Psalm 55; 1 Kings 18:41-19:8; Phil. 3:17-4:7; Matt. 3:13-17
Elijah encourages Ahab to eat and drink, in much the same way the people have to be encouraged to do the same in Nehemiah 8 when the law is read to them by Ezra and they realize the magnitude of their sin. Has Ahab had a moment of realization for what he has done? At any rate, when he tells his wife, Jezebel, what has happened we see just how weak a man and a ruler Ahab truly was as she swears vengeance on Elijah and he allows her to act on her vow. He should have forbidden her to act based on all he had just witnessed but he was too weak for that. Elijah, exhausted and seemingly alone, gives up when he hears of her wrath. He first goes to Judah and leaves his servant there, safe in the southern kingdom away from Jezebel’s reach. Then, he goes a days journey apart from Judah into the wilderness and gives up to the Lord. For anyone who has ever served in ministry and had an enemy, this reaction is completely understandable, we have all been there and done that. We have seen great things and yet the pressure of one person who makes our lives miserable is too much to bear. The Lord sustains the prophet and then he goes further into the wilderness, the mountain where the covenant began and remains for forty days, truly alone but safe.
What has Jesus done that the Father should be pleased with Him? All He has done is submit Himself for baptism. He has not sinned so this baptism is not for repentance, it is to fulfill all righteousness, that He might identify with sinners and in particular, perhaps, Gentiles, who required baptism. The ministry of Jesus is bracketed by this identification with sinners. He could have remained only identified with righteousness but He willingly chose to identify with us even though He knew no sin. The Father was not pleased that now in baptism Jesus had repented of sin and was now intending to lead a new life, the Father’s pleasure was in His obedience to do what needed to be done for the sake of righteousness and for the sake of the world. True righteousness is loving God and others more than loving self.
Self-justification doesn’t work and isn’t God’s plan. Not only that, we are told to live for heaven, even in the midst of this life. Eternity is our home, we live in a fallen, busted and broken world which nonetheless has great appeal for us. We are not to live to gain more of this world but of the world to come. That world is not simply an extension of this life, it is redeemed and restored, we cannot imagine the glory of the new heavens and the new earth as sin has so corrupted this creation. We are not to be discouraged as Elijah was because we know who wins in the end, this life is meant to be lived for the glory of God, no matter the cost. We are to do as Jesus has done, live so that we know the Father’s pleasure in our lives, loving Him, one another and the world.
Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
marked with the sign of Christ our king;
born of one Father,
we are his children -
joyfully now God's praise we sing.
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