Hidden in Plain Sight

Chapter 1
Why Are You Here?
The Bible is an action-packed book filled with non-fiction great stories. I can just imagine sitting in my seat watching the stories unfold before my very eyes much like a screen play. God assembles a tremendous cast of characters, filled with all different types of scenes taking place. The film would fit most genres; action, drama, romance, comedy, suspense; and it is all contained between the leather covers of His word. Just as in any film, there are characters in the story line you can identify with and others that bewilder you in their actions and mindset. When opening the Bible and reading, I find myself getting my mind wrapped up into the story with all it entails and the next thing I find is that it all starts playing out in my head in four-dimensional, high definition, full color, and surround sound, giving me a front row seat to Gods word in live form. The scene unravels, and sometimes just as in some story lines you watch, you go back to a scene prior to the opening to get a better context of the full story line.

So, in today’s viewing, come with me on a journey as we watch one of the greatest characters in the Bible as he has his day, definitely an award-winning moment. The story picks up in 1 Kings 18. Elijah, the leading man in the story, is a prophet known for his character, integrity, faith, and the ability to obey and hear God. Elijah showed boldness and audacity when he declared to the king of his day that the entire area would not rain, and God supported him by causing an extreme drought in the land. For three years, this area was stuck in this situation, the no rain situation. Living in Texas under the hot sun, we still most years receive plenty of rain, but several years back we had a year with minimal rain. Lakes were drying up. Water was being rationed. Some areas would fine you if you were found irrigating your yard, and the restaurants would not bring you water unless you specifically asked for it. Everyone was desperately praying for rain.
The king in his desperation in the story is determined to meet with the character Elijah. Now Elijah did not have a large Facebook friend following, as he was a loner that stirred up a lot of controversy. When the king meets with him, he calls Elijah the troubler of Israel. The confrontation continues as Elijah reminds the king the underlying reason for the drought was the spiritual condition of the country the king was leading. The king and the country with the king’s leading, were worshipping other gods, with a small “g.” God impressed upon Elijah to call for the drought because their hearts had turned away from Him, to serve the gods of Baal and Asherah.
Elijah tires of the confrontational game of my God is bigger than your god and arranges to meet at high noon on the top of the mountain for an all-out spiritual showdown. The king is asked to bring his 450 prophets of Baal and 450 prophets of Asherah, and just in case he forgot where they were, Elijah reminds them that they are eating at the king’s wife’s table. So high noon arrives, and they all show up for the biggest showdown of the times. I can see Elijah with a little Texas southern drawl (not in the Bible, just in my head) saying to these prophets, “Okay, ya’ll, it is time to make a sacrifice and if your god answers with fire, he is god. When ya’ll are done, it is my turn and I will make a sacrifice to God, and when He answers we will all know that He is God.”
The match was set, with everyone in their places. The prophets got to go first. Imagine if the lineup was reversed, and Elijah went first. There is a strong chance that you probably would not have gotten to read the efforts these prophets made to try to get their gods to show up. The prophets of Baal and Asherah cry out to their god, nothing happens. This excites Elijah as he knows what is to come. He starts taunting them, “Maybe they didn’t hear you. You should yell a little louder.” The prophets, in order to see their gods move, start cutting themselves with rocks, reflecting that this action would make them show up. The taunts from Elijah continue, “Maybe they are busy, gone or sleeping or something.” No matter the situation, there was no answer from these gods.
Hidden in plain sight, this next part totally blows mind. If you do not slow down to read it you may have missed it. Elijah is preparing the sacrifice for his turn. First, he digs a trench, putting twelve stones down, placing wood on it, and then cuts the bull up and puts it all on top of the wood. He is all set for a move of God, right? No, Elijah in his audacity to “drop the mic” with this showdown, takes it a step further. Elijah gets the crowd, who did not have to pay for tickets for the event, to take part in the miracle of God. He asks them to get water, four waterpots full. This is the part that is hidden in plain sight. Why is that a big deal? Remember in the beginning that it has not rained for three years, and they are in the middle of a serious drought, on top of a mountain. Water was scarce, and not at the top of the mountain. The crowd was asked to do this three times, until the water was flowing out of the trenches.
Elijah feels confident he has the perfect stage set for his part in the showdown.