Days of Ahab, or Elijah?

King Ahab was not one of Israel’s better kings, while skilled in battle and having led Israel to victory on a number of occasions he was an evil person who carried on the sins of his father, King Omri and his ancestor King Jeroboam. He even managed to add a few new ones of his own. King Omri is not mentioned much in the Bible, but Assyrian records of the time show that he achieved impressive military and political gains, so much so that Israel was called the ‘the Land of Omri’ long after his death. Omri was responsible for building Samaria, a vast fortress city that became the capital of the northern tribes.

Despite his own ability and reputation for skill in battle, Ahab tried to further secure his future by marrying the Phoenician princess Jezebel of Sidon. Jezebel was the daughter of King Ethbaal who had claimed his throne by murdering his own brothers; he was also high priest of the cult of Baal. Jezebel followed her father’s practices after her marriage to Ahab convincing him to introduce Baal worship to Israel. She arranged the murder of the prophets of Israel and replaced them with prophets of Baal and Ashereh, the supposed wife of Baal.

Despite his moral failure, Ahab prospered. He surrounded himself with pomp and luxury, even to the extent of building an ivory house. His court was filled with all the trappings of royalty where no expense was too great or comfort denied. Ahab was given the privilege of leading God’s people, and while his own ability and that of his father had given him great opportunities to do good he instead turned his back on God and gave himself up to greed and pursuit of power. Even in his success he was insecure and tried to protect himself through alliances with other nations, contrary to God’s command. Ahab thought that he was secure, he had used his own ability to gain a reputation for himself and then formed alliances to gain added protection, but God had had enough, he had seen his prophets slain and replaced with idol worship and he was not going to let it continue. Elijah was the messenger he was going to use to get Ahab’s attention.

Elijah is often identified as the embodiment of the prophetic line, in him all of the prophecies of the future kingdom of God are expressed. He looked forward to a time of righteousness being restored, but in his own day he did not see these things realized. He lived in a time of idolatry and profligate living. Where the royal court was more concerned with pomp, circumstance and power than in righteousness. A time when political intrigue, unholy alliances, corruption and moral bankruptcy was normal. Surely these are not the days he or we look for?

The days’ we seek are those that Elijah looked forward to but the distinction between righteousness and the state of societal life that existed in his day, remain even now. In fact there are many parallels between Elijah’s day and our own. The rulers of the day paid lip service to God but shored up their future by making alliances with the corrupt and ungodly nations round about. They acknowledged God in public life but denied his reality in the way they conducted their personal or corporate affairs. Trade was more important than godliness and if necessary they would engage in trade agreements with other nations contrary to God’s direct instructions if they thought there was a profit in it. The bottom line of profit was more important than equity or fairness and labourers were routinely oppressed in order to increase the profit margin. The living God was replaced with idols of their own manufacture. Then it was stone and wood, now it is careers, houses, cars, sporting achievement and so on. The nation of Israel was blessed so that it could be a blessing to others. It was the herald of righteousness to its neighbours. But it took its blessings for granted and turned its back on God.

When our own nations suffer drought or famine our political leaders will often encourage us to pray for God’s favour, and the church may well lead in this direction, but now, as then the only thing that will avert God’s judgment is genuine repentance. To simply pray in times of trouble without acknowledging our failure and determining to turn from it is less honest than to simply carry on as before.

Elijah emerged from obscurity to bring a message to Ahab, there was to be a drought. This drought would continue until corrupt practices and injustice was dealt with. It was not a message of judgement but of hope.

Robin Mark, the author of the song ‘These are the days of Elijah’, wrote this: How do you express the sense that these might be days, not of failure and submission, but of the sort of resilient, declaring, even arrogant trust and hope that Elijah had in his God? That these are not days of God stepping back and allowing the world and the church to roll uncontrolled towards eternity, but rather days when he is calling on his body to make a stand, to offer right praises and to declare that He is totally in control.

It is time for you, me, and the church gathered together to make a stand, raise a voice and confidently proclaim that these are indeed the ‘days of Elijah’ where righteousness will be restored.