Though we have been seeing how bold and courageous Elijah has been, this story is not ultimately about Elijah – it is about God. As we continue in 1 Kings 18, the famine has ravaged the land for some time. King Ahab sends Obadiah, the overseer of his household, to search for water so the kingdom’s horses and cattle might survive. Livestock represented wealth and the strength of a nation, so preserving them was one of Ahab’s highest priorities. Yet here is something far more significant about Obadiah than his position in the palace. Scripture tells us that he greatly feared the Lord. At great personal risk, he had hidden one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in caves and supplied them with food and water after Jezebel ordered their execution. During these difficult years, God had seemed silent. But God’s silence never means God’s absence. He is always present. He is still sovereign. He is still in control, faithfully accomplishing His purposes even when we cannot see His hand at work. Meanwhile, Ahab had been searching everywhere for Elijah without success. Then, unexpectedly, Obadiah encounters Elijah, who instructs him to tell Ahab that he is there. Obadiah hesitates. He fears that if Elijah disappears again, Ahab will have him executed. Already living with the danger that his rescue of the prophets might be discovered, Obadiah is overwhelmed by the possible earthly consequences. Obadiah had been faithfully serving the Lord, yet fear still gripped him. How often are we the same? Even after seeing God’s provision and protection, we can become consumed with what people might do rather than resting in what God has promised. Even when everything around us appears to be falling apart, God remains completely in control. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 10:39, “He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it.” God’s silence does not cause His sovereignty to cease. Obadiah wonders what he has done to deserve such a fate. Was God punishing him? We sometimes ask the same question when hardship comes. We may imagine that God is waiting for us to fail so He can punish us. But that is not His heart. God loves His people. His work has always been centered on redemption, not condemnation. Elijah reassures Obadiah that he will not disappear this time, and Obadiah faithfully delivers the message. When Ahab arrives, he immediately accuses Elijah of being the one who has brought trouble upon Israel. Elijah boldly answers that he is not the cause. The true source of Israel’s suffering is Ahab and his father’s house, who abandoned the Lord to follow false gods. Then Elijah sets the stage for one of the greatest confrontations in Scripture. He calls for all Israel to gather on Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal. This was never simply a contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. It was God’s opportunity to reveal to all Israel that He alone is the one true God, sovereign over every nation, every King, and every circumstance. He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it. ~~ Matthew 10:39
