Thus, if he lived at Cherith for some months, and this time is added to the 2+ years he lived in Zarephath, the time mentioned by Jesus and James (3 years, 6 months) is not necessarily contradictory to the 1 . Did he lay aside his worship giving himself to anxiety, relentless pacing backwards and forwards? Elijah waited for God to act. Sometimes God has to force us into it. Elijah walked by faith even when things seemed to get worse. That which had driven him to hunt Christians, now drove him to serve Christ. Did Richard Feynman say that anyone who claims to understand quantum physics is lying or crazy? The modern application of 1 Kings 17 is that even when trials dry up our resources and our prosperity and we are in God's will (because there will be times when Christians are outside His will and He will take provision away in discipline) God is still in control. Elijah obeys and goes to Zarephath . Prior to this, but after the beginning of the drought, Elijah lived by the brook Cherith for an unspecified length of time (1 Kings 17:5). Wall shelves, hooks, other wall-mounted things, without drilling? Maintain your trust and continue your worship. Mark. Even when things appear to have got out of control we can trust God that He is absolutely in control and always will be, that He is accomplishing His sovereign will, and that what He is doing is always the best thing for us. And the word of the Lord came to him: "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the . Elijah demonstrated his complete dependence on God by waiting for Him to tell him what to do next. 1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.". God is disciplining Israel with a drought. Only you can answer that but you need to hear from God just as we saw that Elijah waited upon the Lord. In this even Jesus was not exempt, for in Hebrews 5:8 we read that, Think about that for a moment. (iii) trust God contrary to sight he waited. James and Luke say the drought lasted for three and a half years. Since our start, we've aided two companies in their pursuit to help victims of human trafficking and have donated over $1,000 to The Exodus Road as well as made donations to spread the Gospel by partnering with Living Waters and Answers in Genesis. Remember Saul as he talked with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus? In this God moves us more into the centre of Gods will, or moves us into something better. It is a place where God provides and we receive his provision. And the stories that you read about him are outstanding. In the light of this we are to understand that the drying brook was an important trial to see if he had learnt the lessons up to this point which he had. 7 After a while the brook dried up because of the lack of rain. He went and did what he was told. Christianity Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for committed Christians, experts in Christianity and those interested in learning more. CHERITH, THE BROOK kr' th ( , LXX , meaning brook of cutting).A stream or valley E of the Jordan. Originally posted at https://www.pinterest.com/pin/251990541632996864/. Since that single stream of water was his lifeline, he checked it carefully. Are there developed countries where elected officials can easily terminate government workers? I read about George Mueller during the week and I thought this man is unbelievable. There was too much of Saul about it his desire, his enthusiasm, his determination as to what comes next and how it will be done. Here in the isolated region he would be safe from the searching and potentially murderous wrath of the king. [ imber, signifies heavy rain. That is the lesson that was being stamped on Elijahs heart and mind during this time and will be on ours as well, both by the Word this day and by Gods gracious dealings every day. 1 Kings 17:3 Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.. As I mentioned before, I believe that since God had already commanded the ravens, if Elijah hadn't obeyed, God would still have been . In answering this let us note that Elijahs removal was: The first thing we notice here is that this was not Elijahs idea, it was the Lords doing. God told Elijah, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there" (1 Kings 17:9). And indeed, twice daily, in the morning and in the evening, the ravens came and brought him bread and meat from the royal table of the King of Judah . God is committed to us to give us what we need. They sat down and gave thanks (without there being any food!) God saw the need for Elijah to keep things in perspective, and there is nothing like quiet times where we are alone with the Lord to help us find that. The above picture shows the distance of Zarephath to the Cherith brook. What we see in Elijah is that even though he didnt know what was going to happen next. We first meet Elijah in 1 Kings 17:1 when he suddenly appears to challenge Ahab, an evil king who ruled the northern kingdom from 874 to 853 BC. God may teach and test us but He never deserts us. And like Elijah trusting in God's direction at the Brook Cherith and like the widow of Zarephath, we must show God our faith and trust in Him by our actions (James 2:17-18). The story of Joseph is one of the most amazing stories - he went from prison to the right hand of the ruler of Egypt in one day, but God had His reasons for putting Joseph there. Could you observe air-drag on an ISS spacewalk? Our brook can be health or prosperity, or perhaps a relationship that is not going well. Let us remember that though such times may come upon us unexpectantly, but they are never unexpected to God. This post will lightly cover 1 Kings 17 with a sermon from Community Bible Church. In this even Jesus was not exempt, for in Hebrews 5:8 we read that He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. When the streams of provision turn into trickles 1 Kings 17:7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Elijah by the brook Cherith. Karen. God knows that faith only develops under pressure. The brook dries up! Remember Saul as he talked with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus? Daniel. You see, before Elijah was able to stand on Mount Carmel and challenge the 800 false prophets, he first had to learn certain principles. So God's provision came in two ways to Elijah; there was the natural provision in that there was a brook from which he obtained the water he needed to survive. But God always has a way! Even more, they were also a practical confirmation of Gods approval of where he was, that he was indeed where God wanted him, doing what God wanted him. "The word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. How many stalls for horses and chariots did Solomon have? It is what John later spoke of when in exile on Patmos he revealed that yet he had sweet communion with His Lord. Best Review Site for Digital Cameras Even a river would have been regarded as insufficient. Elijah comes out of nowhere he comes out of the mountains of Gilead with this word to Ahab. There are two common ways to explain this: In both cases, it's important to note that the text does not actually say "in the third year of the drought." God always speaks when it is needed, not beforehand. God's provision and blessing was at Cherith. But God also commanded ravens to bring him his food. I can imagine Elijah sitting alone by the brook when suddenly a flock of birds approaches him. So it was in this context that Elijah came to speak forth the word of judgement in the presence of Ahab. Just as God spoke to Elijah in the Bible for the benefit of many, His Spirit of truth . Have we not know this in our own Christian service? After a while, the brook dried up that had provided Elijah with the nourishment of water. 1 Kings 17 King James Version (KJV). Birds of prey more likely to take meat from him (including of his bones) than to feed him. It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there." Cherith was a place of private preparation for Elijah before he met Jezebel's 450 Baal prophets at Mt. But because of the drought in the land he was going to be affected as well. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. Everything was done on his knees to His Father whom he knew would provide because he was committed to providing. The Lord provides Elijah with a brook named Cherith, that keeps flowing and sends birds (ravens) that fly down to bring him meat each morning and evening. It only takes a minute to sign up. They argue that the two periods of rain in ancient Israel normally occurred in March and October, and that the king's anger would have driven Elijah away only after these rains failed: The early rain fell in our March, the latter rain in our October. British. God uses Elijah's time at the brook Cherith to teach Elijah even more about being a servant of God. Can there be any richer place in this world? Think of the obstacles to faith: Ravens! It is here we find a conscience calmed by the Prince of Peace. zar'-e-fath (tsarephath; Sarepta): The Sidonian town in which Elijah was entertained by a widow after he left the brook Cherith (1 Kings 17:9).Obadiah refers to it as a Canaanite (probably meaning Phoenicia) town (Obadiah 1:20).It appears in the Greek form Sarepta in Luke 4:26 (the King James Version), and is said to be in the land of Sidon. He just went and did what he was told. Or 'Why the brook Cherith?' Elijah is told by the Lord to go into hiding by the brook Cherith, a tributary of the river Jordan. There was a bold and even aggressive determination about him as he desired to serve the Lord. Normally we want a road map on life. There was a brook for water, and at His command even the ravens helped provide for Elijahs needs. God directed him to Zarephath, the land of Sidon. Only 13 left in stock! For similar articles please see the below publications. What is the origin and basis of stare decisis? It is surely no coincidence that God lead him to a quiet place where the only continual sound would be the rippling of this brook. Elijah was destined for even greater heights of service, but he was not ready for that yet. He led him to a place of provision, but that provision wasn't going to last. As we are reminded in John 15 where Jesus said, The answer lies in the fact that God is not just interested in imparting faith; He is interested in its development, in its improvement. As Elijah thought How come it is drying up? the answer would have come because I prayed for it! In the same why when we ask God what happened His reply is Nothing. 1Kings 17:4. Consider Joseph God told Joseph in a dream that provision was going to dry up. - 1 Kings 17:9-11 . How do cessationists interpret James 5:13-18? - 1 Kings . This exegesis is based on the juxtaposition . (James 5:17 NLT), "Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. You can be the one to help make a difference by purchasing a shirt (coming soon to the blog in a few weeks) or by ordering a downloadable product currently in the store, in which proceeds will go to nonprofits that seek to give a voice to the voiceless. How we should make use of the opportunities God gives us lest they be taken from us. They will neglect their young yet when God pleases they will feed His prophet. US English. God can bring a blessing through an unclean vessel because the entire world is His. A brook is a small stream. Elijah could have thought that perhaps he should try to find a better place but this would have been a case of him trying to help God out in his own wisdom. The second lesson that Elijah is learning concerns His provision. This is the second message on Elijah and we are in 1 Kings chapter 17. But it's not acting out of fear. We need to remember that and confess that Gods way are always right, His purposes are always good and that we can trust God in even the tragic events of life that we can never fully understand here on this earth. Would Marx consider salary workers to be members of the proleteriat? 1st Kings 16:30 tells us that he did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all that were before him. In this God was teaching Elijah to trust Him contrary to sight. He tells Elijah that he will drink from the brook and ravens will give him food ( 1 Kings 17:4 ). But God says Hide! Our natural response to this direction would have been to say. There is hope in Jesus. Alistair Begg. The first thing we notice here is that this was not Elijah's idea, it was the Lord's doing. But then despite months of living by faith in dependence upon God in obedience to Gods word and enjoying Gods blessing in that place, that things suddenly and dramatically changed. Now brooks can be mean many things. Each number is a person. Answers in Genesis book: The NEW Answers Book 1. Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, Elijah - The background and introduction to his times, The Widow at Zarephath and the Provision of God, Elijah, resurrection and the fear of Ahab. 4 And it shall . Eleven years - that's a long time before God said 'okay let's go - now you are ready to stand before kings and before gentiles'. Elijah was helpless. Last week we noted that by sending Elijah to the Brook Cherith God was doing several things - He was declaring to Ahab and the nation an act of judgment, such that the Word of God which had been despised was now removed, a famine of the Word; and he was declaring to Elijah that he could fully depend on God and His Word, and daily finding opportunity to . God had commanded him to go and hide by the brook Cherith and had commanded the ravens to feed him there. It is a cutting of all the things of the self-life so that Elijah (and you and I) can be used of God. This is the very land that Jezebel was having the prophets of God killed for not worshiping the demon Baal. It is here that we find the grace to help us in our daily life plentiful, good and sufficient for the day, whilst learning to leave tomorrow in Gods hands. So we should not run off and we can only ask 'am I in the place where God wants me to be' You can only say that for yourself before God. 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