Hope! International Christian Center 3 rd May 2009. By Leo Kinuthia
There is despair as people: Lose jobs, Businesses close, Families break up, Coalition continues fighting, Famine bites and Criminal run amok.
Woman Weeping in Mathira, Nyeri.
This image is been repeated in many homes today. These are desperate moments. Some people have reached the end of themselves. There are feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
1 Kings 17 records the story of widow who was facing death in the face. This will be a portion of study today. Ask people to open 1 Kings 17 and keep it open.
1 Kings 17 Widow of Zarephath.
Background of the story. 1 Kings 12 Israel rebelled against Rehoboam (son of Solomon). Nation divided into Judah (Southern kingdom) under Rehoboam and Israel (Northern kingdom) under Jeroboam (900 B.C.). Jeroboam made 2 golden calves to be worshipped at Dan and Bethel.
This was detestable before the Lord but he continued in the idol worship. The Kingdom was characterized by coups, assassinations and instability. In 1 Kings 16:29 33, Ahab became king of Israel (Northern kingdom). Headquarter was Samaria.
Bible says that he was the most wicked of all the kings of Israel. He carried on the idol worship of golden calves instituted by Jeroboam. He married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Sidon (pagan nation). (Ex. 34:15,16 God had warned about marrying from pagan nations).
With Jezebel, he instituted the worship of Baal and Asherah (gods who were worshipped in Sidon). Jezebel was and remains a symbol of spiritual corruption.
Baal Asherah
Baal. Baal, the pagan god of nature and fertility. Baal worship apparently had its origin in the belief that every tract of ground owed its productivity to a supernatural being, or baal, that dwelt there. The farmers probably thought that from the Baalim, or fertility gods, of various regions came the increase of crops, fruit and cattle.
Asherah She was the goddess of sexual love, maternity and fertility. Baal and Asherah worship was accompanied by sexual immorality. The famine was a proof Israelites that it wa God not Baal who caused the rains and brought increase of crops and livestock.
1 Kings 21:25 Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife incited him. He acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the sons of Israel.
Read 1 Kings 17:1-7 1 Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives the God I serve there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word! 2 Then the LORD said to Elijah, 3 Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River.
4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food. 5 So Elijah did as the LORD told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.
Elijah (Yahweh is God) just shows up. Nothing much said about him. He made it clear to Ahab that he served the God of Israel and not Baal. The famine was imminent and nothing would change the punishment. God pronounced a judgment against the whole land.
Leaders can cause the subjects to be caught up in punishments for the sins they have done. They cause us to kill each other and destroy farms. The challenges we are facing today has something to do with consequences of failed leadership. They eat Mau Forest and sponsor criminal gangs yet it is us who suffer. Sometimes I pray and wish that God would just strike the perpetrators alone. Vs 2. He was listening to God s voice.
God led him to a river (Kerith Brook) where he drank water and was fed by ravens. They brought him bread and meat every morning and evening. The famine did not spare the man of God. Calamities do not respect our faith. We must hang on the Lord when they strike. The birds (scavengers) did not eat the food.
God takes care of his own people. He does not forget them but uses all kinds of means to minister to them. We should look out God and trust in Him. The famine was so severe and the river soon dried up. God s means of touching his life did not dry up. When one source fails, He has another for us.
Most of disappointment arise from our trust in men. We look unto the politicians, our jobs, our income, the weather, global market, etc. Sadly today, some of us are still looking up to the parliament to sort the mess. Sorry, they won t. They will use our taxes to fight each other and turn against us when we challenge their tax free cash. The President and PM will not help us much. God will!
Let us pray for them always, but let us put our hope in God alone. Reforms are good idea, but transformed hearts are a better idea. Some run to fortune tellers, horoscope and witchcraft (adverts running in papers and Facebook). God is among the last things we run to. He should/must be no.1. Read out Scriptures.
Ps. 121:2, 3 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Pr. 3:5, 6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Sometimes it appears like God has slept. Do you ever feel like that? I prayed the other day and told Him to arise. The Mungiki continue to behave as if God is an idol who neither sees nor hear. How dare they say that the Gospel won t be preached in Kiambu? I told Him to arise and scatter His enemies. I am still praying the same way.
Read 1 Kings 8 16 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink."
11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." 12 So she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."
13 And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 "For thus says the LORD God of Israel: The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth. " 15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.
After the brook dried, God led Him to Zarephath in Sidon. He did not complain about the change, he obeyed the Lord. God did not ask for permission to adjust Elijah s lifestyle. God is sovereign, and we are safer when we let Him be the boss. As Christians, we need to focus on God always and remain connected to Him.
Moving from 4 bed roomed house to a 2 bed roomed does not mean God has left you. We may have to adjust our diet, shopping streets, holiday destinations, cars, homes, etc. The change does not God is absent. Our greatest concern should be remaining in God amidst the adjustments due to difficult moments.
Elijah could have had concerns. 1. God was sending him to enemy territory. Sidon is where Jezebel came from and her dad (Ethbaal) was the king. Sidonians worshipped idols and the king would have gladly handed Elijah to Ahab. 2. God sent him to a widow. Widows lived miserable lives and the famine had made things terrible for her.
I believe when God checked on him, he saluted and said, At your service sir. Some doctrine says you can order/command God around. If you think try commanding your boss and see what will happen. He is the potter and we are the clay. No 2 ways!
With no husband and son to take care of, it must have been hard for her. God did not send him to rich widow or rich family. We like complaining and wonder how does God expect us to obey His word fully. We are a generation that questions His wisdom and authority.
We must understand that the things of God do not necessarily make sense to us. Elijah obeyed Him. The greatest thing in life is know that where God sends us, He has already been there. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. He has been there already.
The sight and words of the widow were greatly disappointing. An old lady, collecting firewood and with little flour and oil, only for herself and son. Elijah does not consult God again to confirm if He had made a mistake. He confidently asked for a meal.
When you hang out with God, you get to know your place. You walk with your head high. You have no apologies to make. When He tells you to start a business or apply for a job you do it confidently. He engages her and asks for water and a piece of bread.
Elijah must have said to himself, Lord, you told me to come here. I am here now. Unknown to the woman, she was in the plan of God. Her situation was hopeless. Had she behaved differently, she would have missed free food for many months. She must have wondered what audacity Elijah had to want to share her last meal. It was not even enough.
Sometimes we think tight hoarding will save us. The trick is in giving and sharing with others. Many people have seemingly hopeless situations. They echo the words of the widow I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." They have come to the end of the road. There seems to be no hope ahead of them:-
No basic necessities like food and clothes. Have waited forever for a child or a spouse. Have loans which cannot be serviced because there is no money. Marriage almost breaking up. Life has lost its beauty and meaning.
Elijah reassured the lady For thus says the LORD God of Israel: The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth. God has not left you. You are still in His plan. God had not forgotten the widow. She was in His plan. Do you feel like God has forgotten you?
He is with you. He knows your name and He will never leave you. As the widow trusted God s Word from Elijah, He calls you to trust in Him today. He wants you to know that he will be with you in the situation until you get another job and your business revives. He will sustain you until the next harvest.
He will sustain you until your husband and wife comes your way. He has not forgotten that you need a man/woman in your life to have and to hold. He will sustain families and bring healing. This season will pass, but you must be in Him to enjoy the rains when they come.
God knows the challenges of single parenting. He came though to a single parent in Elijah s time. All single parents should know that the Lord cares for each one of them. He knows what you have to face everyday. Hassling alone and playing dad or mum to your child. Look up to Him alone.
It is nice to have a man in your life, but husbands are not everything. As you bring up your child, here at ICC we will help you. We don t discriminate against single parents or their children. Do not hide or walk in shame. The Lord knows you and wants to know in Him you are accepted regardless of your past. God wants everyone who is a widow or widower to know that you are in His plans.
You are equally important to Him. To those whose parent(s) have passed on, the Lord who remembered the widow s boy is alive. He cares. He will surely sort you out. At the end of the road, the LORD is there. At the end of the rope, make a knot and hang in there, because it won t be long.
Ps. 123 (Read with congregation standing) 1 To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! 2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He is gracious to us. 3 Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us, For we are greatly filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is greatly filled With the scoffing of those who are at ease, And with the contempt of the proud. Lord Hear Us Gracious Lord, Hear Us!
The widow, son and Elijah enjoyed a good time together. I imagine the in dry land, the woman was well fed and the son had added some wait. Elijah did not have ideas of marrying the lady or messing up with her. He remained faithful to the calling. He did not take advantage of her or seek any favors although it is through him, that she was alive. A big lesson to us: 1. We should remain focused on what God has called us to. We should not abuse the trust He has placed in us.
2. We should not take advantage or manipulate others, although it could be through us that God has blessed them. Let us treat each other with dignity and respect. The Lord ensured that there was food amidst the famine. The LORD is above all and is able to make a way for you. He dries up the seas and causes rain in the deserts.
As we await a new season of harvest, God can still prosper you in the current season. I pray that the Lord will amaze you with a miracle you have been waiting for. I pray that the Lord will see your tears and promptly attend to you. 1 Kings 17:17 24, brings in an interesting twist.
1 Kings 17: 17 24 17 Some time later the woman s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. 18 Then she said to Elijah, O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son? 19 But Elijah replied, Give me your son. And he took the child s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. 20 Then Elijah cried out to the LORD, O LORD my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?
21 And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, O LORD my God, please let this child s life return to him. 22 The LORD heard Elijah s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! 23 Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. Look! he said. Your son is alive! 24 Then the woman told Elijah, Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the LORD truly speaks through you.
The son died and the joy of the widow was interfered with. She had considered herself blessed, but now pain had come to haunt her. She said O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son? To her, Elijah s presence had caused God to notice her shortcomings in life.
To Elijah, he wondered why God would bring the calamity to the widow who had graciously hosted him. Surely, that was not the way too reward her. Elijah knew what to do and after prayer, the boy s life was restored. His mother s faith was then grounded.
The cry of the woman shows 2 things: 1. We think that suffering occurs to us because we have sinned. 2. As long as we are not close to God, He will not notice our sins. 3. Walking closely with God does not shield us from pain and suffering
We should rise above self guilt and condemnation from others that suffering occurs because we have sinned. There are situations that suffering will happen as an immediate consequence of sin e.g. sleeping around will definitely bring one an STI/HIV/AIDS. As Christians, we must always remember that our sins were wiped away when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. For non Christians, the greatest suffering you will face is eternal separation from God. You need to come to Him.
The widow thought that it was Elijah who caused God to notice her sins. Indeed, God s Word and Spirit illuminates our sinful ways, not because God want to hurt us but so that we may repent and turn to Him. Nothing can be hidden from Him.
Even those who faithfully serve the LORD have their own share of sufferings. That is not an indication of His absence or aloofness, but He is always there with us. We need to remember that He is with us even during this time of our lives.
We must make a deliberate choice of remaining in the Lord and praising Him regardless. We must avoid seeking sinful ways to amend our situation but continually cry out to Him. Read Hab. 3:17 19
Hab. 3:17 19 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds feet, And makes me walk on my high places.
Think about the grass Story of the grass Occasionally, fire or dry season cause grasslands to look empty and bare. There appears to be no life. Beneath the soil, grass seeds await the rain season. They may look dead but they still have the potential of rising up again. As soon as it rains, they sprout out and shortly the grassland is green again. Do you feel like the grass, dry and withered (spiritually, physically, financially)? There is potential of life in you. Your season of revival is coming.
Burnt Grass Green Grass
Conclusion Call people out for prayer. Salvation. Renewed strength to remain steadfast in the faith. Desperate situations.