Your Help Will Come From Unexpected Places

Crazy Miracle

1 Kings 17:1–10 (NKJV)

1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

2 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.

7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

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.”

I was planning on using this time as a transition to October message series. However, I am constraint by the Holy Spirit to stay on this theme for a few more weeks. Last week we talk about Don’t give up because your help is on the way.

The Lord has led me to continue on this theme and more specific : “I Need A Miracle”

I need an unbelievable miracle

Don’t Give up, Help is on the way

Your Help Will Come From unexpected places

One thing is certain, as we live this life we will face many different challenges, problems, issues. It is important to understand that not all that you are facing is a result of your actions.

As Christians we know that by virtue of our relationship with God we will be attacked by the Devil. He determined to stop us from having faith in God. Distrusting God will break the relationship we have with God and will eventually lead to our destruction.

My challenge to you and to myself is to always trust God, He has the answer

Last week recap:

Don't Give Up, Help is on the Way - 2 Kings 7:1–20 NKJV

Be careful who you take instructions from when you are at your breaking point.

. The King - 2 kings 6:33

• The Prophet - 2 Kings 7:1

• The Solider - 2 Kings 7:2

• The Lepers - 2 Kings 7:3-5

You must have a balance evaluation of your circumstances. - 2 Kings 7:3–5 (NKJV)

God will always honor his words - 2 Kings 7:6-8

When you have receive your breakthrough, remember to share with others - 2 Kings 7:9-11

Not everyone will believe your testimony of God’s deliverance - 2 Kings 7:12-20

Series: I need a Miracle, A Crazy Miracle

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 3: 1 Samuel–2 Kings (Revised Edition) Notes

The name Elijah means “Yah is my God.”

Crazy - wild and uncontrolled

MIRACLE (δύναμις, dynamis). An event that defies common expectations of behavior and subsequently is attributed to a superhuman agent; an occurrence that demonstrates God’s involvement in the course of human affairs.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 3: 1 Samuel–2 Kings (Revised Edition) Overview

The story of Elijah’s miraculous deeds at Zarephath falls into two sections. In the first (vv. 7–16), the lack of rain has caused the brook Kerith to dry up (v. 7). Accordingly, God sends Elijah to a widow at Zarephath in order that both his prophet and she might be cared for during the severe drought (vv. 8–10). Upon his arrival, Elijah puts a difficult test before her (vv. 11–14). If she would first bake a small loaf for Elijah before seeing to her family’s needs, God would honor her faith with a supply of flour and oil so long as the drought should last. Taking the prophet at his word, she obeys, and everything comes to pass as he has promised (vv. 15–16).

The second portion (vv. 17–24) is structured in chiastic symmetry.

A When the widow’s son falls gravely ill and dies, she blames Elijah for causing the development so as to bring up her sin before her (vv. 17–18).

B Elijah takes the child from his mother (v. 19).

C Having pled with God for the boy’s life, through God’s enablement he is able to effect the lad’s resuscitation (vv. 20–22).

B′ Elijah takes the boy back to his mother and announces his recovery (v. 23).

A′ The mother now praises Elijah and acknowledges his prophetic status (v. 24).

In the broader context of this story is the miraculous move of God and the providential care of God.

What do you do when you follow God’s direction for your life and meet disaster?

How do you respond to your calling when you have to confront those who are walking contrary to the will and word of God?

Doing the will of God will not preclude you from facing challenges and problems.

in Chapter 17 God spoke to Elijah to speak prophetically concerning a drought that would occur in Israel.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 3: 1 Samuel–2 Kings (Revised Edition) Overview

Chapters 17–19 comprise a collection of stories concerning Elijah’s prophetic ministry. They fall into four basic groups. First, 17:1–6 provides an introduction to the overall plot dealing with one period of Elijah’s spiritual odyssey. Here we meet not only the prophet himself but also two of the chief characters who will play such a prominent role in his ministry: Ahab and, above all, God.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 3: 1 Samuel–2 Kings (Revised Edition) Overview

The story develops as Elijah is led to Zarephath,

The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Volume 5, Q–Z (Zarephath)

Zarephath zair’uh-fath (צָרְפַת H7673, possibly from ṣārap H7671, “to refine”; Σάρεπτα G4919).

A Phoenician town to which God instructed ELIJAH to go during a time of drought (1 Ki. 17:9–10). While there, the prophet miraculously provided food for himself and for a widow and her son, and later he raised the son from the dead (vv. 11–24). Jesus referred to that incident as an illustration that “no prophet is accepted in his hometown” (Lk. 4:23–26). The prophet OBADIAH predicted that Israelite exiles would “possess the land as far as Zarephath” (Obad. 20).

1- Do not hesitate to obey God

1 Kings 17:1–3 NKJV

1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” 2 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

God is preparing you for service. Your moment of Mt Carmel is coming. Every experience you go through is designed for a specific purpose, to bring glory to God. Do not resist the current flow, season let God lead you and it will work for your Good.

2- Your obedience can sometimes result in hard times

1 and 2 Kings: An Introduction and Commentary i. The First Miracle of Provision (17:1–6)

4–6. Our obedience is an essential aspect of God’s protecting grace

1 Kings 17:3 NKJV

3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

3- God always have provision secured for you

1 Kings 17:4 NKJV

4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

Often times we pray for help however we have our own ideas of what that help should look like and entail. We should pray and expect God to work in His timing and according to His way.

1. The waters of the brook

2. The meat delivered by the raven

1 and 2 Kings: An Introduction and Commentary i. The First Miracle of Provision (17:1–6)

4–6. Our obedience is an essential aspect of God’s protecting grace. The means God uses may be varied. Some object to the reading ravens (‘ōrĕbîm), which, even if it could be proven to be the modern name for the black arabs (‘ǎrābîm—same consonants) east of Jordan, is taken by others as an ‘unnecessary rationalisation’.24 The bringing of ‘meat’ would be a luxury and the provision of food and meat morning and evening should remind the reader of God’s unfailing provision (Exod. 16:8, 12).

Exodus 16:8 NKJV

8 Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.”

Exodus 16:12 NKJV

12 “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”

3. Food from Zarephath - 1 Kings 17:8-24

Zarephath - zair’uh-fath (צָרְפַת H7673, possibly from ṣārap H7671, “to refine”; Σάρεπτα G4919).

Silva, M., & Tenney, M. C. (2009). In The Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, Q-Z (Revised, Full-Color Edition, Vol. 5, p. 1200). Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation.