The House of Ahab (5)

The House of Ahab (5)

Last time we saw the sudden and unexpected appearance of Elijah as he confronted Ahab; God’s messenger warned, that God would implement Sanctions against Israel’s sin and rebellion, with immediate effect. God would withhold the rain from that nation that had rejected His Word and discredited His holy name. While the judgment of God was being pored upon that sinful and wicked nation of Israel, we get a glimpse of how in the midst of such desperate circumstances, God miraculously Sustains His redeemed people.

1Kings 17 2And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. 5So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

While God judged the land of Egypt and Pharaoh, He sustained His people in Goshen; and so we have another example of this in 1Kings 17. Elijah was directed by God’s Word to Cherith; the Word of God was ‘a lamp to his feet and a light unto his path’. If God’s people in a time of crisis are ever to be Sustained, then they must be first of all Refreshed. In obedience to God’s commandment, Elijah found Refreshing at the brook Cherith. It was there that God refreshed His child at the beginning and end of each day; God’s servant commenced and concluded each day with a portion from the Lord. ‘The House of Ahab’ had nothing to offer Elijah; yet God instructed the crows to feed His servant, morning and evening. This man from Gilead was being taught that, ‘Godliness with contentment is great gain’; ‘And having food and raiment let us be therewith content’ (1Tim6:6&8) Remember how the Saviour admonished His disciples to come aside to be Refreshed; ‘Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while:’ (Mrk6:31)

1Kings17: 7And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. 8And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. Elijah follows the instruction of the Lord and comes to Zarephath; he had undertaken a very dangerous journey right through drought stricken Israel and had arrived where the fury of Jezebel was being vented. Here the prophet of God’s strength was to be Restored; not only so but also that of the widow and her son. The thought of Restoration is found in these words ‘And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruise of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah’ God restored the meal and the oil so that the supply was guaranteed. In the most unlikely place and with the most unlikely means, God Restores His servants. How appropriate are the words of Psalm23 ‘The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

So often, God’s people are inclined to misunderstand a situation that God allows to develop; the widow was greatly distressed when her son died; in a moment of deep anxiety and despair she chided the man of God. 17And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? Yet the Lord was working all things together for the good of His people and for the greater glory of His thrice holy name. What is being taught here is Revival; only the power of Almighty God could raise the dead; only the power of God could revive the nation of Israel again. The passage that we have viewed shows the simple but all important steps to Revival blessing for God’s people; first there must be Refreshing and then Restoration; with these two steps taken, then the people of God can pray aright for and receive Revival blessing. ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’ (2Chron7:14)

Rev Mervyn Cotton (Heb13:6)