The Changing Times

"Arise, go to Zarepheth," (1 Kings 17:9).

The name Zarepheth means "refinement, fuse metal, smelting-place, crucible." Some 60-80 years before Elijah’s time King Solomon brought a man from Tyre named Hiram who was a bronze worker. He "was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work." (1 Kings 7:13). The ships of Hiram brought gold from the African country of Ophir (1 Kings 10:11). "The weight of that gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents." (1 Kings 10:14). That was 25 tons of gold yearly.

History records that Zarepheth was noted as a producer of fine glassware, made from the same sand which was found near Sidon. It was also a producer of the same famous dyes that other parts of Phoenicia produced. The Bible does not specifically say that Zarepheth was one of those supply cities but one can make a reasonable guess that it was.

Times have changed. Instead of a golden reign by a wealthy and wise king, Israel had turned sour towards God. The country had divided into two kingdoms. The northern part of that kingdom had not honored God in its short history and would not until Assyria finally destroyed it and took its residents into captivity.

Hiram’s descendants had been murdered by Ethbaal. There was still a relationship between Phoenicia and Israel but it was not a godly one. Ahab was married to Jezebel and evil prevailed. It was into this time, context, and these circumstances that Elijah had been born. It is in this time that he lives and serves the Lord God of Israel.

We, too, are born into a time period in which we must minister. The old memories often are forgotten as history defines us and shapes our uncertain affairs. As Elijah was equipped for a certain time frame, we today are also called to live our days with God’s particular anointing upon us. As we live in a specific era, we also have a distinct calling for that era.

The promise that God will care for us resounds throughout all history—"As your days, so shall your strength be." (Deut. 33:25). Our days may be wicked. Our generation may be rebellious but God fits us with strength to deal with it. Let us prepare ourselves to minister in our age. We may then find as Queen Esther did "who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:12).