Days passed. Then weeks. The calendar flipped from month to month as Elijah communed with God in the wilderness. Without fail, the ravens delivered breakfast and supper, “but after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land” (1 Kings 17:7, NLT)
When the brook dries up, what do you do?
Elijah listened for God’s voice. “The word of the Lord came to him: ‘Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” (1 Kings 17:8–9).
Let put ourselves in Elijah’s place. Might we have wondered … “God, why did You let the brook dry up? I was safe and satisfied. I had plenty to eat and drink, and evil King Ahab couldn’t find me.” Are we prone to ask God; “why?”
Sometimes God doesn’t make sense.
“Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there.” There are plenty of logical reasons God’s command didn’t make sense. Let’s consider three.
First, Elijah’s hideout at Cherith was in the farthest southeast corner of Israelite territory. Sidon was in the extreme northwest, just beyond the Israelite border. To get to Sidon, Elijah would need to traverse Ahab’s territory, passing through land devastated by drought, a land inhabited by hungry and thirsty people that would gladly kill the “troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:17, ESV).
There is a second reason that God’s command didn’t make sense. Why would God send Elijah to a widow? She wouldn’t have resources that would enable her to be hospitable. She didn’t have money. She didn’t have a big house and lots of food to spare. Why?
Third, Sidon was controlled by Syria, the enemy of Israel. It might be dangerous! But most alarming, Sidon was where Jezebel grew up. Her daddy was “Ethbaal king of the Sidonians” (1 Kings 16:31). Elijah must have felt like a kitty cat going to a kennel club!
There is no indication in the Scriptures that Elijah doubted or delayed. “Elijah got up and went to Zarephath” (1 Kings 17:10). Even though it wasn’t logical … Even though God’s command didn’t make sense … Elijah obeyed … immediately.
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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