Trapped In Death Cave

No good deed ever goes unpunished.

I’m sure that is how Obadiah felt. As he was
serving as the house overseer for the wicked King Ahab, he had risked his life to protect the prophets of the Lord from the wrath of Queen Jezebel. He holed them up in a cave, provided them with supplies, and divided them up so they couldn’t be as easily discovered. This act of kindness had put him in danger for years.

And then he had stumbled on the most wanted man in Israel, the prophet Elijah.

“He said, What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?”

1^st Kings 18:9

Ahab had searched far and wide for Elijah. Now Elijah wanted Obadiah to go and tell him that he had been found. Obadiah could see how bad this could go. What would happen if he told Ahab he found him and Elijah wasn’t there? What would happen to those he was protecting? Had Ahab found out about his saving the prophets? Would he kill him? Obadiah had done the right thing and now it seemed he was going to pay the cost for it.

But that wasn’t in God's plan. God was going to take care of the situation. Obadiah's goodness wasn’t punished it was about to be justified.

In the wicked world today, we can feel like Obadiah. In trying to do right it feels like we get grief coming and going. Those in the wrong attack us for what we do, others attack us for not doing enough. We feel trapped in a no-win situation like those prophets hiding in those caves.

We need to remember the word of Hebrews 6:10, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” Doing good may not make your life easy in the moment but it will be recognized by God. Serving God and his people may not be easy but it will be worth it!

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