1 Kings 18:7 – And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
Entering the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18 is a man named Obadiah who, “feared the LORD greatly” (1 Kings 18:3) and says, “I…have feared the LORD from my youth.” (1 Kings 18:12) This Obadiah was apparently a wealthy and powerful man, but not the same prophet with a book of the Bible named after them. Obadiah holds an administrative position in the godless government, much like Joseph, Daniel, and Nehemiah.
With the decree of Jezebel to kill God’s prophets and replace them with the 850 demonic prophets devoted to Baal and Asherah, Obadiah courageously kept 100 godly prophets alive in a cave, feeding and providing for them (much like God had preserved, provided for, and prepared the prophet Elijah when he was alone in Cherith, and with the widow and her son in Zarephath). All of this was done in a fashion that resembles modern day “underground churches” that meet privately in defiance of the godless government that outlaws the worship of Jesus Christ.
In God’s providence, Elijah and Obadiah’s paths cross. Obadiah recognizes the eccentric mountain man and immediately fears for his life. Elijah is the most wanted man in Israel, likely with a hefty bounty on his head. Elijah gives a ministry assignment to Obadiah that could cost him his life – go tell Ahab that Elijah is coming for a fight!
Obadiah responds first with fear, but then with faith. Obadiah is a godly man but still was human and imperfect like the rest of us. Like Obadiah, fear will come upon us, but we need to not let it in us. Counselors tell us that the best way to overcome fear is to run at it rather than away from it. Obadiah fears Ahab, but since he loves the Lord more than he fears the king, Obadiah runs to the same Ahab he had been previously running from in faith.
Who or what have you previously run from in fear that you need to run towards in faith?
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