The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Kings 19:18,
"I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."
When Jezebel threatened Elijah's life for putting to death the prophets of Baal, he ran for his life. When asked by the Lord why he was where he fled to, his complaint to the Lord was that he was the last man standing for 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." 1 Kings 19:14.
The Lord then gave Elijah some assignments and assured him he was not the only one left, he really was not the last man standing - he had seven thousand in Israel who had not embraced the vile idol Baal.
Who were these seven thousand in Israel the Lord had reserved? Paul gives us insight here. In Romans 11:1-6 Paul makes reference to the account we read of in 1 Kings 19. There, as he quotes 1 Kings 19, he explains that God had not abandoned Israel, even as the nation rejected her Messiah, Jesus Christ. Paul makes his point in his letter to the Romans that there are always those of faith seeking the kingdom of God - as opposed to works of the law.
Where Israel as a nation in Paul's day had rejected faith in Jesus Christ in deference for their continued adherence to Mosaic law-keeping, Paul used the Lord's words to Elijah to point out that though it seems no one of faith is left, that really is never the case. There are always those the Lord holds as his: those who have embraced him in faith.
Those the Lord reserved for himself in the days of Elijah were all those who remained faithful to the Lord - those who had embraced the Lord in faith and refused to be tempted by the idol worship the pop-culture of the day encouraged.
The chosen of the Lord, the "reserved" of the Lord, are any and all who will embrace him in faith. This is God's election, this is the Lord's choice. All who trust in Jesus Christ, all who embrace the Lord in faith and trust in his sacrificial atonement for their sins are the chosen, the reserved of the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."
When Jezebel threatened Elijah's life for putting to death the prophets of Baal, he ran for his life. When asked by the Lord why he was where he fled to, his complaint to the Lord was that he was the last man standing for 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." 1 Kings 19:14.
The Lord then gave Elijah some assignments and assured him he was not the only one left, he really was not the last man standing - he had seven thousand in Israel who had not embraced the vile idol Baal.
Who were these seven thousand in Israel the Lord had reserved? Paul gives us insight here. In Romans 11:1-6 Paul makes reference to the account we read of in 1 Kings 19. There, as he quotes 1 Kings 19, he explains that God had not abandoned Israel, even as the nation rejected her Messiah, Jesus Christ. Paul makes his point in his letter to the Romans that there are always those of faith seeking the kingdom of God - as opposed to works of the law.
Where Israel as a nation in Paul's day had rejected faith in Jesus Christ in deference for their continued adherence to Mosaic law-keeping, Paul used the Lord's words to Elijah to point out that though it seems no one of faith is left, that really is never the case. There are always those the Lord holds as his: those who have embraced him in faith.
Those the Lord reserved for himself in the days of Elijah were all those who remained faithful to the Lord - those who had embraced the Lord in faith and refused to be tempted by the idol worship the pop-culture of the day encouraged.
The chosen of the Lord, the "reserved" of the Lord, are any and all who will embrace him in faith. This is God's election, this is the Lord's choice. All who trust in Jesus Christ, all who embrace the Lord in faith and trust in his sacrificial atonement for their sins are the chosen, the reserved of the Lord.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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