HOW LONG HALT YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? IS REVIVAL COMING?

 

There was severe drought and famine in the land of Israel in the Prophet Elijah’s day.  It would continue for three and a half years and severely affect the lives of most Israelites at that time.  Like today, people were feeling much uncertainty and fear for the future.  Some didn’t know where their next meal was coming from, and many were perishing from hunger.  Why was Israel left so impoverished?  It was because they had left off serving the true God and turned to worshipping Baal, an idol that was revered by some of the heathen nations around them. 

 Ahab, king of Israel during the time when the drought occurred, was not a good or godly man.  He managed to become even worse by the choices that he made in his personal life.  He chose Jezebel for his wife, a daughter of Ethbaal, who was the king of the Zidonians.  The name Ethbaal means “with Baal” and signifies that he reverenced and worshipped the heathen god Baal.  His daughter followed her father’s ways and also worshipped Baal.  The name Jezebel means “unexalted,” and the more we learn about her from scripture, the more we understand that there was nothing praiseworthy about her conduct or her character.  Jezebel appears to have dominated her husband Ahab, and to have influenced him to depart from any appearance of devotion to God and embrace Baal.  Because a man wouldn’t sell his property to Ahab, she had him murdered, and then had Ahab take possession of the property.  Jezebel also murdered many of the prophets of the Lord and drove others out of the land or forced them into hiding.  In all of this, Ahab did not rebuke or reprove his wife, but was complicit in all of it by his silence and by his actions.  Scripture describes Ahab in this way, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.” (1 Kings 16:30), and “…there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.” (1 Kings 21:25).  For all these reasons and more, God sent the Prophet Elijah to tell Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before Whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” (1 Kings 17:1). 

Oftentimes God allows famines, droughts, and other natural disasters to indicate His displeasure with a people or a nation.  When things are going well for a nation, it is easy to bask in the abundance and assume that God’s blessings are upon them.  Worse than that, we get complacent and then neglect God altogether.  It is then that God allows trouble on that nation in order to get their attention and turn their hearts and minds toward Him.  It’s because God loves a people that He allows such things.  Just as God chastens and corrects them out of His infinite love for them as His sons and daughters, He also chastens and corrects nations, especially those which profess to be  “Christian nations.”  This is why we cannot afford to ignore the signs that are all around us in America today.  We must ask ourselves, “What is God saying to the Church in America, and to the nation as a whole?”  Solomon reminds us that, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34).  We don’t have to look very far or very hard to see the sins of America that have multiplied before heaven and before the Judge of the whole earth.  Consider the following facts reported in a poll published by Revival Outside the Walls ministry:

 ·         Almost two thirds of Americans (62%) believe the corona virus is a message from God to humanity to change the way they live.

·         35 million Americans who seldom pray or darken the door of the church have started praying during the corona virus epidemic.    

·         Four in five Americans believe that "things in the country are out of control."    

·         In a recent survey of 2,500 congregations, more than half of the members said they did not believe their church was spiritually vital.    

·         57% of regular churchgoers say they have never had a religious experience that changed their life.    

·         More than 20% of Evangelicals are not sure that heaven is a real place.     

·         69% of churchgoers believe that everyone will go to Heaven.    

·         3 out of 4 Christians (74%) seldom have a “spiritual conversation” with anyone.    

·         52% of all “Christians” believe that non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life.    

·         72% of the unchurched believe the Church is filled with hypocrites.    

·         More than half of all young people (ages 18-24) don’t believe the Bible is God’s inspired word.    

·         59% of Millennials believe that pornography is morally acceptable.    

·         46% of Evangelicals agree that God accepts the worship of all religions.    

·         Nearly half of young Evangelicals (ages 18-29) favor same-sex marriage.    

·         70% of all young people who grow up in church leave the church by their 20's.    

·         Two thirds of those who are 18-34 years of age, do not believe pre-marital sex is ever wrong.    

·         In just 8 years, the percentage of the U.S. population calling themselves Christians has decreased from 78% to 70%.    

 If there was ever a time when repentance is necessary and revival is essential, it is today.  The Prophet Jeremiah spoke over 2600 years ago and said, “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.  And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in My sight, that it obey not My voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.” (Jeremiah 18:7-10).

Today, we are suffering a famine too.  It is not a famine of natural food, but of hearing the Word of God.  Amos prophesied of this time when he said, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.  In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.” (Amos 8:11-13).  It is not due to a lack of availability of the Word that is causing this famine.  Most homes have multiple copies of the Bible, plus Bible apps are readily available on any smart phone.  There are many Christian evangelical T.V. and radio stations that broadcast the Word every hour of every day.  There are also more churches than one can count in the U.S. with many in every city.  So, it is not because the Word is not available, it is because we are not hearing it, according to the words of the prophet.  We are saved by grace through faith, and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (See Romans 10:17).  I can listen to the Word of God being preached; but if I do not choose to hear and apply those words, they will not inspire true faith in my heart and mind.  Jesus’ message to each of the churches in Revelations included this warning: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” The Word itself can easily become mere words on a page, and as such, it can minister death, “…for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6).  People misusing the letter of the word have been the source of much racism and hatred in the history of the world, not to mention wars and persecution.  It is the Spirit of God, and the spirit of the Gospel that promotes divine life, love, and harmony.

Being a godly person in Israel during Elijah’s time was not an easy thing to do.  Most of the narrative of Elijah’s story tells of his hiding and running for his life.  King Ahab, and especially his wife Jezebel, wanted desperately to put him to death.  They had very little tolerance for the truth!  Scripture tells us that, rather than being the solid, unmovable pillar of faith that we imagine him to be, Elijah was a “man subject to like passions as we are.” (James 5:17).  He bemoaned the fact that he was the only prophet left in Israel and that his life was in jeopardy, even though God assured him that there were thousands more besides him.  He complained about his lot and even asked God to take his life at one point.  I believe that it is going to become much more difficult to be a Christian in this country in the very near future.  As the balance between believers and non-believers continues to shift hard left, we are going to witness increased intolerance and enmity for the Church and for true believers.  “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth [restrains; withholds] will let, until He be taken out of the way.  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-10).  Right now, there is a restraining force in the world that is keeping the evil one from fulfilling his ultimate attack against the godly.  When that force is taken out of the way, then Satan will unleash his fury upon the Church.  When that happens, there will be a time of persecution the likes of which have never been known in this country.  When we see the signs approaching, Jesus tells us to “look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28).

 God sustained Elijah and those who were faithful to the Lord in miraculous ways during this difficult time.  The story of the widow of Zarephath is one example.  She was down to one small handful of meal and a little bit of oil to split between herself and her son when Elijah found her and asked for a bit of bread and some water.  Because of her faith, God multiplied the meal and the oil so that it lasted the three of them for “many days” until God once again sent rain.  God is able to sustain us as well during difficult times.  The Psalmist said he had never “…seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25).  At one point God sent ravens to Elijah with bread and meat in their beaks!

 I remember a time, not long after my wife and I were converted, that we were hosting a small Bible study in our home.  We had been discussing the end times and how God would feed and care for His people during that time.  Everyone had an opinion, but no one knew for sure.  As we were wrapping up that part of the conversation, there came a knock on our front door.  I got up and answered it and found a pizza delivery guy standing on the porch with a pizza in his hands.  He said, “Here’s your pizza you ordered.”  I said we hadn’t ordered a pizza.  He asked if our address was such and such, and I said yes it was.  He then told me that the pizza was paid for and this was the address it was supposed to go to, so it was ours.  I thanked him and brought the pizza in to the group and opened it.  It was a plain cheese pizza that was just big enough for everyone there to eat from!  We realized that this was the answer to the question that we had been discussing.  Not that the Lord would send pizza, but that the Lord could use a multitude of means to feed His children, and they would often be ways that would be unexpected and unexplained.  That was a good enough explanation for all of us!

After three and a half years without rain, God told Elijah to go and appear before King Ahab.  When he did so, the king said to Elijah, “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” (1 Kings 18:17).  Isn’t it just like those who have forsaken the Lord to blame those who stand for the truth for the troubles that their own bad choices have brought on them?  Ahab could hold Elijah, a mere man, responsible for the drought in Israel, but not recognize that God Himself was the only one with such power to do such a thing!  He could not even acknowledge the hand of God in this situation and realize his need for repentance!  Elijah said to the king, “I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.” (1 Kings 18:18).  Trouble comes on individuals and upon nations who forsake the Lord and refuse to keep the commandments of God.  The Prophet Isaiah told of a time when people would not have any tolerance or love of the truth.  He said, “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” (Isaiah 30:8-11).  It is God Who has made us.  For that reason, He knows what will bring us spiritual and emotional health, and what will bring confusion, depression, and spiritual death.  The story has not changed in 6,000 years and still man insists on resisting God’s will and His plan!

There will come a time when Christians will be blamed for all the ills of society.  We see more intolerance and open hatred today toward Judeo-Christian principles and conservative values than any time in my memory.  Christians are expected to compromise their values and beliefs, but those who accuse them are often even more rigid in their views.  Jesus told His disciples that the time would come when some would kill them, and think that they are doing God’s will!  Just as Ahab and Jezebel were quick to blame the prophets of God for their troubles, there will be those who rise up to blame the Christians. 

I know that there are those who believe that God will not let His children suffer any persecution and tribulation, but will rapture them away before they have to face such things, but that does not align with either history or scripture.  God’s people have suffered persecution and tribulation since the day that Cain slew Abel, and the history of the Christian Church has been one that is written in blood.  Believers have suffered persecution and martyrdom at the hands of kings, emperors and religious leaders since the Church was formed.  Jesus was crucified, John the Baptist was beheaded, Stephen was stoned to death, Paul was beheaded, Peter was crucified upside down, and countless Christians were burned, eaten alive by beasts, and murdered in other gruesome ways.  How can we in good conscience teach that God won’t let modern day Christians in Western countries suffer when they are suffering around the world already in other parts of the world?  We need to be preparing believers in the West for difficult times, for they will surely come. 

Jesus told His disciples exactly when the rapture of the Church would occur.  He details many of the end time events in the twenty fourth chapter of Matthew, and then He makes this statement, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:29-31).  When shall Christ gather His elect from the four winds?  “Immediately after the tribulation of those days.”  What are some of the signs leading up to the rapture?

  “For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (v. 5).

·         “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars.” (v. 6).

·      "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (v. 7).

 All of these, Jesus says, are just the beginning of sorrows.  He continues, however, with more signs.

    “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake.” (v. 9).

·         “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” (v. 10).

·         “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” (v. 11).

·         “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (v. 12).

·         “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.” (v. 15, 16).

·         “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (v. 21).

 Read this chapter 24 of Matthew for yourself and pay close attention to the order of events that Jesus lays down.  Then you will begin to understand that the Church is in for some perilous times indeed.  The one exception to this would be in the case of the Manchild, or 144,000, who the woman in Revelations twelve brings forth.  The woman in that chapter is the Church and her Manchild is caught up to the throne of God right after he is manifested, but the woman is left behind on the earth for a time where she is protected in the wilderness for three and a half years and fed miraculously by God.  Sound familiar?  For more about this, see my message Until Christ Be Formed In You in Volume 3, Issue 25 of City On A Hill Messages newsletter.

Elijah told Ahab to gather all of Israel to Mt. Carmel, along with 450 of the prophets of Baal who “eat at Jezebel’s table.”  When they were all assembled, Elijah said to them all, “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.”  It is time for Christians in America and other Western countries to make up their minds who they are going to serve.  If the Lord is God, then follow Him whole-heartedly.  No more wishy washy or half measures.  Too many Christians have one foot in church and the other in the world, and they will not decide which they are going to give their lives to.  Too many church pastors and leaders have pulled up their chair at Jezebel’s table and have grown quite comfortable there.  Jesus declared a stern warning against those in the Church at Thyatira when He said, “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” (Revelation 2:20-23).  We must get in or get out – God would rather we be cold or hot, but not lukewarm!  This reminds me of Joshua when he demanded that the Israelites make up their minds as to who they were going to serve: either the gods of the heathen, or the Lord Almighty.  He said, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”  His own mind was made up.  He told them, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15).

Elijah proposed a test.  He would construct an altar to the Lord and call on God to send fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice that he put on it.  The prophets of Baal would do the same.  The God Who answered by fire would then clearly be the true God. 

The 450 prophets of Baal were up first.  They placed their bullock on the altar of Baal and called on their god from morning until noon with no effect.  Then they continued on from noon till the time of the evening sacrifice again with no reaction from their god.  They even cut themselves till the blood flowed from them, but there was no answer from Baal.

Then Elijah drew the people near to him as he set up the altar of the Lord.  The Jewish historian Josephus suggests that he wanted them close enough that they could plainly see that he wasn’t using any trickery, or hiding fire somewhere among the wood of the altar.  He laid the wood for the sacrifice on the altar and then put the bullock in place on the wood.  After that, he dug a trench around the altar at its base and had four barrels of water poured over the sacrifice, the wood, and the altar.  This he did three times till the water filled the trench.  Elijah then prayed a simple prayer to the true God of Israel.  He said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the LORD God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again.” (1 Kings 18:36, 37).  I am forever inspired by how deep and how far the love of God will go to reach the lost.  Notice that Elijah’s desire here was for one great revival that would turn the people’s hearts to God again.  He knew it would take nothing less than a miracle of epic proportions to convince those who had fallen so low as to include child sacrifice in their worship of Baal.  Many innocents had been killed at the hands of the priests of Baal.  Elijah knew it would take fire from heaven to bring the nation back one more time.  How many prophets and pastors are there today that can call the fire of God down from heaven?  Peter tells us, “...the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:17, 18).  God is judging His people today with the rod of correction so that we will not be judged with the world.  We must not ignore the chastening of the Holy Spirit in these days, but allow God to prepare us for the days that are coming.

Like Israel, our nation is killing babies at an alarming rate in abortion clinics all over the country.  God will judge our cavalier attitude toward these unborn innocents.  Our silence and our deeds speak of our assent to such atrocities.  Only the fire of the Holy Spirit sweeping across the country and through our churches can renew us again to repentance.  We need to know that the Lord is the only God Who answers by fire!

 No matter how watered down the Gospel has become in many of the churches today, God’s holy fire can still fall if a few souls are willing to stand in the gap and speak the truth!  When Elijah had prayed his prayer, then God answered from heaven.  “Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.” (1 Kings 18:38, 39).  This is the effect of true revival!  It brings the fear of God on the hearts of the people and brings them face to face with their sin.  More than anything else today, we need to see the fire fall from heaven.  We don’t need more programs, well organized outreaches, door to door campaigns, or crusades.  What we need is individual believers who will rise up and really believe!!!  We need to apply Jesus’ great commission to our own walk and begin to reach out to the lost around us.  We need to pray for and witness to, our families, our co-workers, and those whom we encounter in our day-to-day activities.  If the Church would take the Gospel message seriously instead of casually, we would see the fire begin to fall in our towns and in our country. 

The great Azusa Street Revival of 1906-1915 began in a small church where a group of believers began to pray for revival in their church.  God began to pour out His Spirit on them, and their faith was stirred to pray for their city.  As God began to sweep through Los Angeles with revival fire, they were emboldened to pray for all of California, and then the whole country and the world.  Just what do we believe? 

Elijah had the prophets of Baal put to death in order to eliminate their evil influence over the people.  Today, we must be willing to speak up and expose the doctrines of devils, and the false prophecies that are influencing Christians to more sin and ungodliness.  It’s time to get off the fence! 

Elijah said to Ahab, “Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.” (1 Kings 18:41).  There is coming a time that the Bible refers to as the Latter Rain.  It will be the one, final outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the world.  As the last rains of the season water and nourish crops right before the harvest to mature the precious grains, fruits, and vegetables, so also this last great revival will mature God’s harvest before He begins to reap the souls of men.  “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12).  “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” (Joel 2:23).  “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until He receive the early and latter rain.” (James 5:7). 

Once the people of Israel had repented and turned from their sins, then God was free to open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings on them.  After three and a half years the skies opened up, and the rain came once more upon the land. 

Before the Lord returns there will be a ministry that goes forth again in the spirit and power of Elijah.  It will not be just one man, but a large group who, like John the Baptist, will call the Church back to repentance.  John was a forerunner for Christ when Jesus came the first time.  John came in the spirit and power of Elijah scripture tells us, and so will this last day ministry.  “Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.  But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:1, 2).  This was, of course, fulfilled when John came to announce the coming of the Messiah, but will be fulfilled again before the coming our risen King of kings and Lord of lords. 

The story of Elijah holds many parallels to things that we see happening around us today.  I pray that it will inspire us to rise up to be everything that God has promised we can be in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Let us be encouraged by His reproofs and His corrections, knowing that those whom He loves are the ones whom He chastens.  Let us come boldly, therefore to the throne of grace so that we can receive mercy from the Lord, and grace to help in times of need.  “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37).