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Elijah lived at a very critical time in the history of his nation and the world, and so do we. Jesus is coming soon, but before He does, there is going to be a shaking. There is also going to be a conflict between truth and error. Only those who have fortified their minds with the Word of God can stand. But though we must go through the training at Cherith and Zarephath before we can stand as Elijahs, many of us don’t even seem aware that we are living at the very close of probationary time.

Ellen White described the preparation needed among God’s people in a 1983 article in the Review. This message is also found in Early Writing pages 111-120.

“Dear brethren and sisters. Do we believe with all our heart that Christ is soon coming and that we are having the last message of messages that are ever to be given to a guilty world? Is our example what it should be? Do we by our lives and Holy conversation show to those around us that we are looking for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? I fear that we do not believe and realize these sins as we should. Those who believe in the importance of what we profess should act out their faith. There is too much seeking after amusement amongst us. The mind is left to run too much upon dress and the tongue is engaged too often in light and trifling conversation.

Once again she writes:

“We are standing upon the threshold of great and solemn events. Prophecies are fulfilling, strange eventful history is being recorded in the books of heaven. Everything in our world is in agitation. Events are changing to bring about a day of God which hasteth greatly. Only a moment of time remains. Satan is busily laying his plans for the last mighty conflict. He is waiting to the utmost to make himself as God and destroy all those who oppose his power.” (Testimonies Vol. 6, page 14)

There is going to be a conflict. Those who align themselves with Christ and his truth will run into conflict with those who align themselves with Satan and his lies. Ellen White also writes that “Fearful tests and trials await the people of God. While the powers of darkness are staring at the elements from beneath, the Lord God of Heaven is also sending power from above to meet the emergency by arousing his living agencies to exalt the law of heaven.”

While the forces of evil (spiritual Jezebel and Ahab) are getting married, the Lord is also preparing Elijahs to counteract their spiritual madness. The purpose of this book is to set forth the preparation needed for these last days. We can’t stand on Mount Carmel unless we go through Elijah-like training at Cherith and Zarephath. Like Elijah, we must know that Jehovah liveth, and always stands by our side. We must be willing to obey him in all that He bids us do. We must spend time hiding ourselves by the Brook.

We must learn to stay put, not going anywhere until God bids us, by his Word, to another location. Even if our brook dries up and the Lord sends us to the refining experience of Zarephath, though there be fears and threats, the Lord will take care of His own. God transported Elijah and hid him right in the headquarters – the very hometown of Jezebel. He taught Elijah to be content with little and gentle under provocation. He convicted others of sin through Elijah’s godly life, and demonstrated the power of intercessory prayer. At the close of Elijah’s training in the home school of Zarephath, he heard the heart-warming testimony, “Now I now that thou art a man of God.”

That was the very qualification Elijah needed. With that “diploma” under his belt, he was ready to go where God sent him and stand, even in the midst of a confused multitude and hundreds of heathen priests, at the top of Mount Carmel.

Let us journey with God’s prophet as he confronts the servants of Baal. This phase of our story begins in 1 Kings 18. Three and a half years have passed since Elijah stood before Ahab. For three and a half years, there has been no rain in the land. During this time of great calamity for Israel, Elijah had divided his time between the cutting experience of Cherith and the home school of Zarephath.

Now the land is parched and dry, as if wasted by fire. The scorching rays of the sun have destroyed the last vestige of vegetation. Streams which had babbled ceaselessly for hundreds of years are now waterless rivers of sand. Bleating sheep and cows wander here and there, searching for that ever-evasive sip of water or near-extinct blade of grass.

Land which had once flourished now looks like a desert. The groves once dedicated to Baal are leafless and apparently lifeless. The air itself is suffocating, as dust storms blind human eyes, making it difficult even to breathe. The once-prosperous cities of Israel are now places of weeping and mourning. Hunger and thirst abound, resulting in death by starvation for hundreds and thousands of people.

During this difficult time, Elijah’s picture was plastered in every post office in Israel as Ahab’s “most wanted” man. All the security and military intelligence of King Ahab–the Israelite FBI, CIA, KGB and Fedayeem combined–were enlisted in search of the prophet. Every security system in nations nearby, which had been alerted to report Elijah the moment they found him, was turned on. Elijah was also under the curse of the worshippers of Baal. His name, no doubt, was on every thirsty lip.

It was at this very time of danger that “the Word of the Lord came to Elijah saying, ‘Go and show yourself unto Ahab and I will send rain upon the land.’” (1 Kings 18:1)

The Word of the Lord Came to Him.

Notice that when God wanted Elijah to move, the Word of the Lord came again. This Word had often appeared to Elijah. It was the Word of the Lord that told Elijah to “Go to Cherith” and “Go to Zarephath.” And now that same Word came again, telling the prophet to “Go to Carmel.”

This was a dangerous moment for Elijah, but he knew he had to obey. Once again the prophet remembered that Jehovah liveth, that Jehovah would stand by his side. And so Elijah, in faith, set out on the 150-mile journey from Zarephath to Carmel.

During the time that Elijah was on his journey, the famine became so severe that even Ahab himself went out to search for some food. The Bible tells us that “Ahab called Obadiah which was the Governor of his house. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.” In fact, the Bible tells us that Obadiah was a great man in all this. Yet there is something significant here in the very type of food that Obadiah was helping Ahab to search for.

“Go into the land and to all fountains of water and unto all brooks,” Ahab said to Obadiah. “Perhaps we may find grass to serve the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.” Yes, like Ahab, Obadiah was searching for

Grass instead of Grace.

Israel was sorely wounded. There was famine in the land. Men and women were dying. The whole countryside was sick because of sin. Yet at the very time when Israel most needed grace, Ahab was wandering across the countryside, searching for grass. Grass to save not his men, but his mules and horses. Unfortunately, this same level of selfishness–where we seek for horsepower instead of hope, fame instead of faith,grass instead of grace, still plagues many churches today.

The church desperately needs the means that are in our hands, yet we selfishly reserve our resources for horses and mules, cars and homes. The selfishness of Ahab is rife. Instead of being clothed with the true Christian character of Christ’s righteousness, we spend money on expensive clothing.

We are searching for grass instead of grace when we spend countless hours building our own houses, talking to friends on the telephone, or e-mailing to excess instead of conversing with Christ in prayer. We are searching for grass instead of grace when we spend precious hours and resources sampling different restaurants, and even when we sit at our own tables but are nowhere to be found when it’s time to serve communion. We are searching for grass instead of grace when we read sensuous books, magazines and even newspapers. We think reading these things will make us smart and informed, yet we hardly spend time reading God’s book, the only book that can make us wise to salvation.

Fathers and mothers, what kind of food are you serving your children? Is your table filled with the foods suggested by the Spirit of Prophecy? Unless we are willing to take the health message seriously, whatever we set before our children is not real food, but grass.

Ministers and pastors, are you giving your church real food, straight from the Word of God? Or have you been caught up in empty theatrics and catchy but meaningless slogans? Unless we are willing to preach a straight and uncompromising message from God’s Word, we are presenting mere grass, truckloads of junk food instead of the real Bread of Life, the Bible.

Students, teachers and librarians–what type of resources are you reading? Are you giving the Lord your best by setting your mind on that which will prepare you for heaven? Any other type of education is of no value to God. It is grass, and has nothing to do with grace. The church is repeating the same mistakes as Ahab and Jezebel. At a time when the nation was wounded, hungry, and badly in need of pardon and grace, the king was searching for grass. May the Lord help us to know what this means today, and to understand the times in which we live.

Obadiah vs. Elijah.

As we continue on in the story of Elijah, it is startling–and almost shocking–to discover a God-fearing man who lived in the house of Ahab. The Bible tells us that Obadiah was the governor of Ahab’s house. According to Obadiah’s own testimony, he feared the Lord greatly from his youth. (verse 12).

Evidently Obadiah wasn’t afraid to put his faith into action–at least, secretly. When Jezebel was busily executing Gods prophets, Obadiah divvied them into groups of fifty and hid them away in caves. He even took food from Jezebel’s own table to feed them! Yes, God does have a sense of humor. While Elijah was hiding in Jezebel’s hometown, God fed the rest of his prophets out of Jezebel’s pantry.

In spite of his good deeds and the fact that he was a God-fearing man, Obadiah was somewhat lacking in courage. This is why he was afraid when he met Elijah on the road. We hear of his fear in three different verses of the Bible, for in Obadiah’s own words:

* he was “afraid that Ahab would slay me” if he didn’t bring Elijah back to the king (verse 7)

* “Ahab would slay me if I don’t bring you with me” (verse 12), and

* “Ahab will slay me, Elijah. I cannot go and tell Ahab you are here. You must go with me.” (verse 14)

Yes, Obadiah lacked courage. He didn’t believe that God had the power to protect him. In spite of his covert action to protect God’s prophets, Obadiah was trying to please God and Ahab at the same time. How else could a God-fearing man live faithfully in the home of such wicked characters as Ahab and Jezebel?

Obadiah may have been used by the Lord to rescue his prophets, but the difficult time in which he lived required Elijahs, not Obadiahs. God needs people who are not only good, but courageous.

Today, Obadiah represents all who are afraid to speak boldly for God. They may know the right thing to do, and secretly even do right things. But they don’t want to show their true colors. They don’t want to take a stand for fear they would lose their position, prestige, or important relationships. They want to please God and also please man, but in the end they please neither.

Their self-serving actions may please themselves and prolong their survival, but God finds such people reprehensible–neither hot nor cold. Vacillating and compromising, they will scour the earth with Ahab for grass instead of grace. It’s a miserable errand for a God-fearing man, yet such will be the experience of all who insist on trying to serve two masters.

The Bible says you can never please God and man at the same time. The Adventist woman who shares her religion and marries an ungodly man will descend to his level, gripped in the bondage of a miserable home. The Adventist businessman or woman who partners with a corrupt individual can easily stoop to the same crooked deals as their partner.

You cannot accept two masters and remain pure. The Christian who cannot speak out against sin, whether it is alcohol, drugs, immorality, homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, will end up condoning those sins. The elder or pastor who allows wild behavior in his church will realize too late that his church is ruled by the world. A Christian institution that allows faculty and staff to undermine the fundamental teachings of the Bible will ultimately destroy the lives of the students, not to mention the lifeblood of the very institution. The safest and strongest position for us to take is a firm and decisive stand for truth, no matter the cost.

In the words of Ellen White, “ To stand in defense of truth and righteousness, when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few–this will be our test and those are the kind of people we need.” (Testimonies 1 and 5, page 136)

“The deepest poverty, the greatest self-denial with God’s approval, is better than riches, honors, ease and friendship without it.” You cannot please two masters. God cannot use men and woman who are afraid to take a stand for right. God needs men who will not be bought or sold. Men whose conscience is as true to duty as a compass needle is to the north pole. Men who will stand for the right, though the heavens fall.” (Great Controversy, page 622)

Obadiah represents all the vacillating, compromising Christians of today. He was a good man, but not the kind of man God needed at that particular time. And so God sent Elijah to Obadiah, to challenge this wavering man to take a stand and deliver a message to Ahab.

“Go and tell Ahab to meet me,” Elijah told Obadiah. (1 Kings 18). Elijah knew that the only way he could call Obadiah out of his divided loyalty, divided affection, and divided mind, was to ask him to make a stand. Obadiah had to choose whether to serve the Lord God of Elijah, or Baal, god of Ahab and Jezebel.

Obadiah could fool Ahab, but he couldn’t fool Elijah. Notice the conversation between these two.

“I bow to my Lord Elijah,” were Obadiah’s words when he first saw the prophet. But though Elijah admitted to being Obadiah’s “lord”, he pointed out who Obadiah’s true master was in his command to Obadiah.

“Go tell thy lord, behold Elijah is here.” (verse

Obadiah wanted to call Elijah “my lord”, but Elijah said “ Your true lord is Ahab, go and tell your lord.”

“Master, you know I’m afraid,” was the response of Obadiah. “You don’t know what this man will do to me. All nations have taken an oath to look for you. If I report that I saw you without bringing you, Ahab would kill me, kill me, kill me.”

Obadiah had to make a decision, so Elijah gave him one final appeal (verse 15).

“As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him.”

“We serve a living God,” was Elijah’s message to Obadiah. Once again, we come back to the powerful, life-changing message that had shaped Elijah’s actions and life.

“Jehovah liveth! He is always by my side. And this same Jehovah can be your Jehovah. Go in faith, Obadiah. Ahab can do nothing to you.” Obadiah had to make a decision at that point, and, thank God, he made the right choice.

A miracle took place right then and there, as Obadiah’s heart lay hold of the promise that Jehovah lived and would stand by him. This miracle—the miracle of a changed heart–is why Obadiah, who had been so fearful before, now took his life in his hands and hurried off to find Ahab. Suddenly searching for grass was no longer a priority. Making God first and doing God’s will became Obadiah’s top priority. Praise God, He can still change fearful and even compromising Christians into decisive servants for him.

Perhaps you, dear reader, waver between truth and error, apparently unable to stand for the right. God can give you the courage to stand straight and tall. This courage, cut from the Biblical fact that Jehovah liveth, is truly available to everyone. It was available to Obadiah, and it is available to you. Even if you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God lives and will stand by your side.

As for Obadiah, he was transformed at that very moment. When he finally realized that he really couldn’t serve two masters, he made up his mind. He was willing to go where God, through his prophet, bid him to go. And because of Obadiah’s decision, God also performed a miracle in the heart of Ahab.

Adapted from a sermon by Dr. Samuel Pipim. Published online by permission. Copyright ©2008 Cari Haus.