Says of Elijah

Days of Elijah

I have to confess that Elijah is my favourite Old Testament character. So full of anointing, God’s hand so obviously with him, yet so vulnerable and human as well. There is a popular Christian song, “These are the Days of Elijah”, which is frequently heard in charismatic and Pentecostal churches throughout UK and USA. To be very honest I don’t care for it very much but that’s a preference rather than anything judgemental. I prefer my songs a little quieter and more reflective. Yet there remains a truth in the title of the song that stirs my soul and my spirit.

Elijah was almost a warlord prophet. He was revered, respected, and feared. Town elders met him at their boundary to ask if he came in peace or in retribution. Powerful kings called him ‘father’, even though in the next breath they cursed him and tried to kill him. He was Prophet of Israel and that meant he was judge too, with the power of life and death at his word. What, then, was Elijah’s secret? It was his relationship with God and the clarity with which he heard God speak to him. Elijah heard God so clearly they might have been having a face to face discussion over a cup of coffee.

So why do I call these days the days of Elijah? Certainly not for the power he wielded but equally surely for his closeness and intimacy with God. The prophetic is not very well understood within the church. Outside the church prophecy is regarded as akin to reading the tealeaves. Yet there is coming a time in our day when even governments and ‘kings’ of business will listen to them – such will be their proven accuracy. Certainly there will be prophets in positions of great influence and authority. There is coming a time when new prophets, some relatively very young, will confront sin completely unafraid of any repercussions and punishment. Corruption will be revealed and exposed. Immorality will be confronted and exposed. Illegal dealings will be exposed. All by a word from the Lord to His prophets.

There will be no repeat of the Mount Carmel experience. There will be no quaking or fear at his approach. There will be murmuring and grumbling about him, but then, that has always been a prophet’s lot. What will be happening is more events like 2 Kings 6:8-12 where Elisha saw and heard what the Arameans were saying and doing. What there will be is increasing respect for the prophetic mantle carried by the prophet; increasing belief or even reliance that what he says is true. There will be far greater recognition of prophecy as a valid instrument of God both foretelling and forthtelling.

Church, get used to the prophetic and accept it, or be left behind in your old staid ways. Learn all you can about prophecy and encourage prophets in their calling both as watchmen and as seers. God has not finished with prophecy just yet. The church and the world needs it far too much for us to dismiss it as irrelevant. Yet many will regard it as irrelevant and many will be caught out by ignoring the warnings.

Jesus is coming like a thief in the night, at an hour unknown to anyone but the Father. Look to the prophets to help prepare you for that day – before it’s too late.