Year 4, Day 358: 1 Kings 17

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Provision

• Provision: God gives us what we truly need.  God knows our needs better than we can know them.  We learn to trust God to provide for us.

I am always struck by this chapter.  On the surface, it seems so diabolical to have Elijah pronounce that there will not be any rain until he speaks for rain to happen and then God has Elijah leave so that he is not even present to speak the words.  Talk about removing all hope from the Hebrew people!  They can’t even find Elijah to try and get him to capitulate!  But it is not mean.  God is just giving the Hebrew people some time to think about their sinfulness.

What strikes me even more deeply is how the prophet is similarly affected by the punishment.  Sure, Elijah is sinful.  All human beings are sinful.  But Elijah was a godly man.  He listened to God and obeyed God.  We have every reason to believe that he was repentant in his times of sin.  Yet he gets caught up in the same drought that affects God’s people.

So what does this mean for Elijah?  Even though he is a prophet – perhaps the greatest prophet to have ever lived – he can still learn a lesson.  What is the lesson Elijah learns in the drought?  He gets the opportunity to learn to trust in the provision of the Lord.

First the Lord provides with a brook and the ravens.  Imagine having to humble yourself to the point of eating whatever ravens feel appropriate to bring to you!  I cannot imagine this was one of Elijah’s glorious moments in life.  Imagine the humbleness it would take in life to be willing to eat leftovers from birds!  But God provided; Elijah trusted.

Then God provides through the widow and her endless jar of flour.  While this might seem like an easier placement than eating after ravens, notice how this woman speaks.  Every time she talks about God to Elijah she says “your God.”  Elijah goes from having to eat after ravens to having to eat after Gentile hands have prepared him food.  While certainly different, I’m not sure which is worse from a kosher perspective!

But in either case, God’s provision is evident and ample.  The Hebrew people might be living under a drought, but Elijah can live through God’s provision.  Elijah has an opportunity to grow and trust in the Lord.

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