God Always Has A Remnant
After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land." So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD. While Jezebel was killing off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)
Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals."
. . . As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, "Is it really you, my LORD?"
. . . If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn't find you, he will kill me. . . . Haven't you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred of the LORD's prophets in two caves . . . and supplied them with food and water. And now you tell me to go to my master and say, 'Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"
Elijah said, "As the LORD almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today." I Kings 18:1-15.
Now the famine was severe in Samaria, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD. While Jezebel was killing off the LORD's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)
Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals."
. . . As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, "Is it really you, my LORD?"
. . . If I go and tell Ahab and he doesn't find you, he will kill me. . . . Haven't you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred of the LORD's prophets in two caves . . . and supplied them with food and water. And now you tell me to go to my master and say, 'Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"
Elijah said, "As the LORD almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today." I Kings 18:1-15.
In times of apostasy; in times of godlessness; in times of assault on all that is divine, we wonder if there are any who still would hold tenaciously onto their faith and walk uncompromisingly with God. Obadiah was such a person. Even in the face of grave danger and certain death, his faith in God was so strong that he took a hundred of God's prophets and hid them in caves. Food and water were scarce but he found a way to feed those hundred prophets. The hand of the LORD was definitely with him. He kept a remnant of one hundred prophets for God.
These are times of great unbelief and all kinds of false prophets parading the globe with their own versions of the hallowed Gospel of Jesus. Paul cautioned Timothy that, "the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4
This is very evident and rampant in our day and it makes the words of Jesus even more urgent, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." John 4:23
In the midst of godlessness in every generation, God has a hidden remnant that He brings out to accomplish His purposes. May you and I be part of the remnant that God has hidden and reserved in a cave to serve His Kingdom purposes!
These are times of great unbelief and all kinds of false prophets parading the globe with their own versions of the hallowed Gospel of Jesus. Paul cautioned Timothy that, "the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4
This is very evident and rampant in our day and it makes the words of Jesus even more urgent, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." John 4:23
In the midst of godlessness in every generation, God has a hidden remnant that He brings out to accomplish His purposes. May you and I be part of the remnant that God has hidden and reserved in a cave to serve His Kingdom purposes!
Prayer: Father, these are very godless times when the truth of your word is being subverted to serve selfish human ends. May I be part of your hidden remnant who will stand up to worship you in Spirit and truth, no matter the cost. Amen.