Span-06 Apostolic & Prophetic Foundations 3 of 8 — Art Katz

Good morning, students, visitors, and guests.

Elijah’s Prophetic Authority Before Ahab

We are examining the life and ministry of Elijah, the quintessential prophet of the last days, who must come and must restore all things, the wilderness prophet who confronts the ultimate system of world evil, symbolized by Ahab and Elijah, political and religious system, brought to its ultimate perfection in opposition to God at the time of ultimate apostasy.

We need to whistle, wow, what a stage for God's man to make his entry, and what an entry, by confronting Ahab himself, whose wife has already seen to the extermination of all of God's prophets, yet the man stands with all boldness, not an iota of fear, he could be signing his death warrant as we say, and we need to hang on every word, every syllable, totally unpremeditated, he didn't have a prepared script, I don't have one this morning, we must never have one, he is our preparation, as he gave Paul what to speak on Mars Hill, and Elijah what to speak before Ahab, and for me what to speak before you, and what we shall speak before kings and authorities in the last days, he gives words, he gives utterance, and what a statement this is, as the Lord my God lives, before whom I stand, then the word of judgment, it shall not rain nor dew, but according to my word, a death sentence for the nation Israel, spoken as effortlessly as if he were describing the weather, according to my word, well we need to take weeks to examine that statement, why does it begin as it did, as the Lord my God lives, is that a little rhetorical flourish, a stylistic introduction, or is everything contained in those opening words, this is a demonstration not only of boldness, audacity, but supreme authority, such an authority, that the word of judgment is his word, shall not rain nor dew, but according to my word, as we said yesterday, that is the height of presumption, human arrogance and conceit, or very humility itself, to whom would God entrust such a statement, such an authority, to command the very elements, and this is not some superhero, this is a man you can put in your pocket, wilderness prophet, probably skinny, totally unimpressive, externally, but what he is in himself, is as the French say, formidable, because you had it first, the French imitated, so you know I'm intrigued, what is the key to this man's authority, it's certainly nothing external, there's nothing about him externally that's impressive, let alone formidable, and yet he arrests the attention of Ahab, and he gives him a command, speaking to the king, assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, he was not making a suggestion, he was giving an authoritative command, as if the authority of the prophet is greater than the authority of the king,.

You know what the remarkable thing is, the king instead of drawing himself up to his full dignity,.

Who do you think you are, squirt, you puny little nothing, don't you know who I am, Elijah is not at all impressed, after all he is commanding the elements, he is the spokesman of the very God, in an age of apostasy, when the whole nation has gone hooring after false gods, and celebrates the false prophets as the true prophets, this troubler of Israel, knows who he is in God, as the living God, how does it say it, as the living God, as the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, what does that mean, when you stand before the living God, in authentic relationship with him, and the recognition of what he is as God, what are the Ahab's of this world, as Shakespeare said, and you do know Shakespeare, or I take you out behind the building and whip you, it's a disgrace not to know who Shakespeare is, just because you are a Christian, doesn't mean you have the right to be illiterate, you have all the more reason, to know the geniuses God has given to mankind, as Shakespeare said in another context, equally appropriate about Ahab, sound and fury signifying bluster and bravado, signifying what a remarkable contrast, between two men, representing totally opposite things, the eyes of the world, one is the king, supreme authority over the nation, one who can command life or death, and has done so, through his wife's instigation, to the prophets of Israel, and the other one, virtually unknown, we've never heard of him till now, suddenly thrust forth on the platform of history, speaking very few words, but speaking them in an absolute authority, that even commands the earthly king, are we looking at a moment in time in history, or are we glimpsing the configuration of the last days, the church as a prophetic entity, obscure and hidden, unknown and ignored by the world, not where the action is, as the saying goes, and is introduced in the crucial point of time, by God in his time, in his moment, to stand as ultimate confrontation, to the powers of the world, and the last days collision, between light and darkness, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness, am I exaggerating? of what will be represented at the end, when these ultimate kingdoms collide, so if our class was smaller, and we were sitting in a circle face to face, and all speaking the same language, I would say to you, what is the key to Elijah's authority?

The Source and Nature of Elijah’s Authority

What is the key to Elijah's authority? This is more than someone brilliantly humanly.

This is not a macho bravado. This is something quiet that does not require amplifiers. This is not an external authority registered by the appropriate decorum and dress and voice of the kind that we ourselves have come to interpret as authority.

What is authority? This is no small question.

If we are going to confront the world, in its own seeming authority, its power against power, authority against authority, what constitutes Elijah's authority? He has it unmistakably.

Is it a gift that is bestowed? Something cumulative? That increases by obedience to obedience? Because in every act of submission to the obedience of God,.

In every act of obedience, in subjection to God, there is an implicit recognition of the authority of God who spoke.

And to submit to that authority.

As Elijah says, and he got up, Elias, and went according to the word of God. Does this mean that he receives the increase of authority? Because he submitted to authority? I don't know, but I suspect that this might be true.

If it's true, we have authority in the measure to which we ourselves submit to it.

And not reluctantly but joyously.

However strange and contrary that requirement is.

Isn't that what we have been seeing here? Isn't that what we have been seeing here? In every obedience required of Elijah.

God makes it a foolish obedience a bizarre obedience an obedience that requires the contradiction of all that Elijah should be given to understand contrary to his principles.

To godly principles to the law to be fed by ravens.

An unclean bird.

By an unclean bird. Or isn't God just expressing a whim?

Or is God conducting a test?

Let's see where you are, Elijah.

Are you more in love with the principles of God than the God of the principles? If I call you to something that contradicts even your dearest understanding of God what will be foremost for you? Your dearest understanding or God himself?

Are you following me? This has got to be over your heads. You are too young to understand this. There is no way that you can just keep the tape for later. But something is in my heart this morning too deep for words of what ultimate obedience is.

It's nothing to obey God when he commands as we say in North America kid stuff. Who will not obey? When God commands? What is that, an accomplishment? Is that a high watermark of spirituality? God commands, we do.

But when he commands. Strangely.

When he requires beyond our understanding in a way that seems to.

Put us in contradiction with what we understood about God. Do we obey then? Or do we require God to conform to his own principles?

And remind him that he might have missed his understanding that an unclean bird.

Is not the appropriate instrument to feed a prophet. You know what I love about Elijah? And I think God loves the same thing not only does he arise and go but he doesn't even ask for an explanation. There is such a love for God that is measured by instant obedience.

That is measured by instant obedience without hesitation.

That requires no explanation. Well, it's one thing to be fed by ravens. The next thing is to be fed by a widow who herself is ready to die from starvation.

Who herself is ready to die from starvation and not even a Jewish widow a gentile widow.

From the country and city of Jezebel herself get thee to Zarephath and I have commanded a widow there to feed you. Sir, just a moment. It's one thing to be by a brook and be fed by ravens but this is enemy territory.

There is nothing more inhospitable and that enmity with the prophets of God.

Than the spirit of Jezebel there is nothing more hostile and less hospitable than the spirit of Jezebel against the prophets of God. And you are calling me to dwell in her country.

You think that I am exaggerating the ages old conflict between Jezebel and Elijah.

You think that I am exaggerating that conflict of centuries between Jezebel and Elijah. I wish you had been with me.

Confronting Jezebel’s Spirit in Hostile Institutions

For two years in a Lutheran seminary 65 women students and 100 of them were feminists and witches I was threatened to be thrown out of the school several times because I had the audacity to display my masculine audacity to call God He when everybody knows that what precedes the father is the mother goddess of the earth.

In a Lutheran seminary witches a brother visited me one day. I took him with me to school he said at the moment you walked into the room.

You could feel the electric vibes the moment you opened your mouth. That is the most harmless statement.

They were ready to pounce on you to claw your eyes out. I have never seen such vitriolic hatred of women against the men.

But he said of course it is the old story.

Of Jezebel against Elijah. Then I understood in what we represented and why the atmosphere was so vicious. And prevails still and will become more fierce to the end. And God says go and dwell in Jezebel's country her capital city.

Zarephath can I interrupt myself? On my last trip to Japan the Philippines New Zealand Australia there were three outstanding occasions.

When I did not sleep the entire night long last night came pretty close. But nothing like what I experienced in Manila all through the night. Physical suffering anguish of soul fierce and disgusting sensual imagery like a man being skewered and being turned on a spit.

I traveled with another brother. The word sends them out by twos hoping he would wake up. How could he sleep through this? My anguish and torment was unbearable my head was coming off my shoulders sleep and impossibility.

Except for him he slept perfectly through the entire night.

And left me to suffer alone. It happened three times each time we came to the capital city of a nation and each time we were in a capital city of a nation the powers of darkness.

Evidently knew me and greeted me in a special way as if little thing that I am represented some kind of formidable threat to the unchallenged.

Powers of darkness that find their residence in that capital city. I'm not saying these things to draw your attention to me to draw your attention to Elijah. Remember the brook dried up.

Obedience When God’s Provision Runs Dry

But that was not reason for Elijah to pick himself up to find some other alternative to make some rational adjustment. After all we're not called to be fools. God has given us a mind. The brook is drying up so what are you going to do.

Wait there and expire. You're Elijah God's very own prophet. I'm the only one left. You got to preserve your life not just for some egoistic reasons but for the purposes of God.

That were fulfilled so come on look for something.

Make some arrangement. Use your head.

He didn't budge he would not move he would not initiate any action for himself.

If God doesn't recognize the importance of himself as his prophet and is going to allow him to die of thirst at a dry brook so do it. Because obedience is an obedience to death it's a total obedience or it's not an obedience at all.

He waited and waited every day seeing the brook become smaller and every day.

He could see the brook becoming more and more beautiful and everything that is natural in the man and in his humanity groomed in the instinct for self preservation provokes his human mind to race.

To think of what he should do to preserve his physical body. Powerful forces for self survival operating through the mind. Don't be a fool. Get with it. You need to preserve your life for Israel's sake.

For God's sake. But there was something stronger more powerful than the operation of his mind and the natural requisites of his body it was the spirit within the man schooled in obedience.

Who could say with Job yea though he slay me yet will I trust him. Of course you know all that and you're in that place. Well if so maintain it it's a key. This is what Watchman Nee calls Shakespeare, Watchman Nee in his book Love Not The World if that's not in Spanish.

If that book is not in Spanish put aside my holocaust book profound though it is. There's not another book like it but translate this first Love Not The World because at the end of that book Watchman Nee raises the question.

What will it require to stand for God in absoluteness at the end of the age in conflict with the ultimate powers of darkness. There's a degree of faith.

Utterness Toward God and the Elijah Band

Required for evangelism for ministry. But in this ultimate conflict only one thing will suffice ready for this an utterness toward God. You can translate that in Spanish an utterness. It's a word I never heard spoken in English.

We don't speak it it's not compatible with our Anglo culture it's out of keeping with the tenor of the age.

It's out of keeping with the tenor of the age an utterness nothing withheld nothing toward God. That's Elijah and what the Elijah band must be.

And we will not obtain it in a moment. This is not cheap faith this is ultimate faith. And we obtain it by faith coming to faith as we sang the song progressive vision progressive faith increase from faith to faith till we come to an utterness that even if our physical death is required we will not move till the word of the Lord comes.

The Lord is waiting for such a church. Our question is are we moving from faith to faith. Is this something that is conscious with us. And one day is not just like another. And we're like sponges learning by osmosis a kind of casual working our way through the days.

That's not a prophetic mentality that's not an apostolic understanding. There needs to be something conscious willful taking hold of life redeeming the day as moving toward a goal.

Toward an end toward a conclusion toward a consummation that has to do with the glory of God forever that cannot be obtained without us.

That's living as the Lord my God lives in the same way that He lives. I live for my God is not a casual deity yawning His way through eternity where one day is like another day. He's consciously moving toward the finality.

The day of the Lord affects our perception of every day because we are consciously moving toward that day. Are you esteeming the days once and for all never to be given again. Are you seizing it laying hold.

Not content merely to take the meat off the bone but suck the marrow from the bone. To live with an earnestness a high seriousness an earnestness toward God that makes the church the church and a statement of salvation in its own lifestyle to the world that is dying all around it.

It's the people who know how to live because they live before the living God before whom I stand alone. There's no other influence no denominational prestige that I'm seeking. No recognition from men.

Church leaders that will help to promote our ministry because they have recognized our sterling qualities we are oblivious totally unaware Israelites in whom is no guile at all. We're living unto God alone before whom I stand.

And if you'll please him you'll please men. But that's not your motive. It's only the consequence of knowing what it means to know the living God before whom you stand alone or their children. My memory is so poor and the time is too short to give you illustration after illustration after illustration of how many times in my own life in uncompromising obedience to God I have had to offend men.

I have had to offend Christian men and leaders and not be able.

To give them explanation because God had not given it to me. This is the obedience of the last days that can only be performed by those who know God as the living God and before whom they stand. That's not magic.

You don't come to that by a waving of a magical wand over you. It's a progressive realization. It's a daily battle and a challenge if you could only see the instances and the issues that come before us almost on a daily basis where a choice has to be made for or against God.

For or against God the prophet Elijah when he comes full orbed on the stage of history is the sum of all of his previous choices for God so that when he says to Ahab at a point in time as the Lord God.

Notice what he puts first. Not just God. The Lord God. He's not Lord, he's not God. He's not Lord of all. He's not Lord at all as the Lord God lives. Before whom I stand on that basis that credential that authority.

I have to tell you it shall not rain or do in Israel but according to my words Ahab had to hear. So this wasn't a little bumptious statement. It resonated in the authority of God by a man whose voice and manner and speech was the sum total of obediences to God and he had the authority to prove it.

We're not going to have it by raising our voices. The demons are not impressed with our little formulas. In the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus. Maybe we get louder. We don't scare them. Forget it.

Quiet, assured speaking in the authority which is ours.

In God in the history which we have in God.

Will compel the demons to go grow in obedience in utterness toward God and you'll grow in authority. And now a final obedience. I fed you with ravens. Now I'm going to feed you with a widow a gentile widow who doesn't know you from beans.

She doesn't even know what a prophet is. She's not particularly fond of Jews let alone prophets. But I've commanded her to feed you in Zarephath in Jezebel's country in the capital city.

So he arose and went and did according to the word of the Lord and he found the widow and she fed him. But I want to ask this question shouldn't there come a moment when God is requiring something of so absurd and radical a kind.

That if it is not God it is clearly calculated for our destruction. Isn't the evil one able to imitate God. Haven't we ourselves been jerked and manipulated in the past that way. Thinking that God is speaking sounds like him gives the impression that we don't know any better.

And we respond as I was being driven to the airport to come here.

One of the three elders of our fellowship.

Shared with me what God had told his wife that Ben Israel, our fellowship is under judgment and she better leave while she has time or she'll perish. I said. Really are you impressed with that. You think that was God.

Well my wife you know is a spiritual woman. Well I think Ben Israel is still there and will continue to be there. I don't think that that was the voice of God but a mature Christian woman with a history of ability in demon deliverance believed it was God.

Sounded like God gave a warning you don't need it and run now in panic maybe your life will be lost. How did Elijah know whether this word to go to Zarephath was not in fact the enemy imitating the voice of God and preparing for his destruction.

It had that possibility so he arose and went.

No ifs ands or buts not a moment's hesitation. And it might have been his destruction.

How did he know that that was the voice of God calling him to a contradictory obedience where his own life might have been at stake. How will you know. Good question worth thinking about. How do we know the voice of God.

Discerning God’s Voice in Prophetic Obedience

How do we discern and distinguish between God and his enemy who is full of craft and wiles and knows how to imitate impressively and has deceived many saints. I don't have the answer. But a good question is better than a cheap answer.

Are you asking them. That's what a real student is. Not just to absorb information and give it back on an examination a good student asks to ask a choice. Question is the mark of a true student. How does one know what is the voice of God as against him who imitates him.

When it's a crucial decision that might eventuate in life or death am I exaggerating from the prophetic perspective. Every decision is life or death. Like how is it that we're speaking about prophets.

Is that the only subject. You know brother. You don't have much choice in the matter. I have great riches inexhaustible riches in Christ in things both old and new. How then did we decide that prophets would be our subject.

And what if it was a mistake. Still a good subject we can't afford to miss everything is a once and for all thing and that will affect life or death. Yes. I met a young brother leaving the prayer room this morning from this class.

His English wasn't perfect but good he said. Brother yesterday was for me something I can't express it. Something happened to me that I have never experienced before.

Praise God it wasn't my intention it's a grace that was given because we were in the right place. Because we were in the right place in the right time with the right subject given of God that we couldn't afford to miss.

That might affect that young man's life profoundly for all the balance of his days. That might mean the difference between life or death for many we can't afford to miss. How can we know when these decisions are so crucial.

Who is sufficient for these things. Elijah evidently knew. Not a question no hesitation it blew his mind. That blew his mind.

Like a widow a gentile widow. But he got up because he knew.

The voice of God because the true voice cannot ultimately be imitated the powers of darkness might come close.

And succeed with the shallow Christian but not with the prophet who has a history in God in a life of obedience by a word that comes and does it. The prophet is not a piece of magic. God goes out of his way to remind us the book of James flesh and blood like as we but the curtain is the shade is drawn.

It's not for us to peer in to understand what went into the making of the man that he could come to such obedience.

Such certainty this was not an overnight thing.

Prophets are not made in a day. They have a history in God that requires suffering. Anguish of soul. Lord I don't know. There are these alternatives. Do I have your mind. What if I miss. I live continually in this tension.

It's an anguish. I'd rather do something else but I'm not free to choose. I'm cool. I have to suffer these things in the school of obedience. It's not cheap and it's not easy. How many want to enroll.

Fasting, Failure, and the Risk of Missing God

I was sharing with brother Marv the two most important messages that the Lord may have ever given me to speak. Both of which were steeped in days of fasting before the speaking and intensive prayer. Spoken with confidence that it was somehow the word of the Lord.

That when I was finished there was this strange silence both times that gave every appearance. That the message was a flub. Don't think that fasting guarantees anything. Especially if we are thinking to manipulate God as if he owes us something.

Lord, three days of fasting five days for one message you've got to come through. Be careful he's not a God. To be manipulated by our fasting. The word fell like lead. And while I'm brooding over my failure licking my wounds like a dog.

Twice exactly the same thing happened. A man comes up to me with authority says I'm a Jewish man and a prophet sent of God to tell you you have missed the mind of the Lord with this message. And you have done incalculable damage to the body of Christ.

It's a knife in the heart right up to the hilt of unexpressable anguish of soul because it could be true. And no amount of fasting or prayer or sincerity will guarantee that you could not have missed the mind of the Lord at any time.

No matter how extensive your experience. That risk remains as a continual tension in which the man who bears the word of God has got to live. Have you been baptized? You who want to be preachers teachers bearers of the word.

Have you been baptized? In fire? And the Lord wasn't there to say. Now my dear son. Don't listen to that nasty man. I never sent him. He's a fake.

You just be assured you spoke my word and you will not return to me again. Wouldn't it be wonderful to enjoy.

Such vindication but it didn't come. It rarely comes and the Lord allows you to go a long time wrestling with the possibility that the man might be right. And you've missed the mind of the Lord. I actually went into exile lived in my wife's country as I told you yesterday and this man would send me telegrams long distance phone calls on Jewish feast days to call me to repent and recant the word which had done such damage.

And he could have been right. You can never have an ultimate assurance and have to live with this tension this unbearable tension. That's the prophetic requirement and we have to receive it. But it will keep you humble after yesterday's great success and people falling out of their seats under the tremendous unction of God.

That was yesterday and no necessary assurance for today. Today the question that remains a frightening question in which we can never have a total assurance and with which tension we must live still want to be a prophet and bear God's word.

There are not many candidates and I don't blame them. The Lord has discreetly pulled the shade down. It's not for us to peer into Elijah's life. His history with God is unknown to us. But be assured of this he has a history of dealings with God of excruciating and painful moments of horrible struggles of faith of terrible disappointments of moments of glory that cannot be described.

Of having to look into the disappointed faces of his colleagues.

When he didn't come through as God's man of faith and power. For there's nothing more painful for a man of God than the disappointment of God's people who thought it had been he who had restored the glory of God.

A History With God Through Suffering and Failure

I shared that at one of the Sunday services. You remember that? City College of New York.

First gospel outreach in its history. The city of my birth a school. 95 Jewish never had had a gospel outreach until the Lord called us to that clearly confirmed that months in advance whole seasons of fasting and prayer.

We didn't take this once and for all occasion lightly to penetrate right into the Jewish mainstream. A door like that does not open every day. You can't get into synagogues today Jewish institutions. I was the director of a mission to the Jews in New York City.

Two and a half million Jews. And you couldn't get beyond their doorkeepers. They lived in these great towers with a uniformed man at the door you couldn't get past him. You were near and yet so far. So the Lord opened the door once and for all.

Much fasting much prayer. And I flew in from Boston where I had spoken the night before at the University of Boston up half the night. No problem. Rest is not the issue. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

The battle is not yours, saith the Lord but mine. But go you out against them tomorrow. And so tomorrow came picked up at the airport driven to City College. And I walked into the room. I have a pretty good gift of description but I can't describe this.

The atmosphere was unbelievable electric. You could cut it with a knife. Unmistakable hatred venom by Jews who came to see this freak who believes in Christ in whose name we Jews have been persecuted for two thousand years.

In whose name we Jews have been persecuted for two thousand years. Have you heard of the Inquisition?

It followed us into Central America and he is going to preach Christ to Jewish University students whose lives are ethically impeccable and have no need for his Christ. Let us at him. We'll make sport.

And into that atmosphere I came as the God of Israel lives before whom I stand. Is he standing in that. Are you standing in that day? Is he a living God? In the face of the sea of opposition. All before you.

In which you have never felt more more weak more vain.

It was like speaking at the University of Illinois. Seven days of meetings. I've never done this before. And the Christians printed up a strip of paper. Cats is coming. With no space between cats. And is and coming.

Cats is coming. Who's cats? The first meeting was at the student union building. To begin to begin seven days of meetings at a time when there was much political unrest in American universities opposition to the Vietnam War.

So we had a little huddle of prayer. The Lord bless you brother Art. Go get him Tiger. And the prayer circle broke and I stepped out to the place of speaking utterly alone. I could understand Elijah Lord they've killed all the prophets and I alone am left and left alone.

And look at their faces. They can't wait to get at me. These intellectuals these arrogant atheists. This is a joke for them. Cats. Who? So I gave my little talk. They were relatively respectful. Then I opened for questions and answers.

There was one guy in the back of the room. I knew from the beginning he was trouble. He was trouble. Mr. Cats you've been speaking about God and Jesus. Let me ask you one question. Watch this fellas. I got him.

Now it'll be over before it begins. Answer me this one question. Do you believe in hell? No. So I took out my little pocket memo pad and I looked under H. I had no memo pad. It was only me all alone. And the God who lives and before whom I stand.

And the issue of salvation coming to an unbelieving university.

In a mood of terrible political hostility was at stake so I opened my mouth.

Proclaiming Hell and Salvation Under Hostility

This is what we have to do saints. Yes we can miss God. It might be true. We've done incalculable damage. It could be true the next time. No amount of experience will assure you. But you have to open your mouth.

Whatever the tension whatever the unpredictability we are required to speak and to obey God despite every appearance of the contrary.

I opened my mouth. I can't remember exactly what I said. Something like this so well as I can recall.

Under a tremendous unction I said you know there's no figure in all scripture who has spoken more prolifically about hell than Jesus himself. And he said we will be held accountable for every idle word we speak.

He himself never spoke an idle word. But he spoke about a wailing and gnashing of teeth. But he spoke about. But he spoke about an inexpressible anguish of soul a fire that shall not be extinguished. And I'll tell you what brother.

You who asked me this question. Not because you wanted an answer but because you wanted to ridicule God's servant. You would do well to hear this answer lest you find yourself sooner than you think experiencing that reality.

You ever see a man go. He just withered up and blew away. And we began seven days of meetings in authority and in power four to six meetings a day. I was exhausted couldn't remember my name. From fraternity houses to classrooms.

Taken by the hand like a child and come into another environment.

Of hostility and antagonism without a prepared word praying under my breath in the spirit that's all I had time for and I got to the next room and opened my mouth. Pow! A man came into that room a veteran from Vietnam half crocked with drugs didn't know what was going on but he sensed something electric and he sat down on the floor.

And when I finished I opened for questions and answers and these men jumped me antagonistic mean, vicious.

And this unbelieving man half crocked on drugs he got up and he said what are you guys doing? Don't you know that God is here? And got saved.