Elijah – A Man With A Nature Like Ours Fall GLCYP 2010 James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

Class 2: The Lord God of Israel Lives Reading: 1 Kings 17

Introduction of Elijah IKing 17:1 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word."

Elijah’s Name ELIJAH = “Yah Is My God” or “The Lord Is God” Widow says, “O man of God” (1 Kings 17:18) 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Captain of 50 men (2 Kings 1:9-13)

Tishbite, from Gilead (1 Kings 17:1) Gilead = “rocky, strong, rugged” Elijah = “Yah Is My God” or “The Lord Is God” Faces Like Lions & Swift As Gazelles Hairy man with a leather belt/girdle (2 Kings 1:8)

Ahab’s Court Royalty (pillows, paintings, sculptures…) Ivory Palace Latest Fashions / Expensive Robes / Jewelry Latest Style Furniture Clean / Polished Manners 450 Prophets of Baal

God Challenges Baal IKings 17:1 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

God Challenges Baal IKings 17:1 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

God Challenges Baal IKings 17:1 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

No Elijah = No Word Of God Theme of “Drying Up” V. 1 “No Rain V. 14 “No Bread” V. 14 “No Oil” V. 17 “No Life” No Elijah = No Word Of God Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.

Rain & Dew Deuteronomy 32:1-3 1 "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass. 3 For I proclaim the name of the LORD: ascribe greatness to our God. Isaiah 55:10-11 10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. How do we get this “water” into our hearts?

Why No Rain? Deuteronomy 11:10-22 10 "For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; 11 "but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, 12 "a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year. 13 'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 'then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 'And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.' 16 "Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, 17 "lest the LORD'S anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you. 18 "Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 "You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 "And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 "that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth. 22 "For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do-- to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him--

No Dew or Rain Lessons There was already a spiritual drought in the land. The people (led by Ahab & Jezebel) had “turned aside to worship other gods” Therefore God was going to bring a physical drought upon the land to get their attention in order to return them to Him (not just punishment) Elijah was the “word of God” to Israel, and he will disappear for 3½ years, just like the rain.

Elijah Called To Cherith TISHBE East of Jordan In Gilead On His way home!! SAMARIA

Elijah “Went” 1 Kings 17:1 – To Ahab 1 Kings 17:5 – To Cherith 1 Kings 17:10 – To Zarephath 1 Kings 18:2 – To Ahab 1 Kings 19:5 – To Elisha 1 Kings 21:18 – To Naboth’s Vineyard 2 Kings 1:5 – To Ahaziah

Loneliness Elijah spent 6 – 18 months at the Brook Cherith Compare 1 Kings 18:1 “in the third year” Compare Luke 4:25; James 5:17 “three years & six months” (42 months) First year = months 1 – 12 Second year = months 13 – 24 Third year = months 25-36

Ravens In The Law Leviticus 11:13-15 13 'And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, 14 'the kite, and the falcon after its kind; 15 'every raven after its kind,

Who Feeds The Ravens? Job 38:41 Who provides food for the raven, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food? Psalm 147:7-9 7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praises on the harp to our God, 8 Who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the mountains. 9 He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry.

Gentiles Unclean Like Ravens Acts 10:28 28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Consider The Ravens Luke 12:23-24 23 "Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

The widow WAS the ravens! Elijah’s Preparation Ravens Widow 1 Kings 17:4 “I have commanded the ravens to feed you there” Luke 12:24 “Consider the ravens They neither sow nor reap They have neither storehouse or barn And God feeds them! And they fed Elijah! 1 Kings 17:9 “I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” She had nothing to sow nor reap She had neither storehouse or barn God fed her! And she fed Elijah! The widow WAS the ravens!

The widow WAS the ravens! Elijah’s Preparation Ravens Widow 1 Kings 17:4 “I have commanded the ravens to feed you there” Luke 12:24 “Consider the ravens They neither sow nor reap They have neither storehouse or barn And God feeds them! And they fed Elijah! 1 Kings 17:9 “I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” She had nothing to sow nor reap She had neither storehouse or barn God fed her! And she fed Elijah! The widow WAS the ravens!

Lessons Of Being Fed By Ravens God was preparing Elijah to go spend 2.5 years with an “unclean” Gentile! How does God prepare us? What does God “put us through” in order to prepare us, as vessels, for His Kingdom?

Called to Zarephath Reasons (Fleshly) to Not go to Zarephath 100 miles in severe drought (no drinking fountains) Jezebel’s home town! Widow was a Gentile… Unclean… Pagan! Widow! How would she provide for him! She had nobody to provide for her! “Wanted Posters” – 1 Kings 18:10

Called to Zarephath I Kings 17:10 So he arose and went to Zar'ephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." (RSV) God Opens Doors When We Heed His Call Widow was at the gate of the city! Eliezer (Genesis 24 – “before he was finished speaking”) God will do the same for us if we are walking in His ways

The Widow 1 Kings 17:12 “As the Lord your God lives…” Yahweh Elohiym Yahweh is Elijah’s God Yahweh LIVES! If Yahweh lives, then He’s responsible for this drought which is about to kill her and her only beloved son

The Widow Quotes Elijah “As Yahweh your God lives, I do not have bread…” -1 Kings 17:12 “As Yahweh God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” -1 Kings 17:1

Elijah & The Widow Elijah meets the widow Her only son is at home, waiting to die She’s preparing her last meal before death What does he ask her for? A little water in a cup (1 Kings 17:10) 1 year into a DROUGHT! As she was going to get it… (vs. 11) He called “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand”

Widows Response As the Lord your God lives “Lord” = Yahweh “your God” = She recognizes Yahweh is Elijah’s God “lives” = She recognizes that Elijah’s God is ALIVE! Does she say “no” to Elijah? The Widow is scared… what promise does Elijah make to calm her fear and give her hope? The bin would not empty, neither the jar What does she do? She gives to God 1st, and God provides for her for the rest of the drought!

Lessons God’s word is the “rain” in our lives. If we don’t read from it, we will be living in drought and will be unproductive in the Truth. God will call all types, shapes, and sizes of people to be a part of His family. We should not exclude anybody for any reason. If we are following God’s ways, He will direct our lives and take care of us. If we have faith in God, He will provide for all of our needs (seek 1st the Kingdom of God) (see Hebrews 11:6)

The Widow’s Complete Conversion 1 Kings 17:17 – The son became sick & died Elijah took him to an upper room Laid himself on him 3 times Prayed to God, “O Lord my God…” The Lord God heard the voice of Elijah (v. 22) When was the 1st time God heard his voice? James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

The Widow’s Response “By this I know…” “…you are a man of God…” Resurrection from the dead “…you are a man of God…” Elijah truly is a prophet of God “…the word of God in your mouth is Truth…” The word of God is the Truth Elijah was the word of God to the Widow What is our source for the word of God Do we believe that it is Truth? If so, then do we read from it every day so that we can hear God’s voice in it?

Obadiah – “The Servant of Yahweh” In charge of Ahab’s house (1 Kings 18:3) Feared the Lord greatly (1 Kings 18:3)

Feared the Lord Greatly “Feared” only used in 1 Kings 18:3 & Isaiah 29:13 Isaiah 29:13 13 Therefore the LORD said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,

Ahab’s Example IKing 21:25-26 25 But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26 And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

Obadiah – The Servant of Yahweh In charge of Ahab’s house (1 Kings 18:3) Feared the Lord greatly (1 Kings 18:3) Hid 100 prophets (1 Kings 18:4) Addresses Elijah as, “my lord Elijah” (1 Kings 18:7)

As the Lord your God lives… IKing 18:10 10 "As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.

As Yahweh of Armies Lives… IKing 18:15 15 Then Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today."