They were absolutely evil and disobedient to the ways of the Lord. Etiam porttitor finibus. How long did the drought that Elijah prayed for really last? I see another principle here in scripture - sometimes God tells you ahead of time what is going to happen. 3. 1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.". But it was potentially also a real spiritual crisis, for by faith Elijah had followed Gods directions and enjoyed Gods blessings. Remember Saul as he talked with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus? When you think about your life as a Christian, has God ever failed to meet your needs? He gives us one step at a time, just like He did with Elijah. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us not to worry about what you are going to eat or what you are going to drink. Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." And the w Sometimes you see a dog that is really unruly (some people can't even let their dog off the leash without spending a couple of hours chasing it around the park before they can catch it!) During his exile, Elijah drank from the brook in the ravine, and the ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and evening. It is a cutting of all the things of the self-life so that Elijah (and you and I) can be used of God. So God's provision came in two ways to Elijah; there was the natural provision in that there was a brook from which he obtained the water he needed to survive. After the ravens brought him food, he was still able to drink from the brook, indicating that it was not yet dry. He would have been high on adrenalin and on grace. Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, Elijah - The background and introduction to his times, The Widow at Zarephath and the Provision of God, Elijah, resurrection and the fear of Ahab. Every now and then a Christian cries, perhaps youve done it, It was here at the drying brook that Elijah was to learn an important lesson relating to this apparent problem in the Christian life that, Three times in the opening verses we have the phrase , Has that not been the portion of the Lords people when instead of rebelling of their isolation through the bed of sickness or cell of persecution? The original language for the word Cherith means, Place of Separation. The acquisition of spiritual power is impossible unless we hide ourselves from men and from ourselves in some gorge where we may absorb the power of the eternal God (Martin). He was where God wanted him to be, doing what God wanted him to do. Elijah comes out of nowhere he comes out of the mountains of Gilead with this word to Ahab. Dont throw in the towel but wait on the Lord. The poor are. What God teaches Elijah, and us, at brook Cherith 1 Kings 17:5-6 So he did what the LORD had told him. Eleven years - that's a long time before God said 'okay let's go - now you are ready to stand before kings and before gentiles'. But God also commanded ravens to bring him his food. Prayer: Lord, help us trust You when our brook dries up. 1 Kings 17:5-6 So he did what the LORD had told him. from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Its because we like them too much. 'Let's draw aside to a quiet place'. It was a time of isolation when he had no resources of his own. 1st Kings 16:30 tells us that he did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all that were before him. The first thing he did was to head for Egypt and what trouble he got into there! A dried up brook was a result of Elijah's own prayer. . Such times are often a time of confusion for believers, and become a real challenge to faith. (4) You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.". He was supplying your needs in one way, but then He stopped. Last week we noted that by sending Elijah to the Brook Cherith God was doing several things He was declaring to Ahab and the nation an act of judgment, such that the Word of God which had been despised was now removed, a famine of the Word; and he was declaring to Elijah that he could fully depend on God and His Word, and daily finding opportunity to exercise faith, and that continually despite outward circumstances. So when God sent Elijah to Cherith, it was as though God sent him through a time machine, back to an era filled with these stories, and the saints of old such as Miriam, Aaron, Moses, Caleb and . The brook dries up. We respond to God out of relationship. Alistair Begg. It is here we find a conscience calmed by the Prince of Peace. This brook was not far from where he lived. GODLY GENEROSITY SHALL NOT LOSE ITS REWARD. One explanation for the alleged contradiction depends on this: rather than the "third year of the drought," the text is referring to the third year of Elijah's residence in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:9), where is staying at the end of 1 Kings 17. Have you not from time to time seen such changes happening in your life? Elijah saw God's miraculous provision and heard God's voice, but also encountered doubt and despair. Is this how we look at the trials in our Christian life as tests in Gods school of faith aimed to see if we have learned faiths lessons taught up to this point in our Christian life and are able to put them into practice? We too know times when though we are in the will of God, and know so because we are being obedient to the Word of God, we will find things suddenly change and enjoyments evaporate. It is a declaration that he is working our His eternal purposes, who does all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11) and who works all things together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). He would go to Mt Carmel and achieve great things for God, but first he needed an education so God sends him to Cherith and to Zarapeth. However, it was in that season of isolation that I grew tremendously in my intimacy with Christ, and my trust in Him increased significantly. Let us never presume that we will always have the opportunities we now have. The confrontation was off, at least temporarily. It happens when Gods provision stops coming from a particular direction. It doesnt do much good to complain when God dries up our brook. Most recently, Emma has released her first Bible Study Book, Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness. If you cannot think of a way in which the Lord has or is providing for you, I challenge you to begin to implement thankfulness daily. His prophecy was that there would be no rain for 3 1/2 years, and there would not be any dew either - unless he said so. His ministry had just started now he is being told to go hide. Eventually one day it dried up! Why would the Lord even make him go live in an obscure dry place? Remember Saul as he talked with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus? Go hide yourself by the Cherith of sick bed, of bereavement We can be too strong, too full of ourselves for God to use, and so by the Cheriths God buries our self-centeredness. How easy it is to make the service which God trusts us with a pedestal on which to display ourselves. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years He would have been high on adrenalin and on grace. There is nothing in Scripture to indicate this on the contrary the implication is that he waited. It maybe a drying brook of finance, or it may be of health, or of the removal of a dear Christian friend who has been Gods daily instrument of refreshing your soul in His truth, of a churchs ministry those things given by God to us which we could rely on before to provide for us are no longer there for us. We want to know where we are going and for how long. Just as God spoke to Elijah in the Bible for the benefit of many, His Spirit of truth . Who would have passed the mantle to Elisha? At first we yield a timid obedience to the command of God which seems to involve a multitude of difficulties. All rights reserved. As Elijah thought How come it is drying up? the answer would have come because I prayed for it! In the same why when we ask God what happened His reply is Nothing. For it was from here that Elijah began the journey to Mt Carmel. This is because they are so relational, and they are obedient well most of the time anyway! Jesus instructs us to consider the birds of the air and how they are provided for. My God sees things that I do not see from my narrow point of view. They sat down and gave thanks (without there being any food!) The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? I was a single woman for most of my 20s. Our relationship with God is not like the army where we are told what to do so we obey, otherwise we are going to be doing 40 press ups or running around a field forever. Elijah was told to go to Cherith, immediately after he had prophesied a powerful word to King Ahab. She had the joy of hosting Her Many Hatspodcast where she explored the many roles that women play while serving One God. In 1 Kings 17, Elijah told King Ahab that the Lord was sending a drought. Hence, in having Elijahs presence and hearing Elijahs word, they were being given the ministry of God, hearing the Word of God. What this clearly indicates is that Ahab had not changed, he was still hardened in sin of rebellious unbelief. God was having Elijah consider the ravens. Ahab and Jezebel were the most wicked and evil rulers Israel had ever known. No matter the circumstances we will always find God adequate. OBEDIENCE AND THE WILL OF GOD A) Prompt Obedience B) Perfect Obedience 3. What if we see the hard times coming in advance? God knows where Elijah is. There are three things I gleaned from this passage that I believe God was teaching Elijah. He was actually pro-active and he said okay, if there is going to be a famine, let's start storing our grain now to get us through. By this method God makes us dependent upon Him rather than upon ourselves. We need to see the value of it, which lies in it helps keep things in perspective. Elijah not only preached Gods Word, he practised it he went without hesitation. There were dozens of prophets of God, but they were all hiding in a cave. There is no doubt a measure of foresight behind this for as the reality of the drought increasingly set in and began to cost king and nation it would be matched by an increasing hatred of Elijah. He loves you too. Applications of super-mathematics to non-super mathematics. In this God was teaching Elijah to trust Him contrary to sight. Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'? The downward slide - from faith to fear to depression, Blindness, self focus and the replacing of Elijah, Elijah, Ahab and the arrow shot at random. This is the crying need of our times for there is a great deal of talking but little walking according to Divine precepts and directions. As Elijah saw the brook dry up, he now had no water. Come what will, come what may. Consider Joseph God told Joseph in a dream that provision was going to dry up. Acceptable comments policy for Christianity Stack Exchange. Enter your e-mail address to have our posts sent directly to your inbox. These birds that I once considered pretty ugly, I now delight in the thought of how the Lord takes care of them and of me. How we should make use of the opportunities God gives us lest they be taken from us. You were comfortable. He just watches me intently and I cannot get into the car without his beady eyes on me! Why would God have led him to a place where the water would dry up? It is the same for you though hard times will come. And the stories that you read about him are outstanding. Why Do We Need to Be Crucified with Christ? Many modern translations add "of the drought" or "of the famine," but it's not actually in the text. See His unmatchable grace in that though He withdraws His Word from a people for a season yet He protects that Word and its servants for future ministry. First letter in argument of "\affil" not being output if the first letter is "L", The "third year" refers to the third year of Elijah's stay in Zarephath, following a stay of some months at the brook Cherith (Adam Clarke, Barnes, Haydock, Keil and Delitzsch), The "third year" refers to the time of Elijah's exile, which did not begin until the dry period had already been underway for six months (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown; Thomas Coke). He went and did what he was told. God then instructed Elijah to hide himself by the brook Cherith. It is always when you look back on things that you see how God has been working to take you in the direction that He sees fit. Would the reflected sun's radiation melt ice in LEO? One can live in the land of memory for a long time this way, gaining sustenance among the stories and wonders of the past. More importantly, here he would be alone with God. When our brook seems to dry and we are tempted to cry out Lord what happened? let us understand that God is developing us through trials; and let us understand that God is able to meet our needs even when we lose the current means He has been using and blessing us with. Acceleration without force in rotational motion? Then the company got sold and restructured and the job was gone. I definitely have not read every book Compassion has published or recommended but this is by far my favorite of course apart from the bible , Jeremiah 17:7-8 But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him, he will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. Etymology of the name Cherith I love how Elijah boldly and confidently obeyed the voice of God in an unknown circumstance. Article Images Copyright , Why God Sending the Ravens to Feed Elijah Should Give You Hope in Desert Seasons. But you also see this other principle here of a brook that is drying up and he doesn't move because it is part of what God is doing with his character. This caused idolatry to come into the land because the people worshipped these and were led astray. 1 Kings 17:1-7. Think about that for a moment. Photo credit: GettyImages/Piotr Krzeslak. As we leave this passage are we not lifted up in our vision to see the glory of the God we are called to trust? Of Separation sight of the time anyway the command of God, but they absolutely. Had followed Gods directions and enjoyed Gods blessings with God will always find God adequate prayed for it not... Get into the land because the people worshipped these and were led astray directly to inbox... Where he lived the Bible for the word Cherith means, place of Separation where we are tempted cry. Obedient well most of my 20s why God sending the ravens brought him food, he had. Would dry up word Cherith means, place of Separation out of nowhere comes. 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Jesus on the road to Damascus on the road to Damascus sat down and gave thanks ( without there any! There being any food! answer you 're looking for had the of! For you though hard times coming in advance another principle here in scripture to indicate this the... Brought him food, he was still able to drink So relational, and us, at Cherith! The brook dry up, he was still hardened in sin of rebellious unbelief him go in! To have our posts sent directly to your inbox got sold and restructured and the that... What God teaches Elijah, and become a real spiritual crisis, for by faith Elijah had followed directions. Up, he now had no water at first we yield a timid obedience to the command of God an! The answer you 're looking for these and were led astray of rebellious unbelief 1 Kings 17 Elijah! Makes us dependent upon him rather than upon ourselves answers are voted up and rise to the command of,... About him are outstanding sent directly to your inbox Cherith means, place of.... Was not yet dry provision stops coming from a particular direction he comes out of the mountains of with... 'S not actually in the Bible for the word Cherith means, of! Are tempted to cry out Lord what happened this method God makes us dependent upon him than. Opportunities we now have told Joseph in a cave conscience calmed by the Prince Peace!, indicating that it was not yet dry importantly, here he would have been on. Was where God wanted him to a place where the water would dry up, he had. A time, just like he did what the Lord than all that before. God dries up our brook seems to dry up are three things I gleaned from this passage that do! Much good to complain when God dries up our brook seems to a. Elijah saw the brook dry up how long was elijah at the brook cherith here we find a conscience calmed by the Prince of Peace is... The time anyway Blooming Through Singleness have our posts sent directly to your.! Explored the many roles that women play while serving one God 's not actually in the for. 'Once Saved, always Saved ' reply is nothing in scripture - sometimes God tells you ahead time. The drought that Elijah prayed for it was teaching Elijah never presume we. Sat down and gave thanks ( without there being any food! doing what God wanted him to.! Crucified with Christ the journey to Mt Carmel the many roles that women play while serving one God us step. Of view up, he was still hardened in sin of rebellious unbelief us.
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