Sermon Tone Analysis

*Elijah and Elisha 1.*

We have been in the book of Malachi for over a year.

Today we are moving on to something new!

A few months back I was down at “the Palms” and I happened to meet up with Murray and Heather.

We got to talking and Heather suggested that it would be good to have a series on Elijah and Elisha.

I have actually done a series on Elijah before – but it must have been quite a while back now.

But I considered it and thought it might be quite a good idea; one, because I could make use of my previous notes; but also, because it follows on from where we were at the end of Malachi.

Last time I spoke, we read: *[P] *[*Malachi 4:5*/ //“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of //יהוה//./]

and I did wee thumb-nail sketch of Elijah the prophet.

Here we are approaching the last days, the great and terrible day of יהוה is coming; what could be more relevant than to look at the one who precedes that day, so that we may recognise and be prepared for the one who will come before?

We are looking for the coming of Jesus – but this one is coming before Him.

Before Jesus returns, Elijah comes.

Malachi calls him: “/Elijah the prophet/” *[P]*.

A prophet is simply a man who hears יהוה *[P]* and then speaks to the people what he has heard.

He is a messenger boy.

His task is to simply pass on what he has heard.

To be faithful – to faithfully convey the word of יהוה – no ad-libbing, interpreting, giving your own opinion – just pass on the message true to what he has heard.

A prophet is a man who hears יהוה’s voice!

*[P]* One to whom יהוה speaks!

Now that is an awesome thing!

You sometimes hear Christians say “God told me this”, or “the Lord told me that”.

But to hear from God is no trivial thing!

It is an awesome thing to hear from the eternal One!

The One who is from everlasting to everlasting!

The One who created all things, called all things into being, who is sustaining them continually by the word of His power!

The One from whom are all things, through whom are all things, and to whom are all things!

The sovereign LORD of the universe!

The One who has all power!

All dominion!

Absolute sovereignty!

Who controls all things!

Who knows all things!

– past, present, future.

Not just events but thoughts and intentions of the heart of every creature that He has made.

This One speaks to a mere man?! His voice is heard!

This is no trivial matter!

Not: “Yep I got that, now what’s for lunch?”

The prophet has heard יהוה’s voice speaking to him – but he is more than a tape recorder, transmitting the words.

He conveys the Spirit in which they are spoken.

That is why the message is an oracle, a burden.

It weighs heavy on the prophet.

Prophets are eminently men of the Spirit.

They are anointed of God – have the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

They have stood in the presence of יהוה Himself.

Their commission is to convey what is on His heart to the people.

[*Jeremiah 23:9*/ //As for the prophets: my heart is broken within me, all my bones tremble; I have become like a drunken man, even like a man overcome with wine, because of //יהוה// and because of His holy words//./]

The message from יהוה overcame Him, had a physical impact on him, such was its power.

But in Jeremiah’s day the word of יהוה was treated lightly, trivially.

All sorts were getting up and saying “Thus says the LORD …” when יהוה had not spoken at all.

They were prophesying falsely.

Prophesying what the people wanted to hear: peace, prosperity, plenty, trouble won’t come – just as it is today.

But the genuine hearing from יהוה was utterly other: [*Jeremiah 23:18-22*/ //“But who has stood in the council of /יהוה/, that he should see and hear His word!? Who has given heed to His word and listened?

Behold, the storm of /יהוה/ // has gone forth in wrath, even a whirling tempest; it will swirl down on the head of the wicked.

The anger of /יהוה/ will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; in the last days you will clearly understand it.

I did not send these prophets, but they ran.

I did not speak to them, but they prophesied.

But *if they had stood in My council**,* then they would have *announced My words to My people*, /(that is the true prophet) /and would have *turned them back* from their evil way /(that is repentance) /and from the evil of their deeds./]

The false prophets were saying: “I have had a dream” – boasting of their revelation; יהוה said [*Jeremiah 23:28-29*/ //“The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word* speak My word in truth*.

/(that is the true, the genuine prophet).

/What does straw have in common with grain?” /(false prophecy compared to true prophecy)/ declares /יהוה/.

“*Is not My word like fire?” declares */*יהוה**/, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?”/*]

The true prophet has stood in the council of יהוה Himself!

He has seen and heard יהוה’s word!

That word is powerful and effective: a fire that consumes evil, and hammer that breaks the hardest heart of stone.

The message burns within the prophet – he must speak it out!

*[P]* [*Jeremiah 20:9*/ //But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His Name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it./]

– he has to speak it out.

That is the voice of the prophet – straight from יהוה, delivered with fire because he has been in the very presence of the Living God and seen His heart.

It is יהוה’s word delivered in the power of His Holy Spirit with the very heart and passion in which it came forth from the mouth of God!

And that, beloved, is our crying need in these last days!

For the voice of the prophet!

Cry out to God that He will send His prophet in the spirit and power of Elijah!

Out great need is to hear יהוה’s voice *[P] [Amos 8:11-12*/ //“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord /יהוה/, when I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of /יהוה/.

People will stagger from sea to sea and from the north even to the east; they will go to and fro to seek the word of /יהוה/, but they will not find it./]

There has never been a time when we have had such access to God’s word.

The Scriptures are translated into many languages and we have multiple translations in English.

We have commentaries, devotionals, reading helps, Bible colleges, on-line sermons, videos.

But for all that – where is the voice of יהוה?!

Not that passage that is studied and analyzed but the fire that consumes and the hammer that breaks the rock?!

As it was in the days of young Samuel [*1 Samuel 3:1*/ //Now the boy Samuel was ministering to /יהוה/ before Eli.

And word from /יהוה/ was rare in those days//, visions were infrequent./]

You know the story, then יהוה spoke to Samuel – he thought that it was Eli calling him, until the old priest finally realized.

There was God speaking and it took 3 times before Eli twigged!

God can be speaking and we don’t even get it!

Then Eli told Samuel to go back and told him how to respond: [*1 Samuel 3:10*/ //Then /יהוה/ came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel!

Samuel!”

And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”/]

We need to hear יהוה speaking – the voice of the prophet.

In Paul’s day the people in the church in Corinth were getting very excited about the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.

And today people still get excited by the thrilling, the supernatural.

Paul was not against such manifestations but he corrected their wrong priorities.

He said: [*1 Corinthians 12:31*/ //But earnestly desire the greater gifts.

*A*nd I show you a still more excellent way./]

And he showed them the prime importance of love in that glorious chapter 13.

Then Paul went on to say: [*1 Corinthians 14:1*/ //Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy./]

In contrast to speaking in tongues: [*1 Corinthians 14:3–5*/ //But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.

One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.

Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues./]

He returns to this again at the end of the chapter, summarizing what he had been saying: [*1 Corinthians 14:39*/ //Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues./

] THE great need was to be hearing from God, to have the gift of prophecy operating in the church.