DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE TROUBLER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE TROUBLER

"Then it happened when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, 'Is that you, O troubler of Israel?' And he answered, 'I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commands of the LORD and have followed the Baals.'" (I Kings 18:17-18)

It has been a sorry decline for the Northern 10 tribes of Israel from Jeroboam to Ahab. The exponential disintegration of the moral state of the nation can be traced through the kings. We have noted how Jeroboam led the nation away from the God of David and Solomon. When Jeroboam died, his son Nadab became king. "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the sin by which he had made Israel to sin" (I Kings 15:26). Nadab was assassinated by Baasha. "Baasha did evil in the sigh of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin" (vs. 34). He was followed by Elah. who was murdered by Zimri in a coup. Zimri only reigned 7 days, and was overthrown by Omri. "And Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all who were before him" (I Kings 16:25). On the death of Omri, his son, the wicked king Ahab, ascended to the throne. ""Now Ahab, to son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him" (I Kings 16:30). "And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him" (I Kings 16:33). That's the story of sin. Unchecked, it gets worse as time goes by – "more than all who were before him." Sin piles on sin.

But into this mess, God in His grace and mercy sent a prophet by the name of Elijah. Elijah came in power – both in the miracles he performed, and also in the words he spoke. He confronted Ahab. Ahab called Elijah "the troubler of Israel" (18:17). He was indeed a troubler because he confronted people with their sin. It came to a head when Elijah challenged Ahab to a "god-duel" to see whose god was greater. As we know, Elijah's God won the day. This did not change Ahab very much, but the people recognized that Elijah's God was the winner, and "they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" (vs. 38).

My prayer is that God would send a prophet – a "troubler" – to America to confront the nation and the political powers that be with spiritual power to trouble people with their sin and cause the people to proclaim, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" May it happen by God's mercy and grace.

Love, Dad

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