Let's Talk About Zionism...

What does the Bible actually say about Zionism? How can we as Christians stand by and watch inhumane treatment of other humans and not be bothered? That is NOT what God called us to do.

A few years ago, I was visiting one of my aunts, and something must have recently made the news about the on-going Israeli-Palestinian conflict because somehow we ended up talking about Zionism. This particular aunt is a devout member of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) church and like most women in my family, she's not afraid to voice her opinion. At one point in the in the conversation, she made an assertion that many Christians make—an assertion that despite claims of separation of church and state, is at the heart of why the United States often sides with Israel. An assertion that is wrong.

"But it's [Israel's] land. God gave them that land."

The belief in and support of a Jewish nation is often referred to Zionism[1] and it runs deep in the Christian church. It's the only conclusion you'd make if your Christian experience is limited to the sermons you get from the pastor, and it's the easiest conclusion to make with a shallow dive into the Bible itself. I see exactly why people are led to that conclusion: Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and while they were in the wilderness, God promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. God promised to make Israel a great nation, and a great nation has land, right?

The above train of thought leaves out crucial parts of the narrative and with the recent attacks on Palestine by Israel, it's time we straighten this story out.

Disclaimer

Please understand that this post is discussing the actions of the Israeli government. When speaking about curses I am referencing the nation as a government entity and in a broad sense. While this post is criticizing Zionism it is not a statement against Jewish independence—it is a statement against using Zionism to justify the mistreatment of Palestinans. Also, I have tried to differentiate when I'm talking about Israel of the past verus present by refering to Israelites (past) and Israelis (present).

Is Israel *Still* the Promised Land?

During Israel's time in the wilderness, God promises Israel a lot of things but these promises are not absolute. While there are a few instances that repeat this concept, we're going to focus on Deuteronomy 27-28. In this passage, Moses lays out not one, but two paths for Israel. The first leads to blessings from God (Deuteronomy 28:1-14); if they chose that path they would be prosperous, healthy, and at peace. The second path, however, leads to curses (Deuteronomy 28:15-26). When choosing this path, the Israelites would reap hardship, illnesses, and defeat.

¹“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I am commanding you today, that the Lord your God will put you high above all the nations of the earth. ²And all these blessings will come to you and reach you if you obey the Lord your God: Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NASB

In Deuteronomy 28:1-2, we see plainly what the path to the blessings is: obedience. Notice that the blessings come to Isreal IF they obey the Lord. So, did Israel obey God and follow the path to the blessings? No! From before Moses could even return from the mountain, the Israelites struggled with obedience. It is due to Israel serving other gods that they go into captivity... The Northern Kingdom (Israel) went through a line of rulers who led the people astray from God, which ends with them being taken away by the Assyrians. In the Southern Kingdom (Judea), they ping pong between righteous and corrupt kings, but ultimately they, too, drift away from God. The prophet Jeremiah tells us this is why they were subjected to the Babylonian captivity.

And I will pronounce My judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, since they have abandoned Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands. Jeremiah 1:16 NASB

The Israelites in Babylon were eventually returned to the land, but continued to wax and wane in their relationship with God. There would be a Greek captivity followed by the Roman occupation of Israel. It is during the Roman occupation of Israel that we see the birth of the Messiah. The birth of the Messiah occurs during the 70 weeks prophecy given by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27). It is during this time that the Israelites are supposed to be turning back to God. This is their final chance as a nation to turn back to their King.

Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.Daniel 9:24 NASB

Did the Israelites bring about everlasting righteousness and anoint the Most Holy Place? No, they rejected the Messiah and had Him executed despite His innocence. The Israelites chose a known criminal over an innocent man. Roughly a generation later, Jerusalem was seiged by the Roman empire, the Temple was destoryed and Israel lost their Promised Land. God does not promise to restore the nation of Israel (as a bloodline) after the 70 weeks.

Pastor Ivor Myers has a wonderful sermon series that explains this exact issue.[2] In the series, he discusses the prophets of the Old Testament and teaches us how to put each prophet in context. The essence of the series discusses "the day of Lord" which is not actually one day (often refered to as the end of the world) but a series of judgments by God with the final day of the Lord being the one to bring about eternal peace. He clearly shows how the prophecies to restore Israel end with the rejection of Christ. When Christ rose from the dead, He built the final Temple (often mistaken as a third physical temple) made without hands. This Temple is talked about extensively in the New Testament and it is us. Just as God's Spirit dwelled in the Most Holy place of the Temple in Jerusalem, His Spirit now dwells in us. We—those who have chosen Him—are the new heirs to the throne and the new promised children. Our promised land is not Israel, though, it is the Kingdom of God. We receive this land when the final day of the Lord happens. Unforuntately the sermons are no longer free (I hate when people charge for teachings on the word of God), I'm uploading my notes to Google Drive for those curious about the Bible verses and how these conclusions were drawn.[3]

What If I'm Wrong?

Let's pretend for a second that God had promised to restore Israel after they rejected the Messiah. Deuteronomy 27:19 says "Cursed is one who distorts the justice due a stranger, an orphan, or a widow." Modern Israel has been distorting the justice due the Palestinians for years. Under the assumption the land belongs to Israel, the Palestinians would be strangers in the land, and the fact that Israel behaves unjustly toward them would trigger the curses outlined in Deuteronomy.

Another issue with the U.S. supporting Israel is that when God gives, it's obvious. An army did not free the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. The Israelites did not receive external support when they took the land after leaving Egypt. Although the Persian army conquered Babylon and subsequently allowed Jerusalem to be restored (drawing parallels to the defeat of Germany and allowance of the establishment of modern Israel by the west), the Persian army did not fight battles for Israel. If God was restoring Israel, His people would be able to take the land without the assistance of foreign troops and it would look like the land of the blessings in the beginning of Deuteronomy 28. The most obvious sign God is not giving them the land is that this isn't the case. The first thing the Israelites did when Cyrus allowed them back in the Promised Land was to restore Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Modern Israel was established in the 1960s—is there a third Temple? No, because there's a mosque there. There's a mosque there because the Israeli government did not capture Jerusalem in the Six Days War. It's there because God did NOT give them the city of Jerusalem. Trust me, if God wants someone to have something, they'll have it without the U.S. funding it...

The Importance of All This

I do not speak as much about issues that affect ofther minorities on this blog mainly because I'm not always sure of the details and it's better to amplify than to steal the spotlight. However, I had to write something on this issue because as I type, Israel is committing countless atrocities against the people of Palestine[5] and "Christians" are turning a blind eye because they don't understand their own Bible. You cannot support Zionism at the expense of Palestinians and adhere to the tenants God set for us at the same time. The same passion and zeal evangelical Christians put into being pro-life needs to be manifested into being pro-Palestinian-life. From here is where I point you to Palestinian voices. Go read their stories. Go feel their hurt. A friend of mine, who brought the recent atrocities to my attention, has created a letter in support of HR 2590, a bill that would promote and protect the rights of Palestinians. Please research what the Bible actually says, what is happening in Palestine, and what this bill could accomplish, then sign her letter to show your sentators and representatives that you support justice.[4]

References

1. "Zionism". Merriam-Webster; visited May 2021
2. Ivor Myers. "The 3 Heavens Principle". Power of the Lamb Ministries. February 1, 2021
3. My notes on The 3 Heavens Principle
4. Sign the Letter
5. Bill Chappell. "Israel In Turmoil: Violence Spreads To Streets And Occupied West Bank". NPR. May 13, 2021

You Are What You Eat

I grew up seeing Christians eat pork like Leviticus 11 didn't speak against it. Not once did anyone explain why we living contrary to that law. Eventually I decided to find out for myself. Spoiler alert, I realized the Bible didn't give us permission to eat things God told us not to.

PSALMS to God · You Are What You Eat

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV

• What you eat matters!!
• What you eat affects your physical health[3][4][5]
• What you eat affects your mental health[1][2]
• Think about what happens to your mind and body when you consumer things such as: coffee/caffeine, heavy drugs (e.g., heroin), alcohol, medication, etc.
• When I changed my diet I saw major differences. When I cut out unclean meat, it was like a Claritin clear commercial. When I cut out meat entirely, I no longer struggle with eczema, I have less menstral cramping, and I have more energy.
• God gave us specific information concerning what we eat from the very beginning!

I actually have an episode from season 1 with the same title. 🤷🏾‍♀️ It's worth a listen to if you haven't heard it yet (it's about self control when eating)

Genesis 1:29 & Genesis 2:16-17

• God gives Adam and Eve permission to eat from all seed bearing vegetation
• God's only rule is that they cannot eat from the Tree of Knowledge—the first and only rule before the fall was about what people consumed as food.
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: The Original Diet

Genesis 9:3-5

• God introduced flesh into our diet after the flood
• Noah knew the difference between clean and unclean animals; this is evidenced in Genesis 7:2,8 and Genesis 8:20. If Noah had been expected to eat and/or sacrifice the unclean animals, God would have told him to bring equal amounts of those animals.

Leviticus 11

• This is where we (the reader) are introduced to the definition of clean and unclean meat
• This definition had to exist before Moses wrote this chapter as Noah already knew what clean and unclean was. A precedence had already been set that only clean animals were sacrificed (meat eaten was always sacrificed first). Also, Islam formed from descendents of Abraham's oldest son, Ishmael, who lived long beofre Moses. Islam adheres to a similar dietary law—differences in the law could be due to passing down word of mouth, versus God re-establishing the definition with Moses.

Isaiah 66

• During the end times there consuming swine (pork) is still considered an abomination
• Read Isaiah 65 to under the context that these verses reference the end of days
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Isaiah 66

Why do people think we have permission to eat unclean meat?

Mark 7 / Matthew 15

• People generally skip to "it's not what goes in but what comes out that defiles a man"
• The context of the passage is that the Pharisees were upset the disciples didn't wash their hands before eating bread
• This passage doesn't address unclean food, and if it did Peter wouldn't have been so shocked in Acts 10 since he was present for Christ's lecture
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Mark 7

Acts 10

• Peter has a vision where he is told to kill and eat unclean animals
• Peter rejects this idea and boasts that he has never eaten unclean meat (this how we know Jesus didn't give them permission to do so in Mark 7)
• As with most dreams/visions in the Bible, we are told what the dream represents: Acts 10:28 and Acts 11:1-18
• The "beasts" in the dream symbolized unclean nations (the Gentiles); this follows the pattern of dreams in the Bible (see Daniel 7)
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Acts 10

Romans 14

• The weak man eats only vegetables, but the strong one eats meat
• Note that the contrast is between vegetarian and omnivore, not clean and unclean meat
• Parallels 1 Corinthians 8 and 10, which are about meat sacrificed to idols
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Romans 14

1 Timothy 4:1-7

• Can you actually eat all things? You can't eat bleach, poison, things you're allergic to, etc.
• Key phrase: "God created to be received with thanksgiving"
  What was created to be received with thanksgiving? Seed bearing plants and clean meat
• Notice that both forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from clean meats is something that is done in the Catholic Church (and some protestant churches that kept traditions such as Lent)
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: 1 Timothy 4:1-7

Colossians 2

• This is about man made docrtines—while the Jews were notorious for adding to the law, there is a dietary law given by God
• Eating healthy is not an ordinance that is against you—the ordinances that were against the Israelites were the ones that required death and/or sacrifice when they broke them
• The list of things not to be judged on all related to the feast days and the ceremonial law (sacrifices)

¹⁷“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV

References & Footnotes

1. Jeremy P. E. Spencer. "Food for thought: the role of dietary flavonoids in enhancing human memory, learning and neuro-cognitive performance: Symposium on ‘Diet and mental health’". Cambridge University Press; Volume 67, Issue 2. May 2008, pp. 238-252
2. Adrienne O'Neil, PhD et al. "Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review". American Journal of Public Health. October 2014
3. "Diet and Health: Implications for Reducing Chronic Disease Risk". National Research Council (US) Committee on Diet and Health. 1989
4. WC Willet. "Diet and health: what should we eat?". Science ; Volume 264, Issue 5158. April 22 1994, pp. 532-537
5. Marian Glick-Bauer and Ming-Chin Yeh. "The Health Advantage of a Vegan Diet: Exploring the Gut Microbiota Connection". Nutrients. 2014

Tithes & Offering

What does the Bible actually say about tithing and offering? I'll give you a hint, Malachi 3:8-10 is often quoted out of context. Spoiler alert: you are NOT cursed if you aren't giving 10% of your income to a man made institution.

⁸“Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
⁹You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
¹⁰Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house, Malachi 3:8-10 NKJV

definition

tithe[1]

noun

1. : a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment
2. : the obligation represented by individual tithes
3. : TENTH
   broadly : a small part
4. : a small tax or levy

What is Tithes?
Why do we tithe?

Tithing before Israel

• Genesis 14:22
• Genesis 22:28

• Both Abraham and Jacob tithed
• Abraham gives a 10th of the spoils of a war to Melchizedek, priest and king of Salem
• Jacob promises God a 10th of everything he is blessed with
• Both instances are voluntary

Tithing in Israel

• There are actually 3 types of tithes
  1. Tithe for festivals (Deuteronomy 14:22-27)
     • We just talked about the feasts, the Israelites were told to contribute food to the temple which was consumed during these feasts
  2. Tithe for the Levites (Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21-31)
     • The Levites were not given an inheritance (Deuteronomy 9:10)
     • The tithe was not because they were priests, but because they did not have land for livestock or to harvest
  3. Tithe for the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-13)
     • This tithe maintained the poor: orphans, widows, and strangers

Who are the Levites?

• Many think the tithe of the Levites is what we give to the pastor
• Levite priest is not the same as a pastor.
• The Levites represent a bloodline; most pastor's today are not from that bloodline
• The Levitical priest was rendered unnecessary by Christ, who has ascended as our High Priest (1 Timothy 2:5)
• All believers are priests in the kingdom of God (1 Peter 2:5-9)
• The reason the Israelites were tasked with giving to the Levites is because they were not given a share of the land; they had no way to harvest crops or raise livestock.

More Bible Verses on Giving

• 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
• Hebrews 7
• Mark 12:32-34
• Luke 21:1-4
• Luke 18:9-14
• Acts 20:28-35

Sow a Seed?

• Prosperity gospel pastors teach this idea of "sowing a seed." You will hear people with this idea that giving money to God (re: the church) is like an investment. They believe that giving to a building will benefit them and that is why they give.
• We should not give with the expectation of receiving! That is not what God means by a cheerful giver.

Christ on tells the Pharisees that justice, mercy, and ? are more important than tithing (Matthew 23:23)

A little more on the history of modern tithing

• It wasn't made mandatory in Christianity until the 8th century (prior to that it was always offering)[3]
• Chapter eight of Pagan Christianity does a good job of summarizing how clergy salaries and how tithing became a requirement/custom in Christianity[2]
• Beyond Tithing is a book on the history of tithing (I haven't read it yet but I've seen it quoted in many places)[4]

Summary

• God command the Israelites to tithe to provide for the vulnerable people in their community
• Similarly if we love God, we will take care of His people (Matthew 25:31-35)
• Some of us have more and God may expect more from us than those who have less (Luke 21:1-4)
• God doesn't need money; He wants you to use what you have to take care of His creation
• What does it say about us if we blindly give money to a building but refuse to give to our neighbor?
• How many grandiose churches have you seen in decrepit neighborhoods? Do you think God, Who sacrificed His only Son so that the Holy Spirit could dwell in us and turn us into living temples, wants His people to suffer so that a building can be top of the line?
• Tithe in the Old Testament was food; your offering can be whatever God is calling you to give: time, money, skills, etc.

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

⁴¹“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: ⁴²for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

⁴⁴“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ ⁴⁵Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ Matthew 25:31-45 NKJV

References

1. "Tithe". Merriam-Webster; visited April 7, 2020
2. Frank Viola and George Barna. Pagan Christianity; visited April 7, 2020
3. Tithe. Encyclopædia Brittanica. February 9, 2016
4. Stuart Murray. Beyond Tithing. December 19, 2011

4 Biblical Reasons Why I Don't Celebrate Christmas

It's been quite a while since I stopped celebrating Christmas, and no I'm not a Jehovah's Witness. Christmas is America's favorite holiday, and as the season dawns I am inevitably asked to explain why I don't celebrate Christmas. I have several posts on the blog about the history of Christmas and it's pagan origins, I'll list them in references for those who are new to the site. However after overhearing a church leader who knows the history of Christmas "explain" to members of the church why he thinks they can celebrate the holiday, I realized I needed to approach this topic from a Biblical basis not a historical one.

The leader's main point was from 1 Corinthians 8:

⁴As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. ⁵For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) ⁶But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. ⁷Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.1 Corinthians 8:4-7 KJV

His argument was that because we know that the pagan deity originally worshipped on this day is not real, we are free to celebrate the holiday as we choose. I can see how if you have a strong attachment to the holiday and are looking for support, this quote would seem to do the trick. However, we can't just take one quote from the Bible and transplant it into our modern world. We have to look at context and scripture as a whole. It is for that reason, I want to present my reason for not celebrating it from a Biblical context.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Did Not Bow To The Idol

In Daniel 3, the king of Babylon creates a golden statue of himself meant to be worshipped—an idol. The king declares that anyone not bowing to the statue would be thrown in the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not bow to this statue when the time came and were thus thrown into the furnace, but were saved by God, Who joined them in the midst of the furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were obviously loyal followers of God; they had strong faith and trusted in God to see them through their situation. They knew that the idol set up before them was not a god and had no power over the true God. However, it would have been a sin for them to bow before this statue and would have revealed much about them:

• Their fear of death
• Distrust that God protects those who stand for Him
• A desire to fit in
• False witness: pretending to worship and thus giving credence to a false god
• and many more

So, what's the difference between bowing to an idol and eating meat offered to idols? That's what we need to know to understand how this applies to us today.

Historical Context

Today, when you want meat, you go to the local grocery store and buy it. In Biblical days, that's not how things worked. Animals were always slaughtered as an offering to some deity. Sometimes it meant the animal was reduced to ashes, but sometimes it was probably closer to a cookout or a barbecue. If you read the beginning of Leviticus as well as the passages on the Feast Days, you'll notice that the priests and the offerers, were meant to eat the meat of the sacrificed animal. The most well known example of this is the Passover lamb. They were to kill the lamb as a sacrifice to God, and then eat the meat of the lamb in celebration of the Passover. Animals weren't just killed and consumed because someone had a craving for chicken the way we do now. Wether a person had their own animals to kill or had to buy meat from a marketplace, that animal was killed in a sacrifice before it made it to the table.

So, if you lived in Israel, the meat sold in town or served to you at your neighbor's house was probably offered to God first. However, if you lived in the city of Corinth, as the recipients of Paul's letter did, the meat around town was probably sacrificed to some pagan god worshiped by the Romans or the Greeks. This is why people were concerned about consuming that meat.

The difference in consuming this meat and bowing to a statue is active and direct participation in worship of an idol versus an indirect participation. There's a major difference in me taking an animal to a pagan temple and offering it to this false deity then eating the meat and me simply accepting meat offered to me at my neighbor's dinner table. The former being closer to what the king of Babylon was attempting to get Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to do, requires the person to go through the motions of worshipping a false deity, whereas the latter is simply a consequence of living in a fallen world.

Modern Examples

Because it is the season, most things in the store have Christmas packaging. Just the other day I saw Walgreen's had made an aisle for "Christmas" candy. If I go to the store and buy a piece of chocolate that has Santa on it, that's a consequence of the fact that I live in America (Rome). I'm going to tear the wrapper off and throw it away, because I just want the chocolate inside. That's different from purposefully buying decorations and decorating my house.

God Does Not Change

One of the arguments the leader brought forth was that Christmas isn't associated with paganism today. I imagine that was brought up in rebuttal to Jeremiah 10:2-4 or 1 Thessalonians 5:22. These verses tell us not to participate in pagan customs and to maintain an image of goodness. The logic put forth here only holds in a select circle. I disagree with the concept that Christmas isn't associated with paganism, or rather I would argue that Christmas isn't associated with Christ.

1. If Christmas was associated with Christ, there would be no reason for the slogan "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"
2. If Christmas was associated with Christ, there would be a massive uproar and breach of separation of church and state in that it is a federal holiday
3. Many of my friends who are atheist, agnostic, or members of an entirely different religion love and celebrate Christmas
4. Every Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movie is about finding love, magic, and enjoying the season, but has not a single mention of Christ

I could go on for days, but I think the above list should suffice. Besides, I want to look at this point as though the assumption that Christmas is associated with Christ and Christianity is true. Would it be ok for us to celebrate it now just because it's no longer associated with paganism?

Well, first and foremost, ignorance is bliss (until it gets you in trouble). I don't believe God holds us accountable for things we have no way of knowing. Information hasn't always been easily accessible; that's one of the reasons traditions stick better than the actual Word of God. I know people today who truly believe Christ was born on the 25th of December, and without a doubt over the centuries many people truly believed this. I don't think God is going to say them "hey, you didn't know, but eternal death to you anyway." What I'm discussing concerns those of us that do know or have the ability to learn but choose not to because we don't want to change.

For I am the Lord, I change not;Malachi 3:6

Malachi 3:6 says God doesn't change. When you think about the verses I mentioned earlier (Jeremiah 10:2-4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:22), it's easy to say that it is wrong to participate in pagan festivals. Most Christians today would agree that they have no business playing with a Ouija board or trying out voodoo. Many would still tell you it's wrong to celebrate Halloween, for the same reasons. When Christmas was Sol Invictus or Saturnalia, the early Christians would have known not to go near it. If it was not ok then, how can it be ok now when Malachi 3:6 tells us God doesn't change?

Murder was wrong when Cain killed Abel. Murder was wrong when David had Uzziah killed. Murder was wrong in Jesus' day (Matthew 5:22). Murder is wrong today. The same is true of worshipping idols. To quote Shakespeare, "a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet" and a pagan holiday by any other name is still a pagan holiday.

No Other God

Let's go back to the idea that we know there are none in the same league as God. The pagans actually thought their gods could defeat the Most High God—we see these examples throughout the Bible—but we know there is only one God in Heaven and He reigns supreme. Knowing that God is the only God and only serving God seem to be different things sometimes, though.

Unfortunately, we create our own gods and give them power over us. This is precisely what Adam and Eve did in Genesis 3. Remember, the word "lord" means master. The Lord God is our master. By listening to someone or something over Him, we have chosen a new master. Even though that person or thing may not be a god, we have made them a god in our life. That is, by definition, what consumerism has done to Christmas. People have to have the perfect tree, the perfect lights, the perfect presents, etc. There's a concept of a "good" Christmas vs. a "bad" Christmas. If Christmas is about worshipping God, how do you have a bad one? It's only possible if you let other things creep in.

The fact is, the holiday was created for a pagan deity. Even though he is powerless in the face of the Most High God, people have given this deity power and no matter how hard you try to Christianize the holiday, that pagan deity is lord over it. That's why it's so easy to fall into the trap of consumerism. When asked about the meaning of Christmas, most Christians (and non-Christians) do not say Christ. I've heard "it's about giving" and "it's about family" the most.

My question is, knowing that God never told us to celebrate birthdays (Ecclesiastes 7:1), knowing that Christ was not born on December 25, could you skip Christmas? Whatever it is you do traditionally for the holiday, could you put it aside and treat that day like a regular day? Can you imagine doing it for one year? For two? For ever? If the idea of abstaining from the holiday for even one year bothers you, a false god has power over you. If the idea of giving it up for a little while seems doable, but you could never give it up forever, a false god has power over you. The reason I can tell you this is because I struggle with giving up things too. It took me 4 years to start keeping Sabbath after I started coming to the realization of its importance. I still haven't given up cheese or soda. I'm not judging you, because just like Christmas has power over you, cheese has power over me. I'm simply making you aware of the fact, because you can't combat it until you admit it's a problem.

False Witness

There are plenty of passages telling us not bear false witness, though usually specified against a neighbor, there are also passages telling us not to add or subtract from the Word of God (re: don't bear false witness against God, either). Bearing false witness against God is the devil's greatest tool. How do you take down a leader? Defame his character, and make him look unreliable. I could write a whole book on ways the modern church bears false witness to God, but let's stick to the topic at hand...

For Those Who Engage in Santa

Among Christians who choose to celebrate Christmas, some allow Santa and some don't. I have a whole blog post on the trouble with Santa, so I won't go into detail about that, but I want to reiterate the harm of lying (bearing false witness) to your children about Santa. In an episode of 7th Heaven, when the youngest daughter discovers that Santa (along with the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, etc.) aren't real, she assumes her parents lied to her about God too. A growing portion of society believes God is a fairy tale like Santa. We, as Christians, have a responsibility to treat God differently, to take Him seriously and to make clear distinctions between fantasy and truth.

Discovery of the Truth

I remember being about eleven or twelve when I discovered that the name I call my uncle is not his name. It's not his first name; it's not his middle name; it's not descriptive... Imagine you've known someone your whole life thinking their name was Robert and you find out their name is actually William John (names are completely random and not my uncle's actual names). I was so confused.

I recognize this confusion in my friends who have abandoned God due to the lies of the church. Let's face it, most people aren't steeped in the Word. Most people don't read the Bible monthly, let alone weekly or daily, not to mention digging deeper to be able to understand context or correlating across books and chapters. A lot of people's entire world has been shattered by the revelation that Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus (among other things). When people discover the religion of the antichrist, the mother god, father god, and son god worship that began with Nimrod, Semiramis and Tammuz,[14] they see parallels in the modern church and decide the whole thing is false. They've been taught their whole life that pagan worship is false, and now what they've been worshipping all their life is the same as what they were taught to reject.

The antichrist isn't a single person that acts in a blatant sinister and evil manner. The antichrist is a power, a fusion of government and religion that seeks to take the place of God's true kingdom. That's always been Satan's goal: to replace God. It's not that this religion is the exact opposite of what God has commanded us, it's that it is being followed in place of God. Some of it will be true and very compelling, but the way we can spot the difference is by identifying the lie.

Here is the lie:

• Replacing Semiramis with Mary and then elevating Mary. Examples include claiming that Mary was a perpetual virgin, praying to her, creating and bowing to statues of her
• Asserting that Mary's miracle birth coincided with Semiramis', essentially demoting Christ to the role of Tammuz (who was not a miracle birth and is not the Son of God).
• Including all the original sun worship elements, such as aligning the date with the winter solstice, halos, and traditions of Sol Invictus/Saturnalia/Yule

Then, before you know it, you're celebrating the false religion in place of the true Word of God.

So many people have trouble separating Christ's birth from the pagan holiday, that understanding the above negates His entire birth in their mind. The first time someone told me Christmas was not in the Bible, I could not differentiate between the holiday we celebrate and the narrative of Christ's birth in Luke 2. It takes a strong foundation and understanding of scripture to learn the truth about Christmas and understand that it has no bearing on Luke 2 because Christ wasn't born on December 25 and Satan has been trying to counterfeit God's promise of salvation since it was prophesied in Genesis 3:15. The reason this is so hard for most people? The church is bearing false witness against the God they claim to serve. In doing so, we endanger the souls of many.

What Does it Mean?

Primarily, it means you will never hear me telling people "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." I am not going to be shouting lies from the rooftop. I am not putting up a tree in my house or "decking the halls" with garland, because I know why that tradition exists. I am not out spending all the money I don't have to buy gifts for people because the world has said that is what Christmas is about. If I see something I think you'll like, I'll buy it when I see it and give it to you when I see you. Giving is 24/7/365.

Do I watched the hallmark movies? Sometimes. Like with the Nutcracker (which I'm going to see a variation of this evening), the story isn't always about Christmas, it just takes place during Christmas. If the focus of the movie is pagan (like The Santa Clause series, Elf, etc.) I'm not going to watch it. You have other examples like This Christmas, which is about a family coming together and it just happens to be set around Christmas. Or the Nutcracker (I just love the music), which is simply about the dream the main character has on Christmas Eve. In those cases I let the Holy Spirit determine what is and is appropriate. Who knows, 5 years from now I may look back at this post and say the god of Christmas still had it's hooks in me and I shouldn't have been watching any of this either.

Am I rude to people who do celebrate Christmas? Not at all. I know that most people celebrate the holiday and most are not aware of the complex history of it. Think of how long this post is, and I have numerous posts that go into more detail and discus things I haven't mentioned here listed below. That's a lot of research, a lot of time, and a long journey. I don't expect people to be in the same place I am. I also know that when the cashier at the grocery store says "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" they don't want a dissertation. I have no problem with "Happy Holidays" as it includes Hanukkah, which Jesus celebrated (John 10:22). When people say "Merry Christmas", I simply say "I don't celebrate it but thanks, and I hope you enjoy yours."

References

1. Ree Hughes. "Day 1: The Etymology of Christmas. PSALMS to God. December 25, 2015
2. Ree Hughes. "Day 2: The Origin of December 25. PSALMS to God. December 26, 2015
3. Ree Hughes. "Day 3: The History of Santa Claus. PSALMS to God. December 28, 2015
4. Ree Hughes. "Day 4: Giving Gifts. PSALMS to God. December 28, 2015
5. Ree Hughes. "Day 5: Lights of the Season. PSALMS to God. December 29, 2015
6. Ree Hughes. "Day 6: The War on Christmas. PSALMS to God. December 30, 2015
7. Ree Hughes. "Day 7: Carol of the Bells. PSALMS to God. December 31, 2015
8. Ree Hughes. "Day 8: Depression and Christmas. PSALMS to God. January 2, 2016
9. Ree Hughes. "Day 9: Why Red & Green?. PSALMS to God. January 3, 2016
10. Ree Hughes. "Day 10: Frosty the Snowman & Co.. PSALMS to God. January 5, 2016
11. Ree Hughes. "Day 11: Christmas Was Un-American Once. PSALMS to God. January 5, 2016
12. Ree Hughes. "Day 12: The Meaning of Christmas. PSALMS to God. January 6, 206
13. Ree Hughes. "Is Santa Claus Replacing Jesus". PSALMS to God. December 5, 2015
14. I found a claim online that the idea the idea of Semiramis, Nimrod, and Tammuz is actually made up. (See here) I did not research the claim so I cannot speak to it's legitimacy, but regardless of where the the trio of mother god, father god and son god came into being, you can in fact see this pattern repeated in many religions. The History of Religion series by TruthUnedited on YouTube is a great way to learn about this deception.

1 Kings 17-19: Elijah, Ahab & Jezebel

1 Kings 17-20 takes a break from a series of brief records which introduces many kings to focus on God's prophet, Elijah who lived during King Ahab's reign in the northern kingdom.

Introduction

1 Kings 17-20 takes a break from a series of brief records which introduces many kings to focus on God's prophet, Elijah who lived during King Ahab's reign in the northern kingdom. King Ahab marries the infamous Phoenician, princess Jezebel, and is often at odds with Elijah. While Ahab is definitely a familiar name, I would say that during my tenure in the church and over the course of my studies, Jezebel and Elijah have gotten more focus from the church. Ahab seems to fade into the background as a secondary character, but I think that's something worth discussing as well. In this post, I'll talk about all 3 people.
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Elijah, the Prophet

Outside of Daniel and Isaiah, Elijah might be one of the most well-known prophets of Israel. He performed amazing miracles and became the second person in human history to join God without ever dying (covered in 2 Kings).
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Was Elijah Even An Israelite?

When we are introduced to Elijah in 1 Kings 17:1, we are not told what Elijah's tribal affiliation is, but that he was a "Tishbite" and an inhabitant of Gilead. Gilead was located East of the Jordan, an spanned across the territories of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.^[1] While it doesn't definitely prove that Elijah was a member of one of these tribes, it definitely increases the possibility. You may be surprised to know, there's actually a debate about whether Elijah was even an Israelite at all.^[2][3][4]

Unlike most important figures of the Bible, we aren't told a single thing about Elijah's ancestry. Up until this point, most people we meet are identified by tribe and/or father. When we meet Elijah's apprentice, Elisha, in 1 Kings 19, we are promptly told who his father is. For the kings, we are told who their father is and many times who their mother is as well. Samuel and Nathan's parentage are also given. This is not the case with Elijah. When you combine this information with the fact that the word inhabitant in 1 Kings 17:1 is translated from the word towshab, which means "sojourner, stranger or foreigner,"^[5] it becomes pretty suspicious. 1 Kings 17:1 is the only place the word is rendered "inhabitant" instead of stranger or foreigner. If translated as the rest of the occurrences, 1 Kings 17:1 would have said Elijah was a stranger in in Gilead, i.e. a Gentile who had made his home in Israel. ^[2][3]

Other scholars are adamant that Elijah was an Israel. They point out the fact that it is possible that "Tishbite" is a reference to a family line, negating the claim that we have no familial information on Elijah. Further, they point to Elijah name, which is of Hebrew origin and means "He is my Yah (God)."^[4] Some believe Elijah is the same Eliah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:27, and thus a Benjamite.^[6]

What makes it hard to gauge which argument is correct is the fact that both arguments suffer from faulty premises.

Those who believe Elijah must be a Gentile base the assumption almost solely on the word towshab in 1 Kings 17:1. While foreigner and stranger generally apply to non-Israelites, does sojourner? If Elijah is Eliah and a Benjamite via 1 Chronicles 8:27, He would originally have been from the southern kingdom and an outsider in another tribe's lands. The other complaint given is that Elijah doesn't follow Jewish law; he believes God can be worshipped anywhere and never makes an effort to go to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. Elijah's assumption that he can worship anywhere doesn't have to be of foreign influence, however. The kings of Israel had already began putting this idea in their citizens' minds to keep them from returning to the southern kingdom. Besides, most of the Israelites weren't following the law themselves, how does that prove he was a Gentile?

Those who are adamant Elijah was not a Gentile assert that a Gentile couldn't have a Hebrew name, or that we aren't told of Elijah's circumcision and conversion to Judaism. As a Black person in the U.S., the assumption about the name baffles me. My real name is of French origin; I am neither French nor have I ever been to France. I know countless Asian Americans who have European names; these names were generally adopted when they arrived in the U.S. and are not their given names. Throughout the Bible we see God change people's names, but throughout life we see people change their own names. Furthermore, Elijah's parents could have been the ones to convert, and after converting, decided to give their son a Hebrew name. This is similar to how first generation Americans will sometimes give their children "American" names. The omission of an information about Elijah's conversion would be covered by the notion that his parents were the ones to convert; he would then have automatically been circumcised as a child, but he still wouldn't be Hebrew by blood. Of course, in the New Testament, when the apostles were introducing the Gentiles to the Word, they are explicitly told not to worry about circumcision (see Acts 15). The idea that this would have prevented the Israelites from listening to Elijah is interesting because Ahab wanted him dead. Most of the northern kingdom had already fallen into idolatry and those that hadn't weren't really in the position to reject anyone from their numbers. Plus, after Elijah rose a person from the dead, I'm sure they didn't care about the specifics of his lineage.

All in all, I think it could go either way. Both sides make valid points, there are just so many caveats and exceptions that it's hard to say one is more accurate than the other. The idea of Elijah being non-Israelites provides a nice symmetry to later events. For instance, when Moses and Elijah appear to Jesus, it would represent both the Jews and the Gentiles. It would add another layer of depth to the interpretation of the Word, for certain. However, I don't think the difference is so important that it changes the overall message of God.
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A Drought

Instead of a background story, we jump right into Elijah's first mission from God: he brings news to Ahab that God has pronounced a drought on Israel. Neither rain nor dew would fall in land until God said so, and considering the fact that Israel is located in the desert, this was probably a much bigger deal than it would have been in a place with more abundant water in the land. In water rich lands, it would take time to deplete the water resources before any effects of a drought could be felt, however in Israel, the effects would be almost immediate.
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Refuge

To protect Elijah from the effects, God sends him to a brook called Cherith which was near the Jordan. Scholars associate this brook with Wadi Qelt, though they are not certain that is a correct match.^[7] Once at the brook, Elijah is fed by ravens. People often associate ravens with death and evil because they are black, but this proves that God was not a respecter of color. God entrusts ravens to bring bread and meat to Elijah each day while he is in the wilderness. Interestingly, this means that the food was considered clean even though it had been in their beaks first--I highly doubt the ravens were able to wrap the food in a bag or cloth before carrying it away. Had the Pharisees thought about it, they would not have chastised Jesus about eating bread without washing his hands in Matthew 12. Two things that were never declared unclean--a living raven and bread or dirt and bread in Jesus' case--can't make each other unclean. This is also a reminder that unclean designated the status of whether we could eat the animal or not, animals such as mules, horses, and donkeys still played a critical role in farming; it was only when they died that they became unclean.

When the brook dried up, Elijah had to find another place of refuge. This time, God sends him to a widow in the city of Zarephath. Although she is struggling to feed her own family, she provides for Elijah as well. Elijah tells her that her supply will not falter until God sends rain to Israel, and as prophesied, they are able to eat until the rain falls.

It is interesting that God sends Elijah to the wilderness first and to the woman second. Once could easily question why not send Elijah to the woman from the get go. Sending Elijah first to the wilderness, where ravens provided for him, strengthened his faith in God. It is easy to assume a human is kind simply by nature and to attribute their generosity to luck or chance. However, ravens bringing you food is a miracle; it is much harder to look over God's glory in such an act. Just as Israel had to come through the wilderness where God proved Himself, this is where Elijah's journey began, too.
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Raising the Dead

One of Elijah's most miraculous moments was when he brought the widow's son back to life from the dead. Just when everything should have been returning back to normal because the drought had passed, the son of the widow fell ill. The woman thought this was some sort of punishment from God for her past sins brought on by Elijah. Troubled by the events, Elijah prayed for life to return to the young boy. God hears Elijah's request and grants life back into the boy's body. This is the first resurrection spoken of in the Bible, but it is not the only resurrection to be brought about by human hands.
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A Ray of Hope

Three years after Elijah's first encounter with Ahab, God sends Elijah back to tell them of the coming rain. When Elijah gets to Ahab in Samaria, a famine is ravaging the land. It makes sense that after a three year drought, there would be a shortage of food.

Before Elijah arrives, Ahab calls for a man named Obadiah. Obadiah was a God-fearing man and was trying to do right by God. When Ahab's wife Jezebel went after the prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in a cave and brought food and water to them. This must have been difficult during the famine. I'd wager Ahab didn't know about any of this, otherwise, I think Obadiah would have been on Ahab's bad side.

Ahab wanted Obadiah to search for water and grass for the livestock. Keeping the livestock alive would have been a top priority in the kingdom. Without rain, crops would have been almost impossible to grow leaving meat and animal products such as eggs or milk to be the only provisions left. If the animals died, the Israelites would have nothing.

When the two men split up in search of these resources, it is Obadiah who runs into Elijah. Elijah asks Obadiah to tell Ahab that he is present but Obadiah sees this as a death sentence on himself. Ahab had apparently been looking for Elijah unsuccessfully for some time. Obadiah was afraid Elijah would disappear, provoking the kings wrath. During this time it seems the queen (Jezebel) was purging the kingdom of people who worshipped the Lord, in favor of pagan worshippers. Elijah is not afraid to meet the king and queen however; he gives his word that he will remain.

Ahab is quick to blame the situation on Elijah, just as people today blame the troubles of the world on God and His people. Elijah quickly reminds Ahab that it is he and his line that have forsaken the commandments and brought God's wrath upon them. Elijah has Ahab gather everyone, including the false prophets of Baal and Asherah, to mount Carmel.
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A Challenge Issued

Elijah says the same thing the New Testament tells us: you can't follow two gods. Elijah gives Israel the same choice we have today, to follow God or to follow the false Baal. Elijah points out that he is the only prophet of the Lord left but Baal has 450 men claiming to be his prophets. Elijah challenges them to bring 2 bulls to be sacrificed, only, they would not put fire to them. The men of Baal were to call on Baal to enflame their bull, and Elijah would call on God to enflame his.

Then men of Baal cry out to their deity from morning until noon, but nothing happens. Elijah mocks the men by suggesting that their god is sleeping or out on an adventure. The men even resort to self harm to attract the false god's attention. As one can expect, Baal does not answer and no fire engulfs the bull.

When it is Elijah's turn, he creates a trench of water around the sacrifice. Following this, he prays to God. Elijah asks that God will show Himself to the people so that they may turn away from Baal and back to the true God. God answers Elijah's prayer and sets fire to the bull. When the people see this, they fall to the ground to worship God.
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End of the Drought

Elijah commands them to put the prophets of Baal to death. After this is carried out, rain returns to the land. Elijah sends Ahab ahead of the rain by chariot and he runs before the chariot with the help of God. This should have been seen as a friendly gesture, but it was not taken as such by Ahab or his wife.
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Conflict with Jezebel

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Shyle Zacharias

When Jezebel hears that all of her pagan priests have been killed, she sets out to kill Elijah. Elijah flees to Beersheba, where he leaves his servant but continues himself into the wilderness. In the wilderness Elijah asks God to end his life. Elijah felt like he was no better than his fathers; an understandable feeling after you've killed 450 men. While Elijah is sleeping under a juniper tree, God sends an angel to wake him. The angel tells Elijah to rise and eat of the cake and water God has provided. Appearing twice, the angel persuades Elijah to eat informing him, that his journey is great. Elijah was sustained for 40 days and nights on this alone. We should never fear how we will survive when following the path the Lord has set for us; rest assured, He will provide.

After the 40 days, God speaks to Elijah while he is living in a cave. When God questions Elijah on why he is in the cave, Elijah explains his dilemma (which God already knows). God's question was likely to prompt Elijah into thinking about why he would hide away when the people really needed him. God places Elijah on the mountain, and he sends a wind, an earthquake, and fire. None of these acts of God "contain His Spirit," however. It is a still small voice that actually speaks to Elijah. This is evidence that while God is big and powerful, He is also peaceful and calm. He does not reveal himself only through destruction but by this still small voice as well. Once again, God questions Elijah about what he is doing there. Likely, God's message to Elijah was that He is all powerful; there is no need to hide when you are fighting on God's side of the war.
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Ahab

Although Ahab isn't particularly fond of Elijah, it is Jezebel who becomes angry and decrees that Elijah should be killed. Given the fact that Jezebel was both a pagan and a female, one would think she would not have held such power. For her to command such power, Ahab had to have given it to her. Either he acted as a puppet, commanding everything she asked, or he gave the order for his servants to follow her instruction.

While I see nothing wrong in a healthy partnership where the wife is able to express her opinions and thoughts, there is something amiss about a king who allows someone else to take control of his kingdom. Ahab's inability to be the "ultimate" authority in his kingdom stemmed from his lack of leadership skills. Likely, he had no leadership skills because God had not appointed him king. We will continue to see Jezebel usurp power and undermine Ahab's rule throughout the text. Perhaps if Ahab had married a different woman, or had stood his ground, he wouldn't have gone down in history as such a bad king. At least, he probably would have been more recognizable than his wife and arch enemy.
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Jezebel's Legacy

When I was little, my parents bought me horse who had already been named. Her name was Jezebel, though everyone in my family called her Jazzy or Jazabelle. We all thought it was crazy that she had been named Jezebel; that's almost as bad as naming your pet Lucifer! Jezebel clearly wasn't a positive figure in the Bible, but when I hear the name "Jezebel," I don't think of calculating and murderous, as Queen Jezebel proved to be, I think of a promiscuous woman.

In everyday speech, jezebel is used about the same way as "hussy." Urban dictionary lists the term to mean a variety of things, from beautiful to "whore."^<[8] Jezebel is also the name of a popular magazine that is targeted to women and specializes in "celebrities, sex, feminism, and issues relating to women's empowerment." Is it not odd that a magazine supposedly about women's empowerment, chose to name itself after the evilest woman in the Bible? Why not name it after Esther? Mariam? Deborah? They could have even named it after a famous woman who was from secular history, but they chose Jezebel. Why?

The question often comes back to how Jezebel got associated with sexuality and promiscuity; her evil deeds dealt with idolatry, not sex. I suspect it comes from a misinterpretation of 2 Kings 9:22, in which a reference is made to the whoredoms of Jezebel. However, this isn't a reference to sexual whoredom. The bible often uses this phrase when discussing idolatry. To bow to other gods is to commit adultery to the true God (remember, we are the bride of Christ). I'm pretty sure people misinterpreted this verse until suddenly Jezebel was a whore and her name became an insult meaning whore.
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Elijah Makes an Ally

God sends Elijah to Damascus, where he is instructed to anoint Hazael to be the king of Syria. Even though Syria was not God's chosen land, He was still in control of who should be king. The Bible focuses on God's chosen people, so we often forget that God is supereme over the whole world. This means God has always had a hand in what happened in other nations. Just because these nations were not chosen to preserve God's word does not mean He forgot about them or abandoned them. Remember many of the surrounding nations were also descendants of Abraham.

In addition to instructing Elijah on forming this alliance with Syria, God gives Elijah instructions for Israel. God appoints Jehu to be anointed king and replace Ahab. God says that Hazael will slay their enemies, but those not slain by him were to be slain by Jehu, and those not slain by Jehu, were to be slain by Elijah. Elijah was given a plan to ensure all of God's enemies were stamped out; if one person failed to do the job, there was another to carry out the task. To aid in this upcoming battle, God reveals that He has 7000 followers still in Israel. These 7000 had not succumbed to idolatry and had resisted the popular trend of bowing to Baal. I think it's safe to say, as long as we're still here, there is a sizable army of God still present in the world.
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The Next Prophet: Elisha

Also in Elijah's instructions from God, was the appoint of an apprentice to become the next prophet: Elisha. Elijah convinces Elisha to follow him. Elisha was the son of Shaphat. Elisha is eager to follow Elijah, who was likely well known and admired in circles that still worshiped God. In celebration of the honor, Elisha kills a set of oxen and the people of Elisha's town feast with them. After the feast, Elisha follows Elijah to become the next prophet according to God's command.
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References

1. M.G. Easton M.A., D.D. "Gilead". Illustrated Bible Dictionary, via BibleStudyTools.com. 1897; visited January 2017
2. Elijah Was A Gentile". Beware Deception. May 3, 2009
3. "1 Kings 17:1 Commentary". via BibleHub.com; visited January 2017
4. "Elijah was NOT a Gentile". OSY Ministries. 2011
5. "Strong's H8453: towshab. Blue Letter Bible; visited January 2017
6. Emil G. Hirsch, Eduard König, Solomon Schechter, Louis Ginzberg, M. Seligsohn, Kaufmann Kohler. "Elijah. Jewish Encyclopedia; visited January 2017
7. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 616. 2014
8. "Jezebel. Urban Dictionary; visited January 2017