Laodicean Church
251
The message of the Lord came to Elijah to go to Ahab with the
denunciations of His judgments because of the sins of Israel. Elijah
traveled day and night until he reached the palace of Ahab. He solicited
no admission, and waited not to be formally announced. All unex-
pectedly to Ahab, Elijah stands before the astonished king of Samaria
in the coarse garments usually worn by the prophets. He makes no
apology for his abrupt appearance, without invitation; but, raising his
hands to heaven, he solemnly affirms by the living God, who made
the heavens and the earth, the judgments which would come upon
Israel: “There shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to
my word.”
This startling denunciation of God’s judgments because of the sins
of Israel fell like a thunderbolt upon the apostate king. He seemed to
be paralyzed with amazement and terror; and before he could recover
from his astonishment, Elijah, without waiting to see the effect of
his message, disappeared as suddenly as he came. His work was to
speak the word of woe from God, and he instantly withdrew. His word
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had locked up the treasures of heaven, and his word was the only key
which could open them again.
The Lord knew that there was no safety for His servant among the
children of Israel. He would not trust him with apostate Israel, but
sent him to find an asylum among a heathen nation. He directed him
to a woman who was a widow and who was in such poverty that she
could barely sustain life with the most meager fare. A heathen woman
living up to the best light she had was in a more acceptable state with
God than the widows of Israel, who had been blessed with special
privileges and great light, and yet did not live according to the light
which God had given them. As the Hebrews had rejected light, they
were left in darkness, and God would not trust His servant among His
people, who had provoked His divine anger.
Now there is an opportunity for apostate Ahab and pagan Jezebel
to test the power of their gods and to prove the word of Elijah false.
Jezebel’s prophets are numbered by hundreds. Against them all stands
Elijah, alone. His word has locked heaven. If Baal can give dew and
rain, and cause vegetation to flourish; if he can cause the brooks and
streams to flow on as usual, independent of the treasures of heaven in
the showers of rain, then let the king of Israel worship him and the
people say that he is God.