‘불로 응답하시는 하나님을 믿어라’
본문관찰과 묵상
엘리야가 먼저 하나님앞에 단을 쌓고 송아지를 잡아 나무위에 놓고 물을 떠나 번제물과 나무에 세 번이나 부었다. 그리고 하나님이 이스라엘의 하나님이심과 자신이 하나님의 종임과 말씀대로 행함을 모두가 알게 해 주실 것을 간구하였다.
QT를 통하여 듣는 주님의 음성
믿음의 종 한 사람이 올린 기도를 하나님은 불로 응답하셨다. 그제서야 백성들도 여호와가 하나님이심을 고백하고 바알의 선지자들을 모두 잡아 죽였다. 아합에게 이제 나라에 기근도 끝나게 하나님이 비를 주실 것을 예언하였다. 그리고 무릎사이에 얼굴을 묻고 기도하였다. 사환이 바다쪽의 징조를 7번이나 가서 보니 손바닥만한 작은구름이 일어남을 보았다.
결단과 적용
하나님의 능력이 엘리야에게 임하였다. 허리를 동이고 마차를 타고 사마리아로 달려가던 아합보다 더 앞서 사마리아로 갔다. 이스르엘은 사마리아도 의미하지만 또한 하나님이 뿌리시고 거두신다는 뜻이다. 엘리아야가 아닌 하나님이 3년 기근을 종식시키시는 큰 비를 주실 것을 암시했다. 오늘도 경건하지 못한 시대에 하나님을 신으로 모시고 기도하는 나에게도 하나님은 작은 손바닥만한 구름을 일으켜 주시리라. 달려가리라. 하나님이 뿌리시고 심어 기근을 종식시키고 은혜의 단비를 주심을 내가 먼저 맛보기 위하여 오늘도 하나님의 능력을 입고 달려가리라!
‘Believe in God who answers my prayer with fire.’
I Kings 18:30-46
Observation and meditation on the text
Before getting involved in spiritual battle, Elijah established an altar for God, and he sacrificed calves on woods for burnt offering. He had people pour water on it three times. And Elijah began to pray to God to answer his prayers so that all people might realize that only Jehovah was God, he was God’s servant, and it was his obedience to God’s word whatever he had done.
I hear the voice of the Lord through QT
Intercessory prayer of one faithful servant of God was accepted by God and God answered his prayers with fire. Upon witnessing it, people confessed that the Lord was the only God, and they killed all the priests of Baal. Elijah got God’s answer and spoke to Ahab that God would give heavy rain to terminate famine in Israel. Right after that Elijah put his face between the legs and began to pray. Elijah’s servant tried to find any sign for rain 6 times but there was no sign at all. At the 7th time, he saw a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.
Decisions and applications
Elijah was anointed by the power of God. Tucking his cloak into his belt he ran to Samaria (Jezreel) ahead of Ahab who rode off. Jezreel means God sows and reaps as well as Samaria. It was not Elijah but God who caused famine for 3 years, but now it would be also God who would terminate such disastrous famine by giving heavy rains. In such an ungodly age today, and to such an unknown servant of God like me who only relying on God and praying to him, I do believe that God would give us a cloud as small as my hand as God’s sign. Then, I will run again. To experience the pleasant rain of God’s grace, which God had sown and completing God’s plan for revival, I will run again with the power of God, which will strengthening me.