Elijah: Faith, Provision, and God's Gentle Care
Summary
Reflecting on the life of Elijah offers profound insights into the nature of faith, obedience, and God's unwavering presence in our lives. As we stand on the cusp of a new year, it's a fitting time to look back and reflect on the seasons we've walked through, much like Elijah did. Elijah's name itself, meaning "The Lord is my God," encapsulates his life's mission and the essence of his journey. He lived in a time when his nation was far from God, under the rule of King Ahab, who led the people into idolatry. Yet, Elijah stood firm in his faith, earnestly praying for his nation to return to God.
Elijah's journey takes us through various seasons, each teaching us about God's faithfulness and our need for dependence on Him. In the hidden place by the Cherith brook, Elijah learned to trust God's provision through the unlikely means of ravens. This season of solitude and reliance on God prepared him for the challenges ahead. Similarly, we often find ourselves in hidden places, where our faith is tested and strengthened.
The dry season Elijah faced when the brook dried up reminds us that even when we follow God's direction, we may encounter difficulties. Yet, these wilderness experiences are not without purpose. They refine us and deepen our trust in God's promises. Elijah's obedience led him to Zarephath, where God provided through a widow, demonstrating that God's provision often comes from unexpected sources.
Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is a powerful testament to God's sovereignty. His boldness in challenging the people to choose whom they would serve is a call for us to examine our own allegiances. The miraculous fire from heaven affirmed God's power and turned the people's hearts back to Him.
However, Elijah's story doesn't end on the mountaintop. He faced discouragement and fear, fleeing from Jezebel's threats. In his lowest moment, God met him with gentle care, providing rest and nourishment. This reminds us that God is present in our discouragement, offering comfort and renewal.
As we reflect on Elijah's life, we are encouraged to earnestly seek God in prayer, trust His provision, and remain faithful in all seasons. May we enter the new year with renewed faith, ready to follow wherever God leads.
Key Takeaways:
1. Reflective Faith: Elijah's life encourages us to reflect on God's faithfulness in our own lives. Just as Elijah earnestly prayed for his nation, we are called to pray with sincerity and faith, trusting that God hears and responds to our prayers. Our reflections can strengthen our hope and perseverance. [12:46]
2. Hidden Places: Elijah's time by the Cherith brook teaches us about the importance of hidden seasons. These are times when God strengthens our faith and prepares us for future challenges. In our own hidden places, we learn to depend on God daily, trusting in His provision and presence. [28:49]
3. Wilderness Seasons: The drying brook symbolizes the wilderness seasons we all face. These times test our faith and challenge us to trust God's promises, even when circumstances seem bleak. Like Elijah, we must hold onto God's word and believe that He is working, even when we cannot see it. [36:31]
4. Choosing Allegiance: Elijah's challenge to the people on Mount Carmel is a call to examine our own allegiances. We cannot waver between serving God and other idols. We must choose to follow God wholeheartedly, trusting in His power and sovereignty. [40:03]
5. God's Gentle Care: In Elijah's discouragement, God met him with gentle care, providing rest and nourishment. This reminds us that God is present in our lowest moments, offering comfort and renewal. We are encouraged to bring our honest prayers to God, trusting in His loving presence. [49:33]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Reflecting on the Year
- [03:15] - Introduction to Elijah
- [06:45] - Elijah's Name and Meaning
- [09:20] - Elijah's Bold Declaration
- [12:46] - The Hidden Place by Cherith
- [16:30] - God's Provision Through Ravens
- [20:00] - The Dry Season
- [24:15] - Elijah's Wilderness Experience
- [28:49] - God's Unexpected Provision
- [32:00] - Confrontation on Mount Carmel
- [36:31] - Choosing Whom to Serve
- [40:03] - Elijah's Prayer and God's Response
- [43:51] - Elijah's Discouragement
- [49:33] - God's Gentle Whisper
- [52:23] - Conclusion and Encouragement
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: Reflecting on the Life of Elijah
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Kings 18:1-39 - Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
2. 1 Kings 17:1-16 - Elijah's time by the Cherith brook and God's provision through the widow at Zarephath.
3. 1 Kings 19:1-18 - Elijah's discouragement and God's gentle care.
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the significance of Elijah's name, and how did it reflect his mission and life? [06:45]
2. How did God provide for Elijah during his time at the Cherith brook, and what does this reveal about God's provision? [28:49]
3. Describe the events that took place on Mount Carmel. How did Elijah challenge the prophets of Baal, and what was the outcome? [40:03]
4. How did God respond to Elijah's discouragement after his confrontation with Jezebel? [49:33]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does Elijah's life teach us about the importance of earnest prayer and faith, especially in times of national or personal crisis? [12:46]
2. How can the hidden and wilderness seasons in our lives prepare us for future challenges, as seen in Elijah's journey? [36:31]
3. In what ways does Elijah's challenge to the people on Mount Carmel serve as a call for us to examine our own allegiances and commitments? [40:03]
4. How does God's gentle care for Elijah in his moment of despair illustrate God's presence and comfort in our own times of discouragement? [49:33]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like you were in a "hidden place" or "wilderness season." How did that experience shape your faith and dependence on God? [28:49]
2. Elijah earnestly prayed for his nation. How can you incorporate more earnest and sincere prayer into your daily life, especially for your community or nation? [12:46]
3. Consider the allegiances in your life. Are there any "idols" or distractions that are competing with your commitment to God? How can you address these? [40:03]
4. When have you experienced God's provision in unexpected ways, similar to Elijah's experience with the ravens and the widow? How did that impact your trust in God? [28:49]
5. In moments of discouragement, like Elijah's, how do you typically respond? What steps can you take to seek God's comfort and renewal during these times? [49:33]
6. Elijah's story encourages us to reflect on God's faithfulness. As you look back on the past year, what are some specific instances where you have seen God's hand at work in your life? [52:23]
7. How can you actively choose to follow God wholeheartedly in the coming year, especially in areas where you may have been wavering? [40:03]
Devotional
Day 1: Reflective Faith
Reflecting on Elijah's life encourages us to consider God's faithfulness in our own journeys. Elijah lived during a time when his nation had turned away from God, yet he remained steadfast in his faith, praying earnestly for his people to return to God. His life exemplifies the power of sincere prayer and unwavering trust in God's promises. As we reflect on our own lives, we are reminded to pray with sincerity and faith, trusting that God hears and responds to our prayers. This reflection can strengthen our hope and perseverance, especially as we stand on the cusp of a new year, ready to follow wherever God leads. [12:46]
1 Kings 18:36-37 (ESV): "And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, 'O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.'"
Reflection: Think of a specific area in your life where you need to see God's faithfulness. How can you commit to praying earnestly for this area, trusting in God's response?
Day 2: Hidden Places
Elijah's time by the Cherith brook teaches us about the importance of hidden seasons. These are times when God strengthens our faith and prepares us for future challenges. In the solitude by the brook, Elijah learned to trust God's provision through the unlikely means of ravens. Similarly, in our own hidden places, we learn to depend on God daily, trusting in His provision and presence. These seasons, though often challenging, are crucial for our spiritual growth and preparation for what lies ahead. [28:49]
1 Kings 17:2-4 (ESV): "And the word of the Lord came to him: 'Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.'"
Reflection: Identify a "hidden place" in your life where God might be calling you to trust Him more deeply. How can you embrace this season as a time of preparation and growth?
Day 3: Wilderness Seasons
The drying brook symbolizes the wilderness seasons we all face. These times test our faith and challenge us to trust God's promises, even when circumstances seem bleak. Elijah's obedience led him to Zarephath, where God provided through a widow, demonstrating that God's provision often comes from unexpected sources. In our own wilderness seasons, we must hold onto God's word and believe that He is working, even when we cannot see it. [36:31]
1 Kings 17:7-9 (ESV): "And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him, 'Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.'"
Reflection: Consider a current challenge or "dry season" in your life. How can you actively trust in God's provision and promises during this time?
Day 4: Choosing Allegiance
Elijah's challenge to the people on Mount Carmel is a call to examine our own allegiances. We cannot waver between serving God and other idols. Elijah's boldness in challenging the people to choose whom they would serve is a powerful reminder for us to follow God wholeheartedly, trusting in His power and sovereignty. This decisive moment on Mount Carmel invites us to reflect on our own lives and make a conscious choice to serve God above all else. [40:03]
1 Kings 18:21 (ESV): "And Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.' And the people did not answer him a word."
Reflection: Reflect on any "idols" or distractions in your life that compete with your allegiance to God. What steps can you take today to choose God wholeheartedly?
Day 5: God's Gentle Care
In Elijah's discouragement, God met him with gentle care, providing rest and nourishment. This reminds us that God is present in our lowest moments, offering comfort and renewal. Elijah's experience teaches us that even when we feel overwhelmed or fearful, God is there to provide what we need. We are encouraged to bring our honest prayers to God, trusting in His loving presence and care. [49:33]
1 Kings 19:5-7 (ESV): "And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, 'Arise and eat.' And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, 'Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.'"
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to experience God's gentle care and renewal? How can you invite Him into your discouragement and trust in His provision?
Quotes
And I was reflecting that actually the Bible itself is full of reflections of what God has done in the lives of many people. and the bible actually often gives us god's perspective and many events that unfold in history and this if we look at some of these stories it can help spur on our faith and our hope and our perseverance as we look back on the goodness and the faithfulness of god throughout so many generations so this morning i'd love us to reflect on the life of elijah together in a bit of a big picture overview there's so much that happens in his life but we're just going to focus on a few of the seasons that elijah went through in his life because it's been a real encouragement and then challenge to me as i've reflected back using elijah's life on the seasons that i've walked through in 2024 and i hope and pray it's an encouragement and a challenge for you as well so let me introduce you to elijah so names in the [00:27:41]
Elijah's name is really meaning the lord is my god and through elijah's life you can see that he really believed that god was the lord and was his lord and he lived in his name basically so that's what we're going to focus on and actually our key point this morning is that god is the lord over all as we've just been singing and holy forever so we're in first king's 18 kind of scattered verses throughout but elijah is first mentioned in this little verse here where it says now elijah the tishbite from tishbe in gilead said to ahab as the lord god of israel lives whom i serve they will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word so elijah lives in gilead which is in the east end not glasgow but the east of the jordan in middle east and nobody's really sure where this place is tishbe is i'm not even sure how to say it but it's likely that it was rural rugged and kind of dry something like this in the middle of nowhere and he's living nowhere near where the majority of people are or where the kings would be reigning but he's under the rule of king ahab at the time who's described as somebody who did more evil than any other kings before him so his nation at that time is very far from god it's very far from flourishing and it's actually getting progressively worse as a society and there's more evil than ever before and consequently more brokenness that people are experiencing so it's yeah it's very far from god at the time he also married a woman jezebel who led him to worship baal and baal was another god who was viewed as the god of fertility so people believed that baal would fertilize the earth by bringing rain and sun and seasons and they would often pray to baal for produce of the land that he would produce and also for children but elijah believes that god is the lord and not baal and it moves elijah seeing the brokenness of his nation around him to pray elsewhere elijah is described as somebody who earnestly prayed so that really means that he was serious about prayer he was passionate in his prayer he was really burdened by what he saw and he was full of faith and he earnestly prayed he couldn't help but pray to god because he believed that god could really transform his nation and into the and bring the people back into the life -giving relationship that we were all designed to live for and that the land could flourish again instead of living in these treacherous times that the people were under when they chose to live independently of god so in that in this verse where is it nope in that verse it mentioned that basically elijah appears before the king this random guy in the middle of notes comes from the of nowhere he's unknown he's insignificant and yet he has a message from God for the nation and God could have delivered that message in so many different ways there could have been flashes across the sky or angels appearing like we've heard in the Christmas story and they could have raised up influential political people to bring this nation this message to the king but he didn't he chose Elijah somebody who was unremarkable in the eyes of the world certainly not an up -and -coming influencer but he was God's chosen messenger and God's chosen man and that's how God often operates he often chooses the unexpected people and unexpected places to do remarkable things and we get to partner with the God of the universe who's doing miraculous things on the earth so Elijah leaves this message with the king and then God gives him his next direction and this is where we're introduced to Elijah's season in the hidden place so so it says if you can read that and the word of the Lord came to Elijah saying leave here turn eastward and hide in the cherished ravine east of the Jordan you will drink from the brook and I've directed the ravens to supply you with food so he did what the Lord told them he went to the cherished ravine east of the Jordan and stayed there the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening and he drank from the brook so God gives Elijah a next turn and Elijah's direction of where to go after he's made this announcement and if you're anything like me sometimes I wish God would show me the whole path ahead but it doesn't really work like that either and he often gives us the next step and it's only when we take that next step that God reveals then the next one and it's a walking by faith and not by sight as Elijah was learning to trust them and Elijah was being directed to a hidden place for a few reasons one probably because king Ahab would have been after him after leaving this message about the nation but also Elijah was being directed to a hidden place because his faith needed to be strengthened for what was ahead his character needed to be matured and that's where he enters into this hidden place so what was that like well sure enough there was a brook or a burn that was there and gave a constant water Supply that God had led them to a place where he would have water in the middle of the desert but it also says that God could see or prove so that even the birds that we retraining I wouldn't수가 would come out and most unlikely. So ravens are scavengers that eat anything and everything, just not a very glamorous bird. [00:28:49]
And God chose this bird to deliver bread and meat to Elijah every morning and every evening, not just for a few days. This went on for about a year. So even the birds that he chose were remarkable. It would have been a Michelin star feast for these ravens, and yet they drop it off at Elijah every morning and every day. God had a food delivery service before many others were around, so he was providing for Elijah's daily needs. And we often pray to God for our daily needs. It's part of the Lord's prayer, give us this day our daily bread. But I wonder if we really mean that when we're praying that, for God to provide whatever we need that day. For many in the world, it could be daily bread, literal, physical food to keep them going. Or for many other people, it can be the strength, or the wisdom, or the skills, or the resources, or the love, the compassion, whatever we need for each and every day to depend on God. And it's often in seasons in the hidden place where our awareness of our need of God and our need to depend on him daily is heightened. [00:34:25]
And maybe you're in a season like that where it feels like much of what you do is in the hidden place. It could be raising of your children, being up through the night, caring for loved ones. Being faithful in your job, being a faithful friend or family member. Lots of things that are in the unseen place by many, but God sees and God cares and God knows what you're doing. And I just really want to encourage you in that. It's an opportunity for us in these hidden places to draw close to God and to learn to daily depend on him. So here we have the God of the impossible with his unique protection of Elijah and his unique provision in this time. The God of the impossible is in the hidden place. [00:35:30]
And I wonder how Elijah felt when the brook was getting smaller and smaller and he could see the water disappearing. He was actually facing the consequences of his own prayer. He prayed for this to happen, that there'd be no rain on the land. And he was in the place that God had led him. He was in the place where he had followed God. And yet looking around, it looked like things were getting worse instead of better. And maybe you find yourself there as well when you're following God and things look that little bit different than what you expected or actually things look like they're getting a bit worse rather than better. The wilderness seasons. And it's not an easy place to be at times. [00:36:31]
But many of God's people find themselves in the wilderness for a period. There was Moses in the desert before he was called to go to Pharaoh. There was David, who was a shepherd. There was Joseph in the pit in the prison before God used him to come before Pharaoh. But Jesus himself, he was 30 years where we don't really know much about what happened in his early years before he began his public ministry. [00:37:01]
So if you feel like you're in the hidden place or in the wilderness, you're in good company. But it's not easy. But Elijah is learning to trust God despite his circumstances and to trust God's word and not the things he could see around him. And he's learning to trust God despite his circumstances and to trust God's word and not the things he could see around him. [00:37:41]
There's the king, 450 prophets who are worshiping the God Baal and all the people of the land. And Elijah poses this, question to the people, where he says, how long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal is God, follow him. And what a question. Elijah's heart is for the people to know that God is the Lord. And he's highlighting, you can't really be half in, half out, following God, following other things. And I guess the same challenge is posed to us, if God is the Lord, to follow him. And maybe there's, people have asked me, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, in the room today, and you're kind of wavering between giving God your whole life and your whole heart and laying everything before you. Or there's some other things that you are loving that are holding you back a bit. Or maybe you do love and follow Jesus, but there's been things that have been drifting and pulling you away from loving God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength. The question's really, I guess, for us all. But Elijah had one intention for this meeting to show that God was really the living God. So he's on the mountain in the high place, and he challenges these prophets to pray to their God, Baal, and he would pray to his God, the living God. And whoever answered by fire, that was the one who is God, who has evidence that they have shown that they're God. And they agreed. So Elijah lets them go first, and they call on Baal from morning till lunchtime. Baal answers, and they're shouting, and they're dancing, and they're seeking Baal, but there's no response. No one answered. And then they go on, and Elijah starts to taunt him a wee bit. He's saying, shout louder. Maybe he's sleeping, or he's gone away, or he's busy, and he needs to be wakened up. But they keep prophesying all the way till evening, and it says, there was no response. Nobody answered. No one paid attention. [00:40:03]
The quiet confidence of Elijah in contrast, though, because he builds an altar in the name of the Lord, and he digs a big trench around it. He covers the whole thing with water. So four large jugs of water. It's absolutely soaking, and if you've ever tried to light a fire, I've gone camping a few times, and lighting fires is definitely not my strong point. But I certainly wouldn't be throwing that amount of water over it. But Elijah wants to make it clear that it's not a fluke here, because in front of the nation, in front of who follow other gods, in front of the king, in front of hundreds of prophets, Elijah steps forward and prays. And he says, Lord, the God of Abraham, Israel, and Isaac, let it be known today that you are God, and that I am your servant, and I have done all of these things at your command. [00:42:41]
Answer me, Lord, answer me so that these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and you're turning their hearts back again. Then it says, the fire fell and burned up. the wood, the stones, it dried up all of the water around in the trench. And when all the people saw it, it says that they fell and they cried, the Lord, he is God. The Lord, he is God. And God had answered Elijah's prayer. Yes, the fire had come down from heaven and shown that God was the living God. But he'd also turned their hearts back to following God. The people were crying out, the Lord, he is God. [00:43:51]
And what Elijah does next is beautiful, because he sends the king off to celebrate. But he goes back to his familiar place on his knees before God. It says he climbs to the top of Mount Carmel. He bent down on the ground with his face between his knees. And he sends his servant out on the mountain to look for the rain coming, because the promise was that when the people turned back to God, that the rains would come. And his servant goes and looks and there's nothing, he can't see anything. And he comes back to tell Elijah, and seven times Elijah sends him out, saying, go and look. And on the seventh time he comes back, and he says that there's a small cloud the size of a fist that's appeared. [00:44:56]
And Elijah knows that this is it, the rains have come again as well, when the people turned back and acknowledged that the Lord was God and not Baal. And what a joy it is when we see prayers that we've prayed for years answered, when there's breakthrough, when the answer finally comes, and you're celebrating and overwhelmed with thankfulness that God has given you. And you're celebrating and overwhelmed with thankfulness that God has given you. And you're celebrating and overwhelmed with thankfulness that God has given you. And you know that God's come through and done remarkable and amazing things. The victories, the God of the impossible, just doing all the, more than we can ask or imagine. Let's not forget these times, let's remember, because it's so easy to forget. [00:45:56]
And I'd love if we could leave it on the mountaintop there, and if it's a film, that's probably where it would end. But it's not, it's a wee bit more like reality. And there's one more season that I would love to touch on in the life of Elijah. And it's the season of his discouragement. Because after all of this, it says that King Ahab tells his wife, Jezebel, all that's been going on, and Jezebel threatens his life again. [00:46:56]
And it says, this time, Elijah, he was afraid, and he ran for his life. It says, he left, he left his servant, and he went a day's journey further into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush and sat down under it and prayed that he might die. I've had enough, Lord, he said. Take my life. I'm no better than my ancestors. [00:47:26]
Elijah's life's under threat for the second time, but this time, his fight or flight kicks in, and he runs off. He's not waiting on God's direction. This time, he runs into the wilderness. It says he went a day's journey and isolated himself, even from his servant. So he's choosing to isolate himself when he's discouraged. And sometimes we can do that when we're discouraged as well. We can choose to isolate ourselves. And it can be a dangerous place to be alone with our thoughts for too long. And it can be a dangerous place to be alone with our thoughts for too long. But thankfully, Elijah's doing what he always does. He's praying. But this time, it's not these big, bold prayers of faith, but actually a very honest heart cry. I've had enough, Lord, he says. Ever prayed a prayer like that? God, I've just had enough. I'm done. I have had one too many knocks or discouragements, and I can't take it anymore. Exhausted or depleted. [00:47:56]
Elijah had saw God's protection and his provision in remarkable ways and this massive mountaintop experience. But he's a human just like us. And all he can see now is how it hadn't turned out like you hoped or like you pictured. But I love God's response to this because it says that he sent an angel. He directed an angel this time to come alongside Elijah. And he had fallen asleep. And he woke up. I cooked breakfast. He woke up to freshly baked bread on hot coals because God was restoring him physically, restoring him to his basic needs with rest and with nourishment before anything else. And it says Elijah's strength and to then go another 40 days. And he goes up the mountain of God. And there in a cave, it says, the Lord said, go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord. For the Lord is about to pass by. And a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. God was still with Elijah, not in these massive displays of power or dramatic displays of power, but the gentle whisper. Again, he's in the unexpected. He was still with Elijah and his discouragement and his doubting and his questioning. And yes, God cares for his physical body's needs, but he also cared about his spiritual, his emotional, and his mental well -being as well, as he listens to how Elijah is feeling, his pain, his questions, and he's with him in it and gently speaks life -giving words again that change the direction for where Elijah is at in that moment. Because God wasn't done yet, and we don't have time to go into all the details of what was about to happen in the rest of Elijah's life, but he was raising up new leaders. He was raising up another prophet, Elijah, who would go on to do even greater things than Elijah had done. And he wasn't alone. There were 7 ,000 people who hadn't bowed to Baal. He wasn't the only one that was left, like he thought. He wasn't defeated. God was still working. It maybe just looked different again to how Elijah expected. [00:49:33]
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