~ Reversing the Cursing ~
THREE YEARS OF THE CURSE of drought on the land has created famine. Neither man nor beast has had the comfort and security of a stable food supply, nor drinking water. This has brought the people, metaphorically, to their knees, from king to servant and everyone in-between. And, it has peeled back the veneer between earth and sky, men and gods. The battle of the gods in the realm above is over, and standing victorious is only Yahweh, who towers above the imagined gods of the Amalekites and Canaanites. And that battle won, “Then Elijah commanded them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!’ They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.” (1 Kings 18:40)
In the fiery battle of the gods, only the four hundred fifty worshipers of Baal are named; earlier, named with them, were the four hundred prophets of Asherah. It is probable that all eight hundred fifty were killed in the valley, their blood leaching into the soil, their bodies decomposing, not worthy of burial. It is not the first time blood has been spilled here, nor will it be the last. In the time of Deborah, a great battle was fought here, with Israel victorious. In a future time, the armies of the battle of Armageddon will assemble here. It is interesting to note that the Kishon river is the most polluted river in all of Israel, and it is tempting to link its bloody history with such thoughts. Curses are powerful, and some are very long-lasting.
In the aftermath of the battle, a different relationship begins, at least temporarily, between Elijah and Ahab. The king, once seeking the death of Elijah, is at the very least looking at him differently after watching the massive slaughter of his wife’s retinue of prophets. Elijah speaks to him. “‘Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.’ So Ahab went off to eat and drink.” (1 Kings 18:41) Perhaps this is a celebration; there had been drought, and famine; now a time of plenty is coming. The king is the first to enjoy this thought.
Elijah, however, “Climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. ‘Go and look toward the sea,’ he told his servant. And he went up and looked.” (1 Kings 18:42-43a) It would take significant time for Elijah to make the journey to the top of Mt. Carmel from the valley below. There is no way to know if this is the day following the battle of the gods, or two days, but certainly no more than that. And, it is day-time; the servant can see from Mt. Carmel across the Jezreel Valley and the Plains of Har-Megiddo all the way to the Mediterranean Ocean. “‘There is nothing there,’ he said.” (1 Kings 18:43b)
The prophet, with his head still buried between his knees in prayer, tells the servant to go back and look again. Elijah is waiting on God, not anxiously, but simply to make sure of God’s timing for the fulfillment of the promise of rain. Seven times he patiently tells the servant to back and look again, as he merely waits for what he knows is coming. The seventh time, the servant returns and says, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” (1 Kings 18:44a) The prophet then immediately tells him, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” (1 Kings 18:44b)
Elijah still waits. And at last the sky changes. “Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.” (1 Kings 18:45) Elijah begins to move, led of the LORD. “The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.” (1 Kings 18:46) In our mind’s eye we see Ahab in his chariot, his driver lashing the horses, some sticky mud beginning to fly away from the wheels. The king’s face is turned upward, reveling in the rain as it pelts his face and splatters across his tunic, beginning to soak him. The drought is over! The famine will soon be over, and the next year will be a time of bounty. The worried voices in the kingdom will stabilize, and his own life will become peaceful once again.
There is no mistaking the message; whatever good is occurring in the kingdom, however people view the leadership of Ahab, it is God’s prophet who supernaturally runs in front of the speeding chariot, and it is God who is glorified as the much-needed rain soaks into the fertile soils of Israel.
In the worst of times, it is imperative that people believe and know and follow the purposes of God, never giving up the hope of a blessing to come. In the best of times, it is vitally important that people not become too comfortable, and lose sight of the God who makes such times possible. At all times, it is crucial that people know that this world is highly changeable, that life is actually rather short, and that God is sovereign over all. David writes, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psa. 37:4) Solomon, after a long life of many difficult trials, writes, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them.’” (Ecc. 12:1)
Between youth and old age, fortunate is the person who always recognizes the true God. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord.” (Psa. 1:1-2)
Q. Just how dependent are the blessings of my life upon God’s watchcare, and what is my obligation in this relationship?
Leave a Reply