Ahab or Elijah: "Art Thou He Who Troubleth Israel?"

Back in 1 Kings 18, two religions clashed. Ahab and his wife Jezebel had introduced and promoted the worship of Baal. The true God dealt with Israel through his prophet Elijah. When Israel persisted in idolatry, God sent Elijah to announce a famine, which lasted three years. Obviously, there followed great suffering and want. During that time, Ahab tried every way he could to locate and destroy Elijah. At the end of three years, Elijah met with the idolatrous king, and the first thing Ahab said was, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel"? (1 Kings 18:17) Elijah's response was (in essence): "it is not me, but you, who have brought this trouble!" QUESTION: Who was the real troublemaker?

The "facts"

-  Ahab and Jezebel had introduced and promoted idolatry, a practice condemned
by God- Exodus 20:3,4.

-This angered God, and he sent a famine upon Israel.

-   He gave Elijah the mission of carrying the message of God's wrath to the
idolatrous king.

So, Ahab and Israel committed the sin, God punished the sin, and Elijah warned of the punishment -WHO TROUBLED ISRAEL?

Just so today, good people -there IS trouble in Israel! Religious division and confusion, doctrinal and moral errors run amok, and materialism, greed and apathy are epidemic among those who call themselves God's people. Every once in a while, some conscientious Bible student realizes this is not part of God's plan, and speaks to warn and correct. Now, God warns about troublemakers, and the consequences of being one:

Ga 5:10 / have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

Is the troublemaker now the one who warns of the sin? The one who committed the sin? Or the one who punishes the sin? Is the troublemaker the one t who only uses Biblical terms to describe the church, and warns against the use of human names, or is the troublemaker the one who goes outside the Bible to find his titles and doctrines? Is the troublemaker the one who cries "peace, peace, when there is no peace", or the one who seeks to teach a true bible foundation for lasting spiritual peace with man and God? There is much wrong with those who would be God's people, but we ought to thank those who have the spiritual insight to recognize it, and the spiritual fortitude to oppose it, no matter what? Are you Ahab, or are you Elijah? —AcBelue

Editorial: Seeking

The word implies a "looking for", or "searching out", and describes a mindset that is increasingly rare in today's culture. This term suggests a lack of fulfillment, which is to be rectified by locating that which will complete one's quest for success. With typical ambivalence, men live their lives in "seeking" wealth, power, pleasure, etc., - in the mistaken notion that to gain such things will be fulfilling, and typically end their life still pursuing such things - while complacently settling into the comfort zone of their own particular religious and spiritual niche, with no aspirations beyond the "status quo". For most, the "seeking" for more spiritual knowledge and growth ended very early in life, and most decidedly prematurely. Even for those who express a religious commitment, it is more a matter of doing what they have already decided is sufficient, than "seeking" for the perfection in understanding and practice that should be our goal.

Logically, three facts that scripture reveals should fuel a discontent within us that will never be entirely satisfied this side of death:

1. We are not perfect - Rom 3:23 - "all. come short of the glory of God."

2.     We will never be perfect - Phil 3:12-17

3.     God demands that we become perfect - Mt 5:48.

This gap between what God expects of us, and "where we are", should keep us "seeking" throughout our entire life. Because of our physical and spiritual limitations, we should humbly acknowledge that we are ever a "work in progress", and "press onward toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:15). In addition to a general posture of seeking for growth and strength, we should specifically "seek" the lost (as Christ did - Lk 19:10); we should "seek for glory, honor, and immortality" (Rom 2:6-11)- in other words, our life should be a constant looking for and correcting our own imperfections in conduct or understanding. We should "seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matt 6:33). It is not a question of "have we attained"? (we have not), but of seeking further progress in that direction. For you, have you quit "seeking"?—The Editors

Those that procure God's judgments do the

mischief, not he that merely foretells them and

gives warning of them, that the nation may

repent and prevent them. -Matthew Henry

No King in Israel

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

(Judges 21:25)

Four times Judges tells us there was no king in Israel in those days (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). Twice the writer noted the spiritual anarchy that prevailed, "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (17:6; 21:25). There was no strong, central government in Israel. The people were no longer led by one man, as they had been in the days of Moses and Joshua, and the priesthood does not appear to have had great influence on the people. The judges whom God raised up were mostly local in their activities and leadership; some even appear to have overlapped in the years they served Israel (cf. 5:6). Judges pictures the downward spiral of Israel's moral and spiritual behavior. Even the judges, the spiritual heroes of the book, grow worse as the narrative continues. There was no king, and the people did whatever they wanted, and what they wanted was increasingly bad.

Israel's wickedness may have increased more rapidly due to the lack of central oversight by a ruler, but the lack of a king was not the reason for the Israelites' sin. When God brought the people out of Egypt and assembled them at Mt. Sinai, He organized the nation under a system of laws written by Jehovah Himself. God was to be their ruler, but the people did not submit to His direction. Then, as now, the people cast off restraint and selfishly pursued their own desires, instead of God's. As the days of the judges drew to a close, the rebellious people demanded a king to govern them "like all the nations" (8:5, 19-20). They had always wanted to be like the other nations; seeking a monarchy was simply their latest attempt to become like the world. "They have not rejected you," God said to Samuel, "but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them" (8:7 emp. added).

Israel had a King; they simply were unwilling to obey Him. What about you? Are you allowing God to reign in your life, surrendering to His will and seeking His desires? Have you set apart Christ as Lord in your heart and life, are you obeying Him, or are you continuing to chart your own course (IPe. 3:15)? It is important that we understand how to become a Christian (Mk. 16:16; Ac. 2:38; Ro. 6:3-4), but it is equally important we understand how to live as a Christian (Lk. 9:23; Ga. 2:20; Php. 3:7-14). The children of Israel had become the people of God, but they wanted to live like people of the world. Are we any different today (Un. 2:15-17)? -JME

EXAMINE YOUR BIBLE
PUBLISHED BY THE EAST COLUMBUS CHURCH OF CHRIST
811 ALABAMA STREET COLUMBUS, MS 39702
P.O. BOX 2253 COLUMBUS, MS 39704
(662) 328-6227 www.eastcolumbuschurch.com
Editors:
Aubrey Belue (662) 241-6821      Joel Ellis (662) 240-1662
joelmark@peoplepc.com

Examine Your Bible
P.O. Box 2253
Columbus, MS 39704

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