Prophetic Prospective Daily Devotional

Let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

The account of the dividing of the "twelve tribes of Israel", after the 40-year reign of King Solomon, into the two divisions of "Israel" and "Judah" can be found in I Kings 12-16. This record of the people of Israel, the Jewish people, then leads into the account of one of the great "Prophets" of the Jewish people.

I Kings 16-18 continues the story of the ten tribes that went with Jeroboam to the north of the country and became the ones who would "worship evil" in their "religious" practices. Into this story would come one of the great "Prophets" of the Jewish people, Elijah.

Before we get to Elijah let me set the scene. The ten tribes in the north known as 'Israel" had a King that was the King that "did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him", the King of Israel, Ahab.

God used Elijah to stop the "rain" in the land of Israel for a period of three years, I Kings 17:1and 18:1, and Elijah did all of this according to the word of God. You will notice that phrase again, "according to thy word".

Please read through the extended reading for our devotional today, I Kings 18:17-46. This is the marvelous story of God using a man of like passion as we have to do a "mighty" work for Him. This is the classic account of the battle between the "God of Elijah" and the "god of the prophets of Baal".

Read this account and rejoice in the Lord and how He gives the victory over evil. Notice the phrase found in I Kings 18:36, Elijah again did all that he did according to the Word of God.

The prophetic significance in this passage is found in the life of Elijah. James, the New Testament writer, reveals that Elijah was, and will be used of God even though he is just a man that is subject to like passions as you and me. That does not eliminate us from being used of God in the last days.

Elijah is one of the two witnesses foretold in Revelation 11:3-12, according to Malachi 4:5. These two witnesses will have a ministry of 1260 days, or three and one half years, during the Tribulation Period. We’ll have more on this great Prophet and his total ministry in a future devotional.

I close this devotional by reminding you that the first portion of the Tribulation is drawing closer and closer each and every day. This is so because of all the prophetic passages in God’s word yet to be fulfilled and seemingly at the point of fulfillment.

The very next prophecy to be fulfilled is the Rapture when Jesus calls us into the heavens to be with Him evermore. That Rapture can happen at any time, even today, so keep looking up and listening for the shout.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Dear Lord, as I await your shout for me to join you in the heavens, help me to "do according to your word".