God’s Prophets Were People Like Us

Transcript

GRM 843
03/30/2003
God's Prophets Were People Like Us
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh

Ministry of Elijah reminds us of the ministry of the prophets. If you're not familiar with the ministry of Elijah as the children have presented it this evening, I'd encourage you perhaps this evening when you go home before you go to bed or sometime this week begin reading in I Kings 17 where Elijah the prophet comes on the scene rather abruptly. No background, no history for him. Just in the midst of the chaos, the spiritual deterioration and the judgment of God Elijah the Tishbite appears as God's representation. His ministry will be prominent till you move into II Kings 2 where he'll be miraculously transported to heaven. While the prophets are honored and exalted, we ought never to lose sight of the fact that the prophets came on the scene in Israel in times of spiritual decadence and the appearance of a prophet in Israel was a scene of God's judgment. The prophets came to declare the sin of the people, to declare God's judgment on the people for sin. This accounts for the lack of popularity of the prophets in their day. There are times when they're not well received. The people did not appreciate them or their message. Just as today, people do not appreciate being told they are sinners. People do not appreciate a message of judgment and condemnation for sin. But it is a message of truth. The ministry of the prophets was a difficult ministry as portrayed in Elijah's ministry. It was the object of hatred. He fled for his life. He became so weary that he told God he was ready to die. It was not an easy ministry. In fact, in the New Testament the prophets become examples of persecution for faithfulness to God, examples of the necessity for endurance. Examples of ministries of faith.

Remember Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount early in that sermon in chapter 5 reminded his listeners that they were blessed when they were persecuted for the sake of righteousness and that was a characteristic of the genuine prophets. It was the false prophets who were always spoken well of who were held in high esteem and honor. The genuine prophets knew what it was to be rejected, to have persecution, to be threatened.

Turn over to the book of Hebrews 11. We recently looked into the first part of Hebrews chapter 11 which we know of as the chapter of the heroes of the faith. This is in the context of the need for endurance, persevering. The letter of the Hebrews is written to Jewish believers or Jews who profess to be believers. I believe the bulk of them probably were. But under pressure, under opposition they were thinking that they could turn back from Christianity to Judaism. The writer of Hebrews is demonstrating that is not a possibility. There is no going back. In fact, to shrink back is to shrink back to destruction. Because true believers do not turn back. At the end of chapter 10 verse 32, "Remember the former days when after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of suffering." In verse 36 he tells them, "You have need of endurance." Verse 39, "But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul." One of the characteristics of genuine saving faith is it endures. It perseveres. It keeps on. And so you move on to chapter 11 which talks about the absolute necessity of faith. "And without faith," verse 6 of chapter 11 says, "It is impossible to please God." Salvation is by grace through faith. It's by faith in the revelation God has given of Himself. That revelation focusing in his Son Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection is payment in full for the penalty for our sin. Faith in Him. God's declaration concerning Him that brings salvation.

Then you move through chapter 11 with various examples from the Old Testament of men and women who were faithful and persevered in their faith. They endured. You move along toward the end of chapter 11 verse 32, "And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge if the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection." The two outstanding examples of that in the Old Testament. The first occurred under the ministry of Elijah the prophet. The second occurred under the ministry of his successor Elisha the prophet. The first resurrection which we saw portrayed when Elijah raised the son of that women found in I Kings 17. The second occurs under Elisha, in II Kings 4. Mighty works of power done because these were men and women who believed God not just as an intellectual activity, but they placed their lives on the line. Their faith was so sure. They believed God. They believed what God said. They were willing to die. In verse 35, "Some were tortured not obtaining their release in order that they might obtain a better resurrection." In other words, they were willing to die rather than to deny their faith. Good reminder to these Hebrews who thinking that perhaps the suffering, the difficulties, the opposition was too great. We should go back. They are reminded. There are those who step forward and were willing to die because they trusted the living God.

At the end of chapter 10 the writer had told them they had “resisted to the shedding of your blood.” You haven't paid that ultimate price for your faith in Christ. But in chapter 11 he reminds them others have. Verse 36, "Others experienced mocking, scourging, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted, put to death with the sword, were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated." These are people the world was not worthy of.

Verse 39, "All these having gained their approval through faith." The absolute foundational issue. You know, we hold these individuals of which chapter 11 is a sampling in high honor today as the people of God. We need to be careful we're not like the religious Jesus' day who said you build the tombs of the prophets, but you don't believe their message. You really haven't submitted to the prophets' God. You know we think of these men and women as perhaps of a different quality and a different character. But the very point of Hebrews is that they are men and women like us. God perhaps gave them special gifts, unique ministries for a time but they are people like us. What made the difference? Elijah was willing to trust God when almost the whole nation had abandoned the living God, turned against him. Elijah stood. Elijah stood when he didn't think there was anyone else. By God's grace there were in those days. But it's not such a great secret. It's not something hard to discern and understand. These were men and women who trusted God. They believed God and they claimed His promises even though the book of Hebrews is making the point they didn't enter into the promise. Because God had it planned to include us, you and I as part of the Church of Jesus Christ. So those promises weren't realized. These were men and women who lived and died by faith, and they lived and died without entering in to all that God had promised. But the Word of God is still sure, and their faith will reap it's reward.

Chapter 12 begins, "We are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses,” the men and women of chapter 11. Then let’s get our focus back where it ought to be. Let's lay aside the weight that holds us back particularly in the context that temptation to not trust God, to not walk by faith. That's one of the outstanding characteristics of the child of God. We walk by faith, not by sight. We walk on the basis of the promises of God. I have never seen the realization of those promises as yet. I've never seen the glories of heaven. I've never seen the splendor of the kingdom which I will rule and reign with Him. But these are all assurances I have and take by faith. The greatest example of all is the author and perfector of faith, the One who endured the cross. So, we ought to run with endurance.

When we are reminded of a prophet like Elija, we ought to be careful we are not like the Pharisees of Jesus' day who honor these great men but don't really pattern our lives after them. We want to be those who honor the prophets and are determined to live a life of faith like they did.

Turn over a few more pages to the book just after Hebrews to James. In verse 17 of chapter 5 of James. James uses the prophet Elijah as an example. "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours." You note that's stressed. Elijah was a man, a human being, like you are, like I am. He is of the like nature. We think they are just a different class, a different category. God gave them a special ministry, but you understand they were people just like us. God didn't create a special breed of person. He took people like us and used them in unique ways as they trusted Him. He was a man with a nature like ours "and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain for three years and six months." Where we pick up the ministry of Elijah in I Kings 17 with the children portrayed for us. Imagine the devastation in the land of Israel. Ahab was enraged with Elijah. Elijah prayed the heavens were shut up.

After 3 ½ years he prayed again, “and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” Note what Elijah is used as an illustration for. The end of verse 16, "The effective prayer," or “effective fervent prayer” I believe is the way the King James has it, "of a righteous man can accomplish much." God wouldn't necessarily move me to pray that there's no rain for 3 ½ years. That's not the point. But the point is that people like us who belong to the living God through faith live our lives in dependence upon Him, who claim His promises, who believe His Word and beseech Him. We expect Him to respond and do great and mighty things. He told Jeremiah “Call unto Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you know not.”

I fear sometimes that we as God's people live with far less than God would bestow upon us. We are satisfied with far less. I was sharing with some recently, my concern is I don't want to get to heaven and have God say I would have done much more if you would have asked Me. I would have blessed in much greater ways if you would have asked Me. I would have done far more. Why didn't you ask Me? Lord, I was working hard. I didn't have time to pray. I fear that we may forsake some of the greatest blessings because we don't want to walk by faith and beseech the Lord for everything He has for us. When I think of the ministry of a man like Elijah, I'm reminded of a man who walked by faith. He had a relationship with the living God by faith. He lived his life day by day by faith, believing what God said. He was a man of powerful prayer because he really believed what God said. He claimed the promises of God. He beseeched God for the blessings that God had promised, for the judgment God had promised and God answered. I think it's remarkable that Elijah is used as an encouragement to us to be diligent in prayer. Because God answers prayer and the prayers of His people.

You'll note it's the effective prayer of a righteous man. You are aware no one has the opportunity to come to God in prayer but those who belong to God. No one comes to God but through the Son of God. Now many people pray. The book of Hebrews has dealt with this extensively. But no one comes into the presence of God in prayer who does not have Jesus Christ as their high priest. No one is accepted before God; their prayers and requests are not heeded by Him if they do not have Jesus Christ as their Savior. In fact, the book of Proverbs says that when a person rejects the Word of God, even their prayers are an abomination to God. When a person has rejected the Word of God, their prayers are something that He despises. But God invites us to come first through His Son for salvation, the righteousness that He provides for those who believe in Him. And then as the first part of Hebrews has exhorted us, come with boldness, with confidence, with that assurance that we are accepted and heard. Come with confidence to the throne of grace. We receive what we need at that throne.

Elijah, a remarkable prophet with a unique ministry but a man like us, a like natured person. Just a human being. Just a man, but a man who walked by faith. A man who trusted God to do what He promised. A man who beseeched God to work in and through him. A man that we admire today because he was unique. He had a unique ministry, but he was not a unique man. He was a man just like us. I say boy I would like a ministry like Elijah, a ministry with the living God like Elijah, a prayer life like Elijah. Fine. That's all found through a life of faith and a life of prayer.

I trust that will be our characteristic individually, be a characteristic of our church. We want to be known that's a place where they really believe God. They really believe God will do what He says. They really believe God listens when they talk to Him. And they are doing it all the time. They don't just talk about praying. They pray; and you know what God answers their prayer. Of course He does. Jesus promised that. The Father hears us through Him and gives us what we ask.

Praise the Lord for Elijah. Praise the Lord for others like Elijah. Praise the Lord for the privilege we have to belong to the same God as was the God of Elijah. As we saw with Paul, He's the God to whom we belong. He's the God we're privileged to trust, the God we're privileged to serve. He's the One to whom we go and bring the desires of our heart and hears and answers. Let's pray together.

Thank you, Lord, for the ministry of these young people this evening. Thank you for the great truths that have come from the mouths of babes. They proclaim word in song, the truth of your servant Elijah, a man of like nature, human just like we are. Lord may we not be satisfied with too little. May we not be satisfied with a few of your blessings when you are willing to shower your blessings upon us. May we not live our lives tentatively and timidly. But Lord, we claim by faith Your promises of salvation. We claim by faith Your promises of eternal glory. We claim by faith Your assurance of providing for us, caring for us and empowering us to serve you. Lord thank you for the privilege beyond comprehension of coming before Your glorious throne and it is for us a form of grace. The throne where we receive the desires of our heart, where we are privileged to come and seek from You all good things. God forbid that we individually or we as a church should fail to take hold of all that you have for us in Jesus Christ. Thank you for this evening, for the testimony of the young people, for the encouragement of Your Word, for the fellowship we are about to enjoy. Lord, again, thank you for the faithful service of so many who work with our children. Who work with our junior high young people that from the youngest age, they may learn Your truth, be encouraged to believe. Lord, bless our fellowship, encourage our hearts. Make us greater testimonies for Jesus Christ in these days as we anticipate His soon return. We pray in His name, amen.