God Rules

1 Kings 18:36-37 (NIV)

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’

A few months ago, our wonderful 'church-planting curate', Katie Stock, came to speak at Gas Street Academy about the five-fold model of ministry: in Ephesians 4 the Body of Christ is described being made up of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. In outlining the role of prophets, Katie described them as ‘guardians of the covenant relationship God has with his people’. Their role, was to maintain loyalty and faithfulness to God in seasons, narrated in the Old Testament, when the people of God had wandered from his ways. 

This perfectly describes what Elijah was doing in his confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. (See chapter 18:16-39.) This entire spectacle provided a confident display of whose God really held power. Elijah knew what the people had forgotten: that, in the world, darkness and weakness masquerade as light and strength. 

In our time, the idols of our world threaten to steal the attention, and consequently the worship, of the people of God (us!) The God-inspired prophets of today (song-writers among them) point us back to true worship of him alone. We need more prophets in the Church speaking and singing out words of truth!

Elijah reminds us that God and only God is all powerful. Today's 'prophets of Baal' - success, fame, riches, even self-loathing - will make a loud noise in our ears but ultimately they amount to nothing. Alert and with a discerning spirit, Elijah was not drawn into these competing desires. Nor should we be!

Reflect— Why not take some time today to repent of where you have worshipped idols instead of God. Surrender those broken desires to God and remind your heart of who God is.