Ahab, Jezebel & Elijah

Ahab, Jezebel & Elijah

Priscilla Van Sutphin

www.blogtalkradio.com/upstream

www.upstreamca.org

I was playing one cell and worshipping the Lord, singing…

and I suddenly had an impression of Elijah hidden in the

Rock as the Wind and earthquake and fire pass and how

if WE are hidden in the ROCK of Jesus, then none of

those things will touch us either.

Then the Lord began to encourage my heart, how when

Saul was chasing David to Naioth, in Ramah, that he had

sent 3 sets of messengers and they wouldn’t do as Saul said, as when they went, they came under the Holy Spirit in a prophetic anointing. So Saul goes himself with intent

to murder, but look what happens in 1 Sam 19:

1 Sam 19:15-24 NKJV Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him." 16 And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats' hair for his head. 17 Then Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, 'Let me go! Why should I kill you?'"

18 So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. 19 Now it was told Saul, saying, "Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!" 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, "Where are Samuel and David?"

And someone said, "Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah." 23 So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

How is that for the Lord protecting you ? Is that not amazing that the Holy Spirit so humbled Saul that he laid down naked all day and that night and prophesied ? He would in NO WISE do that in the natural – it had to be supernatural. When you read this you want to say, “ God can’t do WHAT ?”

I am impressed as a couple friends have sent words about increase in revelation coming to us, that the Lord is speaking about this to show us the level of demonstration of His Spirit that is coming. Now with that anointing, also comes opposition like that of Jezebel towards Elijah.

I’ve always wanted to write something on jezebel but hadn’t yet, but I think it is time to look at some parallels that will help us through what is coming. Steve Sampson has written two EXCELLENT books on Jezebel…the first is “ I Was Always on My Mind” and the second is on “Confronting Jezebel”. Both are extremely important books and well written showing most all the characteristics. They can be obtained through www.stevesampson.com [ They are the best I’ve seen ]

Let’s start with Ahab and Jezebel in the beginning. In 1 Kings 16 it says:

1 Kings 16:30-33 KJV And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

Now that is a mouthful to say that Ahab did more evil than all that went before him. This alone tells you the carnal nature of the man who took Jezebel to be his wife.

It continues:

31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

When God says something two times it is to emphasize it, and three times it is to really emphasize it even further…so twice he emphasized how much Ahab did to cause ANGER in God. Some people today don’t even think God ever gets angry so even this would be a paradigm shift for some.

1 Kings 16:33 KJV And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

So here is the THIRD emphasis…of God’s provocation and anger by Ahab.

In order to understand the anger of God about the idolatry here to BAAL it is good to take a good look at what was involved in Baal worship.

Idolatry often in the O.T. is called ADULTERY towards God because we are to be married to GOD, and anything that takes our affections away from God is adultery as in a marriage. The first commandment and the second have to do with this:

Ex 20:2-6 NKJV "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 "You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image — any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

BAAL

(ba'-al:) (ba`al; or Baal): The Babylonian Belu or Bel, "Lord," was the title of the supreme god among the Canaanites.

Remember that Esau married a Caananite and his mother was very upset at this.

Name and Character of Baal:

-In Babylonia it was the title specially applied to Merodach of Babylon, which in time came to be used in place of his actual name. As the word in Hebrew also means "possessor," it has been supposed to have originally signified, when used in a religious sense, the god of a particular piece of land or soil. Of this, however, there is no proof, and the sense of "possessor" is derived from that of "lord." The Babylonian Bel-Merodach was a Sun-god, and so too was the Canaanite Baal whose full title was Baal-Shemaim, "lord of heaven." The Phoenician writer Sanchuniathon (Philo Byblius, Fragmenta II) accordingly says that the children of the first generation of mankind "in time of drought stretched forth their hands to heaven toward the sun; for they regarded him as the sole Lord of heaven, and called him Beel-samen, which means 'Lord of Heaven' in the Phoenician language and is equivalent to Zeus in Greek." Baal-Shemaim had a temple at Umm el-Awamid between Acre and Tyre, and his name is found in inscriptions from the Phoenician colonies of Sardinia and Carthage.

II.

Attributes of Baal.:

-As the Sun-god, Baal was worshipped under two aspects, beneficent and destructive. On the one hand he gave light and warmth to his worshippers; on the other hand the fierce heats of summer destroyed the vegetation he had himself brought into being.

Hence, human victims were sacrificed to him in order to appease his anger in time of plague or other trouble, the victim being usually the first-born of the sacrificer and being burnt alive. In the Old Testament this is euphemistically termed "passing" the victim "through the fire" (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6). The forms under which Baal was worshipped were necessarily as numerous as the communities which worshipped him. Each locality had its own Baal or divine "Lord" who frequently took his name from the city or place to which he belonged.

Hence, there was a Baal-Zur, "Baal of Tyre"; Baal-hermon, "Baal of Hermon" (Judg 3:3); Baal-Lebanon, "Baal of Lebanon"; Baal-Tarz, "Baal of Tarsus." At other times the title was attached to the name of an individual god; thus we have Bel-Merodach, "the Lord Merodach" (or "Bel is Merodach") at Babylon, Baal-Melkarth at Tyre, Baal-gad (Josh 11:17) in the north of Palestine. Occasionally the second element was noun as in Baal-Shemaim, "lord of heaven," Baalzebub (2 Kings 1:2), "Lord of flies," Baal-Hamman, usually interpreted "Lord of heat," but more probably "Lord of the sunpillar," the tutelary deity of Carthage. All these various forms of the Sun-god were collectively known as the Baalim or "Baals" who took their place by the side of the female Ashtaroth and Ashtrim. At Carthage the female consort of Baal was termed Pene-Baal, "the face" or "reflection of Baal."

III.

Baal-Worship.:

-In the earlier days of Hebrew history the title Baal, or "Lord," was applied to the national God of Israel, a usage which was revived in later times, and is familiar to us in the King James Version. Hence both Jonathan and David had sons called Merib-baal (1 Chron 8:31; 9:40) and Beeliada (1 Chron 14:7). After the time of Ahab, however, the name became associated with the worship and rites of the Phoenician deity introduced into Samaria by Jezebel, and its idolatrous associations accordingly caused it to fall into disrepute. Hosea (Hos 2:16) declares that henceforth the God of Israel should no longer be called Baali, "my Baal," and personal names like Esh-baal (1 Chron 8:33; 9:39), and Beelinda into which it entered were changed in form, Baal being turned into bosheth which in Heb at any rate conveyed the sense of "shame."

IV.

Temples, etc.:

-Temples of Baal at Samaria and Jerusalem are mentioned in 1:18; where they had been erected at the time when the Ahab dynasty endeavored to fuse Israelites and Jews and Phoenicians into a single people under the same national Phoenician god. Altars on which incense was burned to Baal were set up in all the streets of Jerusalem according to Jeremiah (Jer 11:13), apparently on the flat roofs of the houses (Jer 32:29); and the temple of Baal contained an image of the god in the shape of a pillar or Bethel (2 Kings 10:26-27).

In the reign of Ahab, Baal was served in Israel by 450 priests (1 Kings 18:19), as well as by prophets (2 Kings 10:19), and his worshippers wore special vestments when his ritual was performed (2 Kings 10:22). The ordinary offering made to the god consisted of incense (Jer 7:9) and burnt sacrifices; on extraordinary occasions the victim was human (Jer 19:5). At times the priests worked themselves into a state of ecstasy, and dancing round the altar slashed themselves with knives (1 Kings 18:26,28), like certain dervish orders in modern Islam

VI. Forms of Betal. - Baal-berith

1. Baal-berith: ba`al berith; Baalberith, "Covenant Baal," was worshipped at Shechem after the death of Gideon (Judg 8:33; 9:4). In Judg 9:46 the name is replaced by El-berith, "Covenant-god." The covenant was that made by the god with his worshippers, less probably between the Israelites and the native Canaanites.

2. Baal-gad: Baal-gad ba`al gadh; Balagada, "Baal [lord] of good luck" (or "Baal is Gad") was the god of a town called after his name in the north of Pal, which has often been identified with Baalbek. The god is termed simply Gad in Isa 65:11 the Revised Version, margin; where he is associated with Meni, the Assyrian Manu (AV "troop" and "number").

3. Baal-hamon: Baal-hamon ba`al hamon; Beelamon is known only from the fact that Solomon had a garden at a place of that name (Song 8:11). The name is usually explained to mean "Baal of the multitude," but the cuneiform tablets of the Tell el-Amarna age found in Palestine show that the Egyptian god Amon was worshipped in Canaan and identified there with the native Baal. We are therefore justified in reading the name Baal-Amon, a parallel to the Babylonian Bel-Merodach. The name has no connection with that of the Carthaginian deity Baal-hamman.

4. Baal-hermon: Baal-hermon ba`al chermon; Balaermon is found in the name of "the mountain of Baal-hermon" (Judg 3:3; compare 1 Chron 5:23), which also bore the names of Hermort, Sirion and Shenir (Saniru in the Assyrian inscriptions), the second name being applied to it by the Phoenicians and the third by the Amorites (Deut 3:9). Baal-hermon will consequently be a formation similar to Baal-Lebanon in an inscription from Cyprus; according to the Phoenician writer Sanchuniathon (Philo Byblius, Fragmenta II) the third generation of men "begat sons of surprising size and stature, whose names were given to the mountains of which they had obtained possession."

5. Baal-peor: Baal-peor ba`al pe`or; Beelphegor was god of the Moabite mountains, who took his name from Mount Peor (Num 23:28), the modern Fa`ur, and was probably a form of Chemosh (Jerome, Comm., Isa 15). The sensual rites with which he was worshipped (Num 25:1-3) indicate his connection with the Phoenician Baal.

6. Baal-zebub: Baal-zebub ba`al zebhubh; Baalmuia Theos ("Baal the fly god") was worshipped at Ekron where he had famous oracle (2 Kings 1:2-3,16). The name is generally translated "the Lord of flies," the Sun-god being associated with the flies which swarm in Palestine during the earlier summer months. It is met with in Assyrian inscriptions. In the New Testament the name assumes the form of Beelzebul Beelzeboul, in AV: BEELZEBUB (which see).

Part 2 – Lessons from Jezebel, Ahab and Elijah

As chapter 17 begins we get introduced to Elijah…

1 Kings 17 NKJV Elijah Proclaims a Drought

And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word."

2 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 3 "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."

How would you respond if the Lord told you to go by the Colorado river, or the Missouri river, and the ravens would feed you there ? Wow is what I’m thinking. OK Lord, as long as You are with me…I’ll do anything.

5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. 7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

Ok Lord, but you know I’m on this Atkins diet thing…so can it just be meat and broccoli ? : )

8 Elijah and the Widow

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink." 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

12 So she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

Ok…now it gets more interesting. The Lord tells him that the woman has been commanded to feed him. As he goes, he asks for a drink of water when he sees her, then some bread. Her response is not exactly full of faith. It interesting to me that He sends her to the widow in Sidonia which is where Jezebel came from. This woman is NOT a Jew, but a gentile. God seems to love to do things in seemingly impossible situations. So a gentile unbeliever is charged to feed him in a famine, and when he is under stress, having decreed to Ahab the famine.

13 And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.'"

15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.

17 Elijah Revives the Widow's Son

Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. 18 So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?"

See how easily, even when miraculous events occur, that we forget faith, or it is easily forgotten how much God has done for us ? She feels punished, mentioning her sins, and asks Elijah if he is really there to bring such punishment that she deserves. But note his response:

19 And he said to her, "Give me your son." So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the LORD and said, "O LORD my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?"

Note he didn’t hesitate, but took the boy into his own arms and takes him up to his room and cries out to the Lord for him and the mother.

21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the LORD and said, "O LORD my God, I pray, let this child's soul come back to him." 22 Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.

This three times to me seems like an alignment to the resurrection…three days, but here three times he stretched himself out. And the boy’s soul was returned to him as God answered Elijah’s prayer of faith. Also note he didn’t just start speaking, “ No he is alive and is not dead” but out of COMPASSION pleads for the life of the son, asking GOD to revive him. We have so many admonishments to how to pray, but God answers quickly the pure in heart.

23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, "See, your son lives!" 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, "Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth."

NOW I know you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is true she says. It takes a building up of consistent fruit seen, to engender TRUST in who you are. Some people think people should just listen to them because they had a vision. But the proof is in the pudding my mom used to say. Does what you say happen. Is there consistency to what the FRUIT of your words say ? What kind of love, patience, and kindness is there displayed in your life ? This is how people measure it. They will trust if they see that consistency. You see the compassion of Elijah. His heart is aligned with God’s heart. What breaks God’s heart breaks his heart. All of this is important because these are gentile unbelievers. Later in the scriptures Yeshua makes referance to the Pharisees of their unbelief, and mentions the widow at Zarepeth to them in regards to faith.

1 Kings 18 NKJV Elijah's Message to Ahab

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."

So now God is calling him to come out of hiding and to present himself before Ahab. Thus may He in this hour have us to do the same - to come out of hiddeness to go to some Ahabs in the church. And it says HE will now “send rain on the earth”. In order for rain to fall now, it is necessary for the spirit of Ahab to be confronted.

2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria. 3 And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly. 4 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.)

Note it says Jezebel MASSACRED the prophets, not just that she hated them. With jezebel always comes a MURDEROUS spirit. I have felt words of knowledge for that spirit by sudden pain in the chest like someone

stabbing you. Then I know what to pray against.

5 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." 6 So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 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?" 8 And he answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your master, 'Elijah is here.'" 9 So he said, "How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? 10 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. 11 And now you say, 'Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here"'! 12 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. But I your servant have feared the LORD from my youth.

You have to see some humor in this…here is Obadiah, trying to hide prophets, and he sees the “troubler” of Israel as Ahab sees him, asking him to tell Ahab

That Elijah is here. What stood out to me was the part where Obadiah says

Ahab has sent people all over the world to try and catch Elijah.

This is the vengeance people will have against the Elijah prophets about to come forth in this hour. It is characteristic of Jezebel and Ahab spirits…to continue to pursue after someone with vengeance. Just as Saul sought after David to kill him. But our trust like Elijah, must be in the LORD our GOD WHO is Mighty to save. They will be relentless in their hatred for the apostolic and prophetic companies coming forth, and all who lift up the name of Yeshua ! That is why He is working to increase our faith and to impart the Spirit of Might which gives us COURAGE.

13 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? 14 And now you say, 'Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here."' He will kill me!"

Fear is taunting Obadiah…fear of death.

15 Then Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today." 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?"

This is just like the Ahab-jezebel complex of the flesh to accuse the messenger of God as being a troubler, instead of one who has the heart of God. The person who gives into their flesh opens the door to Ahab or Jezebel spirits, and they will twist the truth around to accuse you. When someone is accusing you, it is usually them who has the problem in such a case.

18 And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

This is where the lesson gets good. Elijah is NOT intimidated by Ahabs words.

Instead he says, YOU are the one who is the troubler. Now, I challenge you to gather all your prophets of Baal and Asherah to Mount Carmel. So instead of intimidation there is confrontation and a challenge to let GOD judge between you and I.

20 Elijah's Mount Carmel Victory

So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions?

Elijah charges the people of Israel…why are you doubleminded…much like today’s generation.

CARMEL - (kar'-mel) (karmel, or, with article, ha-karmel, "fruit garden"; Josephus, ho Karmelos, Karmelion oros):

Certainly this is the place where the true fruit was demonstrated in the lives of

the prophets, or “where the rubber met the road”.

If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God."

The GOD Who answers by fire, He is truly God. I believe with what is coming, we will also make this challenge to the many who are so unbelieving in the church and in the world around us. Also note the odds…there was only one of him, & Obadiah who feared the Lord, and massive amounts of false prophets and doubleminded people. So God is able to save with few like in Gideon’s story. We need not be intimidated by the numbers against us.

So all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."

25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." 26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."

This can’t help but make you laugh. Elijah had to have gotten all his instructions from the Lord, maybe God even showed him ahead what would happen in a vision. We are not told how God spoke to him. It’s just evident that He had. Now he is mocking their god, and confident in Who his God is – that HE will answer !

28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.

This is sad. It is common in some cultures to rub a coin on your skin till you bleed and are bruised….as a means of driving out demons. In this case to offer sacrifice to the demons.

29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

I can picture angels holding back demonic interference in this whole scenario.

What is amazing is the odds. Today we wouldn’t dare many of us go into an area that is mostly pagan and challenge other people’s beliefs. I know Heidi Baker does this regularly in Muslim villages in Africa. She gets stones and dust thrown at them, and they just keep worshipping on the back of the truck, and then ask for the deaf and dumb, the blind to come and demonstrate the reality of the LOVE of Jesus. But picture Elijah and Obadiah as the only real believers there. 950 prophets of Baal and Asherah, and the those others who have practiced syncretism…and here God comes mightily ! It would be like one of us, just going into a Mormon temple and proclaiming the truth - Challenging them to raise the dead or something ! We have made God too SMALL ! But of course Elijah didn’t do this presumptively but at the Word of the Lord.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

This is the commission of the Elijah prophets…to REBUILD the altar of GOD, to turn hearts to worship and obey HIM, rather than idols, and serving demons.

John the Baptist was an Elijah prophet who called Herod and all Israel to righteousness, before the coming of the LORD JESUS. And so we are called in this hour to REBUILD the ALTAR of the LORD…reestablishing worship to Him.

The same was for Moses, another deliverer.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name." 32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, "Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood."

12 is the number also of apostolic government. The Elijah’s come to establish God’s order, to worship the Most High God alone, and to serve Him. God desires obedience, not sacrifice the Word says. He has them fill 4 waterpots. This is a number that we’ve been seeing a lot in this hour in triples. 4 is the fourth man in the fire. EMMANUEL – GOD WITH US. NO MATTER WHAT COMES…He is with us in this hour. There are other meanings The fourth letter in the Hebrew is Daleth and means DOOR. There are four winds, four seasons, etc. In this case four sides to the altar which they built a moat around to pour in the water.

34 Then he said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time; and he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time.

There is something in this threes. It was the third day He rose up from the dead. Here three times they add water making it more and more impossible. Just as with Lazarus…waiting four days till his flesh would stink and be rotting. GOD LOVES TO COME IN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS.

35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water. 36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again."

When we boldly proclaim the TRUTH, I believe God is SO pleased with the faith in it. The Word says that without FAITH it is impossible to please Him. So He is about right now stretching our faith so that we will believe for the impossible situations in people’s lives and see miracles.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!"

40 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.

Elijah doesn’t hestitate here – they see the power of GOD and are turned from unbelieving to believing and he commands them to kill the prophets of Baal and Asherah…and thus the false prophets are dealt with. This is much like Moses when he came down and found the children of Israel in idolatry, and Joshua and those who stood for the Lord killed the idolators. And today there is judgment being executed on the very same thing - idolatry. But we don’t want to be politically incorrect and say that God could be judging. Hmmmm Banda aceh was a place where a muslim extremist group called the NAM had beheaded many Christians.

Part 3 Lessons from Elijah, Ahab and Jezebel

Right after the demonstration of God’s power on Mt Carmel, comes the end of the drought…

The Drought Ends

I Kings 18: 41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, 43 and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."

Seven is the number of completion. It was the seventh day that God rested after creation of the heavens and earth. Here 7 times Elijah sends his servant to check for rain. This is the persistence of PRAYER. Sometimes it takes more than once. I remember Francis Mac Nutt saying that praying for healing in some people is the same. You need to not give up, and keep going back, and going back to pray more. I have been seeing this with a young woman I’m praying for. Each time we pray, she gets better physically, each time, tumors shrink more, heart strength gets better, and each time more spiritual revelation, and more emotional healing too. Too often we are impatient and want the quick-fix.

44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.'"

Think about the above for a minute. Picture a man on top of a mountain,

looking out to the sea. How easy would it be to measure a cloud the size of a man’s hand that is arising out of the sea do you suppose ? Also…why is it rising out of the sea ? Is that normal ? I know about condensation arising but this is

not anything I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen tornadoes off the coast of California…even three at a time but never saw them form. When something seems different or not understandable in reading it’s good to go check out the meanings as there may be something hidden in the words that are symbolic or types.

Cloud:

OT:5645 `ab (awb) (masculine and feminine); from OT:5743; properly, an envelope, i.e. darkness (or density, 2 Chron 4:17); specifically, a (scud) cloud; also a copse: KJV - clay, (thick) cloud, thick, thicket. Compare OT:5672.

OT:5743 `uwb (oob); a primitive root; to be dense or dark, i.e.

to becloud: KJV - cover with a cloud.

OT:5672 `abiy (ab-ee'); or `obiy (ob-ee'); from OT:5666;

density, i.e. depth or width: KJV - thick (-ness). Compare

OT:5645.

OT:5666 `abah (aw-baw'); a primitive root; to be dense:

KJV - be (grow) thick (-er).

HAND:

OT:3709 kaph (kaf); from OT:3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power: KJV - branch, foot, hand ([-ful], -dle, [-led]), hollow, middle, palm, paw, power, sole, spoon.

OT:3721 kaphaph (kaw-faf'); a primitive root; to curve:

KJV - bow down (self).

SEA:

OT:3220 yam (yawm); from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the south:KJV - sea (X -faring man, [-shore]), south, west (-ern, side, -ward).

The hand here reminds me of the hand of God’s power and we see that the meaning in KJV is to bow down oneself, which is what Elijah was doing…so the hand of God in response to the one who bows himself down in worship to the Almighty….and coming out of the sea – roaring waters. In this hour, there are few who really choose to bow down fully to the Lord. But it is in that bowing down, and humbling oneself, that the Lord shows Himself it would seem. Water often stands for the Ruach Ha Kodesh [ Holy Spirit ] . And Sea like used in Revelation symbolic for the sea of peoples of the earth. Abundance of rain came after He bowed himself down and prayed seven times…the rain cloud began as a small hand arising out of the sea, but suddenly in the next verse we see darkness and more clouds. When you sow to the heavens in worship and prayer, God rains down His glory.

45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Now could Elijah have done this without being filled with the Spirit ? I think not unless angels were carrying him, but it says the hand of the Lord came upon him and he outran a chariot. And he did it in the rain. Supernatural strength and power came with the heavy hand of the Lord. And I believe it will for those of us who will receive the anointing before the coming of Messiah again. The Lord God of Israel gives strength and power to His people it says in

Isa 40:29 NKJV He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.

1 Kings 19 AMP Elijah Escapes from Jezebel

AHAB TOLD Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had slain all the prophets [of Baal] with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.

Isn’t she sweet ? [sarcasm] Now if ever someone was blind it was Jezebel. Here God had done a mighty thing, yet like many in this hour, she would not acknowledge it. Stubborness is as idolatry it says in the Word. And here you see that concept full blown. She’s not budging. She threatens to murder Elijah.

Then he was afraid and arose and went for his life and came to Beersheba of Judah [over eighty miles, and out of Jezebel's realm] and left his servant there.

This is kind of amazing after the great victory that happened but I know

That feeling of intimidation that comes with someone who carries this spirit.

It is VERY intimidating and makes you tremble with fear. Some people wonder

why Elijah ran, but I can totally identify with him in this area, knowing the

manifestation of fear that has come on me with confronting this spirit. I have

felt the crushing head pain, and spirits of death and destruction on my head so

bad I wanted to bang my head against the wall. I was vulnerable to it as my

mother had practiced witchcraft and I had openings in my own life through

lack of full sanctification and when it would come, it would paralyze you. You’d

feel sick like when you get the flu…the beginning headache. And the Lord

showed me how spirits of death and destruction come from her hatred and

murderous spirit, and infirmity and witchcraft control and mind control etc.

Jezebel was the daughter of a Baal priest so moved in manipulation and

High level of witchcraft control as we see from her actions . She was

“religious” but in a pagan form of religion. She is the epitomy of the “form

of religion with the WRONG power thereof.” People under attack from

this spirit will often feel crushing head pressure/headache and get sick.

Or sometimes that crushing chest pain, like being stabbed in the chest, from

the murderous spirit that comes through those moving in it. I have seen it in

alignment with cancer in the body and the Lord once said to me, that jezebel

in the church is like cancer in the human body.

Sometimes God will punish those moving in it by throwing them on

a sick bed like He allowed to happen to me. I grew up with it, and I had begun

moving in that control in my young adult years through much pain and rage I’d

had over all the abandonment and abuse in my life. It is not an easy

thing to overcome this nest of vipers that have entered into your life

through all that abuse. And there is no overnight cure unless the Lord

does a mighty miracle. There are precious few in the church who know how to

help those who have grown up into it. And there are too many moving in the

flesh within the church who are practicing the control to be of help.

Authority comes with HOLINESS and submission to GOD in all areas of

our lives. There are degrees of authority just as there are degrees of glory.

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a lone broom or juniper tree and asked that he might die. He said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers.

I have heard people discuss why would Elijah get to this place of lack of faith.

If you have ever been under her full attack you would be able to identify with

Elijah. There is an intimidating fear that comes against you, and a horrific

pain from demonic attack of murder, death, destruction and witchcraft where

you feel like if you don’t get relief you’d rather die….almost. The pride of

intimidation is very strong with jezebel. [ for more on pride see the article

at http://www.upstreamca.org/pridevshumility.html ] The Lord in Job 41

it says: Verse 8) "Lay your hand on him. Remember the battle-never do it

again." { Once stung by pride, you won't do it again} Verse 9) " Indeed

any hope of overcoming him is vain. Shall not one be over-whelmed at the

sight of him?" This is referring to leviathan which stands for pride because

at the end of that chapter the Lord says, such are all the children of PRIDE.

Jezebel is the fruit of the flesh magnified making self lord, thus pride is at

it’s pinnacle in the one who allows this spirit in. Thus we all have a bit of

jezebel to deal with in our lives for the battle for all of us is overcoming our

flesh. So be careful who you go around calling that ! We are not to align with

the accuser. We are to be light in the darkness. We are also NOT to align

ourselves with such. Revelation and Timothy makes clear.

2 Tim 3:4-5 NKJV …traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather

than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And

from such people turn away!

When someone is more concerned with their own prosperity than yours, and is

selfishly motivated to exalt themselves, but don’t have time to pray for you or

do anything to help others then where is our discernment ? Truly people can

be immature in the Lord and still learning their lessons and being sanctified.

But when this goes on and on, there needs to be confrontation. Too often

we’ve just bowed out rather than confront out of fear.

Rev 2:20-23 KJV 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. 23 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.

4 As he lay asleep under the broom or juniper tree, behold, an angel

touched him and said to him, Arise and eat. 5 He looked, and behold,

there was a cake baked on the coals, and a bottle of water at his head. And he ate and drank and lay down again.

God can provide SUPERNATURALLY in any given situation. Here Elijah awakes, and an angel has touched him to awaken him ! Have you ever felt that ? I did once, and it was a bit startling, but I’d asked to be awakened and was afraid I wouldn’t wake. The angel had to have prepared the food and brought him water.

No matter what the circumstances, God will take care of His own, and will fulfill His plan for you as you yield to Him.

6 The angel of the Lord came the second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you. 8 So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

Even after this he fell asleep again ??? WOW, that is tired ! See the patience of the Lord in this…He doesn’t harshly rebuke him because he’s fallen asleep. He knows how exhausted he is. The amazing thing is it says he WEN T in the strength of that food for 40 days and nights…traveling by foot to the mountain of the LORD. With GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. I saw a story once on TV how a little girl was sustained by the Lord in a concentration camp in WWII when they had run out of food for prisoners, and a month later Western armies entered the camp. She never lost weight nor felt weak. GOD sustained her !

9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?

10 He replied, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

When God asks you something, it is NOT because He doesn’t know the answer, but is awaiting for a moment of truth and honesty. And for you to take a look at the answer and WHY you are doing what you are doing ! Elijah answers, how zealous he has been and I – I alone am left !!! And they are pursuing me GOD to kill me !!!

11 And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;

12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice.

A STRONG wind indeed if it rent the mountains and broke in pieces rocks, and yet the Lord is here saying. HE was not in the wind. Then an earthquake…but HE was not in the earthquake, then a FIRE, but HE was NOT in the fire !!!…but yet HE WAS THERE IN THE STILL SMALL VOICE ! What is God saying here ?

When troubles come, IT IS NOT FROM HIM but the work of the enemy in this instance. HE came in the still small gentle voice. God is NOT a harsh taskmaster in his dealings with us normally. Especially when you have just done an amazing thing for His sake and followed His instructions !!! When we get attacked after OBEDIENCE to Him. It is from the enemy !!! GOD IS TENDER towards those who love Him and obey HIM !

13 When Elijah heard the voice, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?

The Lord now challenges ELIJAH again, as if to say, WHAT ARE YOU REALLY DOING HERE. THINK a moment ! What is the real issue Elijah ?

He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword. And I, I only, am left, and they seek my life, to destroy it.

Elijah answers in his humanness…I ALONE am faithful and have had to run because they want to kill me. Like LORD, can’t YOU see what is happening…? He still is not “getting it”. He has fear and self pity in the answer. How do we know this ? Wasn’t Obadiah also with him on the mountain ? And wasn’t it Obadiah who had hidden 100 of the LORD’s prophets in caves to keep them from Jezebel ? So he is NOT the only one. He was not alone, but in hearing her intentions, a spirit came upon him of intimidation and witchcraft that made him forget even what he had just done for the Lord and BY the LORD ! So he ran all the way to Horeb ! Often we as prophets get in that place to of defeatism and despair when confronted with Jezebel forces. It is very difficult when you have no prayer support or emotional support to withstand the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune ! That spirit of Jezebel is a powerful force and very intimidating and with it brings affliction and torment and a murderous spirit…He said…they seek to kill me. I have felt the stabbing pains in my chest when around that spirit…it is usually God’s way of warning me that it is present…so I can PRAY. The stabbing pains are from a MURDEROUS spirit the Lord showed me ! The other thing that comes with that is death and destruction that feels like an anvil on your head and grip on the back of your neck and will give you major headache if you don’t FIGHT by going and lying down and turn on the WORSHIP to get in the very PRESENCE OF GOD. THEN HE WILL DEAL WITH IT !

15 And the Lord said to him, Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

16 And anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah to be prophet in your place.

It was proper according to Gideon’s story that if men had fear to be counted exempt from duty in war. Here Elijah is told to anoint a new king and a new prophet of GOD. I think possibly that if he had not run, he would not have been replaced ! And then below he is told that JEHU will do the job of slaying jezebel and her cohorts, and that whoever JEHU doesn’t slay, ELISHA WILL.

17 And him who escapes from the sword of Hazael Jehu shall slay, and him who escapes the sword of Jehu Elisha shall slay.

It is also possible to me, that this was done not because of any lack on Elijah’s part so much as a TYPE of what God would do also in these times. The reigns are given over to those that will not be AFRAID to go forth and do ALL HE says to do ! They will not run from adversity but face it knowing the Lord is on our side…like DAVID.

18 Yet I will leave Myself 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.

7 is the number of completion and rest, and perfection and 1000 stands for symbolically,

Divine completeness and the glory of GOD ! As a sign to us, as all the bible is for our edification and learning….God says, I will leave for Myself a remnant who will not bow to BAAL. Thus in these times there will be a remnant who will not bow to the BAAL of this hour which will be SATAN in the body of antichrist ! Kissing has to do with intimacy with another. God’s kisses are His revelation. So those not in bed with antichrist and the spirit of this age which is also like BAAL…will be overcomers.

19 So Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, whose plowing was being done with Twelve yoke of oxen, and he drove the twelfth. Elijah crossed over to him and cast his mantle upon him. 20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, Let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you. And he [testing Elisha] said, Go on back. What have I done to you? [Settle it for yourself.] 21 So Elisha went back from him. Then he took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled their flesh with the oxen's yoke [as fuel], and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, followed Elijah, and served him. [2 Kings 3:11.]

Again here, we see a reflection of what is to come for us in this hour. When Elijah comes to Elisha, he is PLOWING with 12 YOKE OF OXEN ! and it says HE drove the 12th !!! The end times apostolic age is upon us. 12 is the number of apostolic government and Elisha a type of the end times prophetic company of apostles who will walk with the LORD like Enoch did, and here Elisha is the one DRIVING the 12th oxen. Plowing is related to sowing seed, and HARVEST. Then it says Elijah came to him and cast his mantle upon him ! So we see, that this is the FIRST time that Elijah put his mantle upon him, and yet to come is when Elijah is taken up, and throws his mantle to Elisha…DOUBLE anointing. I believe, though I can’t state unequivocally, that this apostolic age will surpass the former. That there will be DOUBLE anything we have seen or more.

See: Isa 61:1-9 NKJV The Good News of Salvation

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

4 And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. 5 Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, And the sons of the foreigner Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. 6 But you shall be named the priests of the LORD, They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory you shall boast. 7 Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs.

8 "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery for burnt offering; I will direct their work in truth, And will make with them an everlasting covenant. 9 Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, And their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed."

There will be an outpouring such as has NEVER been seen before. GREAT GRACE the Lord has been promising. GRACE is his unmerited mercy, but it is also in the GREEK, HIS POWER ! Power to overcome, Power to do miracles and witness without fear, in the POWER of HIS MIGHT. He keeps comparing it to a rollercoaster ride !!!

Feb 8th, 2005