Touched By An Angel
One Year Bible (June 18)
I Kings 19:1-21.
“Touched By An Angel”
A trio of angels travel the earth inspiring and rescuing human people at their absolute crossroads to completely turn over their lives to the God “who loves them”. The theme song, sung for each episode by Della Reese, “Tess”, reminds us of God’s words, “I will walk with you.”
This series is an absolute favorite for my daughter and me. The angels speak the words found in the Bible to the most desperate of people and these broken people are given hope, second chances, and inspiration. The angels learn lessons along the way as well.
Do you believe in angels? I love Tess, Monica, Andrew, and the cast of this amazing show, but I am not really talking about them. I am talking about Michael, Gabriel, and a “great host of others”.
Here is one important fact the Bible tells us about God’s angelic army, “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12)
Today’s message is about a prophet that truly is in “over his head” as he has received a death threat from Queen Jezebel. He is literally shaking from his head to his “Tishbe Toes”.
Can you imagine how you would feel if you received a death threat from your local government?
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL has a recent headline that says, “I’m dying to murder you” and a police complaint is being made over these death threats. Well, Elijah can’t exactly file a complaint with the police. So, who is he going to call? "Ghostbusters?" Not a bad idea...
Before God can use the MAN, he MINISTERS to him in his MESS!
By the way, MESSES ALWAYS proceed MIRACLES!
MIRACLES happen in the darkest of times!
Most people know that the Bible contains miracles but few are aware that hundreds of years of Bible history may pass by without any miracles at all. Most of the miracles of the Bible have fallen into what is considered The Three Ages of Miracles.
The First Age of Miracles spanned about fifty years and was performed through Moses to force Pharaoh to free his people, Israel, from slavery and to deliver them to The Promised Land.
Can you guess when The Second Age of Miracles occurred? This season also lasted about fifty years and involved two prophets, Elijah and Elisha.
Once again God is ready to intervene to set his people free to worship HIM. Through this lineage, He will then bring about the Messiah.
Do you remember when God led Elijah to the village to find the widow who would feed him?
She did not have enough flour and olive oil to even feed herself and her son, but she was willing to “bake a little cake first” for God’s prophet. God blessed it and multiplied her gift so that she would never run out.
When it comes to MIRACLES, this was just the APPETIZER!
Next, the woman’s son dies. Elijah cries out to God and lay the boy on his bed. There he stretched himself out over the boy THREE TIMES and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” (17:21) God raises the boy back to life and he hands him back to his mother, ALIVE!
Next, Elijah receives a FED EX from “Queen Jeze-Hell”. (She wants him to sign for the message in blood!) It reads, “May the gods strike me and even kill me (This part works for me! Great idea there, Jez!) if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” (Ahhh Ohhhhh...)
Now, Elijah has only got 24 hours left, and it is in REAL-TIME like the series "24'!)
So, now we find Elijah fervently praying to his God again, “He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” (I Kings 19:4)
He was now in a place of fear which is the opposite of faith! (I Kings 19:4)
Then, Elijah lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, AN ANGEL TOUCHED HIM! “Get up and eat!”
(Guess what? Now, we have Hors D oeuvres!)
“There is hot bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water.” (19:6) Elijah goes back to sleep and the angel wakes him up for seconds! “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” (19:7)
(This small portion of bread and water is going to have to last him for quite a while... Like 40 days and nights!)
God gave him the strength to travel for forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai. (Does this time period sound significant to you?)
This is the Second Age of Miracles and God is getting ready again to “MOVE THROUGH ELIJAH”...
But first God will “MOVE ELIJAH” from “FEAR to FAITH”.
Appetizers. Hors d’oeuvres… The Main Course is yet to come, so keep reading!
“I heard you cry out to God for help and you have to decide if you really meant it because He’s ready to give it to you if you’re ready to receive it.” (Andrew, Touched by an Angel)
See, he was TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL!
