MachonaP

Q8. (1 Kings 18:37; Malachi 4:5-6) In what way does Elijah have a ministry of "turning hearts back again," of calling for true repentance? Re-building the altar meant restoring that culture of worship that had been destroyed over time. Further, Elijah looks at the abominable worship of the Baals and implores the people to return to God and render Him reverence as the true living God, Yahweh who is the true God. Elijah looks at the people who once believed in Yahweh and followed him and asks them to turn back and go to true worship. How was this fulfilled in Elijah's successor John the Baptist? (Mark 1:4-6). John the Baptist was in a comparable way passionate about repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He called on people to reform as the kingdom of heaven was near, to repent and be baptized. Why is this an important ministry for pastors and evangelists? This is important for Pastors and Evangelists as it highlights the mandate of spreading the gospel to all ends of the earth as highlighted in Matthew 28:19.

Q7. (1 Kings 18:30-32a) What is the significance of Elijah "rebuilding" the altar of Yahweh? The significance of rebuilding the altar of Yahweh on Mt. Carmel by Elijah is to remind the Israelites of their heritage, their history and the goodness of Yahweh. He reminds them of the 12 stones that represent each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying 'Your name shall be Israel.' What rebuilding needs to be done in your own worship practices? Dedication to service and timekeeping with a renewed zeal for the things of God. Your church's? Working together in oneness and in one accord. What has caused your "altar" or practice of worshipping and living before the Lord to be broken down? How will you repair it? Worldly influences and the "busyness" of personal life break down the altar. Re-dedication and focusing on the bigger picture helps to fix this.

Q6. (1 Kings 18:21) What is the danger of syncretism? The danger of syncretism lies in the holding of diverse views from other religious persuasions besides the Christian faith and wanting to maintain a neutral position on spiritual and religious matters of concern to one's professed faith. What currently competes with your allegiance to Jesus in terms of time, focus, commitment, etc.? Sadly, time is always that factor that precludes commitment to the work of the Lord. For me, time management is an issue I would like to work on and serve wholeheartedly to the demands of the Lord. Why is there competition, do you think? How long will you go limping between two opinions? The competition is divided attention and failure to prioritize the management of time and as well as scheduling of events. This is a thing that can be fixed by just realigning my focus on issues and reserving time for each activity so as not to always "fire-fight" or "procrastinate" on when or what should be done at any time.

What do we learn about Obadiah from this passage? Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord and was the Administrator in Ahab's palace. He was a courageous man amidst the danger around him when he hides to preserve the lives of one hundred prophets of God. What do we know of his faith? Of his courage? Of his fears? He is a firm believer in God. He is courageous despite holding fear of the consequences of his discovery. His fears are that he would be killed like the many prophets of God before him once discovered. If you were in Obadiah’s situation, how much courage would you have shown? It is an exceedingly difficult thing to remain courageous in the face of danger but most importantly when the assurance is coming from the living God Yahweh, I would show some resolve to do that which is right but remain calm under the circumstances.

Why does God send Elijah to a poor widow rather than a rich man? God's ways are different from our thoughts, in His sovereignty God chooses any means available to Him. The sending of Elijah to a poor widow rather than a rich man is a show of his might to overcome any adversity or condition. It highlights how God can provide literally from nothing to something as evidenced in how he sustains the widow, her son and Elijah on meager but endless provisions. If God sent someone to you to provide for, how would you respond? I would obediently take up the challenge and provide all required assistance.

What is the appropriate role of common sense in our lives? The appropriate role of common sense in our lives is in making rational decisions on matters requiring informed judgment in a particular situation. This role enables us to envisage and evaluate the consequences of the actions we take. Common sense helps us to reduce irrational choices of actions on a lot of matters. Common sense is applied to matters like, for example, crossing roads, overtaking a slower vehicle, etc. which will involve intelligence to perceive and evaluate the viability of such an action. God created us with the capacity to think. Does that supplement or contradict faith in God’s ability to work miracles outside the natural order? No common sense does not contradict faith in God's ability. It is wisdom coming from God on matters of immediate and actionable course of action. Faith on the other hand is a belief system in the unseen but clearly evident result of a course of action. As in the widow's case (1 Kings 17:14), Elijah had to re-assure her and that action of believing that the flour nor the oil will deplete is faith. So, in conclusion, common sense does not contradict faith but may conflict with how we perceive God's works if we do not combine faith with works, common sense will tell us to work and if we do not but rely only on believing what God can do for us the whole cycle falls in nullity.

What does God feeding Elijah by ravens tell us about God? The feeding of Elijah by ravens tells us that God in his sovereign will may use all means necessary to sustain us. The most unlikely instrument can be a useful mission vehicle by God, this reminds us of the unique ways in which God always cares for our needs and meets us at our own points of need. What does eating food sent by ravens tell us about Elijah? Elijah in this instance is dependent on God and has obeyed Him thus far - he did not come to the Kerith Ravine of his own volition but was instructed to by God after the humiliating encounter with Ahab, he was following God's instructions. Although a Jew with a strict adherence to the teachings of the Torah and the prevailing culture on unclean and prohibited foods, he considers the provisions made by God through the raven an act of grace by God. He is therefore free to eat without having to consider the act as being right or wrong. What do we learn about God’s provision for us when we obey him? God is merciful and provides for us as we remain faithful to him. As we abide in him, he provides for us apart from him we can do nothing. Our fruitfulness and God's provisions for us are a result of our obedience to Him.

Elijah's courage is drawn from the fact that he serves a living God (Yahweh), the God of Israel and of proven power. His strength is fortified by the fact that he is delivering this message to Ahab directly from God and is unafraid in the face of imminent danger. Ahab was the King of Israel at the time and any affront towards him could imperil the life of Elijah. The fact that Ahab has embraced the worship that is detestable to God makes it riskier for Elijah to contradict a king who bows to Baal and Asherah. When power structures are corrupt governance is wrought with extrajudicial and unorthodox tendencies to suppress dissent and divergent views. Under the prevailing dictatorial leadership, it becomes increasingly difficult for one to confront leadership on matters of truth or calling out the injustices under their watch. Since the structures are corrupt it follows that even the aides to the leaders are corrupt and oblivious to injustice and unlikely to advise their leaders in a proper and right manner.