The Blame Game

1Kings 18:18

18"I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals

Elijah came out of hiding to meet Ahab. When Ahab saw him, he immediately accused Elijah as being the troublemaker for Israel and causing the drought. But Ahab's anger was misplaced. He needed to be angry with himself for allowing his wife Jezebel to take over and terrorize the men of God and for his own inability to stay true to God. The three year drought over Israel was the judgement pronounced for Ahab's unfaithfulness to God. Elijah carried it out. God placed Ahab on the thrown and yet he decided he wanted to serve the pagan gods of his wife. The root of the problem was Ahab was unequally yoked with an unbeliever who not only had no regard for his God, but for him either. And his lack of taking the household back as the rightful leader and turning his back on God led to everyone's suffering.

What can you learn from this scenario? Be careful about misplacing blame. What role did you play in where you are? What choices/decisions did you make or what did you not do? Be willing to confess to how you contributed to the problem. Second, when you know God is the source of your blessings, turning your back on Him is turning your back on your own blessings. Third, none of us exist in this world alone. You are connected to others. Your disobedience will have a ripple effect somewhere. Fourth, when the Lord gives you an opportunity to get back on the right path, take it. Fifth, as the apostle Paul mentioned in the New Testament to believers who were planning to marry, do not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. The reason, there will always be discord. Ahab and Jezebel are proof. She did not care to worship the one who put Ahab where he was which was also an indication of her level of respect for Ahab. There was none.

A Desperate Measure Gone Wrong

2Kings 1:3

3But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Go up to and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?'

King Ahaziah reined for only two years after his father Ahab's death. Ahab was married to Jezebel. Ahab allowed Jezebel to use the power she had with him to take over and convince him to serve her pagan god  and he even allowed her to have an innocent man murdered. He attempted to serve both the pagan god and the God who brought him to power. Ahaziah was in his upper room and he fell and hurt himself. Instead of seeking God for healing, King Ahaziah sent his messengers to seek the pagan god to see if he would live or die. Because God had been quiet Ahaziah decided not to even bother with the one and only true God. And for it, Elijah was told to pronounce his death. Ahaziah did not believe God would answer nor did he seek healing.

When God is quiet, where are you looking for answers? If you are hurt or there is a problem, do you believe God will heal you? Do you believe God has the answers? What questions are you asking or not asking? Seeking something other than God in the midst of your situation is likely to get you the wrong answer and the wrong result. Lack of faith in God can lead one to take desperate measures. The only one who has the ability to truly heal is God. The only one who has the ability to change a dark situation in the mid night hour is God. The only one who truly determines if you take the next breath is God. So why go anywhere else? Just because God takes His time in answering doesn't mean He won't answer you. God works on His time not yours. And He loves to work even more when you put your faith in Him into action.