…about keep on keeping on

I believe that when the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of your understanding to something found in scripture, He is talking to you.  We don’t always understand the why or what we are to do with the knowledge and understanding we have been given.  For instance, a while back I realized that Noah wasn’t preaching to strangers but to brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles and close friends.  He preached faithfully for 120 years to his family and friends who mocked and ridiculed him…120 years without one convert!  Why would he do such a thing?  Because he believed what God had said!

Then there was Ezekiel.  The people were already in captivity in Babylon.  In fact, Ezekiel was also one of the exiles.  God told him to prophesy to those in captivity.  This time, God told His man that the people would not listen but to tell them what He said anyway.

Elijah was another prophet who was hated for the message from God that he was always faithful to give.  The people were very far from God and had become worshippers of other gods.  Elijah called all Israel to Mount Carmel and had a show-down with 850 priests of Baal and the groves. After God won the show-down, Elijah slew all 850 priests of the false gods.  When Jezebel heard about it she threatened Elijah’s life and he ran.  When Elijah could run no more, he sat down under a juniper tree and asked God to kill him.  After a nap and some food and another nap and more food, God told Elijah He had another job for him to do.  And Elijah went on!

God expects His people to keep doing His bidding until HE is through.  We CAN keep doing that if we remember two things: 1) God is the one who produces the results if there are any to be produced and 2) the worst man can do to us is kill the body — God can destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28).