The land gradually grew worse, and its people lacking regard for God. No day ever ended without a strange god introduced to our people. It almost became a fact that every home had a god somewhere hidden in their house which they secretly patronized while the bolder ones didn’t mind practising their idolatry in the open. The land indeed lacked regard for God and for His laws.
I kept wondering why God was silent on this matter; choosing just to watch from the bench while the King and his wife led the people astray. At least God had not forgotten how to make the ground open and swallow rebellious people neither had He forgotten in a hurry how He rewarded the land of Sodom and Gomorrah for their negligence of Him and deep practice of evil. In case you are new to the story, know that He set the land ablaze with its inhabitants not escaping. I soon realized that who to worship is a deliberate choice to make. The jealous God was patient enough at this.
The King had successfully turned the people’s heart against God. Of course, the last time any of God’s True servants had attempted to rebuke him, he didn’t live to see the next day. The queen had personally ordered his execution. At one time, I noticed that the true Prophets of God were no longer speaking the mind of God. They were afraid that the queen wouldn’t spare them. So, they ran away. The few that were a little bold ended up in Prison. Now, the queen was just the problem. Left alone for the King, he had soft spots but the queen had the heart of iron. At times, I kept wondering how this good man ended up with this agent of wickedness (Ohh! Did I just call her that?). How best can you describe a woman who imposed all her wicked decisions on her husband; that, not being healthy for his position as the King? She practically humiliated all his decisions as though she were the final authority in the land, turning her husband to a baby doll. Was that not how her wickedness saw to Bro. Naboth’s death? Chai, May his gentle soul find rest in God.
It wasn’t difficult to suspect that she had a hand in this sudden proliferation of baal and groves in the land.
Sooner, I sensed that God had planted me in their midst for a purpose So, I refused to bow to their service and idolatry. I grew wild and radical. I was the only Prophet that could stand before the king to rebuke him. My confidence came from the fact that I had a right standing before God. So, I said to myself: “if I can stand before God, then, I can stand before any man and circumstances”. With that conviction, I approached the King. By my words, I told him that no drop of rain will fall in the land except by my words. He thought I was joking and commanded me to get out of his presence before His wrath fell on me. I walked out provoked.
I saw God giving me a thumb’s up. The angels were clapping and this was fully connected to the fact that a man finally stood up for God, to condemn evil and to give the people a clear option of choice to make on whom to follow between God and Baal. Then, God spoke. As if He totally withdrew His hand from the land of Israel, He quietly told me to disappear from the King; to go into hiding at the brook, away from human sight and with a promise that for standing by Him, He has already placed a Raven under command to bring me meals in their right time. Ahhhh! The raven? I wondered. The raven for all I know had never been a good friend and has never seen food and not devour it. How God would use this greedy bird to prove a point was a puzzle I needed to figure out So, I hurriedly found my way to the brook.
STRIKING POINTS
1. True to God’s word the raven came calling in the morning and had to guard the bread and meat till I woke up. Never for a day did I wake up to ask: “Won’t food show up today”? Not even in the night as well. In all these, I was shocked that the raven knew it was food it was bringing to me yet, didn’t divert it to its use.
2. The raven couldn’t have met me in any other location than at the brook. That was God’s choice place for me and before God came to command me on where to go, He had first settled with the raven on where it should meet me with the provisions. Imagine if I had made another choice of place to run to? Then, I would have had to pay for my meals by myself.
3. The raven was not my best friend yet God used it to deliver me from perpetual hunger. I couldn’t have rejected God’s offer because it came from an enemy. Moreover, under the influence of Divine command, my enemy wished me well.
4. The brook was a place of fellowship with God. I was alone there but not lonely. God had me to Himself. I enjoyed Him at best.
Well, this was not the height of my encounter. Just a tea break please!. I’ll be back.
(To continue the story, read ELIJAH AND THE BROOK).
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GOODWIN CAPTAIN KALU
… Creatively remodelling Biblical stories in contemporary light and with strong moral inferences.
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