Intimate With God!

Our intimate encounter with God will spot-light any disobedience and the sin of disobedience left unrepented will bring God’s judgment. You can follow this principle in 1 Kings as we read about the wicked leadership of Israel. On each occasion, God spoke through His prophet warning of the inevitable result of their disobedience. In order to fully understand the gravity of the egregious behavior and wicked deeds of this period, one must be familiar with the chapters preceding chapter 17. Through them, we have a better grasp of the setting in which Elijah lived and preached.

1 Kings 16:30, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. 31And 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.”

This is the beginning of the reign of Ahab over the nation of Israel. Ahab was one of the worst kings to ever rule in Israel. But probably the worst mistake that Ahab made while he was king was to take as his wife a Zidonian by the name of Jezebel. She was a very evil woman who worshiped the god of her ancestry, Baal. She asserted her influence as queen to force all of Israel to worship Baal. 1 Kings 16:33, “...and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.” However, God sent Elijah to warn them of the coming judgment of God.

Disobedience left unaddressed will place a person or a nation on a collision course with the judgment of God. That is why it is so important for a person or a people to have intimate relationship with God which will involve continued communion with the Holy One of Heaven. God will instruct and lead if we will follow Him. When we desire intimate communion with Him, He will reveal all that we need to know in order to please Him. The light of His Word and Presence will light the path He has chosen for us to follow. (continued)