RE: Feeling Alone and Defeated? Encouragement
Elijah standing against the prophets of Ba'al, and then running off after Jezebel threatens him and hearing from the Lord is one my favorite faith accounts too. It's such an amazing and inspiring story, and I always find it interesting that Jesus was transfigured while meeting Moses and Elijah on a mountain, since of course Moses received the law on a mountain, and saw the Promised Land from one, and Elijah defeated idol worship on a mountain. The story of Ahab and Jezebel and their evil is very instructive too in its own way, especially in how they oppose the Lord and His prophets. Not that the Lord doesn't provide us with light throughout His whole Word, but in some places the light is even brighter, and that's one place in His Word that it is.
I've thought the same about Moses and Elijah. It's really interesting going into all of the mentions of Elijah throughout the bible. Also, the "two witnesses" in Revelations.
1 Kings 21, reveals a whole lot about both the characters of Ahab and Jezebel. There are a lot of really great accounts in the OT that we don't hear about very often. Before I started reading and studying, I thought the television movie, "Moses," was very close to the actual account. But when I finally read it, the movie was a lot different in a lot of ways, and the biblical account was even more amazing than the movie depicted. It's sort of like the "Garden of Eden," I'd always thought that the whole earth was the garden. But when I read it I was amazed to learn that it wasn't. The earth was "Eden," and the garden was planted "East of Eden." It's amazing how simple that is, and it just never occurred to me until I read it. The book of numbers is also one of my favorites. Once I got through all of the numbers, tribes, names. and locations, (which go on for chapter after chapter) I almost couldn't put it down.
I'm off to get some sleep. God bless you.
Me too actually. Your reply was interesting so I'll have to get to it tomorrow. God bless you too.
I've never looked for all the mentions of Elijah in the Bible but will try to remember to do that. Do you think he's one of the two witnesses? With Revelation so many things often fit. I read somewhere that someone thought the two witnesses were the Old and New Testaments. And of course many people have suggested other people and things too.
Yes, the OT is amazing. It really speaks to a person's spirit. It's hard to put it into more words than that, too. The Creation account, and the account of man's fall, are just full of so many amazing things. We could study that our whole lives, I'm sure. I'm always amazed by that flaming sword put there to guard the Tree of Life for the time being, it would seem, until the redemption of our bodies. I've never heard anything preached about it or read anything about it, but thinking about it, perhaps it's God's justice? And that it's a sword, it's His Word? I also found so much to be interesting in the book of Numbers, after as you say getting past the numbering of the tribes. Especially of course the story of Balaam! That's such a powerful story, particularly where his donkey keeps seeing the angel of the Lord, but he can't because he defied Him.
It's so sad how many people don't know anything of the Bible, really, and they go through life looking for answers, contentment and help, and the world has them trying everything else. So sad too that many people can read the Bible and go "meh."
Well, I'm going to hopefully get writing now. I spent some time today learning a bit more about Bittrex and Coinbase, and I'm also trying to disengage a bit from surfing Steemit, if you know what I'm talking about - from Christian trail to Steemdb to my replies to my wallet to reading people's posts and then checking their blogs, to my feed, and on and on. It's been good to do that, I think, because that way I've gotten to know it, but it's not as productive. I have so many things started for Steemit and for outside of it as well, and I know I can do more, and have, than publish one post a day! Not that I won't be checking in here a lot still, but I need to discipline myself so I'm not checking this or that the minute I hit a little writer's block. I haven't gotten to Steemit.chat either more than one time when I did for a few minutes. I didn't see many people posting there but I'd give it a try again sometime. Is it in Christian links where people from Christian trail tend to chat?
I was so caught up with Elijah's story and commenting about it, too, that I forgot I wanted to say this was a very good article about relying on the Lord and not being discouraged when things are difficult. Thanks for sharing it, livingwaters!
Thank you doule, With the two witnesses, I honestly don't know. I've never heard of the NT/OT idea, but the study of Elijah throughout the bible makes me sort of lean in that direction. Still. Revelations is (in my view,) the most in-depth book to study, and it ties to everything else in the bible. I've checked out some different websites and videos over the years that go into Rev, and every one of them has different ideas and different takes on how everything will play out. I have sort of come to the conclusion, that I'll study it and know what it says while trying not to draw my own ideas or conclusions. But knowing what it says, we'll certainly know what's happening when it happens.
I like the story of Balaam and his donkey too. Most people would take off running if an animal started talking to them, but Balaam had a little conversation with him.
In steemit chat, you can click on a person's name and have a private conversation. You can even leave messages for people who aren't on at the same time. You'll see a little indicator at the top of the page that shows if you have a message or not. right on the tab that says, "steemit chat." I don't usually chat in the general chat room, but I do check the links and read a lot of them. You can also type in a person's nickname in the search option, to open a private chat and leave a message for that person.
I have company coming this next week, so I won't be on much, other than early in the mornings. My mom and other family members will be here. Eight guests. lol It's going to be a busy week.
Yes, Revelation is a difficult book, like I know Daniel and Ezekiel are said to be too. It's interesting how Christians who believe the Bible interpret the rest of the Bible with a great deal of agreement, but not when it comes to those books. I once read a very good booklet on Revelation from Scripture Press, I believe. It was a Sunday School book, and it went through the major interpretations of Revelation, and the background of things like the city of Laodicea. I found that very helpful. I see how people interpret different things in it in different ways, and I suppose this was God's Will as He seems to have left this book open to different interpretations.
Thank you for the information about Steemit Chat, too.
And wow, eight guests is a lot! I hope you have a very good visit with your mom and other family members.
I messaged you on Chat.
I'm sorry doule! I've been working on a guest room that I normally use for storage. If you're on now, I'm in the chat.