Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 1 Kings 17. They argue that the two periods of rain in ancient Israel normally occurred in March and October, and that the king's anger would have driven Elijah away only after these rains failed: The early rain fell in our March, the latter rain in our October. As we are reminded in John 15 where Jesus said, The answer lies in the fact that God is not just interested in imparting faith; He is interested in its development, in its improvement. He tells Elijah that he will drink from the brook and ravens will give him food (1 Kings 17:4). Apparently when the children got to a certain age and it was time for them to go out to work, he would put a Bible in their left hand and a penny in the other and he would pray for them and tell them 'If you take care of your left hand, God will take care of your right hand!' As Elijah saw the brook dry up, he now had no water. Or 'Why the brook Cherith?' In other words he was to return home, but not to the comforts of home for he is told to hide . We need to wait on God as Elijah did and let Him tell us what we should do. How do we build on it. His lifetime is chronicled in Kings I and King IIincluding the miracles he performed, the inspiration he caused, and his dramatic ascent to heaven. See His absolute sovereignty and power that even birds contrary to natural instincts do His bidding on behalf of His people. Because what she was doing there has led her to what she is doing now. He was supplying your needs in one way, but then He stopped. All the while He could be protecting you and caring for you in a unique manner just like He did for Elijah. Elijah gets a command to go to Zarephath and the widow gets a command to feed Elijah; God promises to sustain Elijah and Elijah promises the widow that her cruse of meal will never finish. If you know anything about birds, the raven is not a dependable animal. How much more will God provide for those that love Him. I read about George Mueller during the week and I thought this man is unbelievable. The story of Joseph is one of the most amazing stories - he went from prison to the right hand of the ruler of Egypt in one day, but God had His reasons for putting Joseph there. A Change of scenery. 1Kings 17:4 In a time of drought, Elijah had to sit by a stream of water. Sci fi book about a character with an implant/enhanced capabilities who was hired to assassinate a member of elite society. Ahab went along with her in everything she proposed, even setting up an idol in the house of Baal in Samaria. Elijah is kept safe by the brook Cherith, until it dries up. Last week we saw there were lessons Elijah had to learn in going to the brook Cherith, and here we see them being put into practice as Elijah waited: (i) one step at a time he waited. But birds carrying food wouldve aroused no interest. Elijah comes out of nowhere he comes out of the mountains of Gilead with this word to Ahab. Many times, it can be frustrating to have desires to do great things for God that we miss out on the joy of the still moments. But God will not share His glory, so Elijah is told to go to a lonely place. Last time we looked at the state of Israel at the time Elijah came on the scene. As I was walking him the other day a lady said to me that she could tell that it was my dog because even when it was doing its own thing, it always had one eye on me. Jesus instructs us to consider the birds of the air and how they are provided for. do koalas have poisonous claws. He leads staff development training primarily in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. She is wife to Drew for over two years and mom to baby Graham. Our relationship with God is not like the army where we are told what to do so we obey, otherwise we are going to be doing 40 press ups or running around a field forever. There would be none here for Elijah to be tempted to parade himself before. So for three years, while other prophets were existing on smuggled bread and water, Elijah sits out the judgment of God with his own private spring and special-delivery meals! 'Let's get down to where things are a bit quieter and your dependence on God is more real.' He took it away. The word hide is cathar and means "to hide (by covering), literally or figuratively: be absent, keep close conceal, hide (self), (keep) secret, x surely." Brook nachal means "torrent, valley, wadi, torrent-valley." Cherith Keriyth means "cutting." When and how was it discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are made out of gas? Elijah's 'cutting away' at brook Cherith Bible Study. The fact that it didnt yet look serious didnt alter the fact. He always drew aside. God, however, chose a bunch of ravens for the job, thereby dispelling rational theories.. CHERITH, THE BROOK. He would have been high on adrenalin and on grace. Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? The fact is that God leads His servants one step at a time. Cherith, as mentioned earlier, means 'a cutting away'. Why would God provide for Elijah in this way? So Elijah is at this place watching his provision dwindle. By it Elijah was to learn to fix his attention on God not Gods instruments. They had spurned it, now they will be deprived of it. These birds that I once considered pretty ugly, I now delight in the thought of how the Lord takes care of them and of me. is sent to Cherith where the ravens feed him. Birds of prey more likely to take meat from him (including of his bones) than to feed him. (6) The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 'Come aside to a quiet place,' He said. God led Elijah to a dry land called Cherith east of the Jordan (1 Kings 17:3). Scriptures help us to see the love of Christ and then learn how we can reach out to the world who is in great need of the Savior. Only you can answer that but you need to hear from God just as we saw that Elijah waited upon the Lord. Gratitude opens our eyes to the goodness of God. Having passed one grade in the school of faith, it was now time for the next. He was to drink the brook water and eat bread and meat that the ravens would bring him there. 17 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." 2 And the word of the Lord came to him, 3 "Depart from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is east of . As Elijah drank from the Brook Cherith he must have noticed it began to dry up as well. He had an amazing man of the Lord for me at His perfect timing. how long was elijah at the brook cherith Zarephath was the second waiting place for Elijah, where the training, testing, and refining would be even more intense. At last nothing is impossible. Browse other questions tagged, Like any library, Christianity Stack Exchange offers great information, but, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Jesus did the same with His disciples at the end of a tour of ministry, so full were they of the joy of success of their ministry, what they had been involved in: We ought not be surprised if our Father says. God has always given me what was needed. (Luke 4:25 NLT) The confrontation was off, at least temporarily. She did many evil things such as setting up high places for Baal and she also had the prophets of the Lord killed. Our great God could have used any means to feed Elijah, but He intentionally chose ravens. when suddenly there was a knock on the door and a baker was there who said 'God has kept me awake all night and I knew I had to bake an extra three batches of bread for you.' Consider Joseph God told Joseph in a dream that provision was going to dry up. In v.2 we read Then the word of the Lord came to him He was being removed by God. So what did Joseph do? Come what will, come what may. God knows where Elijah is. Though Ahab might have at first ridiculed Elijahs announcement, yet when neither of these rains fell in their season, he was incensed against the prophet as the cause of the national judgment, and compelled him, with Gods direction, to consult his safety in flight. I have been saved 21 years now and I can honestly say that I have lacked nothing that I actually needed. God had his reasons for isolating David and for isolating Moses and Joseph. The woman believes him Pulpit Commentary Verse 7. The brook dries up! See, for example: After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying [ESV], And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying [KJV], Now it happened after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying [NASB], After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah [NIV]. God's faithfulness and human . What if he had kicked the dirt and moaned to God about how much he liked and deserved the brook? Such times are often a time of confusion for believers, and become a real challenge to faith. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel (1 Kings 18:45 NLT). I definitely have not read every book Compassion has published or recommended but this is by far my favorite of course apart from the bible , Jeremiah 17:7-8 But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him, he will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. We have hope in Jesus. He would go to Mt Carmel and achieve great things for God, but first he needed an education so God sends him to Cherith and to Zarapeth. He led him to a place of provision, but that provision wasn't going to last. cokie roberts husband falls at funeral; You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there., So he did what the LORD had told him. Let me leave you with the lyrics of a song I've come to love: We are pressed on every side, but we won't be shaken. If dogs are treated properly they are man's best friend. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. Heres Elijah by a brook, day by day seeing a diminishing water flow. Did Jesus know from the outset that He was the Son of God or did Mary tell Him? (James 5:17 NLT), "Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. I was just thinking about how God speaks to me when I walk my dog. The God who gives water can also withhold it. Now this too was affected. They wanted Elijah dead and looked in all of the other cities. It wasnt just for a little while that he stayed there, he continued day after day. One of them was that he had 10,000 children, all of which he provided for all by faith and prayer. God provided for the whole lot. But you also see this other principle here of a brook that is drying up and he doesn't move because it is part of what God is doing with his character. The first one is in verse 5 - it is actually obedience to three simple words. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.'"1 Kings 17:2-4. Hence, in having Elijahs presence and hearing Elijahs word, they were being given the ministry of God, hearing the Word of God. Emma is an avid writer for Salem Web Network and provides articles on the Bible, life questions, and on the Christian lifestyle. We need to see the value of it, which lies in it helps keep things in perspective. Every now and then a Christian cries, perhaps youve done it, Lord, what happened? He or she has been doing the Lords positive will as outlined in the Bible when suddenly disaster struck. What if we see the hard times coming in advance? There were no debates with God. However, the story of the ravens feeding Elijah gives me a great hope that my God is omniscient, and He is in control. Acceleration without force in rotational motion? II. Have we not know this in our own Christian service? We are also to note that Elijah continued in the centre of Gods will for he stayed at the brook for a long period as shown by Gods fulfilment of His promise. This is indicated in two ways. He would have been high on adrenalin and on grace. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? He stayed by the Kerith brook until God moved him on If at this time you have yielded to this temptation to throw in the towel of faith and to rely on your own thoughts or on someone else, if your zeal for Christ has diminished, your spirit of devotion is dying, if you find no delight in prayer, nothing to give praise and thanksgiving for, and can find nothing about you to stir you up and encourage you remember Him who said of His vineyard in Isaiah 27:3, I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment; I will even keep it night and day. And of whom it is said in Psalm 84:11, No really good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. He had the time to see Gods faithfulness, to learn to trust his heart.. Elijah, an Old Testament prophet of God, lived a life of faith. This is the faith God calls us to as well. God knows that faith only develops under pressure. It maybe a drying brook of finance, or it may be of health, or of the removal of a dear Christian friend who has been Gods daily instrument of refreshing your soul in His truth, of a churchs ministry those things given by God to us which we could rely on before to provide for us are no longer there for us. Even with those things that never come clear to us we can still trust His goodness in them; we can rest in the confidence that God is doing and always does what is right. When you think about your life as a Christian, has God ever failed to meet your needs? If I go anywhere on my property he's right there with me. Now Baal was the god of fertility, the god of rain, and the god of the increase of their crops. He never shared the needs but just committed everything to prayer and believed that God would provide! All the glory to the Lord! How long did the drought that Elijah prayed for really last? I love how Elijah boldly and confidently obeyed the voice of God in an unknown circumstance. Let us remember that though such times may come upon us unexpectantly, but they are never unexpected to God. Jezebel, the wicked wife of Ahab, wants Elijah dead and so God tells him to hide himself by the Cherith book, east of the Jordan River. Did he lay aside his worship giving himself to anxiety, relentless pacing backwards and forwards? The "brook Cherith" (NASB), or the "ravine Kerith" (NIV), was one of the many waddies or ravines that emptied its waters into the Jordan from the mountains to the east. What God teaches Elijah, and us, at brook Cherith 1 Kings 17:5-6 So he did what the LORD had told him. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening and he got water from the brook. There was a brook for water, and at His command even the ravens helped provide for Elijahs needs. God rises up Elijah, a Tishbite (a resident of Tishbe), to be a prophet to Israel. Three long years would elapse before it would finally . Ahab and Jezebel were the most wicked and evil rulers Israel had ever known. How strange the reply mustve been to him: Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do. Just one step at a time Saul thats how I operate. Jesus did the same with His disciples at the end of a tour of ministry, so full were they of the joy of success of their ministry, what they had been involved in: Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while (Mk 6:31). I know that God was not only preparing me for my husband Drew, but He was protecting me from marrying the wrong kind of man. from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Emma also had the privilege of having been a national spokesperson for Mukti Mission based out of India. However, it was in that season of isolation that I grew tremendously in my intimacy with Christ, and my trust in Him increased significantly. Occurrences like this happened for George Mueller who, through faith in God, provided for the children constantly, all through their life and they never failed to have what they needed. Go hide yourself by the Cherith of sick bed, of bereavement We can be too strong, too full of ourselves for God to use, and so by the Cheriths God buries our self-centeredness. Gods word through His prophet is removed. I learned my identity was not in a relationship status with anyone but Him. They naturally think, Whats going on Wheres the blessing? The first act of the battle scene, as it were, was Elijah the prophet of God standing as Gods ambassador in the very throne room of King Ahab making known Gods judgement to this ungodly King who not only built a temple for Baal in his capital but also actively pursued an anti-God policy which was aimed at the full and final eradication of anything to do with the God of Israel from his kingdom. He raised a boy from the dead and called down fire from heaven. No doubt in time it would work to his safety as we just noted, but there is no hint that Ahab was immediately seeking to deal with Elijah. The knot in his stomach tightened even more. What was God doing? The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. James and Luke say the drought lasted for three and a half years. But God will not share His glory, so Elijah is told to go to a lonely place. If we are where God wants us to be then we can be assured that God will work and direct miracles rather than see us perish for lack! That is the lesson that was being stamped on Elijahs heart and mind during this time and will be on ours as well, both by the Word this day and by Gods gracious dealings every day. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years (James 5:17 NLT) "Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. But in this scripture, he was locked down at the. Elijah not only preached Gods Word, he practised it he went without hesitation. It is the same for you though hard times will come. That Elijah learned his lesson well is seen in what he said to the widow in v.13,14. And so true! Most recently, Emma has released her first Bible Study Book, Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness. There is hope in Jesus. After the ravens brought him food, he was still able to drink from the brook, indicating that it was not yet dry. He just went and did what he was told. Elijah saw God's miraculous provision and heard God's voice, but also encountered doubt and despair. Even a river would have been regarded as insufficient. Even more, they were also a practical confirmation of Gods approval of where he was, that he was indeed where God wanted him, doing what God wanted him. They were absolutely evil and disobedient to the ways of the Lord. We will continue with that next time and glean from the lessons that can be learnt there. God may teach and test us but He never deserts us. Its time to move on. One explanation for the alleged contradiction depends on this: rather than the "third year of the drought," the text is referring to the third year of Elijah's residence in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:9), where is staying at the end of 1 Kings 17. (6) The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. Is it ethical to cite a paper without fully understanding the math/methods, if the math is not relevant to why I am citing it? Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, livesthe God I servethere will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word! (1 Kings 17:1 NLT), Later on, IN THE THIRD YEAR of the drought, the LORD said to Elijah, Go and present yourself to King Ahab. She began with pluralism, which meant that it was alright to worship more than one God - both Yahweh and Baal it didn't seem to matter. 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