18. Trouble In Israel

SERMON 18

TROUBLE IN ISRAEL

(Genesis 12)

Law added 430 years after God's promise to Abraham.

Ex. 20: No other God.

1 Kings 17: No dew nor rain. Elijah hides.

1 Kings 17: Show thyself to Obediah.

1 Kings 17:17. 18: Whom to blame

In our present lesson we see human nature fully portrayed. God's children have always been hated by the religious world. Those who have claimed to be the most religious have always been the greatest enemies to true righteousness, and to the people of God. When Ahab got into much trouble, and got Jehoshaphat to help him fight the Syrians his 450 prophets lied to him. Micaiah, a prophet of God, told him the truth (1 Kings 22), but this man was condemned and put into prison for so doing. All the prophets of God and all the apostles have been condemned for telling religious people the truth.

God taught the people to have only one God, yet Ahab and his people had turned from God. On account of Ahab's great sin Elijah declared unto him that there should be no dew nor rain only according to his word. The earth became dry, all the water was gone and Ahab started out over the land to find water. During these years of drouth there was no lack of religion or religious preachers; for Ahab's wife was supporting from her own table 8 5 0 preachers. At the end of three and one-half years' drouth brought on by the wickedness of Ahab and these preachers, Ahab came face to face with Elijah, and instead of confessing his sins and coming to God he said to Elijah, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" (1 Kings 18:17.)

This accusation is generally repeated by all religious people against the children of God. The same charge was made against Paul and Silas when the religious people said, "These that have turned the world upside down are come either also" (Acts 17:6) . Elijah, knowing that no man who stands on the Lord's side is afraid of discussion put the matter up to them: Let all the prophets of Baal build an altar, and place on it a sacrifice, and I will repair the altar of the Lord and also offer up a sacrifice. If Baal comes down and accepts your sacrifice he shall be our God. If the God of Israel accepts my sacrifice let him be your God. The offer was so fair the people would not reject it. The debate was held with 450 preachers on one side and one preacher and God on the other side. The people saw that God accepted Elijah's offering, and that all the false prophets were put to death; yet such miraculous demonstrations did not cause them to turn from their sins. Elijah's life was threatened by Ahab's wife, and he had to flee and hide to protect himself.

We notice in all ages there have been two altars of worship—one erected by man, the other by God. Man has the privilege of choosing between the two.In my travels I find man's altar on the side of Universalism and many religious and non-religious people argue more on the goodness of God than on doing His will. God says on His altar that the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment. The universalist says, But God is so good that eternal punishment will come to an end. When the gospel preacher proclaims that God will take vengeance on those who know not God, and who obey not the gospel of Christ, and that such will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and give chapter and verse (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Universalists hollow, "Not so, you are troubling Israel."

The protestant churches who have departed from God's altar where he taught, "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16), have erected a human altar and claim that we are saved by faith only (M. E. Dis. Art. 9).

James says, "You see then how a man is justified by works and not by faith only" (James 2:24). Sectarians tell you they do not believe that for such teaching will cause trouble in Israel.

When you are at God's altar with Bible in hand and read that baptism saves us (1 Peter 3:19-21), they will tell you that baptism is a non-essential. They will work all they can against your meeting, and tell you that you will cause trouble in Israel. When you tell them plainly there is one church and read Matthew 16:18 and Colossians 1:18-24 they will He on you and declare you said all will go to hell outside "your little church." They declare there are many churches. So if you teach the Bible about the church you will cause trouble in Israel.

We can prove by the Bible that all promises are in Christ, in His kingdom, or in His church; that Christ has only one bride (Romans 7:1-4); that we are not condemned in Christ (Romans 8:12); that all u ho get into Christ must be baptized into Him, and read Galatians 3:27 to show our contention is true. Then they will begin to argue that you can be saved out of the church as well as in it, and if you do not accept their doctrine you are causing trouble in Israel.

In our diagram you will notice that on the side of man's altar not only the majority of the outside world, but the religious world also stand there and claim that all who oppose their unscriptural teaching are troubling Israel. But I hope you will remember Elijah, Micaiah, Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Paul, Peter, and all of God's teachers who condemned sectarianism were accused of troubling Israel. That man or woman who is trying to please the religious world is not pleasing God. It is safer to stand alone as Elijah did at Mt. Carmel with the Lord on your side than the 8 5 0 prophets of Baal and the grave on the other side. Which side will you be found with at the last day?