http://gospeltranslations.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Elijah%2C_Part_2 2026-04-21T09:44:26Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.16alpha http://gospeltranslations.org/w/index.php?title=Elijah,_Part_2&diff=14440&oldid=prev 2008-10-12T20:35:25Z

<p>New page: {{info}}King Ahab called out from the rocks,&lt;br&gt;&quot;Do you think that a fire-tailed fox&lt;br&gt;Can scorch the fields of Jezebel,&lt;br&gt;And starve the stock, and dry the well,&lt;br&gt;And mock the Baals, ...</p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{info}}King Ahab called out from the rocks,&lt;br&gt;&quot;Do you think that a fire-tailed fox&lt;br&gt;Can scorch the fields of Jezebel,&lt;br&gt;And starve the stock, and dry the well,&lt;br&gt;And mock the Baals, and scorn Jezreel,&lt;br&gt;And not be crushed beneath the wheel&lt;br&gt;Of Ahab's chariot? Beware&lt;br&gt;The day you leave your anxious lair:&lt;br&gt;The fire and drought that you've begun&lt;br&gt;Will swallow you before it's done.&quot;&amp;nbsp;<br /> <br /> Elijah stood across the vale&lt;br&gt;From Ahab's band and answered, &quot;Hail,&lt;br&gt;Bold servant of the queen! I see&lt;br&gt;The chain is loosed and you are free&lt;br&gt;To chase a fox with infantry.&lt;br&gt;I'm honored that the fox is me.&lt;br&gt;High trust from Jezebel to let&lt;br&gt;You have a hundred men to net&lt;br&gt;A flaming fox and not be burned!&lt;br&gt;I am surprised she hasn't learned&lt;br&gt;The weakness of a godless king!&lt;br&gt;Or, Ahab, is that golden thing&lt;br&gt;Around your neck still fastened to&lt;br&gt;The finger of the woman who&lt;br&gt;Now feeds four hundred fifty men&lt;br&gt;Who prophesy for Baal? And when&lt;br&gt;Will you now cease to trouble all&lt;br&gt;Of Israel?&quot; <br /> <br /> &quot;Elijah, call&lt;br&gt;This royal woman what you will,&lt;br&gt;She has more pow'r, more cultic skill,&lt;br&gt;More force in unseen things than you&lt;br&gt;Have ever dreamed, or any Jew&lt;br&gt;Has known for centuries. Not I,&lt;br&gt;Elijah, nor my queen make dry&lt;br&gt;The land and trouble Israel.&lt;br&gt;It's you who dry the drinking well&lt;br&gt;And ruin crops and kill the herds&lt;br&gt;And stop the rains with empty words.&quot; <br /> <br /> One face among the retinue&lt;br&gt;Of Ahab winced. It was the true&lt;br&gt;And faithful servant of the court,&lt;br&gt;Old Obadiah — not the sort&lt;br&gt;Who served the Baals but loved the Lord,&lt;br&gt;And spared his prophets from the sword&lt;br&gt;Of Jezebel when she ordained&lt;br&gt;That they should die. And now he feigned&lt;br&gt;Composure as he listened to&lt;br&gt;The empty babblings of a blue&lt;br&gt;Blood monarch fall like reverent foes&lt;br&gt;Before Elijah's face. <br /> <br /> &quot;Are those&lt;br&gt;The words of royal blood, O king,&quot;&lt;br&gt;Elijah called, &quot;Or do you cling&lt;br&gt;To empty words as to your gods?&lt;br&gt;Tell me, Ahab, what are the odds&lt;br&gt;That Jezebel has greater force&lt;br&gt;With unseen things, and is the source&lt;br&gt;Of greater pow'r than God, if I&lt;br&gt;Am he who keeps rain from the sky?&lt;br&gt;If I have troubled Israel,&lt;br&gt;If by my prayer the royal well&lt;br&gt;Is dry, and dead the royal herds,&lt;br&gt;Then have I spoken empty words? <br /> <br /> Or have you and your queen despised&lt;br&gt;The God of all the earth, and prized&lt;br&gt;Your pagan idols over all&lt;br&gt;His word? And are you not in thrall&lt;br&gt;To blind and helpless deities?&lt;br&gt;Else why has not the queen called these&lt;br&gt;To open clouds and lift the cares&lt;br&gt;That you have charged to my weak prayers?&lt;br&gt;If Baal be God, then it is plain:&lt;br&gt;Let Jezebel release the rain.&quot; <br /> <br /> Old Obadiah smiled inside,&lt;br&gt;And Ahab, helpless and defied,&lt;br&gt;Stood silent at the voice of God.&lt;br&gt;&quot;Do you remember Aaron's rod?&quot;&lt;br&gt;Elijah cried. &quot;Or do you mock&lt;br&gt;The stream that flowed out from the rock?&lt;br&gt;Or don't you know that everywhere&lt;br&gt;The soil of faith is kept with care&lt;br&gt;In all the hearts of faithful men,&lt;br&gt;The rod of Aaron grows again?&lt;br&gt;Hear this, O king, three years ago&lt;br&gt;I saw Almighty God bestow&lt;br&gt;More power in a little boy&lt;br&gt;Than all your prophets can enjoy. <br /> <br /> Go now, Ahab, and tell your queen,&lt;br&gt;Tomorrow morning God will clean&lt;br&gt;This wicked land with holy fire.&lt;br&gt;Let Baal and all his seers conspire,&lt;br&gt;The Lord will do what he ordain,&lt;br&gt;And when I pray, there shall be rain.&quot; <br /> <br /> Elijah spent the night in prayer.&lt;br&gt;And in the early morning air&lt;br&gt;He walked Mount Carmel's height,&lt;br&gt;And battled there against the might&lt;br&gt;Of unseen wickedness without,&lt;br&gt;And even worse within, his doubt.&lt;br&gt;&quot;What if the fire should fail to fall?&lt;br&gt;What if the rain heed not my call?&lt;br&gt;What if the other altar burns?&lt;br&gt;What if the Lord my favor spurns?&quot;&lt;br&gt;Elijah knew that in the end&lt;br&gt;Faith was a gift, and God would send&lt;br&gt;It when he willed, by some strange means&lt;br&gt;Designed to silence kings and queens. <br /> <br /> All Israel was there that day,&lt;br&gt;And others came from far away&lt;br&gt;As Zarephath. Elijah cried,&lt;br&gt;&quot;How long will you fail to decide&lt;br&gt;Between your God and foreign cults?&lt;br&gt;Why is it that this choice results&lt;br&gt;In limping back and forth between&lt;br&gt;The Law of God and Baal's queen?&lt;br&gt;Let there be now a test to see&lt;br&gt;Who is the greatest deity:&lt;br&gt;The God who answers here with flame&lt;br&gt;Is God alone and his the fame.&quot; <br /> <br /> And so the bull for Baal was slain,&lt;br&gt;His prophets prayed, but all in vain:&lt;br&gt;They danced and cried and cut their arms,&lt;br&gt;They fell and shrieked and shook their charms.&lt;br&gt;Elijah goaded them with scorn,&lt;br&gt;&quot;Perhaps you need to use a horn.&lt;br&gt;He might be on a holiday,&lt;br&gt;Or maybe he just has to stay&lt;br&gt;In bed because he's sick. I bet&lt;br&gt;He hears but all his kindling's wet.&quot; <br /> <br /> The midday passed, and as they roared,&lt;br&gt;Elijah built an altar to the Lord.&lt;br&gt;Twelve stones, the wood in order laid,&lt;br&gt;A trench around the altar made,&lt;br&gt;Twelve barrels full of water spilled.&lt;br&gt;The kindling's wet, the trench is filled. <br /> <br /> And suddenly the air was still,&lt;br&gt;And Jezebel had shown her skill:&lt;br&gt;The bloody prophets lay in shame&lt;br&gt;Around the fire that never came.&lt;br&gt;Elijah felt ten thousand eyes&lt;br&gt;Fixed on his face, and as he tries&lt;br&gt;To pray, the demon doubts assail:&lt;br&gt;&quot;What if it doesn't come? I fail,&lt;br&gt;And with me falls the name of God,&lt;br&gt;And never will there grow the rod&lt;br&gt;Of Aaron in the hearts of men&lt;br&gt;Again. O, Sovereign Lord, what then&lt;br&gt;Shall I recall or think or see,&lt;br&gt;That you might give this faith to me?&lt;br&gt;By what strange means will you supply?&quot; <br /> <br /> And as he opened up his eye,&lt;br&gt;A little boy walked up the path,&lt;br&gt;A six-year-old from Zarephath,&lt;br&gt;And smiled at him without a word,&lt;br&gt;As though a message could be heard.&lt;br&gt;Behind him in the distance stood&lt;br&gt;A woman with a widow's hood,&lt;br&gt;And in her hand a jar of meal.&lt;br&gt;Elijah looked and felt the seal&lt;br&gt;Of God upon his prayer: &quot;O Lord,&lt;br&gt;Your name and glory have been poured&lt;br&gt;Like water over all these stones.&lt;br&gt;The blood is spilt that now atones&lt;br&gt;For all my doubt and Israel's blame.&lt;br&gt;Come now, and vindicate your name,&lt;br&gt;Come now, and answer us with flame.&quot; <br /> <br /> And with these words the fire came. <br /> <br /> &quot;The Lord Almighty, he is God!&lt;br&gt;The Lord Almighty, he is God!&quot;&lt;br&gt;Ten thousand people turned that day&lt;br&gt;To God, and watched Elijah slay&lt;br&gt;The empty messengers of Baal,&lt;br&gt;Where used to run the Kishon trail&lt;br&gt;And creek before the drought. And so&lt;br&gt;The fire of God consumed his foe.&lt;br&gt;Elijah turned to Ahab now,&lt;br&gt;&quot;King Ahab, I have kept my vow:&lt;br&gt;Did I not promise holy fire&lt;br&gt;To burn the fruit of your desire,&lt;br&gt;And cleanse this wicked land entire,&lt;br&gt;With faith and prayer and flood and fire?&lt;br&gt;Make haste, the purge is not complete,&lt;br&gt;Take shelter with your queen and eat.&lt;br&gt;God does not start his purge in vain,&lt;br&gt;I hear the sound of rushing rain.&quot; <br /> <br /> So may the flame of candle two&lt;br&gt;Ignite a fire in me and you,&lt;br&gt;To burn the Ba'als and the doubt.&lt;br&gt;And then to heal the scorch and drought&lt;br&gt;And take away the final stain,&lt;br&gt;Let there be, Lord, a rushing rain.</div>

Greetje