Elijah, the Reviver
Notes
Transcript
“Whene’er a noble deed is wrought,
Whene’er is spoken a noble thought,
Our hearts, in glad surprise,
To higher levels rise.
The tidal wave of deeper souls
Into our inmost being rolls,
And lifts us unawares
Out of all meaner cares.”—Longfellow.
There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, but unto none of them was he sent, but unto this widow in a city of Sidon. Why did our Lord refer to this at the time He did (Luke 4:25) if it were not just to show them that salvation is through the grace of God, delighting to lift up the despised among men, and the unworthy in the sight of God. It was a marvellous work the God of Israel had wrought for this poor lonely widow, not only in supplying her daily need, but in raising her son from the dead. Truly might she sing, “Oh! to grace, how great a debtor!” What hath the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men taught us? (Titus 2:11, 12). Now we see in this highly favoured home—
I. A Severe Trial. “The son of the woman fell sick, and there was no breath left in him” (v. 17). The light of her eyes, the joy of her heart, and the hope of her future life has been suddenly cut off. She sits with the dead boy “in her bosom” (v. 19), but the natural warmth even of a mother’s heart is utterly unavailing to bring back to these vacant eyes the light of a living soul. No more can we, by the strength of natural affection, nurse back to life those of our loved ones who are dead in their sins. “Without Me ye can do nothing.”
I. A Severe Trial. “The son of the woman fell sick, and there was no breath left in him” (v. 17). The light of her eyes, the joy of her heart, and the hope of her future life has been suddenly cut off. She sits with the dead boy “in her bosom” (v. 19), but the natural warmth even of a mother’s heart is utterly unavailing to bring back to these vacant eyes the light of a living soul. No more can we, by the strength of natural affection, nurse back to life those of our loved ones who are dead in their sins. “Without Me ye can do nothing.”
II. A Bitter Complaint. “She said, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance?” (v. 18). The death of the child had awakened within her some sad memories of the past. What this sin was we cannot positively say. It may have been connected with the birth of the child. Anyway, her soul was deeply moved. The presence of the “man of God,” the manifestation of the power and goodness of God in the daily multiplying of the handful of meal, and this vivid remembrance of her own sin filled her soul with the deepest anguish. It is an awful sight to see one’s sinfulness in the light of the great goodness of God. When Simon Peter saw it, he cried, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). It is infinitely worse to remember one’s sins, like the rich man, where there is no “man of God” to help, or message of hope for a self-ruined soul (Luke 16:25).
II. A Bitter Complaint. “She said, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance?” (v. 18). The death of the child had awakened within her some sad memories of the past. What this sin was we cannot positively say. It may have been connected with the birth of the child. Anyway, her soul was deeply moved. The presence of the “man of God,” the manifestation of the power and goodness of God in the daily multiplying of the handful of meal, and this vivid remembrance of her own sin filled her soul with the deepest anguish. It is an awful sight to see one’s sinfulness in the light of the great goodness of God. When Simon Peter saw it, he cried, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). It is infinitely worse to remember one’s sins, like the rich man, where there is no “man of God” to help, or message of hope for a self-ruined soul (Luke 16:25).
III. A Gracious Request. He said unto her, “Give me thy son” (v. 19). Although the sharp words of the afflicted and sin-wounded woman must have deeply stung the sensitive heart of the “man of God,” yet he betrays no impatience. He utters no complaint, but with the tenderness of a father, and with the faith of a Heaven-born giant, he says, “Give me thy son,” and he took the dead boy “out of her bosom.” Oh, man of God, what canst thou do with the dead? A man of God will always act differently from an ordinary mundane mortal, by facing difficulties that seem unsurmountable and tasks that are impossible with men.
III. A Gracious Request. He said unto her, “Give me thy son” (v. 19). Although the sharp words of the afflicted and sin-wounded woman must have deeply stung the sensitive heart of the “man of God,” yet he betrays no impatience. He utters no complaint, but with the tenderness of a father, and with the faith of a Heaven-born giant, he says, “Give me thy son,” and he took the dead boy “out of her bosom.” Oh, man of God, what canst thou do with the dead? A man of God will always act differently from an ordinary mundane mortal, by facing difficulties that seem unsurmountable and tasks that are impossible with men.
IV. A Place of Blessing. “He carried him up into a loft where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed” (v. 19). The loft must have been a very humble place in appearance, but to this prophet, priest, and prince it was the “Holy of holies,” the audience chamber of the Prince of Life and Glory. The little window of this “closet” looked right into the throne-room of the Eternal. Blessed is that man whose “closet” is filled with the warmth of the breath of God. “When ye pray, enter into thy closet and shut the door. Thy Father seeth in secret” (Matt. 6:6).
IV. A Place of Blessing. “He carried him up into a loft where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed” (v. 19). The loft must have been a very humble place in appearance, but to this prophet, priest, and prince it was the “Holy of holies,” the audience chamber of the Prince of Life and Glory. The little window of this “closet” looked right into the throne-room of the Eternal. Blessed is that man whose “closet” is filled with the warmth of the breath of God. “When ye pray, enter into thy closet and shut the door. Thy Father seeth in secret” (Matt. 6:6).
V. A Prevailing Prayer. “The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again” (vv. 21, 22). In asking that the “child’s soul might come into him again,” he was surely asking a great thing. But men who claim to “stand before God” must expect great things from God. The life of faith cannot be limited to the natural, and circumscribed by precedent. Above what we ask or think, God is able to do. But not only did he ask, he also “stretched himself upon the child three times.” With the faith of his heart he gave also the whole warmth of his physical body. His body, soul, and spirit were all consecrated to this great work of reviving. There are many who pray for reviving who would not stretch their little finger to lift a soul out of the ditch of sin. In “stretching himself” he gave himself wholly to the work. When Paul wished to recover Eutychus he embraced him (Acts 20:10). There be many who stretch themselves without the prayer of faith, but it is as vain as when Samson “shook himself” without the power of the Holy Spirit (Judges 16:20).
V. A Prevailing Prayer. “The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again” (vv. 21, 22). In asking that the “child’s soul might come into him again,” he was surely asking a great thing. But men who claim to “stand before God” must expect great things from God. The life of faith cannot be limited to the natural, and circumscribed by precedent. Above what we ask or think, God is able to do. But not only did he ask, he also “stretched himself upon the child three times.” With the faith of his heart he gave also the whole warmth of his physical body. His body, soul, and spirit were all consecrated to this great work of reviving. There are many who pray for reviving who would not stretch their little finger to lift a soul out of the ditch of sin. In “stretching himself” he gave himself wholly to the work. When Paul wished to recover Eutychus he embraced him (Acts 20:10). There be many who stretch themselves without the prayer of faith, but it is as vain as when Samson “shook himself” without the power of the Holy Spirit (Judges 16:20).
VI. A God-honouring Confession. When Elijah had brought down the child and delivered him unto his mother, she said, “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the Word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth” (v. 24). The miracle in the barrel did not convince her like the miracle in her son. The overwhelming evidence of the truthfulness of the “Word of the Lord” is, that by it souls pass from death unto life, born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word. The death and reviving of her son was the means in the hand of God of bringing her into the knowledge and love of God; so out of our deepest trials there may come our highest blessings, and when they do come let us honestly and joyfully confess them.
VI. A God-honouring Confession. When Elijah had brought down the child and delivered him unto his mother, she said, “Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the Word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth” (v. 24). The miracle in the barrel did not convince her like the miracle in her son. The overwhelming evidence of the truthfulness of the “Word of the Lord” is, that by it souls pass from death unto life, born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word. The death and reviving of her son was the means in the hand of God of bringing her into the knowledge and love of God; so out of our deepest trials there may come our highest blessings, and when they do come let us honestly and joyfully confess them.
Smith, J., & Lee, R. (1971). Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII (five-volume edition, Vol. 5, pp. 129–132). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.