This is the Day

I guess from a Christian point of view today is fraught with peril. Even in the Western World being a Protestant Christian is not the peaceful existence that it was fifty years ago. With the passing of the Great Generation and the general falling away from Christianity many Churches have closed their doors. Liberalism has spread through what is left and repentance is no longer proclaimed as a part of the gospel as it once was.

 

I don't know if you're familiar with the account in the book of Kings in the Bible of the time when the prophet Elijah stood against the prophets of Baal and their queen Jezebel (1 Kings 18). The wicked queen Jezebel had murdered the prophets of the Lord except for one hundred that Obadiah, the kings servant, had hidden away fifty to a cave and fed there.
 

Elijah told Obadiah to  tell King Ahab that he would meet with him. He instructed the King to bring all of the prophets of Baal and Asherah to Mount Carmel. He had them prepare a sacrifice of a bull and place it on an alter to Baal and put no fire under it. Baal was to light the fire to make the sacrifice. The prophets of Baal cried out to their God until the evening and no one heard their pleas nor took notice of them.

Elijah had the people rebuild the alter to the Lord and placed the sacrifice of a bull on the alter and at his instruction dig trenches around the alter and pour water over the sacrifice three times. He prayed that the God of Abraham and Isaac would show that he was the God of Israel that day. Fire came down and consumed the offering and alter and lapped at the water. Elijah told the people to capture the prophets of Baal and Asherah and they were all executed then and there.

 

He then prayed for rain upon the land as there had been a drought for three and a half years as Elijah had asked God to hold back the rain at the beginning of that time. God answered Elijah and he sent rain upon the land. Immediately following this huge victory given by God against the forces of evil. Jezebel threatened Elijah's life and in a very human way he panicked and ran away to hide.

And here we are in the present day again. So what can we take from this recount of Elijah's works on behalf of the Living God - Yahweh and apply to our lives? Well God was with Elijah throughout this three and one half year battle for the hearts and minds of the people of Israel. He protected him and at the end gave him a resounding victory over Baal and Asherah. Baal worshippers sacrificed their babies to a brass image of Baal by laying them on the heated arms of the image which were heated until they glowed red or placed in an oven within the image.

 We live in a time when evil is on the rise and we are as a population being seduced to abandon God and to do the bidding of governments that claim to be scientific and godless but who in reality are bringing into being a Satanic World Empire. We are being dupped into being citizens of that empire who will worship a coming world king who will claim to be the Christ.

 

As Christians we will have to stand for Jesus Christ in this time just as Elijah stood for Yahweh Elohim in his time. He was human and fallible and we are human and fallible but God was with him just as Christ Jesus is with us and we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. It will be a hard road and it may well come to believers dying for their faith. But remember when we are brought to account for our Lord the Holy Spirit will give us the words to speak (Luke 12:12). That he will give a crown to those who overcome (Revelation 2:10).

 

A parting thought, take up the Full Armour of God  (Ephesians 6: 11-13). "Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6&version=NKJV>