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AreWeDestinedtoRepeatthePast?AMessageforChristians

“Smackdown”onMountCarmel

Elijah’sStatueatMountCarmel,IsraelPhototakenbyDavidRichardsonJune11,2014

ThispaperisdirectedtowardacknowledgedandprofessedChristians,butnonbelieverscanalsobenefitfromthemessage.Myhopeisthatyouwillbecomeabeliever.Then,acknowledgeyourweaknesses,andfindsolaceinChrist.TheaccountofElijahonMountCarmelisastoryofencouragementinthefaceofinsurmountableodds.Elijah’sexperienceoffaithandstick-to-it-tivenesstothewillofGodoccurredaroundtwenty-ninecenturiesagoinaspecialplaceataspecialtime.Theplacelooksunassuming,buttheeventthattranspiredontheplateauoftheMountainreverberatesthroughoutthecenturies.ItwasonMountCarmelthatIsraelreneweditsfaithinamightyGod.ItwasonMountCarmelthatIsraelrealizedtheinjusticesthatwereperpetratedonGod’speopleandHisprophets.ItwasonMountCarmelthatGod’speoplehadtofacetheirfearsandmakeadecisionbetweenrightandwrong.ItwasonMountCarmelthatElijahdisplayedhisgreatestcourage.WeneedanElijahexperienceinordertofortifyourcourage,andtostandfortherightregardlessofworldevents,andtomaketherightdecisiontodealwithallmenandwomenequitablywithoutprejudicetotheir“race,creed,orcolor.”

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MountCarmel,Israel PhototakenbyDavidRichardsonJune11,2014PrejudiceandinjusticewererampantinIsraelduringElijah’stenureasaprophet.ThingsgotsobadforElijahthathehadtofleeforhislife.Hiscolleaguesweremurdered,becausetheystoodfirmfortheirbeliefs.Theywereexterminated,becauseoftheirfaithandbecausetheylookedandacteddifferently.Almost3,000yearslater,wearefacedwithsimilarproblemsofintoleranceandinjusticetowardothers.Whathavewelearnedsinceantiquity?Arewedestinedtofallintothesamepitfallsofprejudiceandinjusticeforthedurationofhumanexistence?Recently,IheardaboutanincidenceatafundamentalistChristiancollegelocatedinTennesseewhereafewwhitestudentsmadedisparagingremarksaboutBlackAmericansduringBlackHistorymonth.Thesestudentsallegedlyusedthe“N”wordduringconversationsontheanonymous“YikYak”gossipapp,andthoseconversationswerenotuniquetothatcollege.Howlongcanhumanityexistwithprejudiceandinjusticetowardourfellowbrothersandsisters?Atleast,onthesurface,itappearsasifournation,itspeoples,andourchurcheshavechangedtheirnegativeattitudestowardminorities,buttherearesomepeoplewhostillharborprejudiceintheirhearts.ThishasbecomeapparentduringtheRepublicanpresidentialcampaigns.OneRepublicanPresidentialAspirant’scampaignralliesencouragedviolencetowardminoritiesandpeoplewhocriticizedthecampaigns’platforms.ThissameAspiranthasmadedisparagingcommentstowardwomenandMoslems.Thisisthefirsttimeinthehistoryofournationthatoneofthefrontrunnerforthisnation’stoppoliticalpostissomeonewhoincitesriotsanddiscourse.It’sproblematicforapresidentialhopefultousewordslike“wecouldhaveriots”ifIam100delegatesshortofthenominationanddon’tgetit.Also,itispuzzlingtohaveabrilliantretiredsurgeonandaformerminoritypresidentialaspirantendorseanindividualwhoincitesviolence,encourageswallsofseparation,andespousesprejudicialbehavior.

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ThepeopleofthisnationneedtostandasElijahstoodalonewithhisfaithagainstthepriestsofBaal.Ahab,kingofIsraelfor22years,didmoreevilinthesightofGodthanthesixkingswhoprecededhim(1Kings16:25).Arewepositioningournationinasimilarmanner?AhabwasmarriedtoJezebelwholedtheIsraelitesintotheworshipofBaal.HeconstructedaltarsandworshippedBaal,andmadeAsherahpoles.HeprovokedGod’sangermorethananymanbeforehim(1kings16:31-32).AhabcalledElijah,theTishbite,a“troublerofIsrael,”becauseElijahdeclaredthat“AstheGodofIsrael,lives,whomIserve,therewillbeneitherdewnorraininthenextfewyearsexceptatmyword.”Iguess,bytoday’sstandards,Ahab’sactionscouldbecomparedtotwentiethcenturypersonageslikeJimJonesorDavidKoresh.Strongpersonalitieswhodirectedpeopledownthewrongpaths,andpointedpeopleawayfromGod.Thesepeopledistortedthetruth,ledpeopleintoidolatry,andencouragedpeopletomisunderstandandmisinterpretGod’sWord.ThesepeoplegaveGodabadname.Isournationheadeddownthesamepathway?

GodsentElijahtoAhabwithamessage,“YouhaveabandonedtheLord’scommands,andhavefollowedtheBaals(1Kings18:18).”AhabdiminishedGodandaccentuatedBaal.AhabrejectedGod’smessage,becausehethoughtthatElijahhad“toomuchGod,”but,inreality,Ahabandhisentouragehad“toolittleGod.”Isthatthecasewithournationtoday?WeliftouridolshighaboveGod.Idolslikecareers,money,property,andpersonalpossessions.Thereisnothingwrongwiththesethings,butwhentheyareaboveGod,thentheybecomeourgods…andGodsaid,“Thoushalthavenoothergodsbeforeme.”ThisisHisfirstcommandmentspokenbyHimandwrittenontabletsofstone.Likemanyofustoday,AhababandonedGodforworthlessgods!Isournationheadeddownthesamepathway?

WhenthepeoplereachedMountCarmel,Elijahaskedanimportantquestion,“Howlongwillyouwaiverbetweentwoopinions?“Thatquestionisrelevantforallofustoday!SomanypeopledonotknowwheretheystandwithGod,andtheiractionsofprejudiceandinjusticeareindicativeoftheirlostsouls.Theworldisrepletewithonegroupexhibitinginjusticesorunfairpracticestowardanothergroupofpeople.

Wedesiretoliveinarelativelycomfortableandsafeenvironment,buttherealityofworldeventsputsusinanuncomfortableandtenuousenvironmentwhetherweareinthecountryorwhetherwearetravelingoutsidethecountry.Itisamazinghowourpeaceandtranquilityhavebeendisrupted.Wearefacedwithissuesofstarvation,contaminateddrinkingwater,increasepoverty,downgradedlifestyles,andunknowndangersintheworkplace.Thecountryneedsaleaderwhocanaddressthesecriticalissuesaswellashavetheabilitytoamicablynegotiatewiththeleadersofdevelopedanddevelopingnations.

Itseemsliketheentireplanetisinastateoffear.ThisisaperfectconditionforencouragingpeopletobelievejustaboutanythingundertheguiseofChristianity!

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Lookaroundyourneighborhoods,andyouwillseethatpeoplearestandingonthefringesofhereticalbeliefsratherthanembracingthetruthsthatareclearlydelineatedintheBible.Onceweembracefalsehoods,thenwehavedifficultyfacingGod.GodsaidinExodus19:21“…chargethepeople,lesttheybreakthroughuntotheLordtogaze,andmanyofthemperish.”Theywouldperish,becauseintheirsinfulstates,theycouldnotlookupontheLordandlive.Withtherampantsinsoftheworldtoday,wecouldn’tlookuponthefaceoftheLordandlive.“Andhesaid,thoucanstnotseemyface:forthereshallnomanseeme,andlive(Exodus33:20).”ButChristisouridentifyingentity.HewastheGodwhowaswithIsraelandtheGodwhoidentifiedwithhumanity.Atestimonytothatfactcanbefoundin1Corinthians10:1-4,“ForIdonotwantyoutobeignorantofthefact,brothersandsisters,thatourancestorswereallunderthecloudandthattheyallpassedthroughthesea.TheywereallbaptizedintoMosesinthecloudandinthesea.Theyallatethesamespiritualfoodanddrankthesamespiritualdrink;fortheydrankfromthespiritualrockthataccompaniedthem,andthatrockwasChrist.”

IthinkifElijahwereheretoday,hewouldhaveplentytosayaboutourspiritualdecadenceandtheconditionoftheworld.HecertainlyhadplentytosaytoAhab,toIsrael,totheprophetsofBaal,andtotheprophetsofAsherah,becausetheymadeachoicetobreakGod’sfirstcommandmentwrittenwithHisfingerontabletsofstone.Exodus31:18“AndhegaveuntoMoses,whenhehadmadeanendofcommuningwithhimuponMountSinai,twotablesoftestimony,tablesofstone,writtenwiththefingerofGod.”Deut9:10“AndtheLORDdelivereduntometwotablesofstonewrittenwiththefingerofGod;andonthemwaswrittenaccordingtoallthewords,whichtheLORDspakewithyouinthemountoutofthemidstofthefireinthedayoftheassembly.”

AncientIsraelwaspopulatedwithwaveringpeoplewhowereeasilyinfluencedbytheirleader.SimilartotheancientIsrael,peopletodayarewaveringandeasilyinfluenced.Wearewanderers,wavers,andwobblers,becausewe“stumbleinthewaysoftheLord(Hosea14:9).”Unlikethecontemporarychurch,IsraelhadseenthedeliveranceofGod,buttheyhadfollowedthepathofleastresistancethatledtoidolworship.TheyfollowedJezebel’sgod,becausetheyhadwanderedsofarfromGod.Also,canitbesaidthatwearewanderingsofarfromGodthatwecannotseetheenlightenmentJesuspresentedinHissermononamountainoverlookingtheSeaofGallileeandCapernaum.Onthatmountain,Jesusblessedthespirituallyheartbroken,thosewhomourntheirlosses,themeek,thehungry,themerciful,thepureinheart,thepeacemakers,andthosepersecutedforrighteousness.So,howcanweimagineourselvestobeinoppositiontowhatJesuspreached?ArewedifferentfromthePhariseesorSadduceeswhoviolentlyopposedChrist?DowecrucifyChristanewbyourhatefulattitudesandactsofinjusticebecauseofthecolorofaman’sskin?

Elijahpresentstwooptions,”FollowGodorfollowSatan.”WehavethesameoptionstodaychoosefreedominChristorchoosedeathwithSatan.WhenIsraelheardElijah’soptions,thepeopleweresilent!Didtheyrealizethatthiswastheultimate

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“smackdown”betweenGodandBaal?So,theywatchedinaweasElijahchallengedthepriestsofBaalrightinGod’sVineyard-MountCarmel.Thiswasthefinalcountdown!TheIsraelitesaresummonedtotheMountaintomeetwithGod.Apparently,throughtheirsilence,they,atleast,madeadecisiontoobservewhatwouldtranspire.InadditiontothepeopleofIsrael,Elijahinvited850prophets(450prophetsofBaaland400prophetsofAsherah).Hesaystothem,“IamtheonlyoneoftheLord’sprophetsleft”inIsrael,becauseJezebelhadtheotherprophetskilled.Hesaid,“Gettwobullsforus.LetBaalsprophetschooseoneforthemselves,andletthemcutitintopiecesandputitonthewoodbutnotsetfireonit.”“Iwillpreparetheotherbullandputitonthewoodbutnotsetfiretoit.”“Thenyoucallonthenameofyourgod,andIwillcallonthenameoftheLORD.Thegodwhoanswersbyfire—heisGod…”ThestoryoftheprophetsofBaalendsindisappointment.Theycutthemselvesandtheyshout,butnothinghappens.“…theprophetElijahsteppedforwardandprayed:“LORD,theGodofAbraham,IsaacandIsrael,letitbeknowntodaythatyouareGodinIsraelandthatIamyourservantandhavedoneallthesethingsatyourcommand…”“ThenthefireoftheLORDfellandburnedupthesacrifice,thewood,thestonesandthesoil,andalsolickedupthewaterinthetrench.”Elijahproposedarelativelysimplechallenge-onethatYahwehcouldn’tresist…”thegodwhoanswersbyfire,heisGod.”AndHespokewithamightyfieryvoice…Histongueofflameslickeduptheentirewater-soakedsacrificeincludingthewood,thestones,thedust,andthewaterinthetrench.

Elijah’sexperiencecanbeourexperienceifwedonotbreaktherelationshipbetweenYeshuaandus?WecanstandstrongandconfidentwhenfacedwiththeevilsofBaalifwestayconnectedtothevaluesthatmadethisnationstrong.Butweneedtoaskseveralquestions.Isournationinspiritualdespair,andinneedofanElijahexperience?DoweneedtheHolySpirittoworkuponourheartsandallowustohavea“smackdown”sessionwithourmetaphoricalBaals?Israelsaid,“HeisourGod…HealoneisGod…LetusworshipandadorealivingGod,andworshiphimonly.Let’sthrowawayourBaals,andturnagaintotheLivingGod.Isthistheexperienceweneedinthisgreatnation?Doweneedtoreturntothevaluesthatbuiltthiscountry?“Donotletyourheartsbetroubled.YoubelieveinGod;believealsoinme.(John14:1)”LikethepeopleofIsrael,letusproclaim,“TheLORD,heistheGod…”Thisnationhaswanderedfarfromhome,butnowweneedtocomehome!“ThepathsofsintoolongWe’vetrod,Lord,We‘recominghome.Cominghome,Nevermoretoroam;OpenwideThinearmsoflove;Lord,We’recominghome.”Let’sgetbacktoourforeparents’Christianvalues.Menandwomenwithpurpose

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andhearthavemadeourcountrygreat.Thegreatestwantofournationnowis“men[andwomen]whowillnotbeboughtorsold;men[andwomen]whointheirinmostsoulsaretrueandhonest;men[andwomen]whodonotfeartocallsinbyitsrightname;men[andwomen]whoseconscienceisastruetodutyastheneedletothepole;men[andwomen]whowillstandfortherightthoughtheheavensfall.”Letthesevaluesre-establishedourgreatnation.Don’tletprejudicedirectourpathways,don’tletgreedandavaricebethepathwaystoourdestiny.Don’tletinjusticebeourmotivationforexistence.Don’tletourpathwayberedirectedtoaformerpathwayofdisgrace,degradation,anddestruction.Letnotourheartsbetroubled,ifwebelieveinGod,wewill“dotherightthing.”Let’sletgoofourprejudices,let’sletgoofourinjusticestowardothers,let’sletgoofunfairpracticestowardpeoplewhodon’tpracticeourreligionorwhodon’tlooklikeus,andletGodtakecontrol.Heavenisonlyobtainedbythepureinheart.Ifwedonotdropourvileprejudicialthoughtsagainstotherraces,ethnicities,religions,gender,visibledisabilities,poverty,sexualorientation,andnativism,thenourdestinyislimitedtothehereandnow,andthehereafterisnotinourfuture.Let’swalkthatingenuouspaththattreatsallcultures,ethnicities,andraceswithrespectanddignity.Let’snotpositionournationwherewewillbecomeanationthatturnsitsbackonjustice;thatembracesprejudicetowarditscitizens;thathasalackofconcernforthepoorandindigent;andespousesfaithlessvalues.