Did God provide for a man who told the truth, but was ignored by the world? Is the life of a true follower of God often lonely? Let’s look at 1 Kings 17.
While God punished Israel for its idolatry by a drought, did He provide for a prophet?
Elijah from Tishbe, who was one of the settlers in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the Lord lives, Israel’s God, the one I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain these years unless I say so.” Then the Lord’s word came to Elijah: Go from here and turn east. Hide by the Cherith Brook that faces the Jordan River. You can drink from the brook. I have also ordered the ravens to provide for you there. Elijah went and did just what the Lord said. He stayed by the Cherith Brook that faced the Jordan River. The ravens brought bread and meat in the mornings and evenings. He drank from the Cherith Brook. After a while the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land. (1 Kings 17:1-7 CEB)
What strange request did the Lord make of Elijah and a widow?
The Lord told Elijah, “Go to the town of Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I've told a widow in that town to give you food.” When Elijah came near the town gate of Zarephath, he saw a widow gathering sticks for a fire. “Would you please bring me a cup of water?” he asked. As she left to get it, he asked, “Would you also please bring me a piece of bread?” The widow answered, “In the name of the living Lord your God, I swear that I don't have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour and a little olive oil. I'm on my way home now with these few sticks to cook what I have for my son and me. After that, we will starve to death.” (1 Kings 17:8-12 CEV)
How did the Lord miraculously provide for Elijah, the widow and her son?
And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:13-16 ESV)
What happened with the widow’s son to prove to her that Elijah was indeed a man of God?
After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness became very severe until no breath remained in him. She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do we have in common? Have you come to remind me of my guilt and to kill my son?” But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “My Lord God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “My Lord God, please let this boy’s life return to him!” So the Lord listened to Elijah’s voice, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.” Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.” (1 Kings 17:17-24 HCSB)
Was Jesus also despised and rejected even by his own people?
He was in the world, and the world was made through him. Yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own creation, yet his own people did not receive him. (John 1:10-11 ISV Isaiah 53:3)
Were some hearts so stubborn that they would still not believe in Jesus, even after He performed many miracles before them?
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him (John 12:37 KJV)
Did God provide for a man who told the truth, but was ignored by the world? Is the life of a true follower of God often lonely? You decide!
