"And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, 'Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth'" (1 Kings 18:1). Elijah's time in Zarephath is over. It is time to go meet the king, the king who wants him dead!
Elijah responded in faith. "So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria" (v. 2). This is a story about courageous faith. Only that courageous faith is on the part of two men, not just Elijah. Enter Obadiah, king Ahab's right-hand man.
"And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly. For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab had said to Obadiah, 'Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.' So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself." (vs. 3-6)
Giving no thought to what it could cost him, Elijah simply obeyed God’s calling and did what God asked him to do. And it could cost him his life! Now he is going to challenge another of the Lord's servants to do the same.
"Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, 'Is that you, my lord Elijah?' And he answered him, 'It is I. Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here"'" (vs. 7-8). Obadiah has to be thinking that this isn't good at all. Ejijah is going to get me killed!
Elijah was stepping out in faith with that very prospect before him. Nothing had changed. Ahab was angry at him and had been searching for him all these three and a half years. In fact, he had a contract out on Elijah's life! So to go and face Ahab directly was a dangerous endeavor. That takes courageous faith.
The thing about faith is that it will always lead to obedience in doing God’s will, no matter what the cost, because faithful men and women know that God is ultimately in charge. Jesus said, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). Man can do no real harm. Even though they may kill you, that would only send you straight to heaven, albeit a little early. But God can condemn you to hell if you fail to believe in Jesus. So do you obey men or God? I will choose God every time, no matter the personal cost.
Not only did Elijah understand this truth, it seems that the faithful Obadiah understood it as well. "And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly…)" (v. 3). The text says plainly that, although his earthly master Ahab called him, it was the Lord whom he truly feared.
Like Elijah, Obadiah knew that no real harm to come to him from Ahab. But with God, that was another story. So he listened to God over men and tried to do God’s bidding and carry out God’s will in his life. But that took courage, especially being the steward of Ahab’s house. He worked for the very man who most wanted to kill Elijah and likely any other believer in the Lord God as well.
Christian courage is the willingness to say and do the right thing regardless of the earthly cost, knowing God promises to help you and to save you on account of Christ. Obadiah showed such courage: "For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water" (v. 4).
Courage is indispensable for both spreading and preserving the gospel of Christ. Jesus promised that spreading the gospel would meet resistance: "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name" (Matt. 24:9). So evangelism and teaching the Word will take courage.
Elijah knew the Lord and trusted fully in His power. He served the Lord and did only the Lord's bidding, not his own. Like Elijah, we need to know the Lord personally by faith and trust Him in all areas of life. When we do, God will make us bold in the face of all dangers. Then nothing will stop us from standing firm for the Lord. He will turn our simple faith into courageous faith.
The problem in Israel was that they no longer trusted the Lord. They had strayed far from Him and were even worshiping false gods. They were not walking with God. They trusted only in themselves. They were in need of an encounter with the incomparable God. They were in need of revival.
The question to ask is the question Elisha would later ask: "Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" (2 Kings 2:14). That is what the people of Israel should have asked themselves. "Where now is the LORD?" Indeed, that is the question Obadiah should have asked himself as well. He should have looked around him and asked, "Where now is the LORD?"
Instead, fear came over Obadiah. Fear, not courage. He said to Elijah, "How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you. And now you say, 'Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here"'! And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill me." (vs. 9-12a)
But as quickly as he spoke about his fears to Elijah, Obadiah remembered who he was in Christ. So he stopped mid-sentence and added: "But I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth" (v. 12b). That is the key to godly courage—to fear the Lord more than men and to put all your trust in Christ.
Obadiah continues, returning to his fear of Ahab: "Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD’S prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water? And now you say, 'Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here."' He will kill me!" (vs. 13-14)
A reminder that he fears the Lord more than Ahab should serve to spur him on to taking action. After all, he has been doing a great and courageous work for the Lord already, so why not continue on for the Lord now?
When the Lord is with you, you need not fear what men may say or do. It is God who will protect you. It is God who will take care of you. Step out in faith and God will use you. He will accomplish His purpose in and through you. God will do great things when you step out in faith.
Elijah settled all of Obadiah’s fears, as he said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today" (v. 15). Being assured that God had spoken, Obadiah trusted and went willingly to the king. Suddenly a flash of courage. The courage of faith arose inside of him and he stepped out in faith and went to Ahab as Elijah had asked.
When you see God for who He is and you trust the Lord completely, you will find courage to carry out whatever it is He asks you to do. Such was the case for Elijah. With spiritual courage he would go to Ahab and finish the work God had for him to do.
Elijah would confront evil and do what the god of Ahab could not do—end the drought. The gods of Ahab specialized in rain, dew, and thunder, yet they couldn’t end the drought for obvious reasons. They were powerless, false gods. Elijah served the true God, and by His power working through Elijah, God would finish His work.
Obadiah would also finish the work God had for him. Assured by Elijah that he would indeed show himself to Ahab, Obadiah found the courage in Christ to go and deliver the message Elijah asked him to give to Ahab. "So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah" (v. 16).
The faithful finish the work God has for them. They are obedient to Him. They show courage by trusting in Christ at all times and in all things. They step out in faith and do as God asks. They take action and God provides the results.
Are you counted among the faithful? I pray you are. Listen for that still small voice from the Lord. Then faithfully follow His lead. Live by courageous faith! Amen.
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