Chapter 15 - God's Messengers

1 Kings 17-19

2 Kings 2, 4, 6

Hosea 4-5, 8-9, 14

Amos 1, 3-5, 9



Quicky Quiz:
I remember when I was in school how much I hated quizzes, but if I was a teacher I'd have quizzes every day. The reason is that they reinforce what you learned, and also give a good starting point for the next lesson. They set a foundation on which you can build. So let's start with a quiz. Why? Because unless you cement these answers in your brain, you are gonna get quite confused over the next few weeks.

1. How many tribes were in the Northern Kingdom?

2. Jeroboam was the king over ____________.

2. Judah was part of the Northern or Southern Kingdom?

4. Jeroboam/Rehoboam was a grandson of King David.

3. Israel was the name for the Northern or Southern Kingdom?

4. Rehoboam was king over ____________ .

5. Built an golden calves for the people to worship.

Did you get them all correct? Awesome! I knew you could do it.

Introduction to the Reading:

Last week I watched the movie Evan Almighty. For those of you who haven't seen it, or maybe have forgotten the plot, it's about a modern day Noah. The newly elected Congressman Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) is excited for his new job, but he doesn't realize God has another plan for him: to build an ark. While light on theology, it's definitely full of comedy: animals overtaking congress, Steve Carell growing a beard overnight, and a delivery from 1-800-Go-4-Wood.

While it is humorous to consider what it would be like if you had to build an ark today, it also raised a serious question for me: what would I do if God spoke to me? What would you do? Slap yourself a few times to see if you were dreaming? Quiver in fear? Wonder if someone drugged you? Pass out? All of the above?

Or I guess another question to ask is: When would you start listening? In Evan Almighty, at first Evan blows God off thinking it can't be real. Then, even though he knows it's God, he doesn't fully get that God really wants him to build an ark. Finally, even after he realizes that God is speaking to him and that he is supposed to build an ark, he doesn't follow God's order to build an ark because it doesn't fit into his plans.

In our reading today we see how people reacted when God did speak. So as we read this week, lets ask these two questions: "When God spoke, how did the people respond?" and "Would I have responded the same way?"

Time to Slow it Down - Top of Page 207 "Now they are trying to kill me too."
"In your face prophets of baal!" Right? What a total mockery Elijah has made of them, hasn't he? He's got to be riding high on emotions - feeling almost invincible, right? Ahh how fickle our emotions can be. Have you felt that way before: everything is going right and yet you feel so down. To borrow the illustration from the old fairy tale: you're sleeping on pillow top mattresses, and focusing on the pea.

Here Elijah is, with God's help having just awed thousands, including the king - having done quite literally a miracle (by the Lord's power of course) - having the backing of the creator and preserver and ruler of the universe - and how does he feel? Answer: depressed and scared. Can you relate?

So what does Elijah need? See if I were God and Elijah was scared of those who were trying to kill him, I would have shown a little muscle, thrown a few lightening bolts, and said to Elijah, "If they come after you, I got your back!"

But what does Elijah really need to know about our God? Read on to see how God wants himself to be known. Does he want to be known as a God of awesome power? Of ultimate justice? Of terrifying wrath?

Top of Page 208
So what did Elijah need to know about God? His LOVE! The Almighty comes to us in gentle whispers! Have you seen pictures with a little baby in the arms of a muscular man? That's how I picture our relationship to God: the almighty holds back his strength for the sake of those he loves. The fire of God consuming an altar didn't give Elijah peace. What Elijah needed to hear was God's promises: you aren't alone...there will be those who will take up the task after you...I will keep my word!

When You're Done Reading - Thoughts to Ponder:
So, let me ask the question again: If God spoke to you, how would you respond? I'm sure after this lesson for HIStory, we're all thinking, "Well I hope I would have believed God and done what he said." I'm pretty sure we all picture ourselves in the Shunammite's house, and not as a prophet of Baal.

In that case, let me ask yet another question: How have you responded since God has spoken to you? Now before you think that you're supposed to be having visions in the middle of the night, that is not what I mean. Did the Shunammite ever talk directly with God? No! She spoke with Elisha. But that doesn't mean that God didn't speak his word to her. He sent the prophet to speak his word on his behalf.

The Lord has given us his word as well. Pastor Ben and Pastor Andy have explained quite clearly over the last few weeks why we can trust God's word. On top of it, while Pastor Ben and Pastor Andy might not have received any visions from God, that doesn't mean they aren't prophets. In the strict sense of the word, a prophet is someone who speaks on God's behalf. Every week, when they get up on Sunday morning, the are sharing God's words with us. They are God's representatives to speak his word publicly.

So let me ask one more time: Since God has spoken to you, how have you responded?

Making it My Own:

In the movie Evan Almighty, the hardest challenge for Evan Baxter isn't building the ark. The elephants carry the logs. The monkeys fetch him nails. God delivers the wood. While it takes time, God sees to it that Evan can finish the ark in time.

What is the hardest challenge for Evan? The hardest challenge is convincing those around him that God is actually speaking to him. At first even he is quite skeptical. Then he has to tell his wife, who thinks he has lost it. Finally, when asked publicly who told him to build the ark, he squeaks out sheepishly, "God."

I'll admit that one of the hardest things for me is telling someone that they are worshiping a false God. In our nation, we are free to worship whomever we choose, but in our culture, we are looked down upon if we tell anyone that what they believe is wrong. Is that much different than Elijah on Mount Carmel? While there was the worship of Baal, the Asherahs, Molech, and countless other gods in Israel, the one thing that could get you killed was saying that there was only one true God. I can't help but connecting the parallels to today. I can understand why Elijah was scared!

So what does God want us to do? What did he want Elijah to do? ... Just remember, the God who speaks in whispers has got your back!

Hymn:

God has spoken by His prophets,
Spoken His unchanging Word,
Each from age to age proclaiming
God, the one, the righteous Lord.
Mid the world’s despair and turmoil,
One firm anchor holding fast;
God is King, His throne eternal,
God the first, and God the last.

God has spoken by Christ Jesus,
Christ, the everlasting Son,
Brightness of the Father’s glory,
With the Father ever one;
Spoken by the Word incarnate,
God of God, ere time began,
Light of light, to earth descending,
Man, revealing God to man.

God yet speaks by His own Spirit
Speaking to the hearts of men,
In the age-long Word expounding
God’s own message, now as then;
Through the rise and fall of nations
One sure faith yet standing fast,
God is King, His Word unchanging,
God the first, and God the last.

For further Study:
To see how relevant the message of Amos is to our society today check out this brief Bible study called Is Prosperity a Problem?

Likewise here's a link to a an excellent Bible study on the book of Hosea called How Forgiving Is God?