CHRIST IN ELIJAH – HIS MIRACLES
Suggested Reading: 1 Kings chapter 17 verses 8-24; chapter 18 verses 36-38
PROVISION IN THE HOME
Elijah was sent to a widow woman, not to sustain her in a time of famine, but that she might sustain him!. He found her seemingly bereft of resources. She possessed a handful of flour in a bin and a little jar of oil. It required a miracle if she was to sustain Elijah. His simple response to her was, ‘Do not fear’, 1 Kings chapter 17 verse 13. A message of infinite grace pierced the gloom of the house. Faith enabled Elijah to appreciate that everything they needed was to be found in the bin and the jar. He was confident that the flour would not waste and the oil would not fail, 1 Kings chapter 17 verse 14.
We can be confident that in the Person of Christ (likened to the flour) and the Holy Spirit (likened to the oil), God has provided us with all that we need to sustain us in times of need. They will never fail us. The Scriptures tell us of Christ, ‘You are the same and Your years will not fail’, Hebrews chapter 1 verse 12.
SACRIFICE ON CARMEL
In order to bring the people out of idolatry and back to God, Elijah knew that the altar had to be rebuilt and a sacrifice offered. His discernment was answered when the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, 1 Kings chapter 18 verse 38. How thankful we ought to be that the fire of divine justice fell on Christ on the cross at Calvary and the perfect sacrifice for sin consumed the fire!
RESURRECTION IN THE HOUSE
The widow’s house that had experienced God’s provision, now faced a crisis of confidence. The grief-stricken widow stood before Elijah with her dead son in her arms. Elijah’s calm response was, ‘Give me your son’, 1 Kings chapter 17 verse 19. He then went into the presence of God and identified himself with the child by stretching himself upon him and asked God for a miracle that had never been done before: ‘He cried out to the Lord and said, O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him’, 1 Kings chapter 17 verse 21. He discovered in that room the God of resurrection power!