Camp Joyful Baileywick

Good Morning!!!

I love Vacation Bible School. I really do. It has been said that a child will get one quarter of a year’s Bible lessons in five days of VBS. And he or she will have fun doing it. So I love VBS. I also love church Bible camp.

When I was twelve – too old for church Bible camp, too young to be a counselor – I was a Junior Counselor at Camp Joyful Baileywick. The Bailey’s owned some property just north of Atlanta – sort of a summer “home” / farm where they welcomed all the children in the Primary department of the church for the summer. Peg Callahan – a wonderful creative lady – served as camp director. My job as a Junior Counselor was to do what the teacher needed me to do. Camp Joyful Baileywick lasted for one week in June – this was 1962. At the end of the week, the teachers, counselors and junior counselors wrapped the week up with an overnight at the camp. It was the job of the junior counselors to come up with a skit to top off the campfire. And we did…

Our theme for the week was Elijah. You might remember the story of how Elijah confronted King Ahab about his sin. And, just like today, King Ahab reacted by determining that Elijah was a “troubler of Israel” – in other words, a troublemaker that needed to be done away with. Anyway, there was a contest between the prophets of Baal and Elijah – if you don’t remember the story, here it is:

1 Kings 18:17-46 (English Standard Version)
17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is it you, you troubler of Israel?" 18And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals. 19Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table."
The Prophets of Baal Defeated
20So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. 22Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken." 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it." 26And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." 28And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
30Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down. 31Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name," 32and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs[a] of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." 34And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time. 35And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
36And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God." 40And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
The LORD Sends Rain
41And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain." 42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." And he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go again," seven times. 44And at the seventh time he said, "Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.'" 45And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Kings 18:32 A seah was about 7 quarts or 7.3 liters


Well, the junior counselors decided to reenact the challenge – so we rigged up a fishing line from a pine tree to the fire pit – and did all the things that Elijah did – all the while telling the story. And lo and behold, fire came from “heaven” and lit up that fire pit. I should mention, though, the roll of toilet tissue soaked in kerosene – and the kerosene we used for water in our reenactment. It turned out GREAT!!! Well – actually, the flaming toilet tissue burned through the fishing line so that the toilet paper fell short of the fire – but it bounced just perfectly into the fire pit and WHOOSH – there was fire.

God is good – we didn’t burn down the woods. And the effect was wonderful.

But there is the rest of the story for Elijah. If you read on into Chapter 19 of 1st Kings, you will see where King Ahab went whining to Queen Jezebel – who ordered that Elijah be killed. So what did Elijah – this great man of God who had defeated 850 prophets do? He ran and hid. And he began to whine himself. Here’s what he said:

1 Kings 19:1-18 (English Standard Version)
Elijah Flees Jezebel
1Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." 3Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." 5And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you." 8And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
The LORD Speaks to Elijah
9There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away." 11And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.[a] 13And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away." 15And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."
Footnotes:
a. 1 Kings 19:12 Or a sound, a thin silence

There is a whole lot I could say about this passage – but what hits me square between the eyes is Elijah (and me) began to have a pity party – thinking that he was alone in the fight against the evil of Jezebel. God said – Go stand outside. And God PASSED BY – and there was a strong wind and an earthquake and a fire – but God wasn’t in any of these three. There was a sound of a low whisper – and it was God speaking to Elijah, telling him that he was not alone in Israel.

The thought passed through my mind that God doesn’t come to with great fanfare – though He very easily could do so. Instead, He chooses to come to us in a whisper – a sound that doesn’t frighten us but encourages us to listen intently to what He has to say.

The fact is that Elijah had gone from the penthouse to the out house of faith – and needed a little encouragement. I understand that! I have been there. And I have heard my God whisper in my ear – and give me the encouragement I needed just then. Listen carefully – He may be talking to you.

Have a blessed weekend!

Agape’

Mr. Jim