Pastor Gao Mingqian | Topic: Must Have the Heart of Elijah (Lecture 3)

Speaker: Pastor Gao Mingqian | Scripture Focus: 1 Kings 18

8/4/2025 Lesson 3 - Notes

1. Information Overview

- Background: King Ahab and Jezebel introduced Baal worship, which led to a three-year famine in the country. Even Baal worship could not reverse the situation.

- Core event: Elijah openly challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, proving that Jehovah is the true God. The prophets of Baal were killed, Jehovah sent rain, and the famine ended.

- Today's focus: In addition to the "hero" Elijah, there was also Obadiah (transliterated as "I'm eight o'clock" in the recording) who feared God and served quietly, as well as countless unknown believers who were used by the Lord. Their lives have become our examples.

2. Sections and Key Points

1. 18:1-6 The Lord declared rain; Ahab and his prime minister, Obadiah, went their separate ways to find grass for their horses.

2. 18:7-16 Elijah meets Obadiah:

- Obadiah secretly rescued 100 prophets of the Lord and worked hard to "feed" them with bread and water; this is intertextual with the "bread and water" provided by the ravens and the widow of Zarephath to Elijah, highlighting God's provision.

3. 18:17-40 The Contest on Mount Carmel:

- 450 prophets of Baal performed a series of sacrifices on Mount Carmel, praying for fire but to no avail. Elijah built an altar, prayed, and fire came down, and the people fell down and acknowledged that "the Lord is God."

- The prophets of Baal were killed and Baal worship collapsed, proving that Jehovah is the true God.

4. 18:41-46 Elijah prayed seven times, and rain clouds gradually arose. Finally, heavy rain came, ending the famine.

3. Key Information

1. The Kingdom of God requires servants in different roles

- Elijah: He openly faced the kingship and idols, and was a strong voice in the "front stage".

- Obadiah: He was in the royal court, secretly supporting the prophet and was a hidden servant “behind the scenes”.

- Both are used by God, one is public and the other is hidden, one-to-one, complementing each other and making them complete.

2. The value of anonymous service

- Example 1: A business couple has quietly established a seminary scholarship fund for twenty years, using their business to support and help many students. They do not seek to leave their names or be named in the college, but rather donate their lifelong financial support to students.

- Example 2: Bian Yunbo's poem "Dedicated to the Unknown Preacher - My Brother" (excerpt of more than 20 lines)

The film depicts the preacher's bumpy journey, experiencing repeated failures and triumphs, a mixture of discouragement and jubilation, facing misunderstanding, vulnerability, and even life-threatening situations, yet he chooses this unfree path, gazing at Mount Calvary, never retreating until his death. This echoes the sentiments of Obadiah and countless "unsung preachers" today, who, despite their low profile, have become vital instruments of God, demonstrating His power and grace.

3. Warning signs of missionary imbalance

- The global missionary population is extremely unbalanced:

- 3% (about 1,500 people) are invested in unreached migrant workers’ workshops, where it is difficult to get to the heart of people through channels.

- 97% (about 435,000 people) are in the acquired territories.

- This ratio is very unbalanced and calls on the congregation to care, participate and contribute, because God also has a calling in today's lectures.

4. Take-Home Points

1. Be like Elijah: Be a strong voice for truth in the public sphere.

2. Be like Obadiah:

- Maintain reverence in the workplace and in adversity, and do not leave even if the working environment is harsh, you are misunderstood, or your life is threatened. Become an example of the "logistics line" of the Kingdom of God and bring comfort to others in their circumstances.

- Support the Lord's work in the form of "bread and water", using business supplies, donating money, and supporting students with long life, which also includes time, money, expertise, etc.

3. Addressing the mission gap:

- Pray for the unreached people groups and missionaries on the front lines.

- Donations – Support missions, missionary funds, and seminary student scholarships.

- Participate in person – short-term missions, long-term missions, or caring for cross-cultural groups in your local area to respond to God’s call.

4. Persevere to the End: In the face of misunderstanding or hardship, look to the summit of Calvary, and never retreat even until death, using the cross of Christ as your driving force.

V. Conclusion

While 1 Kings 18 highlights the power of God to transform an era through one man, it also quietly chronicles the "hidden 100" and the breadwinner Obadiah. Though low-key, Obadiah possessed a spirit of perseverance. He faced crises on all sides, was misunderstood, and easily hurt. Yet, he became a vital vessel for God, carrying His will and demonstrating His power and grace. The church today needs both Elijahs in the foreground and unsung servants behind the scenes. May we fear the Lord in our respective roles, be a blessing to this generation, and pray that God will raise up the "I Eight" of this age.