I am so amazed at the immense wisdom and purpose of Jesus! Originally, I wrote the main sections of this article on July 4, 2015. I now have this blog established as per His instructions, and He leads me back to this article to revise and post it. Imagine: one article, three years in the making! Jesus just amazes me every time! Hallelujah! Let’s begin to look at these valuable lessons from Elijah’s advent.
Elijah’s Advent
The Prophet Elijah was a mighty man of God. This was the prophet who went into a contest alone against four hundred and fifty of Jezebel’s Baal prophets. The Prophet Elijah won that contest by the consuming fire of God.1 Elijah was so special to God that when he was in distress, God sent an angel to feed him divine food twice.2 The Prophet Elijah’s divine encounter on the Mount Horeb gives us the knowledge today that God speaks to us in a still small voice.3 This is the second recorded man in the Bible who did see death, but was translated into heaven.4
However the Holy Spirit is leading me to talk about the lessons from Elijah’s advent or Elijah’s emergence as God’s prophet. In 1 Kings 17:1-6, we see that God used Elijah to tell evil King Ahab that there would be a three-year drought in Israel. God promptly tells Elijah to go and hide by the brook Cherith and that he would be fed there. Elijah obeyed and God used ravens to bring him food and the brook Cherith quenched his thirst. This leads to the first of our seven lessons:
LESSON 1
God will provide for His true children in unusual and miraculous ways.
This brook Cherith eventually dries up. God tells Elijah to go to the widow of Zarephath for his next source of provision. Elijah didn’t pout and demand to remain by the brook with raven concierge. He obeyed God and went to Zarephath.5
LESSON 2
It is important that as children of God, we know when God is telling us to leave. We know for sure that it is departure time when the old source of provision dries up. The Lord will tell us to move to the next place of divine provision. Be obedient and MOVE as He tells you.
Elijah gets to Zarephath (in the land of Zidon). This woman is not Jewish like him, plus she’s poor. Elijah doesn’t decide that he “missed God” on that point, Elijah remains in position and does as God instructs him.6
LESSON 3
This is probably the most obscure of the lessons. Sometimes your divine place of provision will be new and unlike your culture. The persons there may not fit your preconceived notions of what divine provision means. You may be out of your comfort zone. Cling to God and know who you are in Christ Jesus. Remain in position for your divine provision.
Elijah tells the widow to bring him a little cake out of the last meal she has. She could have told this stranger to go away. After all, first he asks for water, then he asks for food, and still even after knowing she’s dirt poor, he’s insisting on food? However the widow was obedient. God saw her faithfulness and He ensured that she had enough food for herself, her son and the Prophet Elijah.7
LESSON 4
Although Elijah was a prophet of God he was not high-handed to demand ALL of the widow’s food. He asked for a little cake. Spiritual leaders must not be exploiters and ravagers of their congregations. They must be good shepherds who truly care about the wellbeing of the flocks God has put in their care.
LESSON 5
We may be led by the Spirit of God to give sacrificially to His true servants. This is generally done, so that these men and women of God can complete their divine assignments. Let us be obedient so that we will be a blessing and receive the divine favour of God.
Soon Elijah is tested in his new place of provision. This kind and obedient widow of Zarephath own son falls sick and dies. Elijah doubts and thinks for a minute that they were being punished by God. However Elijah remains in God’s presence so that he hears the next divine instructions, which he performs and the widow’s son resurrects.8
LESSON 6
Your place of divine provision is also a place of growth in your faith walk with Jesus Christ. Do not “freak out” when troubles come. These “troubles” are not necessarily punishment. Remain in God’s presence so that you will be able to discern the nature of the difficulty. In His presence you will also receive divine instructions to bring about solutions. These solutions will not only bless you, but they will bless others and glorify your Father in heaven. Regardless of the storm, know that Jesus is in your boat with you. Rest assured that Jesus will bring calm and stability to all your situations.
After God uses Elijah to bring the widow’s son back to life, she is understandably happy. However notice what the widow of Zarephath says in 1 Kings 17:24:
“Now by this I know that thou art a man of God and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.”
Wow! This wasn’t the first miracle Elijah wrought in her presence. After all she just had her food being miraculously stretched. However it is not until the resurrection of her son that she acknowledges the power of God and God’s divine mandate for the Prophet Elijah.9
LESSON 7
This is the best of all the lessons. The ultimate blessing is God-given life through the acceptance of the message of the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.10 Life is not about meat and drink, the material things, but it is about the Word of God, even Jesus Christ who is the Bread of Life.11 Let us beware of the prosperity gospel which makes Jesus Christ like Santa Claus. Jesus is not Santa, giving us all our wants on our schedules. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior and the Good Shepherd. Let us hold fast to the Word of God alone which brings life and restoration to us all.12
I pray that your hearts have been blessed by these lessons. May the God of peace and the love of God be with you all. I pray for us in accordance with Ephesians 3:20-21:
“Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that work[s] in us,
Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Blessings, peace and wisdom upon you,
Sophia.
- 1 Kings 18:20-40.
- 1 Kings 19:1-8.
- 1 Kings 19:9-18, with emphasis on verses 11, 12 and 13.
- Please read Genesis 5:21-24 and 2 Kings 2:9-12.
- 1 Kings 17:7-10.
- 1 Kings 17:8-12.
- 1 Kings 17:10-16.
- 1 Kings 17:17-22; Mark 4:37-41.
- 1 Kings 17:23-24.
- Please read John 3:16-18; 1 John 1:3-10; Romans 10:8-13; Hebrews 2:9-18; Hebrews 9:11-28.
- Please also see John 6:26-27, 35, 47-51; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:14-18.
- James 4:1-10; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 John 4:1-4; 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7-8.