Jesus was the same. The Bible wasn't written to be about us, but God. Now this too was affected. He walked, talked, and encouraged others to believe that truly the . 1 /5. But Elijah didn't have to be fully trained before God called him into ministry; God developed Elijah as he went along. How are we to interpret this hiding of Elijah by the brook Cherith? Elijah lived on the word of the Lord, as we should - Matthew 4:4, and compare 1 Kings 17:8, 14 and 16. The name Kerith means a "cutting" or "separation." By it Elijah was to learn to fix his attention on God not Gods instruments. She began with pluralism, which meant that it was alright to worship more than one God - both Yahweh and Baal it didn't seem to matter. Karen. He said. Lesson: God provides For Elijah And Widow. 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. He would have been high on adrenalin and on grace. So it was in this context that Elijah came to speak forth the word of judgement in the presence of Ahab. Elijah gets a command to go to Zarephath and the widow gets a command to feed Elijah; God promises to sustain Elijah and Elijah promises the widow that her cruse of meal will never finish. It was here that God had said that 'I have commanded the ravens to feed him.' Dont throw in the towel but wait on the Lord. He was here because of Gods direction which was supported with a promise of provision. 65% off Any Hat Pack at AlphaDefenseGear.com 1 Alpha Defense logo hat + 3 face shields just $29.99. Gods purpose throughout all of time has been to redeem for Himself a people that are His very own. He did not say 'No, I don't really want to do this can I go a different direction?' NEW CAMPAIGN SHIRTS ARE HERE! Various kings reigned after Jeroboam but the Bible says that the worst king of the Northern tribes was Ahab. Elijah didnt get his local hiking map out and go looking for another source of water, waterholes which he may have known about from previous travels in this area. 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 . Take heart. Then the milkman came past and the wheel fell off his cart right outside the orphanage! Looking again at the 1st verse of this chapter, we noticed that it was a small thing for Elijah to stand before Ahab because he had stood before the King of Kings. by Winkie Pratney. Lifetime warranty! The shortest road distance between the brook cherith to Zarephath is 1870 Mi. So what do we do if we see our brooks drying up? 5. OBEDIENCE AND THE WORD OF GOD A) Able to Hear God's Voice B) Available to Hear God's Voice 2. The evidence in support of the Bible: The Lie: Evolution/Millions of Years. Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, wants Elijah dead and so God tells him to hide himself by the Cherith book, east of the Jordan River. Zarephath was the second waiting place for Elijah, where the training, testing, and refining would be even more intense. 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.". Why would God have led him to a place where the water would dry up? (Our) Present Help, and Redeemer. The third thing that interests me here is that God led him to a brook that was drying up. It will be the same for you. This is because they are so relational, and they are obedient well most of the time anyway! God instructs Elijah to hide near the brook Cherith, where the ravens would feed him. See, for example: After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying [ESV], And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying [KJV], Now it happened after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying [NASB], After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah [NIV]. The downward slide - from faith to fear to depression, Blindness, self focus and the replacing of Elijah, Elijah, Ahab and the arrow shot at random. He led him to something that wasn't going to last. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years When Elijah went to Cherith under the direction of God, he would never dream of that brook becoming exhausted. Detailed in this book is the timeline of kings that ruled Israel after David's reign, opening with David's death, and God's discipline and grace with the nation of Israel. How long did the drought that Elijah prayed for really last? 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. A dried up brook was a result of Elijah's own prayer. The funds will help assist in rescue operations, providing shelter, and recovery programs to those in bondage. 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. She said that my dog was really obedient as it was never too far away but was always watching what I was doing. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.". See His unsearchable wisdom in that if humans delivered food they may have divulged the hiding place, if dogs, morning and night, someone might have seen this curiosity and followed. Can I change which outlet on a circuit has the GFCI reset switch? In the dynamics of divine Providence, Elijah was scheduled to experience another miracle in another place. Wendy couldn't understand why God would bring her provision in that way and then allow it to be gone. Alex. For the full chapter, please see Bible Gateway. Encyclopedia. The Coronavirus is God's instrument today to show the world He is still in control for all things are known to Him. When we feel God is saying something to us we should actually act on it. Many modern translations add "of the drought" or "of the famine," but it's not actually in the text. They had spurned it, now they will be deprived of it. The above picture shows the distance of Zarephath to the Cherith brook. During his exile, Elijah drank from the brook in the ravine, and the ravens brought him bread and meat . An Act of Judgement. CHERITH, THE BROOK. Come what will, come what may. VERSES: 1 Kings 17:1-7 MEMORY VERSE: 1 Kings 17:4 ".thou shalt drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there." BOOK TO REMEMBER: Song of Solomon.Write "Song Of Solomon" on small slips of paper and hand out at the end of class. God's provision and blessing was at Cherith. (4) You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there." Instantly the word of the Lord came to him and he was told to flee to Cherith and hide there. Mark. In a dry season, in a time of drought, a brook is a source of life sustaining water and refreshment. It will want to be where you are and will desire to be doing what you are doing. There would be none here for Elijah to be tempted to parade himself before. Elijah walked by faith even when things seemed to get worse. - 1 Kings 17:9-11 . It is the same for you though hard times will come. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15, Church Mail: PO Box 9007, South Yarra 3141, It is against this background that now we consider v.2-6, in which we see Elijah in response to Gods instruction leaving the kings presence and going to the Brook Cherith. He would have been high on adrenalin and on grace. Elijah not only preached Gods Word, he practised it he went without hesitation. But God has commanded the ravens to actually feed him. a brook E. of the Jordan, Elijah's hiding-place. - 1 Kings 18:40 : Elijah asks God for heavy rains to end the drought. This caused idolatry to come into the land because the people worshipped these and were led astray. When our brook seems to dry and we are tempted to cry out Lord what happened? let us understand that God is developing us through trials; and let us understand that God is able to meet our needs even when we lose the current means He has been using and blessing us with. There was no water! God was calling him forward, out of his silence. It is a cutting of all the things of the self-life so that Elijah (and you and I) can be used of God. Furthering the kingdom means stretching outside of the comfort zone, comprehending and working towards meeting the needs of others. Here he was to be alone for at least a year without human company. It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there." C. LESSONS LEARNED BESIDE THE BROOK. God Is the Sufficient Source of Supply a) A Promise Received b) A . But when we find that God is better than His Word our faith grows and we advance to further feats of faith and service. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. The Bible scholars teach Elijah enjoyed food and water at Cherith for a year before the brook dried up. He led him to a place of provision, but that provision wasn't going to last. The contacts that she made there in that year, have led her in a completely different direction which she enjoys far more. We need to see the value of it, which lies in it helps keep things in perspective. But birds carrying food wouldve aroused no interest. Elijah and the ravens were the only occupants of the Kerith Ravine, and the ravens supplied him with bread and meat, morning and evening. At last nothing is impossible. Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, livesthe God I servethere will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word! (1 Kings 17:1 NLT), Later on, IN THE THIRD YEAR of the drought, the LORD said to Elijah, Go and present yourself to King Ahab. God has always given me what was needed. This passage details the majesty and sovereignty of God, highlighting that not only will He not forsake His people but also that God is in complete control amidst chaos and confusion. They employed 850 prophets of Baal and his . Lessons from the brook where Elijah learned to trust God in obscurity and isolation. The 12 tribes of the Arab nations come from the family line of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and his female servant Hagar mentioned in Genesis 16. He realised that there was actually too much of self in what they had just been doing. If Elijah had yielded to such things his faith wouldve also dried up, and his confidence wouldve disappeared like the brook. Difficult. Over the course of the 22 years covered in 1 Kings, Israel has 20 kings that are wicked in God's sight. Double-sided tape maybe? Elijah 1:The Brook of CherithSunday, Feb 28, 2016Pastor James WattsGrand View Church This blogs purpose is to be an evangelical outreach to further the kingdom of Christ. That Elijah learned his lesson well is seen in what he said to the widow in v.13,14. Drought conditions had begun. If you treat a dog properly it will actually respond to you and it will want to please you. But further, as a result it meant that the opportunity to apply some pressure on Elijah to pray for a shorting of the judgement was removed. Alistair Begg. Had he gone somewhere else, it would not have been where God said. If at this time you have yielded to this temptation to throw in the towel of faith and to rely on your own thoughts or on someone else, if your zeal for Christ has diminished, your spirit of devotion is dying, if you find no delight in prayer, nothing to give praise and thanksgiving for, and can find nothing about you to stir you up and encourage you remember Him who said of His vineyard in Isaiah 27:3, Intentionally Biblical, Confessional, Presbyterian and Reformed, Church Planting and School of Discipleship, Philippines. It happened in the life of Elijah at the Brook Cherith, where a time came when Elijah began to watch the water flow daily diminish. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Then he went through a type of crucible at a place called Zarephath. 1 Kings 17v7-16 1. It is so easy to think that God has forgotten us, or to enter in a false morbid introspection of blaming ourselves for some error when in fact God may merely be saying it is time to learn a new lesson in the school of faith. It is a spiritual law of thermodynamics: the increase of heat upon faith produces a parallel increase expansion of faith. This is the faith God calls us to as well. It would have been a tragedy for the prophet to remain longer in the wilderness. 1 Kings 17:2-9. Consider Joseph God told Joseph in a dream that provision was going to dry up. Elijahs means the Lord is God. Elijahs ministry corresponded exactly to his name, for he was sent by God to confront the worship of Baal by Gods people, and to declare to Israel that the Lord was God and there was no other. On a purely physical level, it functions (unlike the Jordan) as a place far away and hidden from King Ahab who was seeking Elijah's life because of the drought. Well Elijah didn't - he stayed put. One explanation for the alleged contradiction depends on this: rather than the "third year of the drought," the text is referring to the third year of Elijah's residence in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:9), where is staying at the end of 1 Kings 17. God is disciplining Israel with a drought. He had water but he didn't have anything else yet God provided. More importantly, here he would be alone with God. In this even Jesus was not exempt, for in Hebrews 5:8 we read that, Think about that for a moment. 69% off the Combat gear pack at AlphaDefense.com. (ii) the right perspective he waited, which evidences a deep sense of humility and dependence upon God. So Elijah here is put in a 'Cherith' situation and he has to be completely dependent on God - he has got water but he doesn't have anything to eat. That which had driven him to hunt Christians, now drove him to serve Christ. I hope you have seen also how God in such times brings our greatest good out of our worst disasters. He never shared the needs but just committed everything to prayer and believed that God would provide! So Elijah did what the Lord had told him. Daniel. Elijah prophesies a drought to come upon the whole land as . The fact that the text says Elijah travelled day and night would presumably indicate at least 10-12 hours a day, leaving time for breaks and sleep. "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. It is described as being "before," that is "east," of Jordan. The fact that it didnt yet look serious didnt alter the fact. He didnt have many outward comforts except that supplied by twice daily visits by ravens and the gurgling of the brook but it didnt seem to matter for he was with God. How much more will God provide for those that love Him. Now brooks can be mean many things. 1. That is always the result when we rely on our own resources: trouble! Elijah arose and went to Wadi Cherith, where the ravens brought him bread and meat (v. 2). On The Road With Elijah To Zarephath (Pt.1) (2 of 13) Series: On the Road with Elijah Ken Trivette 1 Kings 17:8-16 Outline 1. Elijah was obedient to God's word and he went to the Kerith Ravine. Moderate. This was six months after the king was told there would be neither dew nor rain, and from this period the three years in this passage are computed. James and Luke say the drought lasted for three and a half years. And God loves you far more than these things! 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. What God teaches Elijah, and us, at brook Cherith. Now Ahab had married a Sidonian princess who influenced her husband greatly. Has that not been the portion of the Lords people when instead of rebelling of their isolation through the bed of sickness or cell of persecution? I have commanded the ravens. Everything was done on his knees to His Father whom he knew would provide because he was committed to providing. Why is water leaking from this hole under the sink? Elijah obeys and goes to Zarephath . God knows where Elijah is going. Ahab went along with her in everything she proposed, even setting up an idol in the house of Baal in Samaria. How strange the reply mustve been to him: Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. Just one step at a time Saul thats how I operate. In other words he was to return home, but not to the comforts of home for he is told to hide . In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us not to worry about what you are going to eat or what you are going to drink. There are 12 kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and 3 kings of the Southern Kingdom (the Kingdom of Judah). The issue is neither context nor means; it is the presence of a loving, wise, purposeful, faithful God. Is this how we look at the trials in our Christian life as tests in Gods school of faith aimed to see if we have learned faiths lessons taught up to this point in our Christian life and are able to put them into practice? Series 12 Study 2 HIDDEN BY THE BROOK CHERITH (Scripture Portions: 1 Kings 17: 2-7; Psalm 34: 1-10) The announcement to Ahab that there would be no rain (1 Kings 17:1) was a terrible one for Elijah to have to make. NO! Without private preparation in the one-on-one intimate relationship with the Spirit of God we will become public . The dog I have at the moment, no matter which room I am in, will wait outside the door for me. Could you observe air-drag on an ISS spacewalk? Each appearance of the ravens was a reminder of being in Gods will, and in God was ministering to him through those unlikely instruments, and even in that apparently unlikely place of isolation. God can bring a blessing through an unclean vessel because the entire world is His. 'One step forward in obedience is worth years of study about it.' She did many evil things such as setting up high places for Baal and she also had the prophets of the Lord killed. God allowed the Babylonians to conquer the southern kingdom. anthony dawson milford high school; plato quotes on leadership; secondary consumer in a food web 7 After a while the brook dried up because of the lack of rain. The other point is that ravens were an unclean bird. But Elijah is not afraid. 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. Did his songs of worship grower weaker as the water rolled less noisily across the rocky bed? But it was a self-originated zeal. Best Review Site for Digital Cameras Mentioned first in Genesis, 1 Kings 11:1 also reiterates God founding Israel through Abram (Abraham), 1 Kings gives a preview of 22 years of Israel's history with 15 kings. If at this time you have yielded to this temptation to throw in the towel of faith and to rely on your own thoughts or on someone else, if your zeal for Christ has diminished, your spirit of devotion is dying, if you find no delight in prayer, nothing to give praise and thanksgiving for, and can find nothing about you to stir you up and encourage you remember Him who said of His vineyard in Isaiah 27:3, I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment; I will even keep it night and day. And of whom it is said in Psalm 84:11, No really good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.. We will continue with that next time and glean from the lessons that can be learnt there. 'Come aside to a quiet place,' He said. He had been to the court of this king as the Ambassador of the King of kings, he had done something that was not only courageous, it was spiritually significant. But God says Hide! Our natural response to this direction would have been to say. This was a time of severe drought. Let's look at another character study on Elijah. 3. God told Elijah, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there" (1 Kings 17:9). In other words the drought was not merely going to be of water, but there would be a drought of the Word. Answers in Genesis book: The NEW Answers Book 1. Breathable, durable, lightweight. A Brook! (Luke 4:25 NLT). The Lord in his wisdom prepares us in private before he sends us onto the public platform. Is every feature of the universe logically necessary? Shop Tactical, Military, Combat + Survival Face Shields at AlphaDefenseGear.com. Every now and then a Christian cries, perhaps youve done it, It was here at the drying brook that Elijah was to learn an important lesson relating to this apparent problem in the Christian life that, Three times in the opening verses we have the phrase , Has that not been the portion of the Lords people when instead of rebelling of their isolation through the bed of sickness or cell of persecution? God was determined that it will last for the full distance He had decreed. Three times in the opening verses we have the phrase the Word of the Lord (v.2, 5 and also v.8). The place chosen was a great place for hiding but a challenge to survive there. British. Remember, being in the centre of Gods will doesnt exclude the possibility of crisis, so when it comes wait on the Lord and dont throw in the towel in unbelief. The prophet Elijah hid himself on the banks of the Cherith and was fed by ravens during the early . We are not forsaken. 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'. Once more God is found reacting to a state of things amongst His Own people, rising up in Divine discontent, and, as always, laying His hand upon an instrument for recovery. In this God moves us more into the centre of Gods will, or moves us into something better. 1 and 2 Kings make up one book in the Hebrew Bible, split into two books in the English translations. Sometimes God has to force us into it. This is the very land that Jezebel was having the prophets of God killed for not worshiping the demon Baal. And woe betide then any church or nation when God removes His Word and its servants from it. When he went there, there was a nice stream of water with plenty to drink. "Of the brook you will drink, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you", Gd promised him. Last time we looked at the state of Israel at the time Elijah came on the scene. God had his reasons for isolating David and for isolating Moses and Joseph. 1 Kings was written to detail Israel's history and bring glory to God. Do you go running off to look for water? How easy in such times our joy quickly turns to sadness! It is a place where you are completely cut off and are totally dependent upon God and His resources. The fact is that God leads His servants one step at a time. The promise God gave him was that he would be provided for there. He was where God wanted him to be, doing what God wanted him to do. Has God forgotten me?. He feared that they would not return if they went down there, so he set up temples in which he placed idols and golden calves. There were no debates with God. These are the testings of life that purify and build as they teach us to trust in the Lord and . Last week we saw there were lessons Elijah had to learn in going to the brook Cherith, and here we see them being put into practice as Elijah waited: (i) one step at a time he waited. In this God was teaching Elijah to trust Him contrary to sight. 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. God directed him to Zarephath, the land of Sidon. Elijah, a prophet of God whose name means "my God is the Lord," came from Tishbeh in Gilead, but nothing is known of his family or birth. God Led Him. "Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. They sat down and gave thanks (without there being any food!) This is how God trains His young eaglets to fly. 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. It only takes a minute to sign up. No doubt in time it would work to his safety as we just noted, but there is no hint that Ahab was immediately seeking to deal with Elijah. See His unmatchable grace in that though He withdraws His Word from a people for a season yet He protects that Word and its servants for future ministry. Rate the pronunciation difficulty of brook Cherith. That is what a 'Cherith' is. Even in the letters to the 7 churches of Revelation this warning is given, a warning we do well to take seriously as a church (cf 2:5)! Our brook can be health or prosperity, or perhaps a relationship that is not going well. Go show yourself is easy to hide yourself is hard! We respond to God out of relationship. As I was thinking about this, I noticed the simplicity of it. God rises up Elijah, a Tishbite (a resident of Tishbe), to be a prophet to Israel. 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." And the stories that you read about him are outstanding. We have hope in Jesus. Being in Gods will always provides us with experiences of the blessings of the Lords presence and love. 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 exercise faith, and that continually despite outward circumstances. Alistair Begg. But God always has a way! How could it last? It is a place of humbling before the mighty hand of God. In this even Jesus was not exempt, for in Hebrews 5:8 we read that He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. Elijah was not running away, he was being removed. The STANDS4 Network . Elijah was destined for even greater heights of service, but he was not ready for that yet. Elijah orders the people to execute the prophets of Baal at Brook Kishon. God was in control, He would not let His servant suffer needlessly. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Keil and Delitzsch call this the "most simple and natural" understanding: The time given, "the third year," is not to be reckoned, as the Rabbins, Clericus, Thenius, and others assume, from the commencement of the drought, but from the event last mentioned, namely, the sojourn of Elijah at Zarephath. Look at 1 Kings 17:2-3. Have you ever felt God lead you to something that doesn't last? The fact is that God leads His servants one step at a time. 3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. It is one of the hardest trials that can possibly come upon us when, having been placed in the middle of comforts and just beginning to enjoy them, that we suddenly lose them. You see, before Elijah was able to stand on Mount Carmel and challenge the 800 false prophets, he first had to learn certain principles. 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'. Moses was forty years in the backside of the desert. Yet it did. If we knew the end from the beginning we might try to devise a better way of arriving at that end, we certainly would be tempted to run ahead of God. Zarephath: (1 Kings 17:2,5) God led him to Cherith, and then God led him out of Cherith. Below is a sermon by Community Bible Church entitled "Trusting God in the Difficult Times," covering 1 Kings 17:1-7. 1 Kings 17 King James Version (KJV). How do cessationists interpret James 5:13-18? How do we build on it. He was amazing because his God is amazing! But it's not acting out of fear. He told the people who worked there to get all the children to sit down and give thanks. Those dark shadows on the horizon may well be Gods ravens. Bible; 0 comments; April 16, 2014; I Kings 17:1-7 - "And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead (his name means 'God is Jehovah'; he is considered one of the greatest of the Prophets; he is brought on the scene by the Holy Spirit without fanfare, and even without introduction), said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before Whom I stand, there shall . For similar articles please see the below publications. About 8-10% of the proceeds will go to The Exodus Road and Agape International Missions to help combat human trafficking. Remember Saul as he talked with the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus? It's a place where God actually removes you for a specific purpose and the word means 'a cutting off'. It is not detailed how Elijah traveled (whether on foot or by animal), but it is detailed that Elijah followed God even to the heart of this city where Jezebel was murdering the prophets of God--knowing full well that he could be next. Poisson regression with constraint on the coefficients of two variables be the same, The "third year" refers to the third year of Elijah's stay in Zarephath, following a stay of some months at the brook Cherith (Adam Clarke, Barnes, Haydock, Keil and Delitzsch), The "third year" refers to the time of Elijah's exile, which did not begin until the dry period had already been underway for six months (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown; Thomas Coke). Toggle some bits and get an actual square. British. After Solomon's death there was a split in the Kingdom; Jeroboam was the King in the northern kingdom of Israel and he set up alternate places of worship because he was afraid of his people going down to Jerusalem to worship. 1 Kings 17:2-4 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: (3) Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. CHERITH, THE BROOK kr' th ( , LXX , meaning brook of cutting).A stream or valley E of the Jordan. When she said that I thought to myself that that is the way we need to be with God. Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, wants Elijah dead and so God tells him to hide himself by the Cherith book, east of the Jordan River. Think of the obstacles to faith: Intentionally Biblical, Confessional, Presbyterian and Reformed, Church Planting and School of Discipleship, Philippines. He went through a kind of boot camp at the brook Cherith. This is the second message on Elijah and we are in 1 Kings chapter 17. As Elijah thought. Elijah needed to hide, far away from King Ahab and his Queen Jezebel. Jesus said in John 15:14 'You are My friends if you do what I command.' The brook dries up! Even with those things that never come clear to us we can still trust His goodness in them; we can rest in the confidence that God is doing and always does what is right. (6) The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. Visit the store to grab your Be the Light shirt today before theyre gone! Our natural inclination would be to begin to think of the next task. 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 . Ahab and Jezebel were the most wicked and evil rulers Israel had ever known. It is actually at the crisis point when there is nothing left that the Word of the Lord came to him. The numbers of the victims of human trafficking and the stories behind the numbers are why Blissful Faith is partnering with nonprofit organizations to help fund rescues and recovery programs for those entrapped in bondage. Elijah: The Moulding goes on and on and . Before he could stand on Mount Carmel he had to learn to sit at the brook Cherith. rev2023.1.17.43168. It's like that with us. That stream turned into a trickle, which would have then turned into a puddle, which then turned into a handful and then into a small sip. An example of provision from the life of a great saint. For it was from here that Elijah began the journey to Mt Carmel. Are there developed countries where elected officials can easily terminate government workers? Elijah told the current king (Ahab) that there will be a drought in the land of Israel. Elijah was a man of action who boldly confronted Israel's king. We too know times when though we are in the will of God, and know so because we are being obedient to the Word of God, we will find things suddenly change and enjoyments evaporate. Only 13 left in stock! God had spoken to this nation. It wasnt just for a little while that he stayed there, he continued day after day. He was fed by God. This must have come as a surprise to the prophet. After all, as his name indicates, his God is Jahweh. ke'-rith (nachal kerith; Cheimarrhous Chorrhath): The place where Elijah hid and was miraculously fed, after announcing the drought to Ahab ( 1 Kings 17:3 ). Gods word through His prophet is removed. God leads us all differently, but one thing we do need is to hear from God. 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. Go hide yourself by the Cherith of sick bed, of bereavement We can be too strong, too full of ourselves for God to use, and so by the Cheriths God buries our self-centeredness. It is here that we find ourselves most useful to the Lord and to His cause in this world. How do we build on it. Normally we want a road map on life. 2 And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. As long as I am still breathing. God provided for the whole lot. If dogs are treated properly they are man's best friend. In the Bible, the brook Cherith was the place God sent Elijah to be sustained by God during the severe drought brought on Israel in the time of King Ahab. God had spoken to this nation. The Lord told Elijah, the man of God, to go down to the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan, where he could drink of the brook, and the ravens would bring him food. So this is the second lesson. Since that single stream of water was his lifeline, he checked it carefully. Careful precaution has to be made when making a modern application to today's life as to not take the passage of scripture out of context. ( 1 Kings 17:2,5) God led him to Cherith, and then God led him out of Cherith. [ imber, signifies heavy rain. God's provision was with Elijah and though hard times came and the provision in that location started to dwindle, God still had other means available for His servant if he would simply wait and be obedient upon the word of God. Hence, in having Elijahs presence and hearing Elijahs word, they were being given the ministry of God, hearing the Word of God. In a time of drought, Elijah had to sit by a stream of water. It is a place where God provides and we receive his provision. Why do Luke and James both say the drought lasted 3 years and 6 months? As such he was not yet right for the Lords service. They are afraid to let it off the leash because they know it won't listen to what they say. So with Elijah he had complete dependence upon God here to survive. Dont run ahead of Me, rather follow behind looking primarily to Me not to the work. So Elijah comes into his presence and brings this word of judgement to Ahab. But because of the drought in the land he was going to be affected as well. Instantly the word of the Lord came to him and he was told to flee to Cherith and hide there. Now we will see what God does through Elijah. Elijah comes out of nowhere he comes out of the mountains of Gilead with this word to Ahab. 1 Kings 17:2-4 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: (3) Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. He said, Lord what will you have me to do? (Acts 9:6). Elijah was not running away, he was being removed. It is not a declaration that He has forgotten His promise to all His people in Lam 3:22-23 that His loving-kindness will not fail, that they are new every morning. When we are living in Gods revealed will remember secondly that this, 2. 6 He drank water from the brook, and ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening. Occurrences like this happened for George Mueller who, through faith in God, provided for the children constantly, all through their life and they never failed to have what they needed. Cherith. 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. For God did not give him a word of rebuke, rather Gods Word came as a reward to him to guide his next step. 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. This removal was for the further preparation and equipping of his servant for what lay ahead of him. He just went and did what he was told. 'Let's draw aside to a quiet place'. (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. Did Richard Feynman say that anyone who claims to understand quantum physics is lying or crazy? Just as God spoke to Elijah in the Bible for the benefit of many, His Spirit of truth . God opened up a job for her and she had the job virtually a year to the day and it was the greatest job she had ever had. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. Elijah, in tune with the revealed will of God had prayed that God would fulfil His curse upon His rebellious people not so they might suffer, but that through their suffering they might return to God in repentance, and God be glorified in His mercy and grace by a people renewed in obedience to and worship of God. Here was the nation's foremost prophet, eeking out an . He was living in the centre of Gods revealed will. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. 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. After he said it, God told him, "Now, go to the brook." He didn't tell Elijah what was going to happen at Cherith; he just said, "Go to the brook and hide yourself." Elijah didn't know the future, but he did have God's promise: "I'll provide for you there." 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 was faithful though the circumstance was not ideal from a human perspective. 17 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. He tells Elijah that he will drink from the brook and ravens will give him food ( 1 Kings 17:4 ). (1 Vote) Very easy. from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. 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. 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. Build your pack now! Be like Elijah trust and wait and Gods Word of guidance and help will come! The Brook Has Dried Up. It is the struggle of Cherith that sets up the sequence of command, promise, obedience and deferred results in Zarephath. "From Cherith to Zarephath" Sermon by Oby Ballinger All Saints Sunday Edina Morningside Community Church; October 30, 2016 1 Kings 17:1-16 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before He waited for God to speak to him. He could do no work there, only meditate and pray. God knows that faith only develops under pressure. And this length of time can only be obtained by allowing more than two years for Elijah's stay at Zarephath.

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