Ice-breaker: May Lee
Lesson: When we talk a lot / distracted during prayer, then we do not hear God’s quiet voice talking to us.

Worship: Colin

Word: Adrian Langat

We had an interesting & deep discussion, where different people shared their perspective, cross-referencing with different characters in the Bible.

Bible verse: 1 Kings 19:1-8
Background: Israelites were worshipping idols – god of Baal. There was a test between Baal’s priests & Elijah (God’s prophet).

1 Kings 18:24
Elijah said, “Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God."
There was no answer from Baal. But God answered Elijah’s prayer with fire (a miracle) (v 36-38).

Then Elijah commanded the people to slaughter the priests of Baal.
When Queen Jezebel got to know about this, she sent a messenger to Elijah saying that she will kill him. Elijah’s response was to run for his life & wanting to die.

In chapter 19,
Verse 9 – God/ Holy Spirit asked him “What r u doing here, Elijah?”
Verse 13 – same question “What r u doing here?”
- implies that he wasn’t supposed to be there. That he shouldn’t have run for this life.
Verse 11 – God asked him to “Go out & stand on d mountain in d presence of God”.

Why did he run away?
Possibly fear / survival instincts,…,
He thought he was the only believer left (alive).
Why didn’t he call down fire to kill Jezebel?

This shows that he was just a normal man, like us.
Each of us would have high times – enjoy God’s blessings, storehouse overflowing… & also low times – question that “Is God there?” & thinking that “I m the only one left” – but that is untrue.

Where did Eliah run to? Mount Horeb
What is d significance of this place?
Exodus 3:1 Mount Horeb = Mountain of God
Place where God revealed Himself to Moses as a burning bush.


God’s revelation of Himself was in this order:
1) strong wind (God’s power)
2) earthquake (God’s power)
3) fire (God’s judgment)
4) still small voice

The first 3 things – the wind, earthquake & fire was a demonstration of God’s power & judgment, but God’ presence was not in them.
Therefore
God’s Power (miracles & works) is NOT God’s Presence

Application:
We sometimes think that we are the only one who r going thru hardships, … feel defeated…
What we need to is to get away like Jesus – go to a quiet place to be in God’s presence.
When Elijah died to himself/ humbled himself & repented b4 God, God revealed Himself to him.

Other people’s comments:

Joanne:
- Elijah’s action of taunting Baal’s followers – showed his character flaw
– his carnal nature, not like Jesus.

- Peter denied Jesus 3 times.
- Bcos he was human after all
- Later, when Peter repented, then God gave him the faith to preach to the people,
even though was put into prison, persecuted,…

- Better to ask God – is this the right thing to do?
(Like what Freeda Bowers has shared in her sermon – ask God, “What is the question?” & pray according to God’s will, not based on our own understanding, what we know, what we think is best…

Vernon:
Elijah’s history – is a roller-coaster ride of God’s miracles & wonders.
He relied a lot of God’s power.
He was disheartened & disappointed with the series of events – Queen Jezebel hunting & wanting to kill him.
Problem – his pride, thinking that he did things on his own, & not God using him.

Jonah – run away, did not obey God’ calling for him to preach, & later got swallowed by a whale (big fish) for 3 days & 3 nights.
His heart was not right. When he repented, that was when God saved him.


Q: Would it be different if Elijah had God’s presence
– would he still have run away?
A: Yes, bcos survival instincts.
A: Yes, bcos he believed that he was the only believer left alive
A: Depends – on his faith level. “Can God save me?” or “Will God save me?”

Colin:
Luke 9:51 A Samaritan Village Rejects the Savior

And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Q: There seems to be a contradiction between the Old Testament & the New Testament – Didn’t God love the people (non-believers) during the Old Testament times?
E.g. in killing the Amalekites, Jebusites,…., wiping out the city of Sodom & Gomorrah,….

Rachel:
New Testament also – Acts 5:1-10 Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead bcos they lied to God about the money they got from selling a piece of land.


Adrian:
Old Testament – God cleanse anything that was unholy
- showed that God’s tolerance for sin was very low.
- E.g. the sinful cities of Sodom & Gomorrah
- There are rules & consequences

Colin:
God’s last resort = to kill
God’s grace comes first, if they ppl reject it, then only will He do that.
Jonah 3: 4-5, 10 Jonah proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

Therefore when the Ninevites repented, God did not kill them as their sins deserved.

It was not the merit of Israelites that God chose them to receive the blessings of land,… but it was because of the other people’s wickedness.. So that God may use the Israelites as an example to show to the other nations of God’s special favor upon them.

Additional:
From Colin’s NKJV Bible:
Commentary: God Does make the Difference

God will not deal with us in the same way He deals with the world.
Exodus 8:23, 9:26, 10:23,
23 I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.”
26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail
23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

We can rely on the blood of Jesus to protect us from overwhelming evil
1 Peter 1:18, 19
knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

as we honor God’s holiness in our living for Him.
To read further Commentaries on this go to:
http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/?action=getCommentaryText&cid=68&source=2&seq=i.67.1.4


Difference between Elijah’s time & our time now: -

Elijah’s time
- He had to run back to the place, where God’s presence was

Our time now
- We have the Holy Spirit within us
- We have Jesus interceding for us
- When Jesus died for our sins, the veil was torn
& hence we can communicate directly with God.

Lesson:
Important to have a Quiet Time with God
- to be strengthen, to be comforted & encouraged, so that we can continue to do good works for God.