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Good morning. Please have a seat. And let’s pray:

[Prayer]

The kids are at home, TV remote in hand, eyes glued to the screen as they are absorbed into the world of Disney Plus. All while ignoring Dad who sits there wanting to be with them. But episode after episode, series after series, and nothing. Then the wifi gets disconnected, the power is cut, everything stops working. Who is really in charge of all that they have? Not Disney Plus, not even Scottish Power, but Dad. He takes away all that he’s provided for them and goes out to find those who will receive him. The first half is probably more believable than the second part because we assume that if we’re in the household of God, we’ll be fine. But what will God do when his people have turned away from him to rely on other things more? God will show that he’s the one in control by withholding from the unfaithful and giving to the faithful. And that describes the situation in 1 Kings, where people have turned away from God by trusting in Baal, the God of rain and fertility; thinking they have everything they want and need. Last week we saw how God feels towards his unfaithful people – angry and jealous. Today’s passage shows us what God does. God withholds from the unfaithful and gives to the faithful.

How does God do that? Enter the prophet Elijah, whose main job was to speak the Word of the LORD to Ahab and the people. God was mainly working through Elijah. Turn with me to page 299 where you’ll find 1 Kings 17. We’re without graphics today so you’ll need that in front of you. The first thing we see, is God provides for the faithful and withholds from the unfaithful.

1. God provides for the faithful and withholds from the unfaithful.

From 1 Kings 17.1-4:

Elijah 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.’ And the word of the LORD came to him: ‘Depart from here and turn eastwards and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.

Things have likely been going well for Ahab and most of the people who had food and water because Baal seemed to provide all that they wanted and needed. So, here comes the LORD the (real) God of Israel. “You think Baal is the one who gave you all the rain you had? Let’s see how he does when I take that away. Then you’ll see who’s really been in control this whole time”.
And that would apply not just to King Ahab, but the whole of Israel. God withheld the rain from his people to show that he’s in control because they have trusted in Baal instead. Meanwhile, Elijah is told to flee east to safety, where he will find food and water via deliver raven and stream. The most obvious reason is to avoid death after posing a threat to king. But if Elijah was God’s prophet who brought God’s Word, then he wasn’t just leaving for his own safety, this was God’s Word leaving his people (at least for now). They were about to face physical drought and spiritual drought with the absence of God. It’s almost to say, that with Elijah leaving, he was taking all the Bibles with him. Just as God tells him, Elijah goes east, the ravens deliver food, and water is found in the streams. While the people back in Israel are struggling to find sustenance, God remains with Elijah as he provides for him.

When God’s people are thinking “What is God going to do to the unfaithful?” God can take away what he has given – physical and spiritual to show that he is the one true God that they have turned away from. So, it’s no surprise that if we see groups of people or individuals leaving God for something else (a new idol or way of life) then God can take that away at any moment to show them who’s really in charge. Trusting in your savings in your bank more than God? He can take away what he’s given to show you who’s really God. Turning to a different belief instead of God’s way? He can take away the supposed freedom you think you have. Trusting in a relationship for all your needs? He can take away that relationship. He can take all that he has given, but most of all, the biggest loss will be God himself. He can withhold his Word from those who are unfaithful to him.

At our termly prayer meeting on Wednesday, Jonathan shared a quote from someone standing for the truth at the General Synod. I’m paraphrasing but he shared boldly, that the wrong direction church leaders are heading towards will inevitably lead to a decline and destruction of the church. They may have had their way with affirming what’s opposite from the Bible, which some may like, but God’s Word won’t be. And to those who have remained faithful, God is with them and provides for them. The Tron church in Glasgow left the Church of Scotland a number of years ago. Losing their building was the consequence; a building they’d spent millions on, in a prime spot, right in the city centre. Years down the road, and God has provided for their needs and more. They’re a multi church site, reaching more people than they would have before. (In their case, being faithful was leaving the Church of Scotland, in other cases being faithful might be to remain.) Either way, God will provide for the faithful and withhold from the unfaithful.

Well, back to Elijah who’s run out of provisions for now with the stream drying up. So, God tells him to go further out. And where Elijah goes, the Word of the LORD goes, showing us that God’s grace goes beyond Israel.

2. God’s grace goes beyond Israel.

1 Kings 17.8:

Then the Word of the LORD came to him, ‘Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.

Now, the raven and stream services were not necessarily the most normal way of getting your meals, but why didn’t God let Elijah stay and continue providing? Or find another home somewhere on the outskirts of Israel? Instead, Elijah is told to travel out of Israel, 80 miles north of Samaria, to Zarephath, home of Baal worship. Because God’s plans have always had more than Israel in mind. As Israel had turned away from God, God was essentially saying “If you won’t receive my saving grace, others beyond Israel will”. So, just as God tells him, Elijah goes, he finds the widow and asks her to give him water and food. Here’s what she said in 1 Kings 17.12-16:

And she said, ‘As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and little oil in a jug. And now 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.’ And Elijah said to her, ‘Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’ And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.

The widow is asked for much when she has little – close to nothing for her last meal with her son. And here Elijah was asking for the first bite before they have any for themselves. Giving all that she had to someone she didn’t know, who believed in a God who was not her own. All she knew all her life was Baal the god of rain. Who until this point, led her to where she was now – struggling to find her last meal of her life. Elijah reassures her that as the God of Israel says, there will be enough food that you won’t have to worry about your next meal ever again. You can imagine what’s going through her head. “Your God is going to provide for me if I give my last meal? I’ve been going to Baal all my life, why would your God want to help me now? Where is the food even going to come from?” There’s no way to know for sure – she didn’t have hard evidence to know the God of Israel can or will do it. But somehow, she takes the leap of faith and does what Elijah asks, giving him the cake. And that’s what faith is; trusting that God can and will save you when you don’t deserve it. In this case, it was providing enough food. And sure enough, as she placed her faith in the LORD, day after day, they found enough flour in the jar and oil in the jug.

Here's a remarkable interaction that seems like a side story away from Israel and Ahab but reveals God’s bigger plan to save others beyond his chosen nation in Israel. We see that clearly today, as many people around the world beyond Israel and beyond those from Christian families are accepting Jesus as LORD. Maybe you’re here today feeling kind of like the widow. Like an outsider looking into church, because you didn’t grow up going to church. Your family and friends don’t believe in the God of the Bible. All this sounds a bit foreign to you, because you’ve been living a different way all your life. Well, God’s saving grace is for those who will receive it. So, he sends his Word beyond his people to you because he wants you to be part of his plans. Even if you’re unsure or don’t feel good enough, would you put your faith in God? Because he is the one who can and will save you. And often it’s only after trusting in him, that you’ll be able to see how real he is in your life. This is also a reality check that it’s not about any sort of Christian upbringing that makes you God’s people. God’s grace doesn’t go to those who went to a Christian school, attended church with family, or read the Bible. God’s mercy is open for whoever will receive it. So, have you trusted that God can save and provide what you need? Do your actions show that trust?

Things are looking up. Elijah, the widow, and her son have enough food. The Widow seems to be trusting in the LORD. Then out of nowhere, her son falls ill to the point of death. Lastly, we see God’s faithfulness goes beyond death.

3. God’s faithfulness goes beyond death.

1 Kings 17.17-18:

After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. And she sad to Elijah, ‘What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!

Again, we know where the widow is coming from. “What’s going on? I trusted in God. God’s been providing for us. And now this?” She looks to Elijah as if she’s asking God “Why have you let this disaster fall upon my son? Is this a punishment for my sin or some wrong that I’ve done?” There’s no clear explanation to make sense of sudden illness and death except the reality that God can give and take away anything, anyone, at any time. Then just as confused and helpless, Elijah joins her by crying out to God for help (1 Kings 17.20-22):

And he cried out to the LORD, ‘O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?’ Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, ‘O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again. And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.

When facing death, who does Elijah turn to? Baal, the God of rain? Any other god that promises and can’t even deliver enough food surely can’t help against death. But the one true LORD has power over death. As he listens and brings the child back to life, God shows that he’s not just faithful to provide enough food till a certain point in time. He is faithful till the very end, even through death. And if the widow’s response to God wasn’t clear before, it’s clearer here that she believes in the LORD. 1 Kings 17.24:

And the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.

She recognises Elijah speaks God’s Word – and all that has been said and done is true and real. Being a part of the church family here has given us the privilege of sharing your sorrows. Times where many here have looked up to God, and asked “Why? Why has this disaster happened to us, to me; this sickness, this condition, this death?” Again, there’s often no clear explanation to make sense of such despair. The only thing we can do is trust that God is faithful till the end – whether that’s recovery or death. And it has been a joy and encouragement to see many get to the end saying, God has been faithful by granting the impossible recovery. Or God has been faithful in our suffering great loss because they are with Him now. But just like the widow, we need to trust that God has power over death, and that he is faithful beyond death.

This whole time, Israel is still back in drought. Some are coming to terms that Baal is no god after all. Others asking what the LORD is doing. All while God has brought Elijah out to show his faithfulness to the outsider who’s probably had close to no knowledge of God before. Israel is in the dark. Not many would have known this was happening or that this was God’s bigger plan to go beyond Israel. There is great comfort for those who receive God knowing he provides and saves till the end. At the same time, there’s a challenge for those who neglect him knowing he can take away what he’s given. Through it all God has shown his faithfulness beyond what we can see or imagine - back then and still today. So, will you trust in him? Let’s pray.