Elijah was a Tishbite from Tishbe in Gilead. His name meant ‘Jehovah is God’. So for Elijah, his name was his testimony and also his calling which he was to proclaim to the people. In 1 Kings 17:1 we see him come onto the scene with these words ‘…Surely, as the Lord God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be no rain…”. He dared to stand up to King Ahab (we read in 1 Kings 16:30 that Ahab was a bad king and did evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of the kings before him). Elijah knew the consequences of going head to head with the King, yet he was emboldened by God to speak God’s judgment on the King and the people who worshipped Baal.
First divine act of provision
After the famine began, there was a miraculous provisioning for Elijah through ravens and water from a brook. God directs the ravens to feed Elijah. Elijah got bread and meat delivered by the ravens…makes me think of a hamburger. God provided food both in the morning and the evening, showing that God provides in fullness for his children. He certainly doesn’t do things in half and halves. What is interesting however is that ravens are scavenging birds – they devour food greedily for themselves. They don’t carry food for others. This was an act of God against the natural order of creation. This was an amazing act of divine miraculous providence.
Many times we encounter ‘ravens’ in your life? They may be people who are ungodly, enemies of God and you, oppressors who make life difficult. You would not expect much from them. Yet God can use those same ‘ravens’ to miraculously provide for you in ways you don’t ever imagine or expect. These people may not have any regard for God or people yet when you persist in following God, God uses such people to bring about his bigger purposes. Jesus when talking about the Parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18 mentioned that although the judge had no regard for God nor fear of people, yet because of the widow’s persistence he would give the justice that she needed.
The water brook then eventually dries up. Elijah may have been frustrated at this outcome. He must have become comfortable living by the brook, getting fed regularly by the ravens. Many a times, the natural has to give way to the supernatural so that God’s power can be made manifest in our lives. Elijah had to be made uncomfortable so God’s purposes can be fulfilled in His life and through his life for the nation and therefore God had to move him on.
Second divine act of provision
Elijah was ordered to go to Zarephath to a widow. In those days, widows were looked down upon and treated as outcasts or second class citizens. They weren’t expected to provide for others since they themselves didn’t have much themselves. In those days and even today some categories of people are seen as insignificant and worthless – may be you feel that way. Let this story be an encouragement that you matter to God however insignificant you think you are. So it would be healthy for you this year to get those negative thoughts out of your mind and look at your as how God sees you. He sees you as his precious child – not as someone insignificant. God knitted us in our mother’s womb says the Psalmist and also engraved us in the palm of his hands. We were in the mind of God even before we were conceived and after we are conceived we continue to be in the safety of the palms of his hands.
Notice the urgency of the command to Elijah. “Go at once”. God knew the situation of the widow and he cared for her and he sent his prophet urgently to her. He knew that if He (or Elijah) delayed then the widow and her son may not be alive. God tells Elijah that he ‘directed’ the widow to provide for Elijah so we see God working in the background. To us many times, things catch us off guard or we wonder how suddenly a miracle happened and wonder whether it was a coincidence or luck or pure chance. Seldom do we give God the glory for continuing to work in the background. Nothing escapes him or catches him off guard. He is constantly at work in the lives of his children.
Elijah must have been surprised even perplexed – why is God sending him to a widow ? What can she provide and more so in a time of famine. Why not to a rich person’s house or to a person of influence. We later realise that this was a test for Elijah as much as it was for the widow. Often the widow is heralded as the hero and that is true in one sense, but the learning here was for Elijah too. It was a preparation for what was to come at Mt.Carmel and even afterwards.
The Widow’s faith
The widow resided in the Region of Sidon – north of Israel, outside the region of King Ahab. She was therefore in Gentile territory. When she comes into the picture we see her at the Town gate – outside the normal city precinct and gathering sticks (for her last meal).
Elijah asks her for water and a piece of bread. This widow recognizes the prophet and his God. We see in 1 Kings 17:12 that she says ‘As surely as the Lord your God lives…’. We know this because God directed her to provide for Elijah. She didn’t run and hide because of shame or guilt. She was obedient to God.
She admits to not having any bread but a handful of flour and some olive oil and that she was gathering a few sticks to make a meal for herself and her son so they can eat their last meal and die.
Many of us may be in that widow’s position – we are on the edge, given up hope already or on the verge of giving up. We have stopped trusting, we are afraid and ready to eat our last meal and die. Some are not willing to admit the truth of their despairing situation and seek God while there are others who know God but rely on their own abilities to accomplish the impossible.
Don’t be afraid
1 Kings 17:13 says ‘Don’t be afraid’. This was an encouragement to not be discouraged and disheartened by one’s circumstances rather to trust in the Lord.
Elijah’s request to the widow for a small loaf for him and then to go make one for the widow and her son was unreasonable, even ridiculous. There won’t be enough for the prophet and her and her son. It is very easy to trust God when one is comfortable but very difficult to trust and rely on God when you have nothing. When God asks you to do the impractical and impossible, will you complain / grumble or be obedient? We remember what God wanted to accomplish in Luke 1 in Mary’s life by using her as an instrument to bring Jesus into the world. Mary was unsure of how it would happen – yet she trusted God because she knew she was highly favored and a handmaiden (servant) of the Lord. She asked God to do to her as he would please.
The widow obeyed and received her miracle. She and her son were well fed all through that famine. They didn’t lack anything. God provided for her immediate need.
The miracle of a restored Life
The widow lost her son to death. She rescued him once in the famine, but now she lost him to sickness altogether. How heartbroken would she have been to lose her only son? All that she had was her son and now he was no more.
She immediately went to Elijah and asked him whether he had come to her to remind her of her sin and kill her son. God is not one who would punish us according to our sin and shortcomings. He doesn’t give us what we deserve rather gives us what we don’t deserve – his mercy. The widow had to learn that lesson the hard way like many of us do. God doesn’t hold our past against us. We often live in fear of the past. It continues to haunt us but God wants to give us a new future. A future of blessing and one by which we can give him the utmost glory. For the widow her past sins came back into her mind and she feared that the Lord and his prophet had punished her for her sins by taking away her son.
But for the supernatural to be manifested, the natural has to give way. God demands all that we have, so that we can follow him wholeheartedly. For the widow, it was her only son so she can learn to be dependent on God for everything.
Elijah pleaded with the Lord and the Lord heard him and restored the boy’s life. Elijah then gave him back to his mother. The mother received her miracle again – only this time she got back what was very precious to her.
Both the mother and Elijah trusted the Lord for his provision. For the widow she trusted the Lord to provide her food for sustenance and her only son’s life. For Elijah, there was also a test – the food from the ravens, the water from the brook, the food from the widow and the boy being brought back to life. All this was preparation for Elijah for what he would face in the days to come. His faith in Jehovah was being strengthened.
Often there are three things that we struggle with in difficult circumstances…
1) We give up easily (on ourselves and on God). We look at our natural circumstances forgetting that we serve a miracle-working God who has promised to provide for his people. God never gave up on us. He continues to pursue us in his love. The widow was ready to give up based on her situation. She needed a boost of confidence. She needed her miracle.
2) We hesitate to obey God. It is so easy to follow when everything is easy. So easy to give a little of what we have. But God demands our everything and our all…our whole being. Obedience is what God desires.
3) We let our past dictate our future. Our sins, wrongdoings, discouragements, disappointments from the past often cloud our picture of who our God is and what he is capable of doing for us. God has forgiven us and forgotten our past. He has given us a fresh, new lease of life. Our failures in life are never final, rather stepping-stones towards success.
Today is an opportunity for you to make a genuine commitment and resolution for the year ahead. Make a resolution to Trust God no matter what the circumstances. Trust Him for his providence in your life in every area. Resolve today to trust God in every aspect of your life. Whether that be for your spiritual life, your job, your family, your husband/wife/children, for provisions, for the future. In everything seek to trust in God and do His will and all these other things will be added to you.
Transcript of a sermon preached by Julian on 1 Jan 2015 in a house church of 200 in Visakhapatnam, India
Julian's Adventures of Faith 