CONFRONTATION BETWEEN

A PROVOKER AND A PROPHET

"And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim" I Kings 18:17-18

During the Bible period of the divided kingdom we see that all of the kings in the Northern Kingdom, Israel, were wicked. King Ahab, the seventh king to reign in the Northern Kingdom was the most wicked. "And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him" (I Kings 16:30). In I Kings 16:33 it was said of him that he "...did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him."

In I Kings 18:17, King Ahab, the provoker of God confronts Elijah, the prophet of God. In this confrontation, the provoker of God made a charge against the prophet of God, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel He accuses Elijah of bringing trouble to Israel Ahab thought that Elijah was nothing but a troublemaker. Just because one is accused of causing trouble doesn't mean that it is true. And it certainly was not true in this case. Have you ever been charged with causing trouble in the church

When we look at some of the things happening in the church today, who is the cause of the trouble? Unbelievable as it may sound, the faithful child of God as he declares, demonstrates and defends the Truth is charged by some as being the "troublemaker". Let's see who the real troublemaker is:

WHO IS THE TROUBLEMAKER IN THE CHURCH?

(1) It is the one who CONFORMS to false doctrine not the one who CEASES it (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:19-23).

(2) It is the one who COMMENDS false doctrine not the one who CONDEMNS it (Ephesians 6:10-17).

(3) It is the one who CONDONES false doctrine not the one who CRIES OUT against it (Acts 20:27-31).

(4) It is the one who CONTINUES in false doctrine not the one who COMES OUT of it (Romans 12:21).

(5) It is the one who COVERS UP false doctrine not the one who CORRECTS it (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

(6) It is the one who COMPLIMENTS false doctrine not the one who CENSURES it (Titus 1:9-11).

(7) It is the one who is CONTENT in false doctrine not the one who CONTENDS against it (Jude 3).

(8) It is the one who CONTRIBUTES to false doctrine not the one who CONFUTES it (Ephesians 5:11).

(9) It is the one who CHEERS false teachers not the one who CHECKS OUT false teachers (I John 4:1).

(10) It is the one who CHOOSES to sit at the feet of false teachers not the one who CALLS the names of false teachers (II Timothy 2:17-18).

(11) It is the one who COMFORTS the false teacher not the one who CAUTIONS others about the false teacher (Matthew 7:15).

(12) It is the one who CALLS the false teacher sound not the one who CALLS upon the false teacher to speak whereof he stands (I Peter 3:15).

Following the charge by Ahab, Elijah the prophet corrected Ahab, the provoker. "And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim" (I Kings 18:18). People who make false charges need to be corrected. When people make false charges against Christ, his commands or his church we must correct them by "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). We must stand ready always to "speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter 4:11). We must be "ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (I Peter 3:15).

Elijah correctly directed Ahab to the real cause of the trouble in Israel. They had ceased following God's Word and had commenced following godless ways. When we turn from God's way, trouble will always be there because we will be in that godless way.

Whenever we are confronted about spiritual things let us have the courage to do what the Bible commands and to call upon others to do the same. Let us be careful and cautious lest we become "trouble" in God's sight.

-- JERRY W. JOSEPH