Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Elijah the Thunderbolt




The showdown at Mt Carmel is what gave Elijah the nickname Thunderbolt.  On Mt Carmel he shows not only the impotence, absence and indifference of the prevailing gods of his contemporaries, Ahab and Jezabel, but the power, presence and passion of Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel.  The God of the rain-clouds and ravens. God of widows and orphans. God of the mixing bowl and the bottle of canola oil. And now, the God who answers by fire.

God of fire.


Like Mt. Horeb fire.

Like the pillar of fire that led Israelites through the wilderness after they were delivered out of Egyptian bondage and slavery.

When the line is drawn with such powerful display of God’s omnipotent rule, people respond in… terrified worship.  The LORD IS God! We are stupid, blind idiots not to worship Him!

Soon the much awaited thunderstorms arrive and showers quench the thirst of dried-up landscape.

But, the incredible success of the confrontation on Mt Horeb takes God’s servant to a place where neither he nor we expect him to go.

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