False versus true prophets

 False versus true prophets…

Reading about Elijah in 1 Kings, he pits himself those who follow the true God against the false prophets of Baal…on a mountain with two bulls, an alter, water, wood…the prophets of Baal calling on Baal all day with no response…Elijah calls upon God in a short request…

 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 

When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

1Kgs.18:36-39

My study Bible has an interesting comparison….not only for those people long ago, but applicable for today…

Who do we follow?

False prophets-

• worked for political purposes to benefit themselves…

• Held positions of great wealth…

• Gave false messages…

• Spoke only what the people wanted to hear….

True prophets-

*worked for spiritual purposes to serve .god and the people…

*owned little one nothing…

*spoke only true messages…

*spoke only what God told them to say—no matter how unpopular….

This reminded me of Timothy’s words…

 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. 

Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2Tim.3.1-7

Or Peter…

 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”2Pet.2.1,2Pet.2.2,2Pet.2.3,2Pet.2.17-19

Elijah’s story is not just for the ancients, it resonates to our lives…

whom do we serve?

Thank YOU…

I serve a risen Savior…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTmSa5dhtYM