Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

In a word, all Christians of all ages share his starting block. They all
have Elijah as their middle name. The question they must ask themselves is
simply this. Will they be satisfied with being “average” people? Or will they
be desirous to be “normal.” If the latter, there is no reason to believe that
every Christian cannot be a “shaker” and a “mover” in the footsteps of Elijah!
Pray the full extent of the Word, injunctions as well as prohibitions, promises
as well as threats, blessings as well as curses, in the footsteps of Elijah, Elisha,
and the Psalmist in analogous circumstances, and the “moving and
shaking” will undoubtedly take place. 382 The reward of true God-centeredness
is truly remarkable.
Incidentally, Elijah’s prayer did not constitute a personal vendetta. In
personal controversies intercession for the perpetrators of evil is called for.
“Followers of the Lamb” should not sport “a wolfish spirit.” Rather, they
should follow in the footsteps of their Master. We should stand “ready to forgive
all private and personal wrongs” (Is 53:12; Mt. 6:14-15; see also 1 Pet.
2:20). In the public arena, however, our prayers may and must aim at the vindication
of God’s glory (Ps. 83:18). In that case, however, they should not
target specific persons in particular, but perverse and implacable enemies of
the Kingdom in general and even then not their persons, but their plots
(Manton, 469-470).
Well over three years without rain seems an awfully long period of time.
The calamitous damage must have been astounding, so much so that no
widow in Israel was willing to rent Elijah a room. He was for all practical
purposes an outcast in his own country, talking about mighty combat! But
why was God’s judgment so relentlessly long? The answer is simple. It took
Israel that long finally to repent of their apostasy. It should be clear by now
that defiance of God calls for judgment. It will come, and it will be severe. It
should be equally clear that no one should provoke God’s devotees to pray
against it. This would do collateral damage. It should be clear as well that the
judgment will not be lifted, and damage control will not kick in apart from
heartfelt repentance (Rev. 16:8-9, 10-11). In all this we encounter a biblical
pattern. Once God unleashes his covenant judgments, they are severe in nature,
sobering in effect, but aiming at repentance, and therefore saving in intention
(Ezek. 33:10ff).
In summary, James 5:18 indicates, that God when he intends to bestow
blessings stirs his people to prayer. He, who decrees the end, also decrees the
means (Ezek. 36:37; Jer. 29:12). The efficacy of genuine prayer is awesome
(Gen. 32:24-25; Josh. 10:13; 2 Ki. 7:17; Is. 38:8) (Manton, 471). Of course,
382 See E. Calvin Beisner, Psalms of Promise (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1988), 161-182,
on the nature, purpose, and continuing validity of imprecatory psalms.
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