The reign of Ahab was indeed very wicked. I could imagine all the sex rites and human sacrifices going on in this wicked new religion. It’s often said that all religions serve the God of the Bible. Well, the Bible says otherwise. Baal-Hammon was a god considered to be a weather god. It’s often said people who believe only their religion is right are wrong. Well, it’s not about my religion but what the Bible says. The facts are facts except about religion, right? Well, religious relativism will soon label Jezebel as merely a fanatic. It would also wrongly condemn Elijah. Now, we must look at Elijah’s war against what might be the wedding of Jeroboam’s religion with the worship of Baal-Hammon.
We can take a look at Elijah’s righteous anger in 1 Kings 17. Anger isn’t always evil. Elijah must’ve been very upset at what Ahab and Jezebel did. Both wickedly executed the prophets of the LORD and placed the prophets of Baal-Hammon and the prophets of Jeroboam’s religion. Elijah gave what both Mr. and Mrs. needed to hear–God was angry with Israel! There was never that much evil that God had to cause a three years supernatural drought. Baal-Hammon was the weather god. After that, we see that Elijah was commanded by God to go to the Cherith brook. Elijah was fed by ravens until the brook dried up. God could’ve chosen a huge river, the brook to never dry up, but God had better plans. God was going to allow both deliverance and pain in Elijah’s life for a good reason.
The unlikely help from a Gentile woman
This was going to be the most unlikely place to get help. We need to learn that Zarephath, Sarepta, was pretty much a Gentile City. It was where Ethbaal ruled. It was a small Phoenician town that held the smelting industry. God gives a very unusual command–go and seek this poor widow. A poor widow from the enemy territory? We can think of how Elkanah and Naomi both went to Moab with their sons Mahlon and Chilion. Better starve than take bread from the enemy. Yet, this Gentile woman had been converted. God had commanded a poor Gentile widow. Apparently, this poor Gentile woman has had enough of Baal worship and converted to the worship of Yahweh.
God allowed Elijah to drink from the brook until it dried up. Now, Elijah was commanded to get help from a poor widow with very few resources. There was but a handful of flour and a pitcher of cooking oil. This poor widow was getting ready to die. The widow was most likely fed up with the wickedness of her people. The widow obeyed such an absurd command. How can she prepare a meal for a stranger when she herself had none. As you see, God works wonders one way or another. Instead, God rewarded the widow and her son that the barrel of meal will not consume and neither will the pitcher of oil. Today, we would find it absurd. The Church was also established by signs and wonders. Today, God no longer provides through signs and wonders. Instead, God directs others to help through ordinary means. People got rescued from the cave by God’s providence. Yet, God didn’t supernaturally rescue people out of the cave.
Another tragedy struck but it was for God’s glory. The widow’s son fell ill. However,. Elijah once again proved the power of God. Today, we don’t have people being physically raised from the dead except during the Rapture and the Great White Throne Judgment. One’s the resurrection of the righteous. The other’s the resurrection of the damned. The widow does somehow mention her sin. Perhaps, the widow was a helper in the worship of Baal. However, Elijah brought the widow’s dead son to life. The widow further saw the wisdom of the worship of Yahweh over Baal. God allowed bad things not just to punish wickedness but also so that His glory may shine when His servants are polished.
Reformed Baptist Christian Blogger 