| November 02, 2008
You are welcome to reflect on this message
One of the most successful religious leaders in history was a woman, named Jezebel. She led a staff of 450 associates, a congregation of thousands, you can imagine: no financial problems, people standing in line to volunteer for service, majestic buildings, Mormon Tabernacle type choir. She was quite a popular minister of her religion. Her god though, was a lifeless idol. She attributed her prosperity directly to bowing down to it. So Jezebel assumed that since she was successful, her god wasn’t just the only one but the best one, which can lead to a dangerous arrogance. Give somebody like that power, and you understand why the world doesn’t work right. One wonders if it ever will.
It's an old trap we keep falling into, equating success and winning at the ballot-box or the stadium with religious superiority. My morality’s better than yours! I win. You lose. That’s “Jezebel theology.” Because all the other gods were inferior to hers, this entitled her to degrade the religion of others and treat those of a different faith any way she liked. Her lack of ecumenicity is what the God of Jesus doesn’t like.
The only person who stood in her way was Elijah the prophet. He talked about a God who was up to Jezebel’s challenge; who was just and able to make you into a good person, like He is. It wasn’t a fair fight. Elijah was the underdog. He lacked the resources of publicity and money and numbers. He couldn’t even afford a parking lot. His church wasn’t as big as hers. And that bothered him so much, he almost had a nervous breakdown from suicidal depression.
But before that happened we pick up the story in the hill country of Samaria, where King Ahab and his religious wife were wreaking havoc on Israel's religious life. Ahab was a wuss-of-a-potentate who caved in to his bossy wife, Jezebel. You’ve got to give it to her though, she was a remarkable lady. Her personality was so powerful that even her name has come to be a symbol of the kind of woman she was. Do you know any woman named Jezebel? I know some dogs...
Her religious views were heavily influenced by her daddy, the king of Tyre, who believed in a pagan Phoenician idol. So when Jezebel arrived in Samaria, she came not only as a princess, but also a missionary, determined to root out every trace of Israel’s God, and replace it with the worship of her tribal deity. Her priests carried out a methodical persecution of the Hebrew prophets and she proved to be a match for the fiery Elijah, the hero-champion of God in I Kings.
Our text begins with a bristling question from Ahab: "Is it you, O troubler of Israel?" (The pot calling the kettle black?) Elijah bugged the king because he went around making waves against Jezebel, and brought on a famine in the land and then hid out. So Ahab was searching everywhere for the cagey prophet, to turn the water back on. Now the troubler stands before the king. But Elijah wasn't intimidated by power. He fired back at Ahab, "I'm not the troubler of Israel. That would be you and your religious wife."
Elijah wanted to settle this conflict, so he challenged his opponents to a religious contest. He proposed: Ahab would send 850 of Jezebel's prophets to the top of Mt. Carmel. There all Israel could decide once-and-for-all whose morality was best. Jezebel accepted the challenge and easily turned out her base-supporters. The Israelites did the same. Elijah addressed the crowd with either/or talk: "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If YHWH is God, follow him; but if Ba’al, then follow him." Israel was trying to live with two contradictory sets of ideals at the same time -- being torn apart by their religious schizophrenia. "No one can serve two masters, for you will hate one and love the other” said another of God’s prophets who had lots of common sense.
This is as relevant for our day as it was for those in the 9th century BC. The names are different but the choices are the same. Jezebel's religion was about security and comfort, based on fear of retribution. Her world view was history is circular in nature, the cycle of the seasons went around in a repetitive loop, getting nowhere. Idol worship always boils down to a religion of resignation and “survival of the fittest.”
But the Judeo-Christian faith is linear not circular, because it has to do with progress and growth, where people are to treat others right. Because history is in God’s hands it has purpose and meaning. These were the ideals that began with Abraham and Moses; focusing upon something out ahead, hope for a better day. Both religions can't be right. By their nature they are mutually exclusive. A religion of fear and materialism versus a religion of faith and ethics. Eventually all people of faith must choose between one of two pains: a divided mind or a crucified self. When push comes to shove, most will take the “divided mind.” When it comes to comfort or challenge, they’ll side with the comfort. Seeking to make a better place for themselves in the world, rather than making the world a better place. These are the alternatives set before every generation, including our own.
Elijah, the show-off envisioned a showdown, a religious “OK Corral.” I have a hunch God tepid but had to help is prophet save face. A sacrifice was placed on the altar and Jezebel's priests were to call on their deity. Then Elijah would call on his. Whichever god sent down fire to consume the sacrifice was proof of being the real McCoy. Jezebel's priests were first to wade into the ring and wail to their god of fertility. But it was more like futility! Elijah had this nasty swagger and mocked the priests at their lack of success. They went into a frenzy and cut themselves, but the only thing that came was blood.
Then it was Elijah's turn. Like most prophets, he was a bit of a showman. To heighten the A-ffect, he dug a ditch and soaked the sacrifice in water, just to make it tougher. Then he confidently strutted around like a “cock o’ the walk,” imploring God to do his bidding and consume the offering with fire, to demonstrate that his God was the best one. Lo and behold, “The fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, with the wood, and stones, and licked up the water in the trench" (V. 38). Whew! Some lightning bolt that must’ve been! When the people saw it, they fell on their faces, because that’ll make a believer out of anybody! Ah success. Speaks for itself doesn't it? Winning is everything. In terms of sheer numbers, Elijah didn’t stand a chance. Jezebel had it all. Pomp and pageantry; money and intimidation. But like David and Goliath, Elijah upset the favorite. And when Ahab told Jezebel about it, "hell hath no fury!" She put out a contract on him for making the wrong woman look bad.
So God’s courageous prophet split for Beersheva in a state of depression, fleeing into a cave where he hid, cowering like a coward. Quite a contrast from the bold champion on Mt. Carmel. Now he’s the wuss! "Poor me. I’m the only one in all Israel who hasn't bowed the knee to the Phoenician god." Elijah whined to God. And God came to Elijah. But this time on God's terms, not on Elijah's. Elijah wanted a show of force and devastating fire from heaven to prove without a doubt who was God and who was not. He would short-circuit the route to redemption with a dramatic demonstration of power to convert the world overnight and substantiate God’s existence. Everyone would believe. Churches would be full. No budget problems. Every member generously pledging.
It’s the same temptation that confronted Jesus in the wilderness, but he wouldn’t succumb to it. Instantaneous conversion. Like modern-day crusades, this is the attraction for all religious warriors with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other, who confuse domination with dedication. But God’s more interested in freedom and process; in love and devotion, not fear and domination. So this time, by the Brook Cherith, God came God’s way “not in the wind, or the consuming fire, or the earthquake, but a still, small, voice." But that won’t draw the crowds!
Apparently not, because God's work of liberation is not a circus contest, where he entertains us like a clown or zaps us with fire to force our faith. Rather, his redemption calls for freedom, obedience, faithfulness, and other inconvenient things like justice and responsibility, instead of power and...sometimes even success. In church where serving trumps winning, we may identify more with Elijah in the cave than up on the mountain, especially when a lot more people don’t come to church than do. But rather than see this situation as the glass half-empty, why don’t we look at it as God giving us an opportunity to minister in a new day and a new way? That calls for an openness to new ideas, flexibility and a willingness to experiment.
The "still, small voice" is what it took to convince Elijah that faithfulness not success is what God requires of his people. Faithfulness. Something any of us can give. Elijah had to learn the hard way that it's better to be in a small church with the right God than to be in a big church with the wrong one. So what are we to make of this? Is religion just another competitive endeavor, with one God trying to outdo the other? Like God vs. the Devil dualism? One’s in heaven. The other in hell? To resolve our insecurities in life we can demand fire from heaven. That way we won’t need any faith. I hope we’ve outgrown that kind of superstition.
Here’s my take on it. The fertility god wasn’t all that fertile! No idol ever is because its not alive. That’s why in any contest between God and idolatry, there IS no contest. It’s just a going-thru-the-motions-show. God will answer, just like he did in Gethsemane, when Jesus prayed not to have to drink the cup of suffering. The answer he got was not the one he wanted. And it didn’t come by convincing fire. Rather it brought sweat like blood. But Jesus knew he’d heard the voice of God as he struggled to obey. It fell to him to drink the cup. If he got his way he wouldn’t drink it. There were two competing wills in the garden. And Jesus lost. Jesus wanted maximum protection, but instead got maximum support. What God gave to Jesus in the garden was the same thing Elijah got in the cave: the courage to endure what could not be avoided. Which is also my prayer for us on this Lord’s Day.
Pastoral Prayer (11/2/08)
Enable this church to have the courage of Elijah and live up to the challenges we face in our day, against the odds. Of trying to maintain a vital religious presence when few seem interested. May each of us renew our vows to love you more by serving others better. We thank you for people worthy of the name “prophet,” unafraid to speak truth to power, and the insight and wisdom they bring to the table. We remember for all who are hurting, disappointed, and long for a miracle of fire to shore-up their faith, who can’t be content with just your “still small voice.”
We pray for those who are pulled between comfort and challenge, between resigning themselves to the way things are, and striving to change things for the better. We also pray for the nations and their leaders, for the sorrowful and their comforters, for the sick and their healers, for the dying adn their survivors. May this hour together gathered in your name, empower all of us to be more faithful to you, and thus more supportive of one another, for that kind of steadfastness is what brings about your kind of success. Through Christ our Lord...Amen. Back |
