1 Kings 17 -- Ministering To Gentiles And Revealing God's Will To Unrepentant Jews

The environment wasn't the best for a Jewish prophet.  The nation of Israel had split and the northern kingdom of Israel was ruled by wicked King Ahab and his terribly wicked wife Jezebel.  She was doing everything she could to wipe out worship of Jehovah and replace it with worship of the storm God Baal.

It was time for the semiannual rains, but they hadn't begun, so a drought had been going on for 6 months already.  "The blessing of the semiannual rains depended on the people obeying the covenant of the Lord.  God warned the people that their disobedience would turn the heavens to bronze and the earth into iron in Deut. 28:23-24 ... The people were following Baal, not Jehovah, and the Lord could not send the promised rain and still be faithful to His covenant.  God always keeps His covenant, whether to bless the people for their obedience or to discipline them for their sins," my commentary said.

God didn't give Elijah a 3-year-plan to follow, but instead first directed him to Kerith Ravine where He provided water from a brook along with bread and meat delivered by what the Jews considered detestable birds declared unclean.  My commentary said they weren't delivering carrion that they'd normally eat, but meat and bread God provided.

God then moved Elijah to a city close to Jezebel's hometown by drying up the brook.  Elijah was told by God to live with a widow and her son.  Widows were the lowest people on the economic ladder in those days, yet Elijah gratefully accepted the assignment and reassured the woman that God would keep them fed, which He did.  Miraculously, flour and olive oil never failed to materialize the the storage containers she had.  My commentary pointed out that "the will of God will never lead us where the grace of God cannot keep us and care for us, and Elijah knew this from experience."  "We are prone to look at the bucket and forget the fountain.  God has frequently to change His means of supply to keep our eyes fixed on the source," my commentary added.

"This is the first recorded instance in Scripture of the resurrection of a dead person."  The mother felt guilty because of her past sins, perhaps believing they caused her sons death.  "Elijah carried the boy upstairs and cried out to the Lord for the life of the child.  He couldn't believe that the Lord would miraculously provide food for the three of them and then allow the son to die."  This miracle resulted in the woman's public confession of her faith in the God of Israel ... "Elijah proved the power of God in Baal's own home territory, so he was now ready to challenge and defeat Baal in the kingdom of Israel," my commentary said.

"Our Lord's emphasis was on the grace of God.  He wanted the proud Jewish congregation in the synagogue to realize that the God of Israel was also the God of the Gentiles and that both Jews and Gentiles were saved by putting their faith in Him."

Father, thank You for giving me an opportunity to minister to someone today outside of my normal circle of friends.  Use me to lead him closer to You.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford