Tag: Baal

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The haunting darkness of depression.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. 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.”” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The big showdown between God’s representative and Baal’s representatives had taken place, the odds 850 to 1. The living God verses dead stone and stick carvings. God consumed the entire contest altar with fire. It turns out Ahab wasn’t the power broker for behind the scenes, it was actually his wife, Jezebel. She had risen to power controlling the nation and all the false prophets who were committed to worshipping fake gods. Ahab arrives home telling her that all her puppet prophets were dead. Commentators say that Elijah killed 850 (400 prophets of Asherah and 450 prophets of Baal ) wiping out Jezebel’s entire elite religious guard. She sends out the “hit” order, the threat – Elijah will be dead in 24 hours. Even after this major showdown win with incredible odds against him, this one threat from the most wicked woman in history, rattles him and Elijah runs. He disappears into the wilderness and finds himself exhausted, depressed and suicidal. Elijah experiences the lowest of lows and the very dark, crushing moment where he believes it is all over, he’s done and his life will end like all others who oppose the wickedness of the queen. Have you been there, in darkness and depression?

The verses following this story capture a slow but sweet process of restoration, administered by angels. This is a very modern prescription for depression today – “get up and eat.” Elijah ate, drank and then slept some more. Then the angel of the Lord (a phrase attributed to Jesus Himself, showing up in the Old Testament) touched him and encouraged him to eat again. In depression’s dark shadows, one often loses a desire to eat, drink and physically move around. Elijah takes a very long trip, ending up in a cave, still running from the threat of Jezebel. We see the echos of king David running from Saul, fearing for his life. These two stories in these two chapters, one of victory, the other of crippling fear are all to common experiences to anyone who is obediently following God and working to accomplish His will and plans. The fight, the war against evil and against the agents of evil used by the satan, is very real, very dangerous and very exhausting. Many have won a battle only to lose in the aftermath of threats and fears that follow. Jezebel was not able to keep her threat. In fact Jezebel was pushed out of her own castle window by her own protective guards. She splattered on the courtyard below and left for wild dogs to eat her, just as it was foretold. 2 Kings 9:30-32. In a stunning reversal of the Jezebel threat, Elijah never did die! God took him, alive and riding a fiery chariot into the sky.

Prayer

Dad,
Before my own brief experience with deep depression, I used to read this story and was confused about how things could turn so quickly from victory to defeat with just a word from this wicked woman. After going through several days of the worst experience of my life and feeling the numbness and despair, no will, no desire to do anything, I now understand. Those moments still haunt me. I am so thankful for your supernatural mercy and grace to not only wrap your peace around my soul, but gently lead me out of the darkness and back into the light. May you ever be close to those who are suffering similar.

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Fixer Upper Faith

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, the court secretary, to the Temple of the Lord. He told him, “Go to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money the gatekeepers have collected from the people at the Lord’s Temple. Entrust this money to the men assigned to supervise the restoration of the Lord’s Temple. Then they can use it to pay workers to repair the Temple. They will need to hire carpenters, builders, and masons. Also have them buy the timber and the finished stone needed to repair the Temple. But don’t require the construction supervisors to keep account of the money they receive, for they are honest and trustworthy men.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Josiah was only 8 years old when he became king of Judah. Israel had not only abandoned their faith, Josiah’s own grandfather, Manasseh adapted the Temple for idolatrous worship and allowed it to fall into complete disrepair. The entire country had been actively pursuing idols like Baal and Asherah poles were everywhere.

At 20 years old Josiah started a program of destruction, tearing down Baalist altars and images throughout Jerusalem and Judah.

Six years later, at 26 years old, he began to do some serious fixer upper repairs on God’s house, the temple. During the demolition phase, Shaphan, the temple secretary is instructed by Josiah to talk to Hilkiah about getting the finances together for the restoration project. The king told Shaphan to get the money to the temple general contractors overseeing the whole thing. Interesting note that should blow the minds of CFO’s, treasurers and bookkeepers, Josiah tells the secretary, “don’t require them to keep account of the money… because they are honest and trustworthy!”

It is during this massive restoration of the temple that we find out, the building isn’t the only thing that needs repair. The people themselves have to rebuild and restore their faith in God! Amidst the chaos of demolition, the High Priest, Hilkiah finds THE book, THE scrolls, THE laws of God, dictated by Moses and written under his direction. Hilkiah gives the scrolls to Shaphan and he reads them. Then, in his casual update on the progress of the Temple Project he says, “Ok King, the general managers have the money and they’re off and running. Oh, and also, Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll.” So Shaphan read it to the king. Shaphan may have not even realized what these scrolls were about, even though Hilkiah told him! Now there were two fixer upper projects going on. One on God’s house, the other, rebuilding the hearts of God’s people.

Prayer

Dad,
It’s really hard to imagine an entire country, your own people turning away from you to chase, dating and unite themselves to cold stone statues and phallic looking poles looking for pleasure, happiness and fulfillment. Oh wait, we still do that today! Our idols make look so sophisticated, even subtle, but they are the same lie that Israel fell for. Harder yet is the rollercoaster ride picture of obedience that comes with blessings as well as disobedience that comes with a curse. We have such a dark dramatic story don’t we. Yet, in it all, your light shines, your grace redeems and I see your patience culminating in the sacrifice and salvation through Jesus. Glory and honor to you oh God because of your mercy!

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God had had it with us

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“The Babylonians outside the walls will come in and set fire to the city. They will burn down all these houses where the people provoked my anger by burning incense to Baal on the rooftops and by pouring out liquid offerings to other gods. Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days. They have infuriated me with all their evil deeds,” says the Lord. “From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me, so I am determined to get rid of it.” Jeremiah‬ ‭32:29-31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I always wondered what Israel did to really tick God off. Now I know. God tells Jeremiah exactly what has been going on in secret and in public. I am currently doing a deep dive in Nehemiah and it is a sad and slow process of rebuilding and revisioning a new future. Everything the people had known had been gone for 70 years. God mentions specific offensive sins the people did in their own homes, on the rooftops in plain, public site. They poured out drink offerings to other gods. Gods and images that were not real and could not answer any of the people’s prayers. Later in the passage God said their wickedness had no end they, “They have set up their abominable idols right in my own Temple, defiling it. They have built pagan shrines to Baal in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and there they sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing. What an incredible evil, causing Judah to sin so greatly!” The nerve to set up idols in the temple built and dedicated to God. They put up idol shrines all over the countryside and actually sacrificed their own children to these false gods of Molech. As humans, we will stop at nothing to get our own way, yet not even give the creator of the universe the courtesy of obeying Him. We will and have for centuries, sacrificed our own children to have our own way and rebel. I don’t just see this in Israel’s sin, I see it in our own culture today! God had enough and allowed Babylon to come in, strip and burn everything to the ground. Then Babylon carried off the millions of Israelites into slavery and exile. Compared to cities, temples and buildings, which mean NOTHING to God – people however are eternal and worth saving. Our worth, our value is not in the things we build, the progress and advancements in technology or the fact that we can send a spacecraft to mars and back. We find worth in humans, created in God’s image and bearing the breath of God upon us. From the tiniest baby in a womb to the frail senior who passes from this life – all valued and loved by God.

Prayer

Dad,
What a rough story for Israel. What a stark reality for our own existence as well. It’s hard to fathom the depth of anger, frustration and rebellion bound up in our human hearts. We have such deep cravings to do wrong, to go our stubborn independant ways. Yet, we blame you for everything that goes wrong even though it originated with our decisions. We’re a goofy bunch. It’s hard to see what you see in us. Something worth saving, worth the patience and pursuit. I am certainly glad for your grace towards me.