1 Kings 17:2-24 ~ So Elijah went and did according to the Word of the Lord

 

 

1 Kings 17:2-24

2 And the Word of the Lord came to him: 3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 

5 So Elijah went and did according to the Word of the Lord. 

He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”

 10 So Elijah arose and went to Zarephath. 

And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks.

And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 

13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” 

15 And she went and did as Elijah said. 

And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. 

And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 

19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 

21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, 
“O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.” 

22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. 

And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 

23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 

24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

The Scriptures are so necessary. A path during difficulties and peace. Way. The necessary of real situations, sometimes messy, sometimes baffling and painful. Truth. And all of God's Promises. Life. God says abundant life.

I Kings 17: 1

17 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.”

If you sit with High School Students, or people of the Church, doing a Bible Study on Abundant Life and questions are asked. 

And eventually... in a long Bible Study book on Abundant Life, eventually, you are going to find no one is answering the questions. Why? Life doesn't seem very abundant, like the years before the Pandemic, in a time of great employment numbers for all people. Ennuie.  Nous sommes ennuyes.

Or in 1942, the setting for "Mrs. Miniver" the Academy Award-winning movie of pre-World War II.  So many choices about every day life, we have taken for granted. Peace time isn't terrifying. One day tells its tale to the next.

And then in each life, something will occur. Personally, Nationally, Close by tragically, Medically, Family changed forever, Domestically or Weather. It won't be something a parent, aunt, uncle or grandparent knew a lot about.

And the lesson from 1 Kings 17 is alive again.

Consider Charleston, SC

Charleston survives, thrives and renews.

And this wasn't a hugely bouncing era:

Yet, Charleston began to come back, renew. As dead as Ezekiel's dry bones, these

bones began to take on Life and to be Abundant.

John 10

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 

11 I am the good shepherd. 

The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

The Bible is a road map to overcoming.  Today, we had a good rainstorm at my house. We missed out on a huge rain last week. Yet, you have to be glad for others to have the good news of rain.  With successful rain in the area, (the waters are biblically stirred) and then one, then another and someone, then all are going to have widespread healing occur. Rain!

And like Charleston renewals ... and revivals, then rain, and more rain, and abundant rain will happen. Faith. Time. Expectation.

Charleston began to share. You need dinner plates. I have napkins. Your shutter fell down, I know how to fix this. My steps need repair, you have spare lumber. I can help push your wall straight. And your family comes, I have a tea service. She has tea. And your next door neighbor just received Sugar. More sugar, please. 

Charleston hospitality became an example during the 1920s Golden Age. Delight to celebrate after World War II.  More colleges drew more people.

The example of 1 Kings 17.

Faith. To be placed where God intended you. Community of Church. Hearing the Word. 

The people of Charleston were never famous for vengeance.  Consider the days of Jesus as living in Judah as Grace upon Grace. Jesus Christ mentioned 1 Kings 17 and the widow of Zarephath, the people wanted to stone Jesus to death or toss Him off a cliff. There is some serious repression going on - there.

Hospitality of 1 Kings 17, water, flour, shelter, when inconvenient

Hebrews 13:2 

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, 

for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

1 Peter 4:9 

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Romans 12:13 

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Matthew 25:34-46 

Then the King will say to those on his right, 

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, 

inherit the kingdom prepared for you 

from the foundation of the world. 

For I was hungry and you gave me food, 

I was thirsty and you gave me drink, 

I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 

I was naked and you clothed me, 

I was sick and you visited me, 

I was in prison and you came to me.’ 

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, 

or thirsty and give you drink? 

And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, 

or naked and clothe you?' 

Fear

When was it easy to share for Charleston? 

And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”

It wasn't a power game of take. This was: I need help, you might need help and I will give to you again later. Trust. It wasn't a game of power, give to me, I will like that. This was a time of trust, when circumstance was difficult.  Indeed. 

Mercy

And then circumstances were even. Mellow. Peaceful. All people rested comfortably. Until:

One person had health and comfort and the next one would have a child die.  Comfort faces extreme distress.  Words are spoken. Trust is thrust aside. 

Elijah met Naaman. Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.  And Elijah gave Naaman directions. Which were not a respectful or attention direct miracle. Naaman had to forgo pride and do as Elijah told him. When he found, the Lord had given Naaman his heart's desire for doing as 1 Kings 17. Do as the Lord asks of you.

Elijah meets with his own Naaman in 1 Kings 17.  The widow flies in his face, rejects his trustworthiness, and flouts being kept alive. Life. Big Deal, Now Help Me.

Elijah is called to repay the kindness with humility and doing his very soul best to trust the Lord again.

Even in the time of fellowship, mercy and grace will be asked again. The people of Charleston faced homes without fathers, sons and even grandfathers. Loss was surely experienced. Mercy

was given again and again.

Expectation. Faith and Trust. Mercy.

Mercy

Most of the extreme work in 1 Kings 17

is Mercy

Elijah wasn't asked to build a house or a barn. The widow of Zarepheth wasn't asked to scrub the floor, till wheat, plant 1,000 acres. She didn't dig a well.  When the son was dying, Elijah wasn't asked to give his Kidney.

Most of the action is prayer, expectation of good. Mercy.  Kind deeds and words. Forgiveness.

Jesus never expected His disciples to be able to feed 5,000 or even 1,000. Jesus never said, one of you, lift down the paralyzed man.  He did expect them to share and go among the people to bring what was on hand. To share. The Gifts God has provided.

Way. Life. Truth.

This is rebuilding, renewal and revival. Because a fight this strong, makes the Battle His.

We hope for His Mercy, we give His Mercy.

Abba, our Father,

Thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ.

Thank You for the gift of Salvation in Jesus Christ.

Thank You for the gift of seeing Jesus

washing feet

after His Feet were washed.

Jesus the Blessing

of Sharing His Blessings.

Jesus giving us the understanding of You,

Your Exact Nature.

Jesus brings us the Kingdom Today.

Your Blessings Renew Daily.

Thank You, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Let us Bless the Lord

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Thanks be unto the Lord