A Prophet Loses His Nerve
I Kings, chapter 18 and 19
The lectionary texts in recent weeks have followed the life of Isaiah. In one story, Elijah quite boldly, and derisively, challenged the prophets of Ba’al to a contest on Mount Carmel. Let the true God send fire to consume a sacrifice. The prophets of Ba’al cried out to their idol to no avail. “Call him louder!” Isaiah mocked. When their prayers failed, Isaiah modestly called to the one true God to send fire for the sacrifice. Fire came; and it consumed not only the bull offered for sacrifice but also the wood and stones of the altar as well as the moat Isaiah placed around the altar to flood the sacrifice. Isaiah then supervised a general slaughter of the prophets of Ba’al.
King Ahab learned of this and told his wife, Queen Jezebel. Jezebel, quite displeased with this news, threatened Isaiah with a painful, torturous death which, frankly, frightened the bejezebel out of Isaiah.
Isaiah discerned the voice of God telling him to go to God’s mountain, Mt. Horeb. He went, but rather than standing boldly on the mountain, Elijah hid in a cave. He listened for the voice of God which he did not find in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire. Rather, the voice of God spoke through a still, small voice. While God can choose however God wants to speak, in this case, it was in a “sheer silence” as some translations put it. “What are you doing here?” God asked him. Twice.
Eventually, Elijah emerged from the cave to stand on the mountain and receive his next marching orders from God.
Many readers of this text focus on the “still small voice” that spoke to Elijah. While it is important to listen for God to speak in whatever form God chooses, from the dramatic to the subtle, this text is more about God pursuing a prophet who had become frightened and who lost his prophetic courage.
Pastors and laity alike are called to serve God and to be in ministry. There are times when we can stand boldly with Elijah and speak for God. There are other times when peer pressure, criticism, desire to get along, or social fear get in the way and we feel weak or timid, perhaps embarrassed, to speak the word from God to an unreceptive audience or to a hostile world. Battle scars can make us weary for the work of God.
The lectionary texts in recent weeks have followed the life of Isaiah. In one story, Elijah quite boldly, and derisively, challenged the prophets of Ba’al to a contest on Mount Carmel. Let the true God send fire to consume a sacrifice. The prophets of Ba’al cried out to their idol to no avail. “Call him louder!” Isaiah mocked. When their prayers failed, Isaiah modestly called to the one true God to send fire for the sacrifice. Fire came; and it consumed not only the bull offered for sacrifice but also the wood and stones of the altar as well as the moat Isaiah placed around the altar to flood the sacrifice. Isaiah then supervised a general slaughter of the prophets of Ba’al.
King Ahab learned of this and told his wife, Queen Jezebel. Jezebel, quite displeased with this news, threatened Isaiah with a painful, torturous death which, frankly, frightened the bejezebel out of Isaiah.
Isaiah discerned the voice of God telling him to go to God’s mountain, Mt. Horeb. He went, but rather than standing boldly on the mountain, Elijah hid in a cave. He listened for the voice of God which he did not find in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire. Rather, the voice of God spoke through a still, small voice. While God can choose however God wants to speak, in this case, it was in a “sheer silence” as some translations put it. “What are you doing here?” God asked him. Twice.
Eventually, Elijah emerged from the cave to stand on the mountain and receive his next marching orders from God.
Many readers of this text focus on the “still small voice” that spoke to Elijah. While it is important to listen for God to speak in whatever form God chooses, from the dramatic to the subtle, this text is more about God pursuing a prophet who had become frightened and who lost his prophetic courage.
Pastors and laity alike are called to serve God and to be in ministry. There are times when we can stand boldly with Elijah and speak for God. There are other times when peer pressure, criticism, desire to get along, or social fear get in the way and we feel weak or timid, perhaps embarrassed, to speak the word from God to an unreceptive audience or to a hostile world. Battle scars can make us weary for the work of God.
Even so, this text reminds us that God still pursues us, as the Lord pursued Isaiah into the cave, with a claim on us and an embrace that can give us the nerve – the courage – the guts, if you will – to be bold in our faith.
In the church, we draw strength to serve God in the world outside. And in the church, others look to us for strength for their daily ministries. Let us faithfully and boldly emerge from Isaiah’s cave; and let us also be the support others need to stand firmly for the Lord.
Dear God, you gave your prophets difficult tasks and you gave them strength. When they faltered in sin, you chided them. When they stumbled with fear, you gave them new courage. Forgive us when we fail you and one another, and strengthen us for our daily walk with you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Rev. Jack Lipphardt
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