After many days the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly, and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.
Prior to the above passage, we followed Elijah as God took him to another land during the famine God brought onto Israel. With Elijah gone he had come to the point where he thought everyone had turned against God and he, alone, was left to stand for God. Even later, after the great miracle he is about to perform and kill all the prophets of Baal, he will say the following:
1 Kings 19:10 (ESV)
He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
Yet, we know this is not true. He is NOT the only one who is standing for God. In response to his even I only, am left, statement, God will respond:
1 Kings 19:18 (ESV)
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
However, Elijah is not the only one to think this way. Obadiah, in the above passage, thinks the same thing. He did a great act of mercy by hiding from Queen Jezebel those who served God. But he thought he was alone in the fight. This is a mistake we can make when we have tunnel vision with our faith and service for God. We can think we are all alone. Yet, God has thousand and thousands who are serving Him. Even though we do not see them and think we are alone in the fight, God has myriads of believers who are, also, serving. Fearing you are alone is a fear that can grip many believers. Jesus knew that when he told Peter and the other disciples the following:
Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Body of Christ (the Church) is being built by God and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Those who reject the Church and the message of the Gospel are many. But God is building His church through Christ and the power of the Spirit and even the gates of Satan’s hell will not prevail over it. Obadiah was fearful that he was the only one. Elijah was fearful he was the only one. We can be fearful at work or in our community that we are the only one standing tall in a slouching world. Yet, God is building the church and nothing can stand against it. We are not alone in the fight. We might not see the other believers God is raising up in the faith and in the fight, but they are there, serving as faithful as we are.
Hebrews 6:10 (ESV Strong's)
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
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