“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, … … … … … …
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
This isn’t our last probe into being “filled with the fullness of God.” But we must start “drilling up” to the love of Christ surpassing knowledge (Eph. 3:14-19). The way Paul puts it, love is a condition for being filled with the fullness of God. But first, we want to be realistic about what Paul means by “filled with all the fullness of God”. We won’t leave our discussion with all the answers but perhaps we can measure its meaning within our understanding. As we journey in faith, God is ever increasing our capacity to receive more grace (Romans 5). So, since we are not removed from God’s spiritually organic activity, “being filled with all the fullness of God,” we focus our soul’s attention in other directions as God maintains His work within us. Let us not forget, it is God working within us, to will and do according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). His faithful work in us continues while our mind is otherwise engaged (Philippians 1:6). This is pictured for us in 1Kings 17ff as we probe this remarkable man Elijah.
After about two years alone with the birds, the brook and God, Elijah is now ready to be strengthened in his faith and tempered for Ahab at Zarepath. First, the widow who did not have the resources to do what Elijah required. Exhausted of resources, the widow submits to God through Elijah and proves God’s faithfulness. Second, bringing back to life what God had already promised to sustain. God seals Elijah by putting divine power into Elijah’s hand for use restoring life into the widow’s son. God affirms Elijah showing His power to others through him and allowing Elijah to experience God’s reality in God’s service of love and judgment.
We can rejoice in God’s grace on any given day but there is always another day following broadening our dimensions of faith through continued testing and strengthening. This day is in Elijah’s horizon but first God completes Elijah’s lessons for his meeting with the Baal priests,
Ahab and “Ephraim,” God’s own people.
These are specific ways God was increasing Elijah’s capacity to be filled with all the fullness of God. God’s purposes for each of us is different. Each has different qualities and capacities. Our sovereign Lord knows the intricacies each possess and the purification to produce spiritual metal for His specific purposes. Elijah illustrates for us God in the life of one who is called, you and me.
We left Obadiah “in the way” to meet Elijah whom God dispatched to king Ahab. Elijah was nurtured in God’s embryo of faith at the brook Cherith and then strengthened at Zarephat. Now after 3 years of waiting, being nurtured by patience (Luke 8:15, Romans 8:25) and strengthened by faith (Ephesians 3:16, 2Tim. 4:17), he is to confront Ahab again.
Obadiah is God’s faithful servant serving as head of Ahab’s house. He is the one who informs Elijah Ahab has been searching throughout the land for him since prophesying the drought three years earlier. Obadiah is also fearful of Ahab. If he reports finding Elijah and Elijah should then disappear again, Ahab could take his anger out on Obadiah. Obadiah is also responsible for hiding 100 of God’s prophets in caves from Jezebel who wants the country to serve Baal. Obadiah’s faith has already been tested and here we find him obedient to Elijah, recognizing Elijah as God’s man and trusting by faith to do the what Elijah instructs. He returns, finding Ahab, letting him know Elijah is waiting for Him.
Ahab’s response is telling. He submissively complies with Elijah’s command. You would think Elijah was the king and Ahab the servant! Ahab obviously fears Elijah’s God, “before whom I stand (1Kings 17:1).”
Elijah commands Ahab to assemble all the people in Samaria (the northern kingdom) which includes the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. This was not a simple task. All the people from remote parts of Samaria had to be called together and assembled traveling long distances to comply with Elijah’s demand. In Ahab’s mind, Elijah was the “troubler of Israel” (1Kings 18:17) and in his humanity may have thought it best to appease this man whose God could bring rain upon the land. Ahab did not argue or throw up any objections but submitted to Elijah’s demands. There must have been all kinds of speculation and talk throughout the land about this unusual, dramatic event. The people are ordered to meet Elijah at Mt. Carmel. Was God sending His prophet to save them from the drought and their suffering? Who was this Tishbite who appears in animal skin from the land beyond the Jordan. Why does the king honor this stranger by making the whole nation his audience?
The scriptural account of Elijah’s encounter with Ahab, the priests and the northern tribes is interesting. It is best to refresh ourselves in the reading of the word (1Kings 18:20-46). Note the personality of Elijah in this passage, as he taunts and ridicules the priests. He is really enjoying Himself in the Lord but it is this same self that will soon rule the roost.
This is Elijah’s moment. Elijah had began his journey from beyond the Jordan, in the land of Gilead, to confront the politics of God’s people about 4 years earlier. He had his first meeting with Ahab and presented his message to Ahab, ”As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” Now, over 3 ½ years later, Elijah is center stage for all of the 10 northern tribes of Israel. He wants to demonstrate afresh who their God is contrasted to the false gods they are serving in idolatry under Ahab and Jezebel.
“’And Elijah came before are the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God follow him; but if Baal, then fallow him.’ And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, ‘I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it into pieces and lay it upon the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God. And all the people answered, ‘It is well spoken.’” -1Kings18:22-24.
The priests of Baal went first. They prepared their offering and called upon Baal all morning without response. Taunted by Elijah, the Baal priests continued their ravings, cutting themselves until Elijah gets up and calls the people unto himself at the time of the evening sacrifice according to Jewish law.
Elijah is in Samaria which is the 10 northern tribes. Notice Elijah repairs and builds the alter with 12 stones, not 10, “according to the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob” and builds the alter in the name of the Lord of all Israel. He constructs the alter with a circular trench to hold the water about to drench the pieces of the bull sacrifice.
“Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering 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 said, ‘the Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 1Kings 18:38-39.
This should be the end of the story! Elijah is vindicated, Israel returns to God and Ahab abandons his idols. Worship is restored to the God of Abraham, Jacob and David. This may be the outcome prayed for by Elijah and probably expected. Everything is going as Elijah knew it would. Had not God been with him through his 4 year ordeal? Wasn’t he obedient waiting patiently by the brook being fed by birds for two years? Hadn’t God demonstrated Himself to Elijah through the widow in Zarephat, even bringing back to life her son? How could God not now bring back His people to Himself? How could king Ahab possible deny the reality of the God of Abraham and David? How could Ahab possibly return back to the practices of idolatry confronted by the power of God and publicly exposed? God Himself shows Himself in judgment and power as God of His own chosen people. It is unbelievable to assume the people and the king would do anything but repent and worship their true and living God!
God is honoring Elijah’s devotion and faith. God expresses Himself because Elijah has believed God and acted upon that belief, he had faith. What about the people? What about Ahab and where is Jezebel? This is a singular event in their lives. There is no seeking after God and there is not sorrow about their idolatry and self-absorption. God is faithful to His word and He blesses Elijah abundantly. Not only did God deliver all the evil priests to Elijah’s hand for destruction, He blesses him in an extraordinary way!
Not only is a cloud on its way to deliver the rain because God is faithful but look at this scene as Elijah tells Ahab to get home and grab something to eat before the rain makes the road too muddy for his chariot.
“Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.” And in a little while the heavens grew black and clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went on to Jezreel. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jazreel.” -1Kings 18:44b-46.
Where is the cartoonist when you want him? Look at this scene. Ahab is galloping his way to Jazreel from Mt. Carmel to beat the rain. He looks over to his side from his racing chariot and what does he see??? … he does a double take … a triple take … there is Elijah running barefoot next to the chariot and guess what … he beats Ahab in his chariot to Jezreel. What a look had to be on Ahab’s face. This “troubler of Israel” is running, running mind you, against Ahab’s horse … and winning! And Elijah? I bet he was beaming!!!
Elijah is in the valley but his spirit is still on the mountain top. But Elijah does a 180. How can this happen so quickly to a man who has just experienced God as did Elijah? Jezebel is back in town!
Jezebel’s response to Ahab’s story of all Elijah did, the lose of her priests! … Ahab had a really bad day! Jezebel immediately sends a messenger to Elijah, saying, by this time tomorrow Elijah is a dead man!
You would think with the 4 years of dedication, 3 years of obedience and training, the sealing of God upon Elijah at the widow’s place in Zarepath, you would think Jezebel’s threat would be like water off a ducks back … we would be wrong, Elijah is still human and still has lessons to learn.
We trend to look at the big event, the fire from heaven that consumes rock, water as well as the sacrifice, as the culminating event. Not in God’s eye. He simply is being faithful to Who He is and loving the man who has been honoring Him. What seems earth shattering to us is merely the finger of God. God has more work to do that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:14-19.
At least two things happened, or didn’t happen, for Elijah after the big event. The rain came but the people merely believed in God, they did not believe God within their own heart. The people were more concerned about the infrastructure of their world and getting along with the people they lived with day after day. Yes, God was the true God but they had to live day after day and the government had chosen Baal for them and persecution for them if they did not comply. Jezebel was still on the throne with Ahab.
Elijah was alone, even though there were 100 prophets in the caves before he arrived, where are they on the day of God’s appearance? They were not standing with Elijah. Obadiah had disclosed their presence before the confrontation with Ahab.
There was no delegation of “believers” coming to Elijah to enlist his leadership. The priests of Baal have been executed, what an opportunity for lovers of Jehovah to rally around Elijah and bring them back into fellowship with their God. Silence! What Elijah did receive was a threat from the powerful, dreaded Jezebel.
“Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belong to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “”It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” -1Kings 19:3-4.
Yes, Elijah had experienced all the fullness of God on top of Mt. Carmel. How do we measure Elijah’s capacity and how do we measure God’s fullness from our finite perspective? Do we use yards or meters? God’s ways are literally not man’s ways. When a finite person is created new in Christ Jesus (2Cor.5:17), a miracle takes place. The new person, thus created, is now “in Christ.” This is a mystery that unfolds itself as one grows in God’s grace, which God lovingly provides.
Paul put it this way, “for in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on the earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Col. 1;19-20). God provides the means so that this person, created new in Christ, can become like Christ Jesus Himself.
Being filled with all the fullness of God is a path the believer in Christ travels into being like Christ. It is knowledge unlocked by love. Not love as we know and experience but love that flows out of the heart of God into the one who open the doors of self allowing the resurrected life of Jesus to put to death our own self so that His life becomes living water quenching the thirst that Elijah experiences in the desert. It is love that can not be taught until first it is learned through a love administered by God Himself into our frail, finite coils that wither in human strength only to find everlasting life in a love that last forever, literarily!