The Elijah Message

I'm in Michigan right now, visiting my friend Leo, who is studying in the seminary, and his wife Roeum.  Leo and I go way back to our California days.  He popped the question to me one Sunday while sitting at the pews after a friend's wedding, when most of everybody made their way to the reception area but the family and friends taking pictures on the church podium.  He asked if I could be one of his groomsmen. Hehhe.

But what a wonderful Sabbath.  Time spent with old friends and new friends that became connected so seamlessly just from the fact of realizing we are parts of the same body, looking up to the same head, Christ. Our time concluded with solemn prayers during the closing Sabbath. Indeed there is no Indonesian, Filipino, Korean, Puerto Rican, Black or White, Jew nor Greek, "...slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28.

Something was shared at Friday night vespers that was so profound to me, that I want to write it out this morning before I forget. Like a lot of times, the message was not something that I had never heard before, but when it was presented, I couldn't have an answer for, and it hit home in my heart.

It wont be that long, should be my condensed notes for future reference, so please follow along. :)

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Elijah's message,
John the Baptist's message,
Our message.

"Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:" 

Malachi 4:4,5

Before His second coming, God's people are called to be Elijahs.  Placed in us is a burden, a clear message for the people; to call the lost back, to make known of his soon return. We've heard this before. So if we say yes to his calling, do we know what message to tell? I was dumbfounded.  What's this message(s) I need to tell the world?

Background: Elijah was a wanted man in the land of Israel. There has not been any rain on the land of Israel for a long long time.

"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months."

James 5:17

Then one day, he ran into Obadiah.  Obadiah was serving King Ahab, as the governor of his house, but he feared God (kind of contradictory, I thought so too, but it's part of the pattern of this chapter you will see).  Elijah then told Obadiah, Tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.  Obadiah trembled greatly; he thought why must he be on the 'opposing' side of Elijah. He really didn't want to be against this servant of God. I believe that he really was sincere.

So Elijah and Ahab went face to face, and the king asked him, "Are you he that troubles Israel?" I Kings 18:17

And so he delivers his message (1), verse 18, "I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim."

Then in verse 20, Ahab gathered the people of Israel and Elijah gave his second message to the people, (2) "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." I Kings 18:21

Please meditate upon this scripture. Pray for the Spirit to give you the desire to seek for the lost.  There are people lost at work, sitting next to you in Physics class, janitors at work that no one ever speaks to.  Read the whole chapter of I Kings 18 to grasp the whole context. I pray that the Holy Spirit tugs your heart from me sharing this message.  My writing can be limiting at times, but I've prayed for the Spirit to fill in on my short comings.  I will end this entry with the verse describing the second Elijah, John the Baptist (The name John came from Greek name Yôḥanan which means "Graced by Yahweh"-wikipedia).

"But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John." Luke 1:13

"And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." verse 17.

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"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them."

Romans 1:18,19