Elijah and Obadiah
I Kings 18:7-15
Devastation is the norm. For the last 31/2 years drought has brought starvation and death. In our text we also discover that Jezebel was waging a war of terror on the prophets of God and Ahab was constantly searching for Elijah.
God’s timetable for confrontation with the king, his wife Jezebel and the proponents of Baal worship was at hand and Elijah has been told to meet with the king. In our text we see how God’s providential care is working to bring all this to pass and in this context we are introduced to Obadiah – a person of authority and position as the manager of the king’s household. But he was also a follower of God, a secret believer yet a believer of courage as he personally protected a 100 of God’s prophets from the terror of Jezebel.
Was it wrong to remain silent? Not necessarily. Was he fearful? Obviously he was. But in God’s providence he will have Obadiah help Elijah, so that Elijah would not have to enter the palace of King Ahab and also Elijah was going to encourage Obadiah.
Obadiah’s fear seem to be the result of a misconception about trials (v9a), thinking they were the result of some sin and we today often times fall into this same type of thinking. Also he became more concerned about a potential problem (Elijah leaving again) and therefore got his focus off of God. Elijah simply ministered to him in verse 15 by getting his eyes back on God and the task at hand and promised Obadiah that he would not let him down.
Ephesians 4:11-12, relates how we are to be in the work of the ministry, building up the body of Christ. I Thess 5:11, states that we are in the business of encouraging one another. We are to be functioning as salt and light, not constantly pointing condemning fingers at each other.
God sends folks in our lives to help us in the ministry and also to encourage. May we do so.