (1 Kings 19:11). As we are about to see, Elijah was going to face the greatest challenge of his life, for as the following verses indicate, to stand before the Lord can become an all-consuming experience:
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave” (1 Kings 19:11–13).
God had asked Elijah to stand on the mountain before Him. But instead, Elijah went to hide in a cave. As we all understand, to be exposed to a wind that breaks the rocks in pieces or to earthquakes and fire is no small thing. Yet, the word of the Lord was adamant: ““Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord” (1 Kings 19:11)
Yes! “Clouds and darkness surround Him” (Psalm 97:2), and “a fire goes before Him” (Psalm 97:3). Therefore the person who wants to stand before the Lord needs grace and fortitude. He needs to be among those God has sanctified; among those who have been called to come within the fire, to that place where the status quo will not dare to penetrate.
Moses was such a man. God called him and he went within the cloud amidst thunderings and lightnings, there where the earth was quaking greatly and the smoke ascending as the smoke of a furnace. Moses went up wrapped within a mantle of grace and stood before the Lord.
Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up” (Exodus 19:16–20).
And again:
Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights” (Exodus 24:16–18).
Brethren! It is possible for a person to frequent meetings, sing songs and hymns, pray and preach, and yet remain at the foot of the mountain as to avoid any sort of interference. Such a one will stroll undisturbed and undisturbing. He will glide through life as a nice fellow and will be remembered for his self-contained ease and the nonchalance of his ways. But there are others, some of them ostracized as disturbers as the Lord was, that dwell in the midst of the fire where the glory shines forth and the Voice inflames the heart. These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.
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