To be known in the Bible is not always a compliment. We can think of King Ahab, for example—who unwisely married Jezebel, who constantly went after the ways of his rebellious fathers, and who said to the godliest man alive, “You troubler of Israel.” He gave his ear to the evil one, and he listened to the devil’s lies as he framed Elijah as the cause of all Israel’s calamities. Soon the whole royal court and beyond believed the narrative that Elijah was the reason for the disastrous drought. 
 
The Bible has an uncanny way of hinting at the future through its historical narratives. 
 
Listen to a word from nearly 125 years ago by a humble servant of God as she writes about things to come. “Satan puts his interpretation upon events, and they think, as he would have them, that the calamities which fill the land are a result of Sunday-breaking. Thinking to appease the wrath of God, these influential men make laws enforcing Sunday observance. They think that by exalting this false rest day higher and still higher, compelling obedience to the Sunday law, the spurious sabbath, they are doing God's service. Those who honor God by observing the true Sabbath are looked upon as disloyal to God, when it is really those who thus regard them who are themselves disloyal, because they are trampling under foot the Sabbath originated in Eden.”
 
Yes, those who live for Jesus, who are empowered by His Spirit to do His will, and who want to proclaim His message of mercy to a dying world, will be signaled out in a similar way as Elijah. After reading a quote like this, we may wonder, not if, but when these things take place? 
 
Typically, when we hear these sorts of things, we can have a few different responses. One way is to bury our heads deeper in the cozy sand and pretend life will go on as normal. Another way is to get so discouraged because we sense that we aren’t ready for the end. Perhaps the most beneficial way to respond is to look at the type of ministry Elijah engaged in during this time and to follow his example.
 
During the calamities that had befallen Israel, Elijah didn’t have a public ministry, He spent time in nature and Zarephath at a small widow’s house. In these places, he spent his time ministering in small circles that led to a widening influence. 
 
As I consider Elijah’s story,  it makes me think that small group ministry will be a vital part of finishing the work of sharing the gospel with our neighbors. Nobody knows the exact details of how things will end, but we do know the broad strokes of prophecy. We do know that there will come a time when public ministry will become more and more challenging to carry out. 
 
Let’s become more engaged in small group ministry in the “here and now” so that we can be prepared for the  “later” when it comes.