seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe[a] 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.”
2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.
2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.
a. 1 Kings 17:1 Or Tishbite, of the settlers
This is from the easy English site.
Elijah appears suddenly in the story. Later he disappears suddenly. He is a very important person in the Old Testament (the first part of the Bible). People often refer to him in the New Testament (the second part of the Bible). Peter, John and James saw him with Jesus and Moses on the mountain (Luke 9:30-33). The letter by James refers to him as a man who prayed. ‘Elijah was the same kind of person as we are. He prayed that the rain would not come. No rain fell upon the land for three and a half years.’ (See James 5:17.)
The people in Israel were already worshipping false gods long before Ahab became king, But Ahab encouraged the people to follow these false religions. Especially, he wanted people to worship the false god called Baal. Ahab was acting as if the Lord, the real God of Israel, were dead. Or, as if the Lord did not still care about Israel.
So the Lord appointed Elijah to be a prophet to Israel. Elijah was bold when he spoke to King Ahab. Elijah declared that the Lord was definitely alive. And he was still Israel’s God, although Ahab did not respect him. And now the Lord would challenge Baal. The worshippers of the god Baal believed that he provided them with rain. God was showing that he is more powerful than Baal.
Then God told Elijah to hide. He did this probably because Ahab wanted to kill him. While Elijah was at Cherith, God used extraordinary means to provide for him. God provided Elijah with water from the stream. But wild birds called ravens brought Elijah’s food. These birds are large black birds, which usually eat meat. God uses unusual means sometimes to carry out his plans. God did this wonderful thing to show Elijah that he could trust God completely. Elijah would have to carry out some very difficult tasks for the Lord. So Elijah needed to learn how to depend on God.
The people in Israel were already worshipping false gods long before Ahab became king, But Ahab encouraged the people to follow these false religions. Especially, he wanted people to worship the false god called Baal. Ahab was acting as if the Lord, the real God of Israel, were dead. Or, as if the Lord did not still care about Israel.
So the Lord appointed Elijah to be a prophet to Israel. Elijah was bold when he spoke to King Ahab. Elijah declared that the Lord was definitely alive. And he was still Israel’s God, although Ahab did not respect him. And now the Lord would challenge Baal. The worshippers of the god Baal believed that he provided them with rain. God was showing that he is more powerful than Baal.
Then God told Elijah to hide. He did this probably because Ahab wanted to kill him. While Elijah was at Cherith, God used extraordinary means to provide for him. God provided Elijah with water from the stream. But wild birds called ravens brought Elijah’s food. These birds are large black birds, which usually eat meat. God uses unusual means sometimes to carry out his plans. God did this wonderful thing to show Elijah that he could trust God completely. Elijah would have to carry out some very difficult tasks for the Lord. So Elijah needed to learn how to depend on God.
Boy there's a lot going on here. This is from the Enduringword.com site.
The name Elijah means,Yahweh is my God. In the days when Ahab’s government officially supported the worship of Baal and other gods, even the name of this prophet told the truth.
It was a crucial time in the history of Israel. It looked as if the worship of the true God might be completely eliminated in the northern kingdom. “The land swarmed with the priests of Baal and of the groves – proud of Court favour; glorying in their sudden rise to power; insolent, greedy, licentious, and debased. The fires of persecution were lit, and began to burn with fury” (Meyer).
“The whole land seemed apostate. Of all the thousands of Israel, only seven thousand remained who had not bowed the knee or kissed the hand to Baal. But they were paralysed with fear; and kept so still, that their very existence was unknown by Elijah in the hour of his great loneliness.” (Meyer)
It was a crucial time in the history of Israel. It looked as if the worship of the true God might be completely eliminated in the northern kingdom. “The land swarmed with the priests of Baal and of the groves – proud of Court favour; glorying in their sudden rise to power; insolent, greedy, licentious, and debased. The fires of persecution were lit, and began to burn with fury” (Meyer).
“The whole land seemed apostate. Of all the thousands of Israel, only seven thousand remained who had not bowed the knee or kissed the hand to Baal. But they were paralysed with fear; and kept so still, that their very existence was unknown by Elijah in the hour of his great loneliness.” (Meyer)
OK... here's a thought.... "hide in this ravine... there's water in that little stream... and I'll send food" Then a mob of birds drop meat.... I've learned that the normal meal should only have 4oz of meat at a meal. Still I can't imagine a bird flying with a piece of meat the size of a quarter pounder [before or after cooking] in it's beak. So he had to eat the bits and pieces they dropped. Now can't you just see him running around picking tiny bits of meat off the side of the ravine saying "two second rule"?
Things were horrible in the church. Almost everyone was on the wrong path. Almost everyone was worshiping a pole or a statue. Almost everyone was doing the "convenient" and "safe" thing. No one dared to speak up and say.... "the church has it all wrong".... if they did it would be useless because "the king supports it so it must be right". You can't fight government.... not even church government....
I need to remember.... this is still a Theocracy. It's split in two pieces.... Israel to the north, Judah to the south... but it's still God's Promised Land and God is still in control.... he's let people run free range about long enough.
Arizona just went through well over 100 days without rain. Let me tell you.... it was so dry that when the first little raindrops made it through the dry atmosphere and plopped outside my window... I actually danced. After the first rain.... the bush outside my window bloomed.... and then there was this magnificent breathable air... not quite fresh yet... but breathable. Elijah's news about the drought... that's really rough.
