Title: “Elijah Learns to Grow in his Faith” Scripture: I Ki. 17:8-16
Type: Expository Where: GNBC 10-15-23
Intro: Often our personal testing in the Christian life is used by the Lord to help meet the needs of others. I don’t think there’s a better example then that of Joni Erickson Tada. Over 50 years ago an athletic, talented, high school senior dived into a lake and broke her neck. Instantly her life was changed. Instantly she went from have full range of use of her body to being a quadriplegic. Without a doubt this was a time period of intense personal testing for a young woman. However, out of that personal testing, literally millions of people with and without physical or developmental disability have been blessed and had needs met because of Joni’s “accident”. Never lose sight of the fact that the very same events that test us can be used by the Lord to minister to others. In other words, our trials often become tools God uses to minister to others the power of Christ and the reality of God in the lives of others. This is what we see today in the life of the most famous of the OT prophets, Elijah. Christlikeness means that even in our pain we are to think of others and how God may want to use us, even in our trials, for His sake. Our culture is completely focused on self today. What’s best for me? My career, my happiness, my security, my significance, my preference…The Christ speaks to this and says “Lay down your life for me and for your brother.” In order to do this, we must grow in our faith in the trials of life. \
Prop: Let’s Learn 3 Important Lessons of Faith as we Look to the Life of Elijah.
BG: 1. This is the 2nd major test of faith in the life of Elijah. God had uniquely provided for his needs for a period of time as he was alone near Cherith, east of the Jordan River, after challenging the evil king Ahab of the northern Kingdom of Israel.
2. Events taking place sometime around 870-860 BC.
3.
Prop: In IKi. 17 we’ll realize three lessons of faith in the life of Elijah.
I. The Lord Speaks – Communication vv. 8-9
A. The Lord Speaks to His Listening People.
1. 1 of the Most Important Lessons in Learning to Live By Faith is Realizing God Speaks!
a. Notice the word that begins v. 8 “Then”. – Hebrew is a conjunction. It is a connective word in the sentence. It is linking the past events of vv.1-7 to what is going to begin new now.
b. You see, back in vv.1-7 we see that for some time the prophet had been peacefully dwelling by the brook of Cherith. God had been faithful in providing for His prophet’s needs. This had been a season of solitude for Elijah, but now the Lord is about to push the prophet out of this place. The Christian can experience God’s solitude and peace and rest, but often He is only allowing this for a season and is using it in the believer’s life in preparation for a greater ministry or service.
2. God is about to change and direct what the Prophet was doing and how he had been provided for.
a. We see in the passage that God used both natural and supernatural means to supply for the prophet while he sat sidelined in solitude. The Lord used the natural means of the water from the brook and the supernatural, the ravens who brought the prophet bread and meat. However, over a period of time, God’s provision began to literally dry up as the brook’s levels dropped lower and lower until finally it was dried up!
b. There is a lesson of application in even this section for us. The moment God’s one source of provision dried up he directed the prophet to a new means of provision. Illust – I am theologically, fiscally, and politically a conservative. I would like to think that God is too, but I am not so sure He always is! Conservatives never really want change, but God is all about change. We look at a situation and think that situation should never change. The way we do life, church, relationships, etc. should never change. Yet, here we see that God is changing how he is providing for the prophet’s most basic needs. Illust – Now most of us would have started crying and complaining that the brook dried up…possibly so much that we would have missed the “Then the word of the Lord came to him.”
B. Faith is Precipitated on the Fact that God Clearly Communicates to His People. Vv.8
1. Elijah only moves after hearing from the Lord.
a. We do not know how long Elijah was at the brook of Cherith. Possibly a couple years. Not sure. Put down roots. Became accustomed. Became content. And then one of the “sources” of his contentment literally dried up! Illust – That’s how it is in life. Relationships dry up. Employment dries up.
b. Illust: Looking back I saw this in my own life. Back in the 1980’s the economy of my town and the region of my state collapsed. My parents loved our community, relatively near family. But Dad needed a job. Moved us to SC. I had just become a Christian. No one else in my family was yet a committed Christian. Little did I know that not only was God going to use that move to see my whole family come to Christ, He was also plopping me down 10 miles of what was then one of the best evangelical seminaries in the US.
2. In order to Be in a Position of Hearing from God you Must Be in Fellowship with God.
a. Illust: Many of us will miss out on God’s leading us because we are in no position to hear from Him. What do you mean Chris? Let’s be honest, are you reading God’s Word daily? Seriously it is more important that you do that then come and listen to me, Rich, or Zach. Are you having daily OT? Are you daily praying? Are you weekly in fellowship? You see, the devil wants you and me to make life altering decision when we are out of fellowship with God and the people of God, His Church.
b. Listen very carefully. God will NEVER lead you in contradiction to His word. Period. Anger does not produce the righteousness of God. Period. Illust: Back in our first church had a young woman married to big tough Marine. Woman seemed very godly. Very concerned for husband’s salvation. She prayed for him in every meeting. Over period of 2 yrs. came to Christ. Amazing! Three months later she came to our house and told us she was divorcing husband because he wasn’t growing quickly enough in the Lord!
c. Applic- Can I offer you all a challenge? When you come to worship, turn off your phones. I guarantee you NO ONE is going to text you who is more important that the One you have come to worship. Bring paper Bibles. Not against Bibles on phone but too easy to scroll IG/FB/YT. Headphones? Text, check scores, news. First lesson of faith is put yourself in a place and position you can heard from the Lord when He speaks to you.
II. The Lord Directs – Instruction vv. 9
A. In this passage we see the Lord Instructs the Prophet with 3 Key Commands.
1. The 1st Command: “Arise!”
a. We need to notice that the Elijah did not move until there was communion with and communication from the Lord. He waited until he had clear direction from the Lord. He moved at the Word of the Lord. Now granted, this was direct revelation from the Lord. However, it is a very clear principle that even today, the Lord leads His children through His Word and through our communion with Him and His saints. Of course the Lord uses other things to give us direction such as open and closed doors, talents, interest, abilities and desires, the counsel of elders. However, He will never lead you and me in contradiction with His Word. We that happens we are in sin. We need to repent.
b. So, the first command the prophet is given is to “Arise”. Before any of us can move on in following the Lord we must arise. This can be both physically and spiritually. Obedience to the Lord is the fruit of a Christian life. It results in spiritual awakening. (Eph. 5:8) Some of us have allowed selves to lulled to sleep in spiritual life! ARISE!
2. The 2nd Command: “Go!”
a. After we “arise” we get going! “Go to Zaraphath.” “Go” – is the Hebrew word halak which usually means to walk or to go. It carries the idea of going on a journey or traveling. Illust: The Awana Class Prisca and I teach is called “Trek” because living for Jesus is an adventure! We need to wake up from our apathy! 2.5 yrs of Covid made the Western Church apathetic and self-centered! When we are not serving the Lord and others we simply sit and soak and after a while because we simply sit and soak and don’t serve we sulk and sour. Yes, God does want us to sit and soak but then He wants us to strive and serve! (Col. 1:29). Illust – Bathroom sponge. If just sits in water becomes useless and stinks. Must be wrung out to serve its purpose. God wants us to develop a vision for what He is doing, whether we are loving, if we are available, what we value, our commitments.
b. Well, God was about to “wring out” Elijah. I am sure as the brook dried to a trickle and then stopped, Elijah was happy to hear “Go!”. However, then he heard the word: “Zarephath and thought, “Oh no!” The name meant “to smelt, refine. Or test.” The verbal form means to refine through testing. This was for Elijah literally “out of the frying pan and into the fire”! None of us likes suffering. None of us likes to be refined in the fires of God’s testing! Where was God sending Elijah? Zarephath in SIDON! Who was from Sidon? Queen Jezebel! The land of Baal worship! Illust – Can I let you in on a little secret. Honestly, I felt a little bit this way when God called us to Iowa 26 yrs ago. I loved SC. Climate. Culture, History. Spiritual Life. To go to IC? “God, are you sure?” God has certainly refined much in my life in my time here. Challenges never would have had in SC. Faith opportunities.
3. The 3rd Command: “Stay there!”
a. Stay! “yashab- to live or dwell there. Can you imagine the emotions that must have stirred up in Elijah? “Lord, this really takes the cake!” Stay there??? How could I possibly stay there? What value could it be to ME?
b. Easiest thing in the world sometimes is to go. However, it takes love, commitment, tolerance, patience, determination, and service to STAY. Often God works on our character flaws by calling us to stay! Stay at that job! Stay in that marriage! Stay in that church! Stay in that neighborhood! Stay!
B. In His Instruction the Lord Gives the Prophet a Promise!
1. God Give the Prophet an Unusual Promise of Provision.
a. “Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” “Behold” is a word used to grab the reader/listener’s attention! Elijah, “Behold” Pay attention! Why Zarephath? God is about to tell why! “I have commanded a widow to provide for you!” Really? A widow? A pagan gentile widow? Widows were the poorest of the poor. IN a period drought and famine the LAST person you would want to go to for provision would be some destitute widow!
b. Friend, may I tell you another lesson of faith in the Christian life? “God’s sovereignty trumps man’s intellect.” “I have commanded a widow…” Just let that sink in! The One Who spoke the World into existence out of nothing speaks to a widow and commands her to provide for a prophet. Now listen to this…Hebrew word for “provide” means to “measure out”! We are going to see this literally fulfilled in a few moments.
2. God is the God Who can Provide in any Situation.
a. What is one of the most faith-inspiring names of God? For me it is “Jehovah Jireh”-the Lord will provide! It comes from the idea that the Lord forsees and thus provides. It was first used when Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac. God never desired to see Abrham sacrifice Isaac, however, he did want Abrham to grow in his faith. Are you in a struggle of faith right now? God forsees and God has a plan for you!
b. God is a God of Provision. The prophet needed to learn the lesson of faith that the God who could provide east of the Jordan is the God who can provide in Sidon. The God who can provide with a brook and thru ravens can also provide through a poor and destitute widow!
C. Applic: Arise, Go, and Stay, were three important lessons the prophet needed to learn in order to grow in his faith. It is the same for you and me today.
III. The Lord Supplies – Provision vv. 10-16
A. At Least Two People were about to Learn a Great Lesson in Faith.
1. Elijah confronts the widow with his need.
a. Commentators disagree as to whether the widow had known that God was sending the prophet or whether she had no knowledge. However, the day came and Elijah arrived and he made a hard request of the widow. “Please give me water to drink.” (v. 10). Now she is out gathering sticks? Why? Trying to find a little fuel to cook her final supper. Then he asks her: “While you’re at it. Please give me a little bread to eat.” Illust: I have seen some of the poorest of the poor in Haiti. Women and children, scouring the country side for discarded charcoal or sticks to sell. Filthy dirty, covered in soot. Purely subsistence. I think this woman is about at that level. Drought & famine. Now a foreigner asks for drink and morsel of food!
b. Look at v. 12 – (Read slowly.) I have read accounts of the slow starvation of the Irish in the 1840s or those millions who were forcibly starved in Ukraine by the Communists in 1921 and again in 1931-32 (Holodomor). I read the diary of an Irish widow who had one chicken who provided an egg every few days and the choice she had to make to kill the bird to provide one final meal for herself and her three children because about to starve. Elijah is putting this woman into a similar quandary. What can she do? What should she do.
2. Faith calls us to trust God above our Circumstances.
a. V.13 is a very important verse. Two very important words that must be understood if we are going to learn the lessons of faith God has for us. In my opinion those two words that are so very important are: Fear and Faith. Fear will always be the natural human reaction when God is about to teach us a lesson in faith. Fear is the antithesis of faith. Fear clings to, holds onto, and desires self-preservation, security, and rights. Both Elijah and the widow were about to learn lessons in faith. However, the woman, had to first overcome her fear! What was the fear? “If I give the last of my oil and flour to feed this man, my son and I will not have any food!” Now that is a reason to fear! Elijah tells her she must second of all FIRST trust God enough to provide for the prophet’s needs first. In order to learn the lesson of faith we must overcome our fear and put God first! (In what area of your life is God calling you to put Him first? First!)
b. Can I tell you friend that you will NEVER grow in faith until you put Christ 1st! Illust: May I ask you a very probing question. This is only for those who are here today who would say that they are committed Christians. Are you tithing? Seriously? Are you giving 1/10th of your income to the Lord’s work? (I believe tithing is one of the easiest ways to live by faith and experience God’s provision. Makes no sense that living on 90% goes further than living on 100%. True!)
B. The Prophet and the Widow Are Provided For – vv. 10-16.
1. When We Give God Our Resources He Extends them Beyond our Understanding or Comprehension.
a. Look at the passage. What happens? There is no logical explanation for what happens. It is miraculous. Read v. 14 – God’s promise to the widow! PTL! The bowl of meal never ran out and the cruz of oil never ran dry! (Woman learned lesson afresh each day! Maybe measuring line.) God knows how to extend our resources when we commit them to Him!
b. Illust: Jn. 6 we see a great crowd of probably 15-20k people are following Christ. Listening to his teaching. Far from town. Not enough money to buy bread. IN v. 6 we see Jesus asks his disciples to test them, “Where can we buy bread to feed them?” Philip starts calculating the financial cost. No faith. Andrew, comes up with the resources of a little boy’s lunch: “Five small loaves and two fish.” But then fear overtakes him: “But what are these with so many?” Christ takes the loaves and the fish and blesses them! Give your meager resources to Christ! Quit clinging to them in an attempt at self-preservation and turn them over to Christ and see Him extend them beyond anything could ever comprehend!
2. Keep your Focus on Christ and neither the conditions nor instruments of provision.
a. Think about it, God provides in the “Place of smelting” through a pagan, Sidonian widow. Wasn’t part of God’s Covenant people. Was home of the wicked queen (Jezebel), who were actually some of the peoples directly opposing Israel at that time. Beside this, she was about to face starvation herself. Not exactly someone with abundant supply who can feed anyone else.
b. Listen friend, the sources God uses often test our submission and faith. Maybe Elijah asked: “How can God possibly supply thru this Sidonian widow?” Sometimes we are inclined to ask: “How is God able to supply thru…?” The “how” is not important when comes to God. The WHO is! Never focus your eyes on the instrument or the conditions, but stay focused on the Lord! (Illust – Last year Poland. $10k check. Figured family need and individual’s need. Called Pastor Z. Do you have any need for x$K??? Yes! 30 minutes ago discussing need to cancel camp if no more money. That is the exact amount needed!)
C. Applic: Friend, can I tell you the Lord speaks, the Lord directs, and the Lord provides! No one in right mind would have sent a starving prophet in the midst of a drought and famine to a pagan widow whose larder was empty! But God did! I Cor. 1:27-29 – My God has chosen the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the strong…” God uses sources and instruments we would never choose, but in His wisdom He chooses them to accomplish more than we could ever ask or think.(Eph. 3:20)
