The Word of the Lord

“the word of the Lord came to Elijah” (1 Kings 18:1).

“The word of the Lord” is a phrase that appears numerous times in the Bible. The concept, not new to Elijah. had been spoken often to his ancestors in Israel. The nation’s founder, Abraham, had been promised a son by the word of the Lord”(Gen. 15:4). “The word of the Lord” struck fear into Israel’s captor Egypt (Exodus 9:20). Other prophets had heard the word of the Lord (1 Sam. 3:7, 1 Chron. 17:3, 2 Sam. 24:11). The word of the Lord was communicated through Moses as the Ten Commandments and the law (Deut. 5:5). 

“The word of the Lord” comes to Elijah often. That word leads him through every decision. He is sent by “the word” to Cherith, then further on to Zarephath, His word is spoken and verified by the widow.  The Lord’s word sends him back into public.  The word comforts him as he flees from Jezebel, and sends him again to Ahab with a strong message of judgment. He hears the word again to tell Ahab God has seen his repentance. He predicts the death of Israel’s next king. (2 Kings 1:17) The word of the Lord passes on to his successor Elisha (2 Kings 3:12).

Extensive Bible study reveals that “the word of the Lord” operates in three different realms. The first realm by that word delivered by God’s prophets.

The second realm God speaks through is His recorded word. Moses heard the word of God given as the law and Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:5). That verbal word transcribed is just as much God’s word as a message from him in a more dramatic fashion. The prophetic and the written are identical in that they are both inspired by Him.

The written “word of the Lord” became more normal as His revelation progressed. God’s word became arranged in books that the church recognized as inspired by Him. This began with the early books of the Old Testament and led gradually to the gospels and letters of the New. This is how we came to have the Bible--the written guide for Christians today.  The Bible itself tells us that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)

Thirdly, “the word of the Lord” refers to the gospel preached. Paul encouraged Barnabas return to where “we have preached the word of the Lord.” (Acts 15:36). To a distressed jailer Paul and Silas “spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all in his house.” Praising the Thessalonian church Paul said “the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place.” (1 Thess. 1:8).

Contemplating the three aspects of the word of the Lord, the most serious lesson of all is that we can reject it. Samuel’s harsh message to King Saul was, ‘you have rejected the word of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 15:23)

We can reject the fact that God speaks to us. We can reject the Bible. We can reject the Gospel.

Today, if the word of the Lord comes to you in any form, obey it as Elijah did.

 

 

 

The Widow Commended

“I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, …Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a woman in Zarephath in the region of Sidon” (Luke 4:25-26, NIV).

Jesus taught in the synagogue at Nazareth were He had been raised. There he read an Old Testament passage and declared to the people there that He himself was the fulfillment of that prophecy. While the people were amazed at His gracious words, they also had another deeper issue.  Mark 6:1-6 reveals that while they were giving assent to his words and even admitting that He had performed miracles, their hearts were far from believing that He was the Chosen One of God.

They murmured “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.”Jesus could not do miracles there and he was amazed “because of their unbelief.”

Jesus strongly reprimanded them. “Surely you will quote this proverb to me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum. I tell you the truth,…”no prophet is accepted in his hometown”(Luke 4:23).

Boldly, Jesus reproves those Jews that were rejecting Him. This was not the first time they had denied a messenger of God.  There were many widows in Israel during Elijah’s day but none were chosen because of their unbelief. One who lived outside the covenant and promises given to Israel housed the prophet because she had more faith than they did.

These were scandalous words to Jesus’ audience.  With great rage they drove Him out of town and would have thrown Him off a cliff had he not used His power to simply walk through them. It was not time to kill Jesus. The Jewish offence would increase until they ultimately crucified Him. Unfortunately, only a handful of Israel would find faith in Him.

This event looked forward to the great time when the Gentiles would convert to God in faith while a majority of the Jews turned away.

Today we may find ourselves in a similar condition.  Those who have long known Jesus may have grown cold only to find someone with less background more vibrant and faith-filled than they are. Our Western culture that has had Christianity and has largely rejected it may discover that people of other nations may be putting us to shame in their dedication to Christ, and also in receiving miracles because of their greater faith.

Will we find ourselves rejecting Christ, or being commended in faith like the widow of Elijah’s time?

The Living God

"As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word." (1 Kings 17:1: also vs. 12)

The Lord lives. An oath is taken in His name. There will be no rain.

A living God is one who has personality. A living God is one who has created all things from His own self-sustaining life. A living God is immortal.
A vast difference exists between the living God and the Baal whom Ahab and Jezebel served. The living God really existed. He was a potent force, indeed a threat to all other gods. Because He was truly the one who made all things He could easily halt the rain. The giver of life could take the country’s provision of water and stop it, in turn destroying the crops and the supply of food. Baal was helpless to usurp the plans of the living God so worshipping him was futile. 

Elsewhere the Bible says,"it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31). The dead idols that came from Phoenicia were falling. Israel was not right with God and now they were about to fall into His fearful hands.

The "living God" occurs often in Scripture. When it appears most often it is used with the comparison between God and idols. God is living and the idols are dead. They are worthless. Paul and Barnabas cried out to the people of Lystra that we "preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, and all things that are in them" (Acts 14:15). The Thessalonians "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." (1:9). After a verse-long description of building an idol from silver and gold, Jeremiah called Him the "living God and the everlasting King". (10:10).

King Darius worshipped false gods, but when Daniel was saved from the lion’s den he made a proclamation that all his kingdom would tremble before the God of Daniel. His reason—"For He is the living God and He endures forever." (Daniel 6:26 NIV).

Most people don’t bow down to literal false idols today, but the principle is one that applies to all. If we live for something that is dead, we shall never know life. Psalm 1:3 describes the godly. "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season." A life without the blessing of the living God is "like the chaff which the wind drives away (vs. 4). This life is dry, fruitless, and meaningless.

The living God has made provisions that we might have life in Him through the gift of His Son. Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you that he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (John 5:24). Is this our desire? Let us tell Him for He is listening. Our requests will be answered. After all, He is a living God.

　

Sin Remembered No More

"So she said to Elijah, ‘What have I to do with you, O Man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?’" (1 Kings 17:18).

"For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more." (Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12).

Remembrance of sin can deeply plague those who feel unforgiven. Death especially serves as a crude reminder that things are not right with us or with our world. The widow with whom Elijah has been staying seems to have felt this way. In deep grief, she assigns the prophet with a sinister purpose—that he came to remind her of her sin.

Her question, however, is not one that she alone would ask throughout the centuries. Many feel it even if it is unspoken. Will God judge me? Does He love me? Can I please Him? How can I find peace with God? Can I be sure that I am going to Heaven? What can I do to erase the dark feelings, or the anger I have at Him at times? It is a question for all—have you come to me to bring my sins to remembrance?

Sin is transferred through the generations through our natures. We are born with an inclination to sin. Ever since Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, we have been cursed with spiritual and physical death. "Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned." (Romans 5:12,TEV)

Disobeying God brought the very first confrontation between God and sinful people. Knowing their sin, God came and spoke to the guilty pair. It was a terrible scene when God’s presence came into that garden. They tried to hide from God but could not. They were caught in their sin—sin that God did not forget but that He did bring to their remembrance. There were bitter consequences.

Blackened with sin, humans now knew God as their Judge. Laid bare before Him, the question could have been asked; the question that all of Adam’s posterity could ask—"Have you come to bring my sin to remembrance?"

The God who judges sin is also the God who can wipe it away. At a high price to Himself, God sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world. Through Jesus’ death on the cross our sins are transferred to Him. His righteousness is transferred to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Each person must trust Jesus for that removal of sin. After this trust in placed in Him, God now forgets sin based on what Jesus did.

"Have you come to bring my sins to remembrance?" No. Through Jesus Christ "I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more."




　

A Place to Pray

"And he said to her, ‘give me your son.’ So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed." (1 Kings 17: 19).

The room on the roof was common in the Middle East. It speaks both of the appropriateness from a male and female perspective and also that Elijah had a room in which he constantly prayed. This chamber was undoubtedly where he spent his hours with God in constant communion. When this terrible crisis of losing the widow’s son occurred he returned to the place where he had always met God, there in that room.

Like Elijah, our Lord Jesus characterizes the greatest example of having a location for prayer and constantly returning to it. As His popularity increased, people insistently came to Him to hear him teach and to heal sicknesses. What was His response? "So Jesus often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed." (Luke 5:16). The Gospels often speaks of Jesus’ habit of leaving the crowd for prayer. His place was the wilderness, and many times He would pray on a mountain. His time was often evening (Matthew 14:23). The length of His vigil could be all night long, as it was when He chose His disciples (Luke 6:12-16). On another occasion he rose up early in the morning (Mark 1:35). One of the most emphatic records of Jesus leaving the crowd is John 6:15—"He departed again to the mountain by himself alone." (Italics mine).

We also need a room to pray. We need a location that is to us what that upper room meant for Elijah. We need a space to meet with God and a place to go to Him when the urgency of life threatens to overcome us. Here, we can turn to God with the tough questions and seek direction for every turn of life.

For some it may be a desk with a Bible and some helps such as a concordance, a commentary or several Bible versions. Others may be seated in a comfortable chair when the house is quiet. Others will be on their knees. Some lay down on the floor. Some may seek God within a library. Others will walk out to a solitary spot in nature. The place will vary from individual to individual. The importance is that there is a location and that we go to it regularly. It is essential that we maintain that space distant from all other distractions so we can hear God. We all need what Elijah and Jesus had—a place to pray.

　

　

　

Sovereign Over Death

"Then he cried out to the Lord and said, ‘Oh Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?" (1 Kings 17:20)

Many today would not pray as Elijah did. We are not accustomed to coming to God with such strong words. Is it right to say to God "you also brought tragedy?" or "you killed her son?" Are these words irreverent? Is Elijah blaming God for something He didn’t do?

Today we might be prone to say "yes." We would say death or disease, not God, claimed the son. We may assign the death to Satan in an attempt to say God had nothing to do with it. We might blame the death on an accident for which God had no desire to happen. From our perspective these things might seem correct but do they offer long term comfort?

To give these things too much credence is to ultimately claim that in some way God lost sovereign control. If God loses His power, we have no hope. Elijah knew this. He knew that God was greater. He understood that God was the primary authority over all things and that all the players and events were secondary causes in His hands. He knew that to have a God without control was not to have a God at all.

That is why he attributed the death of the widow’s son to the Lord. God brought tragedy. God "caused her son to die." (NIV). Therefore God could also raise him. Elijah prayed this way because he knew God, not because he was irreverent.

Our view of the sovereignty of God is small. One day we will all have to come to grips with the truth that God is the ultimate giver of life or death. His will is the primary consideration. All the players and events are secondary. Disease, death and Satan are all subject to God. He is never caught by surprise. Death does not slip through His fingers. He doesn’t just allow it; there is a way beyond our comprehension in which He actually ordains it.

Elijah knew that the "Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up." (1 Samuel 2:6). This is why he could entrust himself to the Lord and call upon him for a resurrection. He understood that the God who numbers the very hairs of our heads (Matthew 10.30) also numbers our days. He who counts our days can take life or give it again. God heard the voice of Elijah and the son was raised.

　

Is God Punishing Me?

"So she said to Elijah, "What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?" (1 Kings 17:18).

The widow’s son became so seriously sick that "there was no breath in him." This ancient statement referred to the fact that he was truly dead. God had breathed into Adam’s "nostrils the breath of life" (Genesis 2:7) and this son has lost his breath. It was beyond hope. He had died.

Under severe grief, the widow lashes out at Elijah with another Hebrew expression "what have I to do with you?" This phrase was used by Elisha repudiating the ungodly King Ahab (2 Kings 3:13), David distancing himself from the sons of Zeruiah (2 Samuel 16:10), and the demons rejecting the appearance of Jesus (Mark 5:7). The widow is turning herself against Elijah an is fiercely withdrawing from him.

She refers harshly to her sin coming to remembrance and accuses him even of killing her son due to her sin. Her response is not too far removed from the cry of most humans during great grief. Guilt can be very real to someone bereaved. Even the most godly can believe that God is punishing them. The character Job said of God "You write bitter things against me and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth." (Job 13:26).

Does God use death to punish people? We know that all death is ultimately due to sin (Romans 5:12) but in the midst of that curse on humankind is God singling out people who have sinned greater than others? Does He maliciously take family members or incur sickness on people because of personal sin?

Jesus’ disciples, reflecting the beliefs of their time, certainly thought so. Seeing a man who was born blind they asked Him "’Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus’ answer dispelled that notion "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." Jesus then healed him (John 9:1ff.)

We will see in the verses that follow that the Lord had a similar purpose for the Phoenician family. He had no vindictiveness in His plans for them at all. He would restore the son to life through the prophet Elijah and continue His supernatural provision for their food.

Is there anyone who has lost health or a loved one? Are any asking the question "is God punishing me?" It may simply be that God is revealing his works through you with a greater plan than you ever dreamed. He is that kind of God.

　

The Way Things Appear

Commanded to go to Zarephath, Elijah makes an 80-100 mile trip from Cherith to his new destination. Worn from travel and likely dehydrated, he carries a strong promise that a widow will provide for him there. He arrives at the city gate. There is indeed a widow there but she doesn’t seem to know he is coming.

She gathers a couple of sticks as Elijah asks her for a cup of water. As she goes for the water he further requests a small morsel of bread. We learn of her plight. She has only a handful of flour in her bin and a little oil in a jar. She will cook this final meal for herself and her son and then they will die.

In addition to not knowing he would come, she also does not seem to have God’s promised supplies. Was Elijah shaken, even tempted to ask the Lord if he really arrived at the right place? Things appear very different between what God had told him and the way things were.

Despite appearances Elijah remembers how God had supplied at Cherith. Having experienced that strengthens him to trust God for the impossible situation before him. Elijah does not wait long before God’s word comes. He instructs the widow not to fear, but to make a small cake for him first and afterward to feed herself and her son. A test of faith for him also means a test of faith for her. He promises "the bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth." (1 Kings 17:14).

God’s assurances often test our faith. Our perception does not always match what we believe He has said to us. These continuous examinations throughout life reveal our heart’s state. Elijah’s life points us to the attitude we must have. Will we trust the Lord or the way things appear? 
　

　

Before Whom I Stand

"As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand." (1 Kings 17:1).

Elijah and his successor Elisha used this oath. It was spoken during times when they encountered evil influence. Each time courage was necessary and compromise could be possible. They reached back to their Lord’s commission, invoking the name of their invisible Master and their loyalty to Him.

"Before whom I stand" was the assertion of a slave declaring his allegiance and servitude to his master. When the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon she referred to his servants as those "who stand before you and hear your wisdom." (1 Kings 10:8). God’s Old Testament priests were "to stand before the Lord to minister to Him." (Deut. 10:8). They were the ones who "shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood." (Ezek. 44:15).

Elijah uses the expression while beginning his public ministry. Delivering his unpopular pronouncement of God’s judgment to Ahab, he declared this allegiance--"As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, except at my word." (1 Kings 17:1).

Returning to Israel from Zarephath he meets with Obadiah, the king’s fearful servant. Elijah assures Obadiah that he will meet Ahab. "As the Lord God of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today." (I Kings 18:15).

Kings from Israel, Syria and Judah came to Elisha to inquire about a battle. Elisha wanted no part of it and replies as such. "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you." (2 Kings 3:14).

Naaman, a commander of the army from Syria came to seek healing from the prophet Elisha. Offered a reward for the healing he received, Elisha responds, "As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing." (2 Kings 5:16).

Retreating for his life and discouraged after the threat of Jezebel, Elijah receives a new dictate from the Lord. God returns him to his calling through similar words, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." (1 Kings 19:11). There "standing before the Lord" Elijah receives a fresh vision of God and a new assignment to serve Him.

We are called slaves or servants throughout Scripture. We serve our Master just as these two prophets did. When we face opposition throughout our lives, we must return to our living God and reaffirm the same conviction of God being the one "before whom I stand." There we will find our strength and vision to walk faithfully as they did.
　

　

　

　

　

A Widow?

"See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." (1 Kings 17:8).

Widows were among the most vulnerable in Bible times. The many commands throughout the Old Testament (Ex. 22:21-24, Deut. 16:11, 14, Jer. 7:5-7) to provide for them shows just how often they could be taken advantage of. The loss of the man in a patriarchal society meant hardship. Their plight was often poverty. It was difficult for them to find employment and often they were left to beg. Sometimes their great hope was found in their son who could earn a trade and then support them.

Further optimism might be found through the kindness of others. Job was a man who had "caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy" (Job. 29:13). Harvesters were instructed to leave grapes, grain and olives for them to glean (Deut 24:19-21). Tithes were to be given to them every third year (Deut 14:27-29). The wicked were stopped from taking their garment as a pledge (Deut. 24:17).

Far too often, however, evil people oppressed widows (Isa. 1:23, 10:2, Ps. 94:6, Ezek. 22:7, Mal. 3:5). Even in Jesus’ day the scribes devoured widow’s houses and in exchange for it made long prayers (Mk. 12:40).

With God’s care for the stranger, fatherless, and the widow laid out so clearly in the law, Elijah may have been surprised, even embarrassed that God would tell him to seek provisions from a widow. God did not say "I have commanded you to take care of a widow" but " I have commanded a widow to provide for you." Further amazement may have been his when he heard that this was not an Israelite widow but one from a country steeped in idolatry. Her country did not obey the Lord’s precepts regarding the widow’s treatment and she may have been poorer because of that.

The Lord often uses those who have little to support his messengers. As a missionary evangelist some years ago I was often sobered to see the names of my supporters printed out on the donation sheet. While I know God also uses the wealthy to give, so often it was through those who didn’t have much that I paid my bills.

Elijah’s next benefactor would not be ravens but a Phoenician widow. With God’s word revealed to him, he left Cherith and began his journey to Zarepheth. 
　
　

The Refining Fires of God

"Many shall be purified, made white, and refined" (Daniel 12:10)

The name Zarephath means "refinement, fuse metal, smelting-place, crucible." While certainly that definition referred to the actual historical activity associated with the town, it also reflects a new phase of Elijah’s life. Elijah still has much to learn in God’s school. He will face greater trials and be forced to trust God in new ways. He will see miracles but only after facing the impossible.

Having passed his first examination at Cherith, he will now graduate to another level at Zarephath.

God’s work in Elijah’s life is a mirror to show us how God will operate in ours. The Apostle Peter described the process in the New Testament--"that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:7).

The refining fires of God spare no Christian. God compares Himself to a master gold worker. He heats the metal. He hammers it. He molds it. He scrapes off all of the impurities. He has a purpose in mind. He will make a beautiful article of the gold, ultimately of us. Historically, the ancient Eastern goldsmith was said to have fired the ore until he could see his own face reflected in the liquid. Even so, God keeps us in the furnace until He can see the face of His Son Jesus Christ shining in us.

This He does not once but many times. Even when we hope it will stop, He applies the heat again. Despite the pain we feel, He knows what particular trial will shape us into His image.

Using a more modern illustration, Warren Wiersbe said, "When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. If we rebel He may have to reset the clock; but if we submit, He will not permit us to suffer one minute too long. The important thing is that we learn the lesson He wants to teach us and that we bring glory to Him alone."1

Elijah was purified by God’s testing. Will we also surrender to that process?

1. Wiersbe, Warren W.   The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 2.  Wheaton: Victor, 1989, p. 393.

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).
　

Moving to Jezebel's Homeland

"Arise and go to Zarepheth, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there." (1 Kings 17:9)

If there was anything that described Elijah, it was his zeal for the Lord and his hatred of Baal worship. Everything he stood for was against idolatry. I wonder if in his mind, as we human beings are disposed to do, he had built a strong bias against Phoenicia.

If we check where Zarephath was on a map we will find it right between the two principal cities of Phoenicia, Tyre and Sidon. Truly, this was the homeland of Jezebel and her father Ethbaal. It was the origin and center of Baal worship.

Perhaps Elijah wondered, "How can God keep me in the middle of the idolatry I am to fight?" It was tantamount today of a Jew being told to go and live beside a nuclear plant in the nation of Iran. It was similar to a British citizen in the time of Hitler being ordered to live in Berlin, Germany. One could describe it as being an American living in Russia during the Cold War.

"Are you sure, Lord, you want me to live there?

From the standpoint of tactical warfare alone it may have been wise. Who would expect to look for Elijah in Jezebel’s back yard?

Whatever the reasons for God’s next instructions, Elijah didn’t have much choice. Living in Cherith was becoming impossible. His water was drying up and thirst alone may have driven him to obey. He had no choice again but to believe God and take that next step.

Many Christians have been faced with similar dilemmas. Leading from the Lord can surprise us and take us to places that we initially have no desire to go. The prophet Jonah exemplified such a stance when God called him to preach to an evil city called Nineveh. His prejudice sent him in the opposite direction to Joppa (Jonah 1:3). God dealt with Jonah and the entire city repented.

Whatever Elijah may have felt inwardly, he does not show it on the outside. His attitude is that of obedience. He goes, even if it is into the homeland of Jezebel.

The Drying of the Stream

"And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land." (1 Kings 17:7)

Because there had been no rain, the brook which had supplied Elijah’s water became dry. Undoubtedly, Elijah had watched it daily. He knew it was going down and he was forced to trust God in an increased measure for the next step in his life. Did the prayers that he had offered to God for the rain to stop haunt him now? It is hard to be in a difficult situation because one has received the answer to their prayer.

Elijah has another test before him. He’s lasted 6-8 months alone. A man can live without many things but he cannot live without water. What does he do? I think that if the temptation to move before God’s time ever arose, it came when the stream dried up. Did he think of following the wadi down to the Jordan River? The Jordan would be the last place to go dry. Perhaps his mind was filled with thoughts of disobedience. Did he ever think of moving from Cherith to nearby Syria and escaping the prophetic life?

Elijah doesn’t move. His last instructions were to go to Cherith and until he hears from the Lord, he is not moving. It is good that he doesn’t. Ahab & Jezebel are angry. They’ve got a price on his head, and disobeying may have been the last thing he ever did. Does he know that? Like most of us walking by faith, he doesn’t know until after the fact. He can’t move to the Jordan or go into Syria now. He’s in too deep. He has to trust God.

A valuable principle that my mother taught me is this—"When you don’t know what do don’t do anything." Don’t abandon your previous leading until the new clearly comes. Elijah practices this and "then the word of the Lord came to him." (1 Kings 17:8).

May we all learn this treasured truth. Moving before God’s time can be detrimental, even deadly. When the brook dries up and pressure arises, wait until God tells you to move.

Temptations in a Wadi

The Bible makes clear that Elijah "was a man with a nature like ours." (James 5:17). Being human, he felt all the temptations that we would. Having been directed to this wadi, what might he have thought when he lived there? Let us imagine the trials that he faced daily.

Did boredom afflict Elijah? After he established a cave to sleep in and set up his meager household what did he do with his time? Most commentators guess that he was probably there for as long as the rainy season would have lasted—about 6-8 months. Did he walk up and down that ravine watching for changes in the wildlife? How did he conduct himself?

Was loneliness a struggle for him? When one disobeys prison rules, the punishment is solitary confinement. Many prisoners are broken by this treatment. Elijah was not shattered but kept sane, whole, and growing. Silence is a discipline that many today would find extremely hard, especially with the distractions they have been raised with. Here in the deep silence of Cherith, Elijah develops an unbroken sense of God’s presence and sensitivity to His leading.

Did Elijah wonder if his provisions would stop? God had said of Israel that He humbled them, allowed them to hunger, and then fed them with manna so that they would learn that they did not live by bread alone, by every word that came from His mouth. (Deuteronomy 8:2-3). Each day, Elijah learned this same lesson as the ravens brought him his food.

Was Elijah ever tempted to complain about his provisions? Israel despised God’s manna and asked for meat. God granted their request but judged them for it. Elijah did not complain about the meals, even though they were only bread and meat. The supplies were "enough", but not luxurious. He learned to be thankful for what God did provide and was not angry with Him for what He didn’t. We also must learn to be thankful where God has placed us.

Elijah passes all the God-given tests in the wadi. Boredom, loneliness, looking to God, and not complaining were some of those things that he must have faced. These temptations come to us all at various times of life. Will we also be faithful?

Consider the Ravens

"I have commanded the ravens to feed you there" (1 Kings 17: 4).
"The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook." (1 Kings 17:6)

What did Elijah do to feed himself before He confronted Ahab? He left that behind to trust God for his provisions. Being from the harsh region of Gilead, what did he think when God said "I’m going to use ravens to provide for you?" Did he know the ways of birds and animals? Did he know that the raven naturally neglects its young and that for the ravens to bring him food may have been very much against their nature? Job 38:41 asks the question "who provides food for the raven, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?"

God speaks about supplying food for ravens two other times in the Bible. "He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry." (Psalm 147:9). Jesus said to His disciples "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?" (Luke 12:24).

Jesus’ reasoning is simple. If God cares for the ravens, how much more will He care for human beings? When God told Elijah that the ravens would provide for him, He was merely extending His care for the ravens one step further than usual to include a man. He used those birds themselves to provide for His prophet.

We are often concerned about our lives. We may worry about our daily needs. Although we have seen God’s provision in our past, a new day with different direction brings a fresh test of faith. Will God provide in this unique circumstance?

As we turn to Jesus’ words and Elijah’s example, God’s encouragement is given again to us. Each move we make comes with the promise that wherever we go, God has gone before us and "commanded the ravens to feed us there." When doubts come, return to the words of Jesus who challenged us simply to "consider the ravens."

Elijah's Obedience

"So he went, and did according to the word of the Lord." (I Kings 17:5).

Elijah obeyed. He did what God told him to do. This observance of God’s word was part of the fiber of his life. It has always been so with all great men and women of God.

Joshua was to lead Israel into the first battle for the land God had promised. Instead of a traditional military attack that made sense to the natural mind, God gave an unusual command to him—‘You shall march around the city, all you men of war: you shall go around the city once. This you shall do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram’s horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets." (Joshua 6:3).

God promised that the walls around the city of Jericho would fall flat. Joshua and his army obeyed and it happened just as God had promised. To use the language applied to Elijah, Joshua "went and did according to the word of the Lord."

King Saul was one who did not obey God fully. God commanded him to "attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey."(1 Samuel 15:3). This command was given because God was punishing that nation for ambushing Israel when they came out of Egypt. (1 Samuel 15:2).

Saul did not follow fully but "spared the king and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good." (1 Samuel 15:9). The prophet Samuel came with a message that the kingdom would be taken away from this king. He demanded of Saul "Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?" (1 Samuel 15:10).

Unlike Elijah and Joshua, Saul did not "do according to the word of the Lord."

Do we have the same mind as Elijah and Joshua? When God speaks to us will we respond as they did? Has God given a command to us? What will we do with what we have clearly heard from Him?

Elijah "went and did according to the word of the Lord." We must offer the same obedience. In all our ways, we are to go and do.

　

Cherith and Carmel

Most of us have watched footage of civilians being carved into soldiers. We have seen the early mornings, constant inspections, the drill Sergeants constantly giving orders. We watch the pushups and running, the climbing of incredible obstacles and then sliding down ropes. We ache as we see the recruits running through tires and bayoneting dummies. We hear of them going out into the wilderness with limited supplies as a team and living with what is given. Their excruciating pain and training forges them for the day when they will meet the enemy face-to-face.

The hour would come when Elijah would face King Ahab, the prophets of Baal, and all Israel on Mount Carmel. He would stand alone for God as he challenged the prophets of Baal to a duel in which the god who answered by fire would be hailed as the true God.

Before that time came, he would be stripped of himself living and waiting in the Cherith ravine. "Cherith was part of the training for Carmel," wrote Alexander Maclaren.

A.W. Pink said of Elijah—"The prophet needed further training in secret if he was to be personally fitted to speak again for God in public…The man whom the Lord uses has to be kept low; severe discipline has to be experienced by him…Three more years must be spent by the prophet in seclusion. How humbling! Alas, how little is man to be trusted; how little is he able to bear being placed in the place of honor! How quickly self rises to the surface, and the instrument is ready to believe he is something more than an instrument. How sadly easy it is make of the very service God entrusts us with a pedestal on which to display ourselves."

Many today pray for the miracles of Elijah, not realizing that to ask for them is to also ask for the trials of Elijah. Do those who pray understand that God will give them the discipline that made Elijah—the fiery furnace of testing and waiting? Perhaps it is wise to be careful of what one asks for.

What Elijah Doesn't Know

 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9).

There are always things God knows that we don’t. There are many reasons for God leading Elijah to Cherith. Many of these purposes he did not understand. There are some that we can decipher from the events the Scripture tells us.

Jezebel is going to soon begin killing prophets (1 Kings 18:4). Ahab will begin a search for him and become so angry that he will make nations themselves swear that he is not there. Elijah doesn’t know that. He likely didn’t until meeting with Ahab and God’s servant in the palace Obadiah.

The people of the land are soon going to be starving. Was God protecting His prophet from seeing their need for food? Elijah may be bold toward Ahab, but what about the appeals of the innocent people who were hungry? Could Elijah stand if he daily heard the cries of the emaciated? Many bold people can withstand pain themselves but quickly succumb when forced to witness another suffer. Would such a situation tempt Elijah to do something in the flesh? Only God knew the secrets of his heart.

The absence of Elijah will speak louder than his presence will. Sometimes God sends prophets when He is angry. Other times He keeps them away. "We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet; nor is there any among us who know how long." (Psalm 74:10). "Behold the days are coming, says the Lord God, ’That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, not a thirst for water, but a hearing of the words of the Lord (Amos 8:11).

Elijah is not only being sheltered from others. He is being protected from himself. In addition to the works God is doing in the land, God is also preparing a work in the life and heart of Elijah. He is shaping him for future labour for which Elijah is not yet ready.

When God leads us in a new direction, there are usually many reasons for it. We likely will not understand all of them. In the midst of what we go through we can be certain that the Lord knows all the details and keeps from us many of the dangers we know nothing about. His ways are higher than ours.

Turn Eastward

Then the word of the Lord came to him, "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan." (1 Kings 17:2-3)

With God’s command obeyed and Ahab’s court confronted, there came another order. This one was to go into hiding east of the Jordan at a brook named Cherith. We do not know precisely where he hid but the name "Cherith" gives us a clue. The word means "to cut." This would be very descriptive of the landscape around the Northeast side of the Jordan River.

These ravines are called "wadis" and they are deep gorges where the water cuts through the land and leaves a large gorge higher than a man’s head. Sometimes the wadis are 12—40 ft. high and about 6-10 ft wide. Parts of the wadis are like Canadian Mountain streams where water can flow through places that may only be a foot across. The wadi is at the bottom of a hill that is so steep sand or other debris can slide down into it. Some wadis only fill once a year in flood season. If one is trapped in these a wall of water 10 ft. high might wash them away. Inside these wadis are many caves.

If Ahab sought for Elijah here, he wouldn’t have looked long. One can’t take a horse or a pack animal such as a camel into a wadi. Trying to ride around the sides or even to walk along them while looking down is fruitless. The searcher’s feet would soon slide out from under him and he’d be in the bottom.
One can imagine a military commander saying, "forget it, men, nobody can live here."

Yet Elijah is living there, almost impossible to find.

God may want us to speak to a king, or he may have us hide. In whatever direction he leads, He instructs us to trust in Him.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The God of Elijah is also our God. He will lead. We must trust.