Elijah, the Making of a Man Like Us
Passage: I Kings 17:1-7
“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah.”
This is the beginning of the prophetic era. God started with a priest as His representative (Moses to Samuel), then He used the kings (Saul to Ahab). But then the kings rejected God, and He raised up the prophets.
Don’t be deceived by appearances. It looked like all the power was with the kings, with the Baalists, it looked like Yahwehism was in retreat or defeated. The government was promoting raw paganism of the worst sort. Even as a matter of policy and approval, with funding support.
Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne,
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own. James Russell Lowell
Don’t be deceived, despite appearances, the Word of God is powerful and working.
“So he went and did according to the word of the Lord.”
This story begins with the clear reception of a word from God.
Like most of God’s words, it contains a command and a promise.
When the command is obeyed, the promise is fulfilled.
Elijah heard the word of God, he received it, and he quickly obeyed it.
We see here common elements of how God speaks and calls individuals (Burning Bush, Damascus Road).
- God initiates, it is God who acts.
- God calls, He is personal and relational.
- God gives the specifics of His call, clarifies His purposes, He reveals what He will do.
- God makes demands, gives commands and promises.
- God promises provision and protection.
- God gives a sign.
- God separates out those He calls according to His own pleasure, for His own glory.