Wednesday December 15, 2010

Read Matthew 3:4-6

I love the description of Elijah throughout the Bible. He’s a man of God. He’s passionate. He’s powerfully used by God. But he’s real. He’s human and he struggles like you and I do. He has bouts of depression and doubt. He cries out to God and even questions God. He walks honestly with God and never plays pretend.  We’re even told in James 5 that he was a man just like you and I.

But Elijah the prophet was only second to Moses the prophet of God. He was greatly revered and the Jews stood in awe and wonder. They even waited for an Elijah type figure to inaugurate the age of the Messiah. The Elijah figure would lead the way for Messiah.

Given that John the Baptist has already been preparing the way for Yahweh, it’s no wonder that we immediately read of Mark 1:6:-

John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

While this may seem confusing and irrelevant at first, the writer is simply equating John with the Elijah figure of the past who also wore such clothing and ate similar food.  2 Kings 1:8 describes the former prophet:-

They replied, "He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist." The king said, "That was Elijah the Tishbite."

Also like Elijah (see 1 Kings 19) John the Baptist lived in the desert or more correctly, the wilderness. And so the wilderness became a symbol and expected place of God’s redemption and salvation.

And so the people had a living symbol that the Lord Himself was about to come in fulfilment of the Lord’s own prophecy:-

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.”

An Elijah figure would come before the great and terrible day of the Lord. This figure head would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord and would make the nation ready for Him.

The Elijah has come and has prepared our hearts for the coming of Yahweh in the person of Christ Jesus. Let us worship the Lord and bring Him glory with every aspect of our lives.

Prayer:-

• As Christmas draws near pray for the opportunity to invite friends and family to our church Christmas day service. Pray for opportunities to shine the light of Jesus brightly as Christmas Day approaches.


• Pray for the orphan program and widows program in Shiloh Church ministries. Ask the Lord to bless this Christian organisation with enough resources and funds to give gifts and blessings to the many widows and orphans that they support.


• Continue to pray for our preparations to send a team to build the orphanage second storey, to teach pastors and to reach out to the local indigenous people. Ask God to raise up a team, to provide the much needed finances and to bring great blessing through this team.