By Rev. M.L. Johnson, D.Min. Theology
This past presidential election has been a historical event in more ways than the nomination and eventual election of America’s first black president. Within the very bowels of the American substance, we find a conflict far greater than the tit-for-tat play of the political process— the spiritual schism within the church— the body of Christ at odds within itself! During such times as these and for this reason, one with the least amount of Biblical knowledge cannot but think of the days of the prophet Elijah when ancient Israel’s king Ahab and his wife Jezebel ruled.
This focus is not on the husband and wife who led the rebellion of God’s people, but the class of religious leaders who adored them. The man of God’s greatest dilemma was in dealing with his religious counterparts—a massive priesthood in contention with him and God. The wicked couple had full reign over the nation, as Jezebel surrounded herself with 800 prophets who worshipped the false gods named Baal and Ashtoreth. An additional 450 prophets were dedicated to sexual immorality as well as other forms of idolatry. It seemed to Elijah that these were the darkest days of his life, having run for his own life after Jezebel’s oath to kill him even at the cost of her own. This man of God had witnessed the executions of untold numbers of God’s own faithful followers, and what was left of God’s chosen people had bowed beneath the shadow of this false religious system.
Jezebel was beaming with confidence, and radiating with power as she and the religious establishment alliance sat around the banquet tables and celebrated their success as the cloud of debauchery covered the nation like a suffocating smoke. Israel’s God Jehovah was out, the heathen god of Baal was in! Holiness, honor and truth were mocked while deception, irreverence and self-gratification were made virtues. The wickedness of the false religion manifested within the acts of the people as they began to institute laws and practices God had historically destroyed nations for. The very center of power was overrun with the vile and profane, while God’s dedicated servants were banished into cultural and social exile. President-elect Obama’s January 20, 2009 inaugural celebration and the following few days may represent the zenith of the convergence of practically every ideology that has worked so hard and for so long to destroy America as we know it! (He has already declared that America in no longer a Christian nation). The preachers who have fought so diligently for his election will have their time to rejoice. The parties and the celebrations will explode with splendor, pomp and pageantry as it did around Jezebel’s table; however, God is not defeated. Even Elijah came to realize this.
That epic moment came at Mt. Carmel between Elijah and the prophets of Baal and culminated with the man of God calling down fire from heaven after Baal’s prophets had failed to do so. That demonstration of God’s power and presence reignited the hearts of the Israelites as they began to reclaim their identity as the children of the most-high God! But the king and queen held fast to their rebellious ways, and the man of God had to flee for his life and hide in the wilderness. In his moment of despair and futility, he was ready to give up, even after such a convincing demonstration of divine assistance and power.
In the wilderness, Elijah cried out to God, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
Tired and weary of the battle, God’s fiery prophet thought that he was the only person left alive in the world—fighting with all of his might to stand for righteousness. But within that stand, he felt so alone in his purposeful work. Having seen so many of Israel’s leadership fall by Jezebel’s sword while others decided to bow and worship Baal, his hope had dried up to the size of a teardrop! It was apparent that Elijah felt that he had made his own last stand! Perhaps you may have felt that you have fought a futile battle, and the hordes of unrighteousness are celebrating their victories. You argued God’s case that it was not good to lift up a man who spoke openly and defiantly against His word. You tirelessly but unsuccessfully debated and pointed out that Jesus is the one true Messiah and God loves even the unborn, but you found that its practically impossible to argue with emotion!
Fellow blacks looked and stared at you in a sense of bewilderment, totally puzzled and ultimately disgusted in your position to deny a black man the opportunity to be president. And now, you are subjected to criticism and even ostracism for your standing against Barack Obama’s presidential election effort. There is still good reason to hold onto the promises of God! Your faith-based position shall withstand even the test of time itself!
With your self-examination, you have sought reason to justify a change in your own position, but the strength of the word of God in your heart would not allow that to happen. His word in not only within your head, it is also within your heart! You’ve been alone, but not weakened; ignored, but brilliant as a light; ridiculed, but encouraged more than ever to hold onto your convictions! It wasn’t that you merely wanted a black man to lead the nation, but more importantly, you wanted a man of any color who feared God above any qualification!
Many may have criticized, but could not challenge you for your steadfastness on God’s word! Your position is not at the expense of unborn babies, nor have you made alliance with the enemies of God. You have stood on the principle that marriage is between one man and one woman. There have been so many reports that not even the most prestigious preacher is able to justify or even satisfactorily explain away his or her departure from the very heart of God’s word. Please recognize that you are not alone! There are many of us who are destined to be united and connected together. As God informed Elijah, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him." God is preparing a generation who love Him above all else, and you shall get to meet them! You did not bow, and have proven yourself true to the Savior instead of rationalizing yourself into the membership of the masses.
The stance you have taken is so similar to Elijah’s position—going against the majority! As many of our Christian leaders opted for the thrill of selecting the first black president of the United States, you carefully chose to make a Biblical position superior to a human passion. You have been a critical listener because you are a critical thinker with an uncompromising Christ-mindedness. You have seen the situation from a higher view, recognizing that government is not God, and no man can provide that which only God owns. You refused to sell out your deeply-rooted beliefs even at the enticement of racial pride. Having risen above the ideology of being a black Christian, you have matured into the higher position of being a Christian who happens to be black!
So as the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy in chapter 2 of his second letter, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ [vs. 1-3].”
So, for not bowing, I salute you. Be encouraged, neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Jezebel was beaming with confidence, and radiating with power as she and the religious establishment alliance sat around the banquet tables and celebrated their success as the cloud of debauchery covered the nation like a suffocating smoke. Israel’s God Jehovah was out, the heathen god of Baal was in! Holiness, honor and truth were mocked while deception, irreverence and self-gratification were made virtues. The wickedness of the false religion manifested within the acts of the people as they began to institute laws and practices God had historically destroyed nations for. The very center of power was overrun with the vile and profane, while God’s dedicated servants were banished into cultural and social exile. President-elect Obama’s January 20, 2009 inaugural celebration and the following few days may represent the zenith of the convergence of practically every ideology that has worked so hard and for so long to destroy America as we know it! (He has already declared that America in no longer a Christian nation). The preachers who have fought so diligently for his election will have their time to rejoice. The parties and the celebrations will explode with splendor, pomp and pageantry as it did around Jezebel’s table; however, God is not defeated. Even Elijah came to realize this.
That epic moment came at Mt. Carmel between Elijah and the prophets of Baal and culminated with the man of God calling down fire from heaven after Baal’s prophets had failed to do so. That demonstration of God’s power and presence reignited the hearts of the Israelites as they began to reclaim their identity as the children of the most-high God! But the king and queen held fast to their rebellious ways, and the man of God had to flee for his life and hide in the wilderness. In his moment of despair and futility, he was ready to give up, even after such a convincing demonstration of divine assistance and power.
In the wilderness, Elijah cried out to God, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
Tired and weary of the battle, God’s fiery prophet thought that he was the only person left alive in the world—fighting with all of his might to stand for righteousness. But within that stand, he felt so alone in his purposeful work. Having seen so many of Israel’s leadership fall by Jezebel’s sword while others decided to bow and worship Baal, his hope had dried up to the size of a teardrop! It was apparent that Elijah felt that he had made his own last stand! Perhaps you may have felt that you have fought a futile battle, and the hordes of unrighteousness are celebrating their victories. You argued God’s case that it was not good to lift up a man who spoke openly and defiantly against His word. You tirelessly but unsuccessfully debated and pointed out that Jesus is the one true Messiah and God loves even the unborn, but you found that its practically impossible to argue with emotion!
Fellow blacks looked and stared at you in a sense of bewilderment, totally puzzled and ultimately disgusted in your position to deny a black man the opportunity to be president. And now, you are subjected to criticism and even ostracism for your standing against Barack Obama’s presidential election effort. There is still good reason to hold onto the promises of God! Your faith-based position shall withstand even the test of time itself!
With your self-examination, you have sought reason to justify a change in your own position, but the strength of the word of God in your heart would not allow that to happen. His word in not only within your head, it is also within your heart! You’ve been alone, but not weakened; ignored, but brilliant as a light; ridiculed, but encouraged more than ever to hold onto your convictions! It wasn’t that you merely wanted a black man to lead the nation, but more importantly, you wanted a man of any color who feared God above any qualification!
Many may have criticized, but could not challenge you for your steadfastness on God’s word! Your position is not at the expense of unborn babies, nor have you made alliance with the enemies of God. You have stood on the principle that marriage is between one man and one woman. There have been so many reports that not even the most prestigious preacher is able to justify or even satisfactorily explain away his or her departure from the very heart of God’s word. Please recognize that you are not alone! There are many of us who are destined to be united and connected together. As God informed Elijah, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him." God is preparing a generation who love Him above all else, and you shall get to meet them! You did not bow, and have proven yourself true to the Savior instead of rationalizing yourself into the membership of the masses.
The stance you have taken is so similar to Elijah’s position—going against the majority! As many of our Christian leaders opted for the thrill of selecting the first black president of the United States, you carefully chose to make a Biblical position superior to a human passion. You have been a critical listener because you are a critical thinker with an uncompromising Christ-mindedness. You have seen the situation from a higher view, recognizing that government is not God, and no man can provide that which only God owns. You refused to sell out your deeply-rooted beliefs even at the enticement of racial pride. Having risen above the ideology of being a black Christian, you have matured into the higher position of being a Christian who happens to be black!
So as the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy in chapter 2 of his second letter, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ [vs. 1-3].”
So, for not bowing, I salute you. Be encouraged, neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
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