Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion

There

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2021-11-12

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver explores the significance of the word 'there' in 1 Kings 17:1-6, emphasizing that God's specific directions to Elijah—first to the brook Cherith and later to Zarephath—represent places of obedience, provision, ministry, and protection. He argues that partial or delayed obedience is disobedience, and that God's provision often comes through small, unexpected means. The sermon challenges believers to examine whether they are in the place God has ordained for them, especially in times of judgment.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bibles today, if we would please, to 1 Kings chapter 17. 1 Kings chapter 17. And we're going to be reading through the first six verses. 1 Kings chapter 17.

[John Weaver] The title of the message is simply there, T-H-E-R-E. You will see the significance of that word shortly. But notice, if you would, in 1 Kings 17, verse 1, and Elijah the Tishbite, he was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand, there shall not be dune or rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord, for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook. Think about the word there. Have you ever considered the significance of that word?

[John Weaver] It is indeed a word that we use daily. We'll say, put it there. There it is. There it lays. And if you have children, then you know the proverbial question when you're traveling, are we there yet?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand that The word there is an adverb, and it signifies place. We say something like, I left the box over there, or just simply something, we're not going there. And so it indicates not just a place, but usually a specific place. Because if something is there, it's not anywhere else. So anytime you see the word, even biblically speaking, there is a specificity Attached to that word.

[John Weaver] Let me give you some scriptures before we get to first king 17 For instance in genesis 2 and verse 8 the bible says and the lord god planted a garden eastward in eden And there He put the man whom he had formed. So it was a specific place. He put him in eden when you get to genesis 11 in verse 9 Therefore the name of it is called babel because the lord did there Confound the language of all the earth and from hence the Lord did scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth So notice it was there that he confounded their language. So it was called Babel in Genesis chapter 13 in verse 4 unto the place of the altar which he had made there at the first and there Abram called upon the name of the Lord so the there refers to that specific place where the altar was and And then there's another passage like

[John Weaver] in Psalm 137, verse 1, where it said, By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. And then let me give you one from the New Testament. That would be Luke 2, in verse 25, where the Bible says, Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Ghost was upon him. But note, if you would, and behold, there was a man in Jerusalem. So it's a specific man in a specific place. So when you hear the word there used, you have to understand that it does indeed refer to a certain specific place.

[John Weaver] Oftentimes, I get amused when I am in a church and the song leader is singing or leading the hymn when the role is called up yonder. Everybody knows that hymn. He'll be doing his hand leading the singing when the roll is called up yonder and then of course the latter part It goes down when the roll is called up yonder. I'll be there and it drops and I say I don't want to be where your hand is pointing You know, I want to be up there. Of course, that's what the song means But I'm just simply saying the there refers to heaven and not the place of destruction.

[John Weaver] That is for sure So let me ask you a question Here it is Are you there? Now you're going to respond well I can't answer that question because I don't know the context and I cannot truthfully or accurately answer it. Well I'm going to give you the context just in a little while and it is indeed a question that you not only need to ask but you must ask because it's going to have grave implications as well.

[John Weaver] Now we're reading about Elijah the Tishbite Let me just say that there is a passage in the New Testament that gives a concise, divine commentary on 1 Kings 17 and 18. And here's what it says in James 5, verses 17 and 18. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain. And it rained not on the earth by the space of three years, six months and he prayed again and Rain came the earth then brought forth her fruit now Elijah was a man now it is true He was a man like we are he was a man subject to like passions. He had his faults He had his failings he had his sins, but he was a man of God and he was a man of prayer and And anytime someone can pray, and the Lord withholds rain and dew for three and a half years, and then he prayed again, and it brought forth rain, and the earth brought forth fruit, that is indeed someone that has a power with God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to stop and think about this. God is going to send judgment upon Israel because of their sins, because of their wickedness. And there's going to be a drought. That is the judgment. Can you imagine no water for three and a half years? Not even dew. So everything is going to be basically dried up. May I remind you that at this particular time in history, Ahab and Jezebel were on the throne in Israel. I say Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab was the king, but Jezebel ran an awful lot of things. But notice if you would, Since Ahab and Jezebel were there, everything was wicked, everything was pagan, and God is sending judgment upon the land because of the wickedness, and that particular judgment is that drought. Now, the drought lasted for three and a half years.

[John Weaver] So that means it destroyed crops, it destroyed the grass, it destroyed the animals, and undoubtedly, it destroyed people as well. Ahab is the typical tyrant and the typical politician. He did not really care one thing about the people. He only basically cared about himself and his power. Let me show you this. Look in 1 Kings 18, verses 5 and 6. Here is how bad the trout was. Watch verse 5. And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, into all the fountains of water, into all brooks. Peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself." So there's such a dearth and such a drought that they're looking for just a little bit of grass somewhere to save the horses and mules alive.

[John Weaver] Now, everyone in this room knows that I love animals, and I certainly would not like to see any of them suffer be in misery, or die. But as much as I love animals, when you read this passage, you have to wonder, what about the people? I mean, if the animals were suffering, if the animals were starving, then obviously the people were as well. If you look in chapter 17 and verse 7, even the brook that Elijah was by dried up, And it came to pass after a while that the brook dried up because there'd been no rain in the land.

[John Weaver] And of course, God moved him. But if you look in 1 Kings 18 and verse 2, the Bible says this, And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab, and there was a sore famine in Samaria. So obviously people were dying as well as the animals. Not only were the crops failing, but there was death everywhere. So yes, there was a need for food and water for the people, And yes, Ahab is demonstrating that he cares more for the horse's mules than he does for his own people.

[John Weaver] And let me just bolster this point by making this statement. You have to remember that Ahab murdered Naboth and his sons just so he could have a garden of herbs close to his palace. That's how much he thought of the people. He thought more of a small garden of herbs than he did the lives of his people.

[John Weaver] In contrast to these wicked tyrants, God is totally different. The Bible teaches us that he cares for his own. Moreover, he cares for the widows and the children as well, and the orphans. For instance, in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verse 18, the Bible says this, He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and the widow, and live with the stranger and giving him food and raiment. So God is going to make sure that he executes judgment for the widow and for the fatherless. And the Bible said he loves a stranger and then he gives him food and raiment. When you get to Psalm 68 in verse 5, the Bible is describing God as the father of the fatherless and a judge of the widows in his holy habitation. So he's the father of the fatherless, that is, he takes care of the orphans, and he is a judge of the widows in his holy habitation. So this chapter in 1 Kings chapter 17 is going to demonstrate the truth that God is indeed one who takes care of his own.

[John Weaver] Now let me mention something about the judgment that God sent in the form of a drought. The truth of the matter is this, the drought was just a physical picture of a spiritual reality. So just like there was a drought which caused famine, starvation, there was a drought of hearing the word of God. And to show you how that God did indeed demonstrate this, after the brook dried up, God moved Elijah and hid him so that there was no more truth being proclaimed or being preached. So we have to understand that there is the hand of God behind all of the physical phenomenon that we see. Many times we do not consider the fact that here's a drought, God's hand is behind it. Here's a flood, God's hand is behind it. Here's a tornado, here's a hurricane, God's hand is behind those as well.

[John Weaver] I remember years ago, Pastor McCurry and I were at a conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. There were probably a hundred preachers there and several hundred more people there. And the pastor of the church had asked a tall, slender, black pastor to open in prayer. And we all bowed our heads as he started praying. And it was not but just a minute before all of a sudden my head went up and my eyes got opened.

[John Weaver] And I looked to see what Brother McCurry's reaction was. And his head was up and his eyes were open. And I told everybody afterwards, that old black preacher preached more in his prayer than most preachers did all day long. Because Hurricane Andrew had just come through Florida. And he was praying and he said, Oh God, our heavenly father, I know that Hurricane Andrew has followed the exact path that thine hand has laid down before the world was ever formed. And I mean, he just kept going and pointing out the fact that God's hand was behind Hurricane Andrew, just like he's behind everything else. And that is true.

[John Weaver] That's what the Bible teaches. So We need to understand that oftentimes when there are physical phenomena that most people do not understand, usually if you look closely and study and think, it is the hand of God behind.

[John Weaver] Now, so here's my question in light of all this. Are you there? Once again, you may respond with a question, where is the there? I can't answer it until I find out where the there is. Well, look if you would in 1 Kings chapter 17 and verse 2. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. Well, let me give you the first point. The there was first and foremost a place of obedience. God told Elijah, get thee to the brook Cherith, which is by Jordan. Now, it was an act of obedience on the part of Elijah that he obeyed God and did exactly as God commanded. I want you to know that Elijah went exactly and specifically to the place that God ordained.

[John Weaver] So let me try to tell you what I'm getting at. I want you to understand that partial obedience is not obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience. So God told him to get to the brook Cherith. Suppose Elijah went halfway to the brook Cherith and said, Well, this should do it. Maybe he went three quarters of the way and said, well, I think this is sufficient. I don't have to go all the way to that brook. Maybe even went nine tenths of a way. Maybe he went just so close that he could see it, but he did not actually go there. Would that be counted as obedience?

[John Weaver] And the answer is no. Because God specifically told him to go to that brook.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just point out the fact that most of the time our obedience is a partial obedience which is in reality disobedience. You remember in first Samuel chapter 15 it was Samuel who came to King Saul and Samuel said thus saith the Lord God of Israel I remember that which Amalek did to Israel as he came out of Egypt. Now he said I want you to go and smite Amalek. He said I want you to smite them so thoroughly that you will leave neither man nor woman, child, ox, suckling, ass." I want them all dead. And Saul began a riot.

[John Weaver] He chose him an army. He went up. He attacked the Amalekites. And you'll remember that he destroyed everything that was vile and refuse and useless, but he spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the sheep and the best of the oxen and whatever else he wanted to spare. And of course, he pretended that he had obeyed God, and that's when Samuel said, what meaneth then the blading of the sheep in my ear and the lowing of the oxen? He said, Saul, if you'd obey God, then everything would be dead.

[John Weaver] I would not be even hearing that. And here is what God said in 1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 19 through the prophet Samuel. He said to Saul, Wherefore didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and did evil in the sight of the Lord? Now, what could Saul say in response? Well, I obeyed mostly. I mean, I got rid of all that was vile and worthless and refuse. But, you know, I almost obeyed. But he didn't obey. God counted that partial obedience as disobedience and then God added that it was positively evil and Consequently Saul was rejected by God for his partial obedience There's another good illustration of partial obedience.

[John Weaver] You will find that in in first Kings chapter 20 Because Jeroboam the son of Nebat had made the golden calves, he'd made the altars. And God sent a man of God out of Judah to prophesy against Jeroboam, and against the altar, and against the calves. And God told him not to eat or drink in that place. So the man of God came up while Jeroboam happened to be offering on that altar. And the man of God cried and said, thus saith the Lord of hosts, He said there's going to be a king come up by the name of Josiah And he's going to defile this altar and he's going to burn men's bones upon it And he said to show you this is going to come to pass. This altar is going to rent. It's going to break and it broke Right in front of Jeroboam Jeroboam stretched out his hand and said get that man and then he could not pull his hand back and He realized he was in trouble and he looked at the man of God and said pray for me And the man of

[John Weaver] God prayed for him and the Bible said his hand was restored whole. And then Jeroboam said to him, come home with me and I'll give you a reward and you can eat and drink in my house. And the man of God said, no, I'm not going to eat. I'm not going to drink. God told me not to. I'm leaving. And he turned around and left. And there was another old prophet. His sons were there and saw everything and they went and told him.

[John Weaver] And he asked, which way did he go? And of course, He was told. So he saddled the ass road after the man of God from Judah and said, look, he said, stop and turn and come around to my house and eat and drink with me. Wow. He said, I can't do that. Well, he said, you don't understand. I'm a prophet of God as well. And an angel appeared with me and told me to come get you and bring you back so that you can eat and drink. And he went back with the old prophet and after he ate and drank, Then the old prophet jumped up and said, you've disobeyed God and God's going to kill you. And when he left the old prophet, a lion met him in the way and slew him.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I'm trying to make is very simple. He took care of the most important part of his mission. He cried out against the idolatry of Jeroboam. He cried out against the altar. He prophesied. The altar broke. He proved to Jeroboam that God, the one true and the living God, the Lord of hosts, was a God of Israel. That was the most important. But the little, tiny, insignificant part, don't eat and drink, he disobeyed.

[John Weaver] And it cost him his life. Partial obedience is disobedience.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you something else to think about. Delayed obedience is disobedience. I want you to hold I Kings 17, but look in your Bibles to Matthew 21, and let's begin reading there with verse 28. I want you to watch this very carefully. Matthew chapter 21 verse 28, we'll read through verse 31. Our Lord says, but what think ye? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, son, go to work today in my vineyard.

[John Weaver] And he answered and said, I will not. But afterwards he repented and went. And he came to the second and said, likewise, that is go work today in my vineyard. And he answered and said, I go, sir, and went not. Whether them twain did the will of his father, they sent him the first. Jesus said unto them, to the Pharisees, Verily I say to you, that the publicans, the harlots, go into the kingdom of God before you.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the interesting thing. He came to the first son and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. Well, he said, I'm not going to do it. But then he repented and went. He said, likewise to the second son, go and work today in my vineyard. And he said, I go, sir, very respectfully, very mannerly. But he went not. So here's my question. Let's suppose the second son went to work in the vineyard the next day. Or the day after. Or the next week.

[John Weaver] Would that have been counted obedience? And the answer is no. Why? The Father said, son, go work today in my vineyard. So it's not just partial obedience that is disobedience. Delayed obedience is also disobedience. So, real, true, biblical obedience can neither be partial or delayed, so to be counted as obedience. Obedience indicates submission and recognition of authority. If there is real genuine authority, there should be submission. If there is real genuine submission, there should be obedience.

[John Weaver] You see, one of the problems that we have as Christians is this. Most Christians really and truly do not recognize the sovereign, total, absolute, and complete authority of God. God has the absolute right to command us, And we should be instant, not only in submission, but in obedience if we recognize that authority as well. So, the very first part of, are you there? The there indicates, first and foremost, obedience.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I want you to note, the there is also a place of provision. So I want you to look, beginning there with verse 4. He said, and it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook, And I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is, before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook. Note, if you would, the Bible says in verse 4, Then it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

[John Weaver] Well, suppose Elijah thought, well, you know, it's very uncomfortable by that brook. There's more comfortable places in Jerusalem, in Jezreel. Why can't I go to those places? Because God said, I've commanded the ravens to feed thee there. I want you to put these two things together. The place of obedience is the place of provision. Elijah went exactly where God commanded him, and that is by the brook. And it's there that God fed him.

[John Weaver] And here's another interesting thing. God used an unclean bird to bring clean food to Elijah. I don't know if you understood this or not, but ravens considered unclean in the book of Leviticus chapter 11 verses 13 through 15 the Bible says this and these are they which you shall have in abomination among the fowls they shall not be eaten they are an abomination the eagle and the ossifrage and the osprey and the vulture and the kite after his kind and every raven after his kind And then when you get to Deuteronomy 14 and verse 14, you have the same thing. And every raven after his kind. So the ravens then brought Elijah food, meat and bread every morning and every evening. Have you ever wondered where the ravens got that meat and got that bread? I mean, Obviously, they don't cook and they don't bake. Where in the world would they get the meat and the bread to feed Elijah?

[John Weaver] Well, let me tell you, ravens, crows, blackbirds, camp robbers are notorious thieves. You remember even when some of us were young, the two crows and comic books, Heckle and Jekyll. They were always stealing corn, you know. And there are birds out west. They're related and they look kind of like a blackbird. They're a little bigger than a blackbird. They're black except for white spots on their wings and they're known as camp robbers.

[John Weaver] Whatever you leave out, they steal. Food, whatever. They just steal it. And that's how they got the name camp robbers. Some time ago, I read about a man who had put in one of these self-automated car washers and you had to put coins in it to go through. And he started losing money. And so he called the company and he said, you evidently have a dishonest employee because money is missing. It's being stolen and it's your company And myself, we're the only ones that have the combination to get the money out.

[John Weaver] And I'm not doing it. And they said, well, our employee is honest. He's not doing it either. So they put up a hidden camera so they could capture who was stealing. They were absolutely astounded because here were these little birds like a house wren that were going in where the change came out. Getting money and coming back out and flying back up to the top of the building they found on top of that building over $3,000 in quarters The perks were stealing the money now, you know to me obviously These birds were stealing You gotta remember now there was a famine in the land and You also have to remember that Jezebel was killing all of God's preachers.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 18 and verse 13. Watch this. Obadiah says to Elijah, was it not told my Lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord? How I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water? Wow. Look in 1 Kings 19 and verse 10 at what Elijah said to God. He said, and he said, I've been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts for the children of Israel have forsaken my covenant, thrown down nine altars and slain by prophets with the sword.

[John Weaver] And I, even I only am left and they seek my life to take it away. Wow. Isn't that interesting? So here we have. The prophets of God being murdered or being driven into hiding while Jezebel, listen carefully, while Jezebel is feeding 400 prophets of Baal at her table. I want to tell you something. To me, this is absolutely a hilarious thought. It's not just that these ravens were stealing the bread and meat from the wicked. Would it not be absolutely wonderful if they were stealing that meat and bread from Jezebel's table where she was feeding all those 400 prophets of Baal? Let me just point out the fact God does have a sense of humor.

[John Weaver] You remember the woman by the name of Jochebed? Jochebed was the wife of Amram, who was the mother of Moses. And she hid Moses until he was about three months old and she couldn't hide him anymore. So she made a little ark of bulrushes and daubed it with mud, put little baby Moses in that ark, put him in the river. And Miriam, of course, the older sister, the only sister, went to watch to see what would happen. And here comes Pharaoh's daughter and her maidens down by the river and they see the ark and she sends a lady out they get it and I guess God sends an angel right at the right time and pinches that baby and Moses starts crying and and Pharaoh's daughter's heart was touched and she said it's one of the Hebrews babies and about this time Miriam comes up and she asked Pharaoh's daughter shall I go and call on the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you and you know what Pharaoh's daughter said Yes, go and call her and I will give her her wages.

[John Weaver] And so Miriam went and called her mother. And so Jochebed, the mother of Moses, got paid by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own child and to raise her own child. I'm just simply saying to me, it would be absolutely hilarious if God did allow these ravens to take it right off Jezebel's table and feed Elijah now here's something that we must understand an obvious truth Remember if you would please there's a there's a drought in the land. There's a famine in the land Something that we need to consider and that is this that oftentimes during a time of judgment the righteous suffer with the wicked Now Elijah was by the brook He certainly did not starve.

[John Weaver] But he probably did without a lot of things. I think it'd be kind of impossible without a really direct miracle of God for those ravens to bring him a bowl of beans or a bowl of corn or some asparagus or broccoli, you know. They certainly didn't bring him any cakes and pies. He did not starve. But he didn't have any chocolate cake, Steve. So he was suffering. That's for sure. Everybody suffers without chocolate. I mean, you know that. It's kind of like that shirt my wife has that has written on it, just give me the chocolate and nobody gets hurt.

[John Weaver] So but the point being, he was doing that. He didn't starve, obviously, but he had to do without. And Lord, we have to learn especially in times of judgment, to be content with the basics. In 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 8, the Bible says,"...and having food and ram at their width, be content." You may not have the latest fashions, but if you're able to be clothed, be content. You may not have a porterhouse steak, but if you're able to have a little bit of meat, be content. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Zephaniah chapter 2. Let me tell you how to find Zephaniah. It is the fourth book from the end of the Old Testament. So, if you would go to Malachi and turn back to Zechariah and then to Haggai, the next book after that is the book of Zephaniah. And if you look in Zephaniah chapter 2, Zephaniah chapter 2, I want us to read the first three verses. We're talking about judgment. And we're talking about being content, and we're talking about the fact that oftentimes the righteous do indeed suffer with the wicked.

[John Weaver] Look, if you would, please, Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1. Please note the context is a time of judgment. God says, Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired. So He's talking about Israel. He says, Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you, now watch verse 3, seek ye the Lord, O ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment, seek righteousness, seek meekness, here it is, it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. I preached a message on this passage a few years back, entitled, How to Act in the Time of Judgment. But notice he said, Seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment. Seek righteousness. Seek meekness. It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. What did God do for Elijah? He hid him in the day of his anger.

[John Weaver] And I want you to please take note of the fact that obedience and provision go together. So are you there? Are you there in the place of obedience? Are you there in the place of provision? Here's a third truth back in 1st Samuel. I'm sorry, 1st Kings chapter 17. The there is also a place of ministry to others. So I want you to look in 1st Kings 17 beginning there with verse 8. Look what happens.

[John Weaver] And the word of the Lord came unto him saying, Arise and get thee to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon. dwell there. Behold I've commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee." Wow! Note if you would. Verse 10, So he arose and went to Zarephath and when he came to the gate of the city behold the widow woman was there gathering sticks and he called her and said fetch me I pray thee a little water in a vessel that I may drink. So now God sends Elijah to Zarephath to a widow woman.

[John Weaver] I want to read to you just two short paragraphs of what Arthur W. Pink wrote on this passage. He said, But let us return to the outward circumstances which confronted Elijah upon his approach to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering sticks. God had told his servant to go there, and had promised the widow should sustain him.

[John Weaver] But what her name was, where her house was, and how he was to distinguish her from others, he was not informed. He trusted God to give him further light when he arrived there, nor was he disappointed. He was speedily relieved of any suspense as to the identification of the person who was to befriend him. Apparently, this meeting was quite casual, for there was no appointment between them.

[John Weaver] Behold, ponder, and admire, the widow woman was there. See how the Lord in his providence overrules all events, so this particular woman should be at the gate at the very time the prophet arrived. Behold, here she comes forth as if on purpose to meet him, yet he did not know her. nor she him. It has all the appearance of being accidental, and yet it was decreed and arranged by God so as to make good His word to the prophet." Wow! God just told Elijah, go to Zarephath. I've appointed a widow woman to take care of you. Did not give her name, her address, where she lived, Any identifying marks, just go there.

[John Weaver] And that's where he went. And God had her waiting. By the way, I'll point this out, I hope, later. But you ladies would have to be a man to understand this. It was indeed a humbling experience for Elijah to be taken care of by a widow woman. Men usually take care of themselves, or at least that's what we like to think. But no, God said, I've got a widow woman. She'll take care of you. Now, it's important to note what this widow woman was doing when he came.

[John Weaver] Look at verses 10 through 12. So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering sticks. And he called her and said, fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel that I may drink. Which was not an unusual request. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her and said, bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thy hand. Bring me something to eat. And she said, as the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and little oil in a cruz, And behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.

[John Weaver] And Elijah said unto her, Fear not. Go and do as thou hast said, but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and then after make for thee and thy son. So the dearth then had affected everyone. There was drought, there was famine, and seemingly there was no hope or help for this widow and her son, they were facing imminent death by starvation. In light of that factor, in light of those circumstances, the request of Elijah would appear to be selfish and cruel. I mean, she said, I'm gathering a few sticks that I can cook this for me and my son, and then die." He said, well, go ahead and cook it, but fix me a little cake first and bring it to me.

[John Weaver] Boy, would modern day leftist and political correct people have a heyday with this. While you're taking food out of the mouth of a child, you're depriving that child But you see, Elijah knew exactly what God was going to do. Look at it in verses 14 and 15. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the crucible fail until the day that the Lord sent the rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah, and she and he and her house did eat many days. The providence of God always provides for his own.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to understand something. It was not a wealthy merchant that took care of Elijah. It was not a king. It was not a prince. It was not a ruler that sustained the man of God. It was a widow. God had her in the right place at the right time in the right condition with a willing, gracious, and sacrificial heart even in the face of death. God used a widow woman to take care of His preacher.

[John Weaver] I've preached for 57 years. Never in my 57 years of preaching, never has a millionaire or a multi-millionaire come up to me and say, Preacher, here's $100,000 for the work of the ministry. Never! But innumerable widows, children, everyday people, give generously and sacrificially. I'm just simply pointing out the fact that is why God used this widow woman to take care of Elijah. She was willing to share even in the face of imminent death.

[John Weaver] May I point something out? Think about this. The judgment of God upon a nation, upon a people, does not nullify or destroy charity, sacrifice, and obedience. In fact, it should intensify those attributes. We must be willing to share and we must be willing to sacrifice with God's people, even in the face of death. A willing heart is always acceptable unto the Lord. Elijah ministered to that woman and her child. And that woman and her child ministered back to Elijah. Ministry is reciprocal. Not everybody can preach. Not everybody can teach. But everybody has a gift that God has given them.

[John Weaver] I can't do what Steve does. I can't do what Gary does. I can't do what James does. I'm just simply saying, I have a gift. Each of you have a gift. You know, and there is ministry. As I minister to you, you minister back to me. As you minister to someone else, they minister back to you. So, the there is not only a place of obedience, it's not only a place of provision, it's also a place of ministry.

[John Weaver] Let me show you one other thing. The there is also a place of protection. I want you to look in verse 15 of 1 Kings chapter 17. Watch it. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah, and she and he in her house did eat many days." So how long was Elijah living in the house of this widow with her son? Well, the answer is many days. You will remember in verse 7 of this chapter, the brook that God initially sent Elijah to dried up. So my question is, How long does it take for a brook to dry up? Well, that depends upon the size of the brook. But if there's no rain, if there's no dew, and the brook is not very large, I would imagine it's going to dry up in three or four months at the most. The drought lasted three and a half years. So that meant that Elijah probably was at the widow woman's house for three years or better, for many days. Wow. Wow. Hmm. Let me show you what I mean.

[John Weaver] It's a place of protection. God hid Elijah first by the brook.

[John Weaver] Secondly, he hid him at the widow woman's house. When you go to 1 Kings chapter 18, beginning there with verse 7, God now sends Elijah back to meet Ahab, but he runs across Obadiah first. And in 1 Kings 18 verse 7, And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him. And he knew him and fell on his face. And he said, Art thou my lord Elijah?

[John Weaver] And he answered, I am. Go tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And he said, What have I sinned that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me?

[John Weaver] Now look, As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom whether my Lord hath not sent to seek thee. And when they said, He is not here, He took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they found thee not. What was Ahab doing the time that Elijah was at the widow woman's house seeking him. Why was he seeking him? So that he could kill him. You remember as Elijah said, as the Lord thy God liveth, there should not be rain nor dew these years, but flow according to my word. And so Ahab is blaming everything on Elijah. And if he can get his hands on him, he's going to kill him. And so he sends to every nation, every kingdom, seeking for Elijah. And when he can't find him there, he takes an oath of the rulers that he's not there.

[John Weaver] Here's the mentality of a tyrant. Here's the mentality of a politician. I'm living the good life. I've got plenty. I'm living in a palace. And here's my opposition. He is probably being sustained by some rich man. He's probably being sustained by some ruler, some prince. He's living in luxury. He's not doing without. And I'm going to seek Him out of all these kingdoms, out of all these nations, and when I get my hands on Him. And all the while, He's at a little woman's house.

[John Weaver] I told you God has a sense of humor. Now let me show you something. Can you imagine living with a widow woman and her child, and eating meal, little cakes of bread, that's cooked in oil, for three years? Can you imagine laying around for three years not having anything to do? Suppose, suppose Elijah had gotten tired of being cooped up. Suppose Elijah had gotten tired of eating bread. Suppose Elijah had gotten tired of doing chores. Suppose he had gotten tired of inaction against Ahab and Jezebel, and he decided to take it on his own and go to a larger city. Could God have protected him there? Of course, he could have.

[John Weaver] But he would have been exposing himself. So the others might have told Ahab where he was. The point I'm trying to make is this. God told him first to go to the brook, And then God told him, second, go to the widow's house. That's exactly where he went. There's a vast difference between faith and foolishness. It would have been foolish for Elijah to have exposed himself. He stayed right where God told him to stay. Until God said, go show thyself to Ahab. So the safest place for a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of God's will.

[John Weaver] So, let me ask this question again. Are you there? Where's there? Are you there in the place of obedience? Are you there in the place of provision? Are you there in the place of ministry? Are you there in the place of protection? Are you where God has directed you to be? Are you in the will of God for your life, is your family in the will of God, whether it's permanent or temporary, you should know. It was a temporary stay at the brook. It was a temporary stay at the widow's house, but it was God's will for those temporary stays. The place of blessing is the place of obedience.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the second thing. do not despise small things. The question is asked in Zechariah chapter 4 and verse 10, who has despised the day of small things? When you look at 1 Samuel or 1 Kings chapter 17, a raven is a small thing by comparison. A brook is a small thing. A crucible of oil is a small thing. Meal is a small thing. A widow's house is a small thing. But have you ever noticed that God uses small things? He uses widow to protect and support Elijah. When you lump all of the small things together, you end up with great things. We have to learn to be content with small things. There's nothing wrong with smallness as long as it is in the will of God.

[John Weaver] You heard me say, I'd rather preach to 10 people who really and truly want the Word of God than 10,000 who could care less. There's nothing wrong being small as long as it is in the will of God. You say, would you like to preach to 10,000? Sure. Every preacher would like to preach to 10,000 people, but I'm not interested in preaching to 10,000 just to preach to 10,000. If 10,000 people really truly wanted the word of God, I'd want to preach to them. But if they don't, I'd rather preach to the 10.

[John Weaver] May I remind you about John chapter 6? When our Lord was teaching, He said, I'm not going to send these people away fasting. He said, we're in a desert place. I think it was Philip who said, there's a lad here, he's got a few loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many? Our Lord said, bring them to me. And with those loaves and two fish, the Bible says He fed 5,000 men, not counting the women and the children. Don't despise small things. There was a small boy. There was a small dinner. Probably small loaves and small fish. But our Lord used it. There's that old gospel tune, little is much when God is in it.

[John Weaver] Labor not for wealth or fame. There's a crown and you can win it if you go in Jesus name. Little as much when God is in it. Smallness does not matter if it's in the will of God. Here's the third one. We're living in a day of judgment. It is bad now. But unless there's real repentance, it is going to get an awful lot worse. All you have to do is read the book of Amos chapter 4 and you can read all about all these judgments. God says, I've stretched forth my hand and you refused. And once that judgment does not work, God sends another. God sends another. And every judgment increases in intensity and severity.

[John Weaver] The point I'm trying to make is this. The more we perceive the judgment of God and the more we understand that the hand of God is against this land and against this country, the more holy, the more godly, the more obedient, the more righteous we should be. In other words, we have to come to the realization that obedience is primary. Let me again quote Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3. Listen carefully. Seek ye the Lord all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment, seek righteousness, seek meekness.

[John Weaver] It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." If we want to be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger, we need to be meek and humble and obedient and godly and righteous. So the question is, are you there? Are you there in the place where God can hide you? Where God can deliver you? Where God can protect you? Where God can provide for you?

[John Weaver] Where you can minister to others? Are you there? Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And help us, Father, to be there. To be there in the place of obedience. To be there in the place of provision. To be there in the place of ministry. To be there in the place of protection. Make us, Father, what we should be. Order our steps. Direct our paths. Lead us, guide us, and direct us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen. ♪ ♪ ♪ you

There

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	6hpITMFW8pw
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-11-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 075: Genesis — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	77

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Let's open our Bibles today, if we would please, to 1 Kings chapter 17. 1 Kings chapter 17. And we're going to be reading through the first six verses. 1 Kings chapter 17.

The title of the message is simply "There," T-H-E-R-E. You will see the significance of that word shortly. But notice, if you would, in 1 Kings 17, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 17:1-6

"And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."

Think about the word "there." Have you ever considered the significance of that word?

Introduction: The Significance of 'There'

The word 'there' is an adverb indicating a specific place, used frequently in Scripture to denote where God acts or places individuals.

It is indeed a word that we use daily. We'll say, "Put it there." "There it is." "There it lays." And if you have children, then you know the proverbial question when you're traveling: "Are we there yet?" Now, I want you to understand that the word "there" is an adverb, and it signifies place. We say something like, "I left the box over there," or just simply, "We're not going there." And so it indicates not just a place, but usually a specific place. Because if something is there, it's not anywhere else. So anytime you see the word, even biblically speaking, there is a specificity attached to that word. Let me give you some scriptures before we get to 1 Kings 17. For instance, in Genesis 2 and verse 8, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:8

"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed."

So it was a specific place. He put him in Eden. When you get to Genesis 11 and verse 9, "Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." So notice it was there that He confounded their language. So it was called Babel. In Genesis chapter 13 and verse 4, "Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called upon the name of the Lord." So the "there" refers to that specific place where the altar was. And then there's another passage like

in Psalm 137, verse 1, where it said, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion." And then let me give you one from the New Testament. That would be Luke 2, in verse 25, where the Bible says, "Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him." But note, if you would, "Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem." So it's a specific man in a specific place. So when you hear the word "there" used, you have to understand that it does indeed refer to a certain specific place.

The Context of Elijah and the Drought

Elijah, a man of prayer, declared a drought as judgment on Israel under Ahab and Jezebel, leading to famine and suffering.

Now, I want you to stop and think about this. God is going to send judgment upon Israel because of their sins, because of their wickedness. And there's going to be a drought. That is the judgment. Can you imagine no water for three and a half years? Not even dew. So everything is going to be basically dried up. May I remind you that at this particular time in history, Ahab and Jezebel were on the throne in Israel. I say Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab was the king, but Jezebel ran an awful lot of things. But notice if you would, since Ahab and Jezebel were there, everything was wicked, everything was pagan, and God is sending judgment upon the land because of the wickedness, and that particular judgment is that drought. Now, the drought lasted for three and a half years.

So that means it destroyed crops, it destroyed the grass, it destroyed the animals, and undoubtedly, it destroyed people as well. Ahab is the typical tyrant and the typical politician. He did not really care one thing about the people. He only basically cared about himself and his power. Let me show you this. Look in 1 Kings 18, verses 5 and 6. Here is how bad the drought was. Watch verse 5:

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 18:5-6

"And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself."

So there's such a dearth and such a drought that they're looking for just a little bit of grass somewhere to save the horses and mules alive.

Now, everyone in this room knows that I love animals, and I certainly would not like to see any of them suffer, be in misery, or die. But as much as I love animals, when you read this passage, you have to wonder, what about the people? I mean, if the animals were suffering, if the animals were starving, then obviously the people were as well. If you look in chapter 17 and verse 7, even the brook that Elijah was by dried up:

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 17:7

"And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land."

First Point: 'There' as a Place of Obedience

Elijah's obedience to go to the brook Cherith was complete and immediate; partial or delayed obedience is disobedience.

So let me try to tell you what I'm getting at. I want you to understand that partial obedience is not obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience. So God told him to get to the brook Cherith. Suppose Elijah went halfway to the brook Cherith and said, "Well, this should do it." Maybe he went three quarters of the way and said, "Well, I think this is sufficient. I don't have to go all the way to that brook." Maybe even went nine tenths of a way. Maybe he went just so close that he could see it, but he did not actually go there. Would that be counted as obedience?

And the answer is no. Because God specifically told him to go to that brook. Now, let me just point out the fact that most of the time our obedience is a partial obedience which is in reality disobedience. You remember in 1 Samuel chapter 15 it was Samuel who came to King Saul and Samuel said, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel as he came out of Egypt." Now he said, "I want you to go and smite Amalek." He said, "I want you to smite them so thoroughly that you will leave neither man nor woman, child, ox, suckling, ass." I want them all dead. And Saul began a riot. He chose him an army. He went up. He attacked the Amalekites. And you'll remember that he destroyed everything that was vile and refuse and useless, but he spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the sheep and the best of the oxen and whatever else he wanted to spare. And of course, he pretended that he had obeyed God, and that's when Samuel said, "What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" He said, "Saul, if you'd obeyed God, then everything would be dead."

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15

I would not be even hearing that. And here is what God said in 1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 19 through the prophet Samuel. He said to Saul, "Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Now, what could Saul say in response? "Well, I obeyed mostly. I mean, I got rid of all that was vile and worthless and refuse. But, you know, I almost obeyed." But he didn't obey. God counted that partial obedience as disobedience and then God added that it was positively evil. And consequently Saul was rejected by God for his partial obedience. There's another good illustration of partial obedience.

You will find that in 1 Kings chapter 20. Because Jeroboam the son of Nebat had made the golden calves, he'd made the altars. And God sent a man of God out of Judah to prophesy against Jeroboam, and against the altar, and against the calves. And God told him not to eat or drink in that place. So the man of God came up while Jeroboam happened to be offering on that altar. And the man of God cried and said, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts," He said there's going to be a king come up by the name of Josiah, and he's going to defile this altar and he's going to burn men's bones upon it. And he said to show you this is going to come to pass, this altar is going to rent. It's going to break. And it broke right in front of Jeroboam. Jeroboam stretched out his hand and said, "Get that man!" And then he could not pull his hand back. And he realized he was in trouble and he looked at the man of God and said, "Pray for me." And the man of

God prayed for him and the Bible said his hand was restored whole. And then Jeroboam said to him, "Come home with me and I'll give you a reward and you can eat and drink in my house." And the man of God said, "No, I'm not going to eat. I'm not going to drink. God told me not to. I'm leaving." And he turned around and left. And there was another old prophet. His sons were there and saw everything and they went and told him.

And he asked, "Which way did he go?" And of course, he was told. So he saddled the ass, rode after the man of God from Judah and said, "Look," he said, "stop and turn and come around to my house and eat and drink with me." Wow. He said, "I can't do that." Well, he said, "You don't understand. I'm a prophet of God as well. And an angel appeared with me and told me to come get you and bring you back so that you can eat and drink." And he went back with the old prophet and after he ate and drank, then the old prophet jumped up and said, "You've disobeyed God and God's going to kill you." And when he left the old prophet, a lion met him in the way and slew him.

Now, the point I'm trying to make is very simple. He took care of the most important part of his mission. He cried out against the idolatry of Jeroboam. He cried out against the altar. He prophesied. The altar broke. He proved to Jeroboam that God, the one true and the living God, the Lord of hosts, was a God of Israel. That was the most important. But the little, tiny, insignificant part, "Don't eat and drink," he disobeyed.

And it cost him his life. Partial obedience is disobedience. Now, let me give you something else to think about. Delayed obedience is disobedience. I want you to hold 1 Kings 17, but look in your Bibles to Matthew 21, and let's begin reading there with verse 28. I want you to watch this very carefully. Matthew chapter 21 verse 28, we'll read through verse 31. Our Lord says, "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard."

"And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."

Now, here's the interesting thing. He came to the first son and said, "Son, go work today in my vineyard." Well, he said, "I'm not going to do it." But then he repented and went. He said, likewise to the second son, "Go and work today in my vineyard." And he said, "I go, sir," very respectfully, very mannerly. But he went not. So here's my question. Let's suppose the second son went to work in the vineyard the next day. Or the day after. Or the next week.

Would that have been counted obedience? And the answer is no. Why? The Father said, "Son, go work today in my vineyard." So it's not just partial obedience that is disobedience. Delayed obedience is also disobedience. So, real, true, biblical obedience can neither be partial or delayed, so to be counted as obedience. Obedience indicates submission and recognition of authority. If there is real genuine authority, there should be submission. If there is real genuine submission, there should be obedience.

You see, one of the problems that we have as Christians is this. Most Christians really and truly do not recognize the sovereign, total, absolute, and complete authority of God. God has the absolute right to command us, and we should be instant, not only in submission, but in obedience if we recognize that authority as well. So, the very first part of, "Are you there?" The "there" indicates, first and foremost, obedience.

Second Point: 'There' as a Place of Provision

God provided for Elijah at the brook through ravens, demonstrating that the place of obedience is the place of provision.

Secondly, I want you to note, the "there" is also a place of provision. So I want you to look, beginning there with verse 4. He said, "And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook." Note, if you would, the Bible says in verse 4, "Then it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there." Well, suppose Elijah thought, "Well, you know, it's very uncomfortable by that brook. There's more comfortable places in Jerusalem, in Jezreel. Why can't I go to those places?" Because God said, "I've commanded the ravens to feed thee there." I want you to put these two things together. The place of obedience is the place of provision. Elijah went exactly where God commanded him, and that is by the brook. And it's there that God fed him.

And here's another interesting thing. God used an unclean bird to bring clean food to Elijah. I don't know if you understood this or not, but ravens are considered unclean in the book of Leviticus chapter 11 verses 13 through 15. The Bible says this:

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 11:13-15

"And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey, and the vulture, and the kite after his kind; and every raven after his kind."

And then when you get to Deuteronomy 14 and verse 14, you have the same thing:

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 11:13-15

"And every raven after his kind."

So the ravens then brought Elijah food, meat and bread every morning and every evening. Have you ever wondered where the ravens got that meat and got that bread? I mean, obviously, they don't cook and they don't bake. Where in the world would they get the meat and the bread to feed Elijah?

Third Point: 'There' as a Place of Ministry

God sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath, where mutual ministry occurred; God uses small, willing vessels.

"And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee." Wow! Note if you would. Verse 10: "So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." So now God sends Elijah to Zarephath to a widow woman. I want to read to you just two short paragraphs of what Arthur W. Pink wrote on this passage. He said, "But let us return to the outward circumstances which confronted Elijah upon his approach to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering sticks. God had told his servant to go there, and had promised the widow should sustain him."

"But what her name was, where her house was, and how he was to distinguish her from others, he was not informed. He trusted God to give him further light when he arrived there, nor was he disappointed. He was speedily relieved of any suspense as to the identification of the person who was to befriend him. Apparently, this meeting was quite casual, for there was no appointment between them." "Behold, ponder, and admire, the widow woman was there. See how the Lord in his providence overrules all events, so this particular woman should be at the gate at the very time the prophet arrived. Behold, here she comes forth as if on purpose to meet him, yet he did not know her, nor she him. It has all the appearance of being accidental, and yet it was decreed and arranged by God so as to make good His word to the prophet." Wow! God just told Elijah, "Go to Zarephath. I've appointed a widow woman to take care of you." Did not give her name, her address, where she lived, any identifying marks, just "Go there."

And that's where he went. And God had her waiting. By the way, I'll point this out, I hope, later. But you ladies would have to be a man to understand this. It was indeed a humbling experience for Elijah to be taken care of by a widow woman. Men usually take care of themselves, or at least that's what we like to think. But no, God said, "I've got a widow woman. She'll take care of you." Now, it's important to note what this widow woman was doing when he came.

Look at verses 10 through 12. "So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." Which was not an unusual request. "And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand." Bring me something to eat. "And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

"And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son." So the dearth then had affected everyone. There was drought, there was famine, and seemingly there was no hope or help for this widow and her son, they were facing imminent death by starvation. In light of that factor, in light of those circumstances, the request of Elijah would appear to be selfish and cruel. I mean, she said, "I'm gathering a few sticks that I can cook this for me and my son, and then die." He said, "Well, go ahead and cook it, but fix me a little cake first and bring it to me." Boy, would modern day leftist and political correct people have a heyday with this. "While you're taking food out of the mouth of a child, you're depriving that child." But you see, Elijah knew exactly what God was going to do. Look at it in verses 14 and 15. "For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days." The providence of God always provides for His own.

Now I want you to understand something. It was not a wealthy merchant that took care of Elijah. It was not a king. It was not a prince. It was not a ruler that sustained the man of God. It was a widow. God had her in the right place at the right time in the right condition with a willing, gracious, and sacrificial heart even in the face of death. God used a widow woman to take care of His preacher.

I've preached for 57 years. Never in my 57 years of preaching, never has a millionaire or a multi-millionaire come up to me and say, "Preacher, here's $100,000 for the work of the ministry." Never! But innumerable widows, children, everyday people, give generously and sacrificially. I'm just simply pointing out the fact that is why God used this widow woman to take care of Elijah. She was willing to share even in the face of imminent death. May I point something out? Think about this. The judgment of God upon a nation, upon a people, does not nullify or destroy charity, sacrifice, and obedience. In fact, it should intensify those attributes. We must be willing to share and we must be willing to sacrifice with God's people, even in the face of death. A willing heart is always acceptable unto the Lord. Elijah ministered to that woman and her child. And that woman and her child ministered back to Elijah. Ministry is reciprocal. Not everybody can preach. Not everybody can teach. But everybody has a gift that God has given them.

I can't do what Steve does. I can't do what Gary does. I can't do what James does. I'm just simply saying, I have a gift. Each of you have a gift. You know, and there is ministry. As I minister to you, you minister back to me. As you minister to someone else, they minister back to you. So, the "there" is not only a place of obedience, it's not only a place of provision, it's also a place of ministry.

Fourth Point: 'There' as a Place of Protection

Elijah was hidden from Ahab's search while staying at the widow's house, showing that God's will is the safest place.

Let me show you one other thing. The "there" is also a place of protection. I want you to look in verse 15 of 1 Kings chapter 17. Watch it. "And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days." So how long was Elijah living in the house of this widow with her son? Well, the answer is many days. You will remember in verse 7 of this chapter, the brook that God initially sent Elijah to dried up. So my question is, how long does it take for a brook to dry up? Well, that depends upon the size of the brook. But if there's no rain, if there's no dew, and the brook is not very large, I would imagine it's going to dry up in three or four months at the most. The drought lasted three and a half years. So that meant that Elijah probably was at the widow woman's house for three years or better, for many days. Wow. Wow. Hmm. Let me show you what I mean.

It's a place of protection. God hid Elijah first by the brook. Secondly, he hid him at the widow woman's house. When you go to 1 Kings chapter 18, beginning there with verse 7, God now sends Elijah back to meet Ahab, but he runs across Obadiah first. And in 1 Kings 18 verse 7, "And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?" "And he answered, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?"

Now look, "As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not." What was Ahab doing the time that Elijah was at the widow woman's house? Seeking him. Why was he seeking him? So that he could kill him. You remember as Elijah said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, there shall not be rain nor dew these years, but according to my word." And so Ahab is blaming everything on Elijah. And if he can get his hands on him, he's going to kill him. And so he sends to every nation, every kingdom, seeking for Elijah. And when he can't find him there, he takes an oath of the rulers that he's not there.

Here's the mentality of a tyrant. Here's the mentality of a politician. "I'm living the good life. I've got plenty. I'm living in a palace. And here's my opposition. He is probably being sustained by some rich man. He's probably being sustained by some ruler, some prince. He's living in luxury. He's not doing without. And I'm going to seek Him out of all these kingdoms, out of all these nations, and when I get my hands on Him..." And all the while, He's at a little woman's house.

I told you God has a sense of humor. Now let me show you something. Can you imagine living with a widow woman and her child, and eating meal, little cakes of bread, that's cooked in oil, for three years? Can you imagine laying around for three years not having anything to do? Suppose, suppose Elijah had gotten tired of being cooped up. Suppose Elijah had gotten tired of eating bread. Suppose Elijah had gotten tired of doing chores. Suppose he had gotten tired of inaction against Ahab and Jezebel, and he decided to take it on his own and go to a larger city. Could God have protected him there? Of course, he could have.

But he would have been exposing himself. So the others might have told Ahab where he was. The point I'm trying to make is this. God told him first to go to the brook, and then God told him, second, go to the widow's house. That's exactly where he went. There's a vast difference between faith and foolishness. It would have been foolish for Elijah to have exposed himself. He stayed right where God told him to stay. Until God said, "Go show thyself to Ahab." So the safest place for a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of God's will.

Application: Are You There?

Believers must examine if they are in God's will, not despising small things, and seeking righteousness in times of judgment.

So, let me ask this question again. Are you there? Where's there? Are you there in the place of obedience? Are you there in the place of provision? Are you there in the place of ministry? Are you there in the place of protection? Are you where God has directed you to be? Are you in the will of God for your life, is your family in the will of God, whether it's permanent or temporary, you should know. It was a temporary stay at the brook. It was a temporary stay at the widow's house, but it was God's will for those temporary stays. The place of blessing is the place of obedience.

Now, here's the second thing. Do not despise small things. The question is asked in Zechariah chapter 4 and verse 10, "Who hath despised the day of small things?" When you look at 1 Kings chapter 17, a raven is a small thing by comparison. A brook is a small thing. A cruse of oil is a small thing. Meal is a small thing. A widow's house is a small thing. But have you ever noticed that God uses small things? He uses a widow to protect and support Elijah. When you lump all of the small things together, you end up with great things. We have to learn to be content with small things. There's nothing wrong with smallness as long as it is in the will of God.

You heard me say, I'd rather preach to 10 people who really and truly want the Word of God than 10,000 who could care less. There's nothing wrong being small as long as it is in the will of God. You say, "Would you like to preach to 10,000?" Sure. Every preacher would like to preach to 10,000 people, but I'm not interested in preaching to 10,000 just to preach to 10,000. If 10,000 people really truly wanted the word of God, I'd want to preach to them. But if they don't, I'd rather preach to the 10. May I remind you about John chapter 6? When our Lord was teaching, He said, "I'm not going to send these people away fasting." He said, "We're in a desert place." I think it was Philip who said, "There's a lad here, he's got a few loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many?" Our Lord said, "Bring them to me." And with those loaves and two fish, the Bible says He fed 5,000 men, not counting the women and the children. Don't despise small things. There was a small boy. There was a small dinner. Probably small loaves and small fish. But our Lord used it. There's that old gospel tune, "Little is much when God is in it."

"Labor not for wealth or fame. There's a crown and you can win it if you go in Jesus' name. Little is much when God is in it." Smallness does not matter if it's in the will of God. Here's the third one. We're living in a day of judgment. It is bad now. But unless there's real repentance, it is going to get an awful lot worse. All you have to do is read the book of Amos chapter 4 and you can read all about all these judgments. God says, "I've stretched forth my hand and you refused." And once that judgment does not work, God sends another. God sends another. And every judgment increases in intensity and severity.

The point I'm trying to make is this. The more we perceive the judgment of God and the more we understand that the hand of God is against this land and against this country, the more holy, the more godly, the more obedient, the more righteous we should be. In other words, we have to come to the realization that obedience is primary. Let me again quote Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3. Listen carefully. "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness." "It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." If we want to be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger, we need to be meek and humble and obedient and godly and righteous. So the question is, are you there? Are you there in the place where God can hide you? Where God can deliver you? Where God can protect you? Where God can provide for you?

Study Guide

Major Themes

Obedience to God's Specific Direction

Summary: True obedience requires complete and immediate compliance with God's commands; partial or delayed obedience is disobedience.

Evidence: Elijah went exactly to the brook Cherith as commanded; illustrations from Saul and the man of God from Judah show the consequences of partial obedience.

God's Provision in the Place of Obedience

Summary: God provides for His people when they are where He has placed them, often through unexpected means.

Evidence: God commanded ravens to feed Elijah at the brook; the widow's meal and oil did not run out.

Mutual Ministry Among God's People

Summary: God uses ordinary, willing individuals to minister to one another; ministry is reciprocal.

Evidence: The widow woman sustained Elijah, and Elijah brought God's word and provision to her household.

Divine Protection in God's Will

Summary: The safest place for a believer is in the center of God's will, even when it seems obscure or humble.

Evidence: Ahab searched all nations for Elijah but could not find him because he was hidden in a widow's house.

Contentment with Small Things

Summary: Believers should not despise small beginnings or humble circumstances when they are in God's will.

Evidence: God used a brook, ravens, a widow, and a handful of meal to sustain Elijah.

Righteous Response in Times of Judgment

Summary: In times of divine judgment, believers should intensify their pursuit of righteousness, meekness, and obedience.

Evidence: Zephaniah 2:3 calls the meek to seek righteousness that they may be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

Key Arguments

Partial obedience is disobedience

Summary: God requires full compliance; Saul's sparing of Agag and the man of God's eating in Bethel show that incomplete obedience is rejected.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 15 and 1 Kings 13 illustrate that God counted partial obedience as evil and punished it.

Delayed obedience is disobedience

Summary: Obedience must be immediate; the parable of the two sons shows that saying 'I go' but not going is disobedience.

Evidence: Matthew 21:28-31 demonstrates that the son who initially refused but later went did the father's will, not the one who promised but delayed.

The place of obedience is the place of provision

Summary: God's provision is tied to being in His appointed place; Elijah was fed only at the brook.

Evidence: 1 Kings 17:4 says 'I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there,' linking provision to location.

God uses small, unlikely means

Summary: God often works through humble instruments—ravens, a widow, a handful of meal—to accomplish His purposes.

Evidence: The ravens, unclean birds, brought food; the widow had only a little meal and oil, yet it sustained them for years.

God's will is the safest place

Summary: Elijah was protected from Ahab's search because he stayed where God directed; leaving would have been foolishness.

Evidence: 1 Kings 18:10 shows Ahab searched everywhere; Elijah remained hidden in the widow's house until God sent him out.

Judgment should produce greater righteousness

Summary: Perceiving God's judgment should lead believers to seek meekness and righteousness for divine hiding.

Evidence: Zephaniah 2:3 exhorts the meek to seek the Lord and righteousness to be hid in the day of anger.

Scripture References

1 Kings 17:1-6

Context: Elijah declares drought, is sent to brook Cherith, and fed by ravens.

Genesis 2:8

Context: God placed man in the garden of Eden, a specific place.

Genesis 11:9

Context: God confounded language at Babel, a specific place.

Genesis 13:4

Context: Abram called on the Lord at the place of the altar.

Psalm 137:1

Context: By the rivers of Babylon, they sat down and wept.

Luke 2:25

Context: There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon.

James 5:17-18

Context: Elijah was a man of like passions who prayed for drought and rain.

1 Kings 18:5-6

Context: Ahab and Obadiah search for grass to save animals during drought.

1 Kings 17:7

Context: The brook dried up because there was no rain.

1 Kings 18:2

Context: There was a sore famine in Samaria.

Deuteronomy 10:18

Context: God executes judgment for the fatherless and widow.

Psalm 68:5

Context: God is a father of the fatherless and judge of widows.

1 Samuel 15

Context: Saul's partial obedience in sparing Agag is rejected as evil.

1 Kings 13

Context: The man of God from Judah disobeyed by eating and was killed by a lion.

Matthew 21:28-31

Context: Parable of two sons; delayed obedience is disobedience.

Leviticus 11:13-15

Context: Ravens are listed as unclean birds.

Deuteronomy 14:14

Context: Every raven after its kind is unclean.

1 Kings 18:13

Context: Obadiah hid 100 prophets from Jezebel.

1 Kings 19:10

Context: Elijah says he alone is left and they seek his life.

Zephaniah 2:1-3

Context: Seek righteousness and meekness to be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

Historical References

Ahab and Jezebel

Context: Wicked king and queen of Israel during Elijah's ministry; Ahab murdered Naboth for a garden.

Hurricane Andrew

Context: A pastor prayed that Hurricane Andrew followed the path God laid down before the world was formed.

Jochebed and Moses

Context: Moses' mother was paid by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own child.

Important Quotes

Partial obedience is not obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Significance: Core argument that God requires full compliance, not halfway measures.

Delayed obedience is disobedience.

Significance: Emphasizes that timing matters in obedience; procrastination is rebellion.

The place of obedience is the place of provision.

Significance: Links God's care directly to being in His appointed location.

The safest place for a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of God's will.

Significance: Summarizes the protection theme; God's will is the ultimate refuge.

Do not despise small things.

Significance: Encourages contentment with humble circumstances when in God's will.

Little is much when God is in it.

Significance: Reinforces that God can use insignificant means for great purposes.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to be 'there' in the place of obedience, and how can we discern God's specific direction for our lives?

Context: The sermon emphasizes that God directed Elijah to specific locations; believers must seek and follow God's will.

Why is partial or delayed obedience considered disobedience, and what are some modern examples of this?

Context: Using Saul and the man of God from Judah, the pastor argues that incomplete obedience is rebellion.

How have you experienced God's provision when you were in the place He called you to be?

Context: Elijah was fed by ravens at the brook; God provides in unexpected ways when we obey.

In what ways can we minister to others even when we have very little, like the widow of Zarephath?

Context: The widow shared her last meal; ministry is reciprocal and often involves sacrifice.

How does the concept of divine protection in God's will challenge our tendency to seek safety in worldly means?

Context: Elijah was hidden in a widow's house while Ahab searched everywhere; God's will is the safest place.

What 'small things' in your life might God be using, and how can you avoid despising them?

Context: The sermon highlights the brook, ravens, and meal as small things God used mightily.

How should the perception of God's judgment on a nation affect the way Christians live?

Context: Zephaniah 2:3 calls for seeking righteousness to be hid; judgment should produce greater godliness.

Applications

Examine your obedience

Summary: Evaluate whether you are fully obeying God's known will without partiality or delay.

Evidence: The sermon repeatedly contrasts full obedience with partial/delayed obedience using biblical examples.

Trust God's provision in His place

Summary: Stay where God has placed you, trusting that He will provide even through unlikely means.

Evidence: Elijah was fed by ravens and a widow; God's provision is tied to His appointed location.

Be content with small things

Summary: Do not despise humble circumstances or limited resources when they are in God's will.

Evidence: God used a brook, ravens, and a handful of meal; 'little is much when God is in it.'

Seek righteousness in judgment

Summary: In times of national or personal judgment, intensify pursuit of meekness and righteousness.

Evidence: Zephaniah 2:3 is quoted as a call to seek the Lord to be hid in the day of anger.

Minister with what you have

Summary: Use your gifts to serve others, even in scarcity, as the widow did for Elijah.

Evidence: The widow shared her last meal; ministry is reciprocal and God honors sacrificial giving.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T20:18:31Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:49:51Z

Clean Transcript

There

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles today, if we would please, to 1 Kings chapter 17. 1 Kings chapter 17. And we're going to be reading through the first six verses. 1 Kings chapter 17.
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The title of the message is simply "There," T-H-E-R-E. You will see the significance of that word shortly. But notice, if you would, in 1 Kings 17, verse 1: "And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook." Think about the word "there." Have you ever considered the significance of that word?
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It is indeed a word that we use daily. We'll say, "Put it there." "There it is." "There it lays." And if you have children, then you know the proverbial question when you're traveling: "Are we there yet?"
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Now, I want you to understand that the word "there" is an adverb, and it signifies place. We say something like, "I left the box over there," or just simply, "We're not going there." And so it indicates not just a place, but usually a specific place. Because if something is there, it's not anywhere else. So anytime you see the word, even biblically speaking, there is a specificity attached to that word.
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Let me give you some scriptures before we get to 1 Kings 17. For instance, in Genesis 2 and verse 8, the Bible says, "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed." So it was a specific place. He put him in Eden. When you get to Genesis 11 and verse 9, "Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." So notice it was there that He confounded their language. So it was called Babel. In Genesis chapter 13 and verse 4, "Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called upon the name of the Lord." So the "there" refers to that specific place where the altar was. And then there's another passage like
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in Psalm 137, verse 1, where it said, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion." And then let me give you one from the New Testament. That would be Luke 2, in verse 25, where the Bible says, "Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him." But note, if you would, "Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem." So it's a specific man in a specific place. So when you hear the word "there" used, you have to understand that it does indeed refer to a certain specific place.
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Oftentimes, I get amused when I am in a church and the song leader is singing or leading the hymn "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder." Everybody knows that hymn. He'll be doing his hand leading the singing, "When the roll is called up yonder," and then of course the latter part goes down, "When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there." And it drops, and I say, "I don't want to be where your hand is pointing. You know, I want to be up there." Of course, that's what the song means. But I'm just simply saying the "there" refers to heaven and not the place of destruction.
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That is for sure. So let me ask you a question. Here it is: Are you there? Now you're going to respond, "Well, I can't answer that question because I don't know the context, and I cannot truthfully or accurately answer it." Well, I'm going to give you the context just in a little while, and it is indeed a question that you not only need to ask but you must ask, because it's going to have grave implications as well.
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Now we're reading about Elijah the Tishbite. Let me just say that there is a passage in the New Testament that gives a concise, divine commentary on 1 Kings 17 and 18. And here's what it says in James 5, verses 17 and 18: "Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." Now Elijah was a man. Now it is true, he was a man like we are. He was a man subject to like passions. He had his faults. He had his failings. He had his sins, but he was a man of God, and he was a man of prayer. And anytime someone can pray, and the Lord withholds rain and dew for three and a half years, and then he prayed again, and it brought forth rain, and the earth brought forth fruit, that is indeed someone that has a power with God.
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Now, I want you to stop and think about this. God is going to send judgment upon Israel because of their sins, because of their wickedness. And there's going to be a drought. That is the judgment. Can you imagine no water for three and a half years? Not even dew. So everything is going to be basically dried up. May I remind you that at this particular time in history, Ahab and Jezebel were on the throne in Israel. I say Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab was the king, but Jezebel ran an awful lot of things. But notice if you would, since Ahab and Jezebel were there, everything was wicked, everything was pagan, and God is sending judgment upon the land because of the wickedness, and that particular judgment is that drought. Now, the drought lasted for three and a half years.
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So that means it destroyed crops, it destroyed the grass, it destroyed the animals, and undoubtedly, it destroyed people as well. Ahab is the typical tyrant and the typical politician. He did not really care one thing about the people. He only basically cared about himself and his power. Let me show you this. Look in 1 Kings 18, verses 5 and 6. Here is how bad the drought was. Watch verse 5: "And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself." So there's such a dearth and such a drought that they're looking for just a little bit of grass somewhere to save the horses and mules alive.
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Now, everyone in this room knows that I love animals, and I certainly would not like to see any of them suffer, be in misery, or die. But as much as I love animals, when you read this passage, you have to wonder, what about the people? I mean, if the animals were suffering, if the animals were starving, then obviously the people were as well. If you look in chapter 17 and verse 7, even the brook that Elijah was by dried up: "And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land."
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And of course, God moved him. But if you look in 1 Kings 18 and verse 2, the Bible says this: "And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria." So obviously people were dying as well as the animals. Not only were the crops failing, but there was death everywhere. So yes, there was a need for food and water for the people, and yes, Ahab is demonstrating that he cares more for the horses and mules than he does for his own people.
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And let me just bolster this point by making this statement. You have to remember that Ahab murdered Naboth and his sons just so he could have a garden of herbs close to his palace. That's how much he thought of the people. He thought more of a small garden of herbs than he did the lives of his people.
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In contrast to these wicked tyrants, God is totally different. The Bible teaches us that He cares for His own. Moreover, He cares for the widows and the children as well, and the orphans. For instance, in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verse 18, the Bible says this: "He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment." So God is going to make sure that He executes judgment for the widow and for the fatherless. And the Bible said He loves a stranger and then He gives him food and raiment. When you get to Psalm 68 in verse 5, the Bible is describing God as "a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation." So He's the father of the fatherless, that is, He takes care of the orphans, and He is a judge of the widows in His holy habitation. So this chapter in 1 Kings chapter 17 is going to demonstrate the truth that God is indeed one who takes care of His own.
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Now let me mention something about the judgment that God sent in the form of a drought. The truth of the matter is this: the drought was just a physical picture of a spiritual reality. So just like there was a drought which caused famine, starvation, there was a drought of hearing the word of God. And to show you how that God did indeed demonstrate this, after the brook dried up, God moved Elijah and hid him so that there was no more truth being proclaimed or being preached. So we have to understand that there is the hand of God behind all of the physical phenomenon that we see. Many times we do not consider the fact that here's a drought, God's hand is behind it. Here's a flood, God's hand is behind it. Here's a tornado, here's a hurricane, God's hand is behind those as well.
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I remember years ago, Pastor McCurry and I were at a conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. There were probably a hundred preachers there and several hundred more people there. And the pastor of the church had asked a tall, slender, black pastor to open in prayer. And we all bowed our heads as he started praying. And it was not but just a minute before all of a sudden my head went up and my eyes got opened.
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And I looked to see what Brother McCurry's reaction was. And his head was up and his eyes were open. And I told everybody afterwards, that old black preacher preached more in his prayer than most preachers did all day long. Because Hurricane Andrew had just come through Florida. And he was praying and he said, "Oh God, our heavenly Father, I know that Hurricane Andrew has followed the exact path that Thine hand has laid down before the world was ever formed." And I mean, he just kept going and pointing out the fact that God's hand was behind Hurricane Andrew, just like He's behind everything else. And that is true.
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That's what the Bible teaches. So we need to understand that oftentimes when there are physical phenomena that most people do not understand, usually if you look closely and study and think, it is the hand of God behind.
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Now, so here's my question in light of all this. Are you there? Once again, you may respond with a question, "Where is the there? I can't answer it until I find out where the there is." Well, look if you would in 1 Kings chapter 17 and verse 2: "And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan." Well, let me give you the first point. The "there" was first and foremost a place of obedience. God told Elijah, "Get thee to the brook Cherith, which is by Jordan." Now, it was an act of obedience on the part of Elijah that he obeyed God and did exactly as God commanded. I want you to know that Elijah went exactly and specifically to the place that God ordained.
#20 | 14:18 to 15:36 | cleaned
So let me try to tell you what I'm getting at. I want you to understand that partial obedience is not obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience. So God told him to get to the brook Cherith. Suppose Elijah went halfway to the brook Cherith and said, "Well, this should do it." Maybe he went three quarters of the way and said, "Well, I think this is sufficient. I don't have to go all the way to that brook." Maybe even went nine tenths of a way. Maybe he went just so close that he could see it, but he did not actually go there. Would that be counted as obedience?
#21 | 15:37 to 16:22 | cleaned
And the answer is no. Because God specifically told him to go to that brook.
#22 | 16:22 to 16:29 | cleaned
Now, let me just point out the fact that most of the time our obedience is a partial obedience which is in reality disobedience. You remember in 1 Samuel chapter 15 it was Samuel who came to King Saul and Samuel said, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel as he came out of Egypt." Now he said, "I want you to go and smite Amalek." He said, "I want you to smite them so thoroughly that you will leave neither man nor woman, child, ox, suckling, ass." I want them all dead. And Saul began a riot.
#23 | 16:29 to 17:13 | cleaned
He chose him an army. He went up. He attacked the Amalekites. And you'll remember that he destroyed everything that was vile and refuse and useless, but he spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the sheep and the best of the oxen and whatever else he wanted to spare. And of course, he pretended that he had obeyed God, and that's when Samuel said, "What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" He said, "Saul, if you'd obeyed God, then everything would be dead."
#24 | 17:13 to 17:47 | cleaned
I would not be even hearing that. And here is what God said in 1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 19 through the prophet Samuel. He said to Saul, "Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Now, what could Saul say in response? "Well, I obeyed mostly. I mean, I got rid of all that was vile and worthless and refuse. But, you know, I almost obeyed." But he didn't obey. God counted that partial obedience as disobedience and then God added that it was positively evil. And consequently Saul was rejected by God for his partial obedience. There's another good illustration of partial obedience.
#25 | 17:47 to 18:46 | cleaned
You will find that in 1 Kings chapter 20. Because Jeroboam the son of Nebat had made the golden calves, he'd made the altars. And God sent a man of God out of Judah to prophesy against Jeroboam, and against the altar, and against the calves. And God told him not to eat or drink in that place. So the man of God came up while Jeroboam happened to be offering on that altar. And the man of God cried and said, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts," He said there's going to be a king come up by the name of Josiah, and he's going to defile this altar and he's going to burn men's bones upon it. And he said to show you this is going to come to pass, this altar is going to rent. It's going to break. And it broke right in front of Jeroboam. Jeroboam stretched out his hand and said, "Get that man!" And then he could not pull his hand back. And he realized he was in trouble and he looked at the man of God and said, "Pray for me." And the man of
#26 | 18:46 to 19:54 | cleaned
God prayed for him and the Bible said his hand was restored whole. And then Jeroboam said to him, "Come home with me and I'll give you a reward and you can eat and drink in my house." And the man of God said, "No, I'm not going to eat. I'm not going to drink. God told me not to. I'm leaving." And he turned around and left. And there was another old prophet. His sons were there and saw everything and they went and told him.
#27 | 19:54 to 20:19 | cleaned
And he asked, "Which way did he go?" And of course, he was told. So he saddled the ass, rode after the man of God from Judah and said, "Look," he said, "stop and turn and come around to my house and eat and drink with me." Wow. He said, "I can't do that." Well, he said, "You don't understand. I'm a prophet of God as well. And an angel appeared with me and told me to come get you and bring you back so that you can eat and drink." And he went back with the old prophet and after he ate and drank, then the old prophet jumped up and said, "You've disobeyed God and God's going to kill you." And when he left the old prophet, a lion met him in the way and slew him.
#28 | 20:20 to 21:02 | cleaned
Now, the point I'm trying to make is very simple. He took care of the most important part of his mission. He cried out against the idolatry of Jeroboam. He cried out against the altar. He prophesied. The altar broke. He proved to Jeroboam that God, the one true and the living God, the Lord of hosts, was a God of Israel. That was the most important. But the little, tiny, insignificant part, "Don't eat and drink," he disobeyed.
#29 | 21:02 to 21:39 | cleaned
And it cost him his life. Partial obedience is disobedience.
#30 | 21:40 to 21:46 | cleaned
Now, let me give you something else to think about. Delayed obedience is disobedience. I want you to hold 1 Kings 17, but look in your Bibles to Matthew 21, and let's begin reading there with verse 28. I want you to watch this very carefully. Matthew chapter 21 verse 28, we'll read through verse 31. Our Lord says, "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard."
#31 | 21:46 to 22:31 | cleaned
"And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."
#32 | 22:31 to 22:57 | cleaned
Now, here's the interesting thing. He came to the first son and said, "Son, go work today in my vineyard." Well, he said, "I'm not going to do it." But then he repented and went. He said, likewise to the second son, "Go and work today in my vineyard." And he said, "I go, sir," very respectfully, very mannerly. But he went not. So here's my question. Let's suppose the second son went to work in the vineyard the next day. Or the day after. Or the next week.
#33 | 22:57 to 23:42 | cleaned
Would that have been counted obedience? And the answer is no. Why? The Father said, "Son, go work today in my vineyard." So it's not just partial obedience that is disobedience. Delayed obedience is also disobedience. So, real, true, biblical obedience can neither be partial or delayed, so to be counted as obedience. Obedience indicates submission and recognition of authority. If there is real genuine authority, there should be submission. If there is real genuine submission, there should be obedience.
#34 | 23:43 to 24:25 | cleaned
You see, one of the problems that we have as Christians is this. Most Christians really and truly do not recognize the sovereign, total, absolute, and complete authority of God. God has the absolute right to command us, and we should be instant, not only in submission, but in obedience if we recognize that authority as well. So, the very first part of, "Are you there?" The "there" indicates, first and foremost, obedience.
#35 | 24:25 to 24:57 | cleaned
Secondly, I want you to note, the "there" is also a place of provision. So I want you to look, beginning there with verse 4. He said, "And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook." Note, if you would, the Bible says in verse 4, "Then it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there."
#36 | 24:58 to 25:39 | cleaned
Well, suppose Elijah thought, "Well, you know, it's very uncomfortable by that brook. There's more comfortable places in Jerusalem, in Jezreel. Why can't I go to those places?" Because God said, "I've commanded the ravens to feed thee there." I want you to put these two things together. The place of obedience is the place of provision. Elijah went exactly where God commanded him, and that is by the brook. And it's there that God fed him.
#37 | 25:43 to 26:29 | cleaned
And here's another interesting thing. God used an unclean bird to bring clean food to Elijah. I don't know if you understood this or not, but ravens are considered unclean in the book of Leviticus chapter 11 verses 13 through 15. The Bible says this: "And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey, and the vulture, and the kite after his kind; and every raven after his kind." And then when you get to Deuteronomy 14 and verse 14, you have the same thing: "And every raven after his kind." So the ravens then brought Elijah food, meat and bread every morning and every evening. Have you ever wondered where the ravens got that meat and got that bread? I mean, obviously, they don't cook and they don't bake. Where in the world would they get the meat and the bread to feed Elijah?
#38 | 26:30 to 27:52 | cleaned
Well, let me tell you, ravens, crows, blackbirds, camp robbers are notorious thieves. You remember even when some of us were young, the two crows in comic books, Heckle and Jeckle. They were always stealing corn, you know. And there are birds out west. They're related and they look kind of like a blackbird. They're a little bigger than a blackbird. They're black except for white spots on their wings and they're known as camp robbers.
#39 | 27:53 to 28:31 | cleaned
Whatever you leave out, they steal. Food, whatever. They just steal it. And that's how they got the name camp robbers. Some time ago, I read about a man who had put in one of these self-automated car washers and you had to put coins in it to go through. And he started losing money. And so he called the company and he said, "You evidently have a dishonest employee because money is missing. It's being stolen and it's your company and myself, we're the only ones that have the combination to get the money out."
#40 | 28:32 to 29:13 | cleaned
"And I'm not doing it." And they said, "Well, our employee is honest. He's not doing it either." So they put up a hidden camera so they could capture who was stealing. They were absolutely astounded because here were these little birds like a house wren that were going in where the change came out, getting money and coming back out and flying back up to the top of the building. They found on top of that building over $3,000 in quarters. The birds were stealing the money. Now, you know, to me, obviously, these birds were stealing. You gotta remember now there was a famine in the land and you also have to remember that Jezebel was killing all of God's preachers.
#41 | 29:15 to 30:18 | cleaned
Look in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 18 and verse 13. Watch this. Obadiah says to Elijah, "Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?" Wow. Look in 1 Kings 19 and verse 10 at what Elijah said to God. He said, "And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword."
#42 | 30:18 to 30:58 | cleaned
"And I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." Wow. Isn't that interesting? So here we have the prophets of God being murdered or being driven into hiding while Jezebel, listen carefully, while Jezebel is feeding 400 prophets of Baal at her table. I want to tell you something. To me, this is absolutely a hilarious thought. It's not just that these ravens were stealing the bread and meat from the wicked. Would it not be absolutely wonderful if they were stealing that meat and bread from Jezebel's table where she was feeding all those 400 prophets of Baal? Let me just point out the fact God does have a sense of humor.
#43 | 30:58 to 32:05 | cleaned
You remember the woman by the name of Jochebed? Jochebed was the wife of Amram, who was the mother of Moses. And she hid Moses until he was about three months old and she couldn't hide him anymore. So she made a little ark of bulrushes and daubed it with mud, put little baby Moses in that ark, put him in the river. And Miriam, of course, the older sister, the only sister, went to watch to see what would happen. And here comes Pharaoh's daughter and her maidens down by the river and they see the ark and she sends a lady out, they get it, and I guess God sends an angel right at the right time and pinches that baby and Moses starts crying and Pharaoh's daughter's heart was touched and she said, "It's one of the Hebrews' babies." And about this time Miriam comes up and she asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call on the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?" And you know what Pharaoh's daughter said? "Yes, go and call her and I will give her her wages."
#44 | 32:06 to 33:18 | cleaned
And so Miriam went and called her mother. And so Jochebed, the mother of Moses, got paid by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own child and to raise her own child. I'm just simply saying to me, it would be absolutely hilarious if God did allow these ravens to take it right off Jezebel's table and feed Elijah. Now here's something that we must understand, an obvious truth. Remember, if you would please, there's a drought in the land. There's a famine in the land. Something that we need to consider and that is this: that oftentimes during a time of judgment the righteous suffer with the wicked. Now Elijah was by the brook. He certainly did not starve.
#45 | 33:18 to 34:13 | cleaned
But he probably did without a lot of things. I think it'd be kind of impossible without a really direct miracle of God for those ravens to bring him a bowl of beans or a bowl of corn or some asparagus or broccoli, you know. They certainly didn't bring him any cakes and pies. He did not starve. But he didn't have any chocolate cake, Steve. So he was suffering. That's for sure. Everybody suffers without chocolate. I mean, you know that. It's kind of like that shirt my wife has that has written on it, "Just give me the chocolate and nobody gets hurt."
#46 | 34:16 to 34:57 | cleaned
So but the point being, he was doing that. He didn't starve, obviously, but he had to do without. And Lord, we have to learn especially in times of judgment, to be content with the basics. In 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 8, the Bible says, "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." You may not have the latest fashions, but if you're able to be clothed, be content. You may not have a porterhouse steak, but if you're able to have a little bit of meat, be content. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Zephaniah chapter 2. Let me tell you how to find Zephaniah. It is the fourth book from the end of the Old Testament. So, if you would go to Malachi and turn back to Zechariah and then to Haggai, the next book after that is the book of Zephaniah. And if you look in Zephaniah chapter 2, Zephaniah chapter 2, I want us to read the first three verses. We're talking about judgment. And we're talking about being content, and we're talking about the fact that oftentimes the righteous do indeed suffer with the wicked.
#47 | 34:59 to 36:15 | cleaned
Look, if you would, please, Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 1. Please note the context is a time of judgment. God says, "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;" So He's talking about Israel. He says, "Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you." Now watch verse 3: "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." I preached a message on this passage a few years back, entitled, "How to Act in the Time of Judgment." But notice he said, "Seek ye the Lord, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment. Seek righteousness. Seek meekness. It may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." What did God do for Elijah? He hid him in the day of his anger.
#48 | 36:17 to 37:27 | cleaned
And I want you to please take note of the fact that obedience and provision go together. So are you there? Are you there in the place of obedience? Are you there in the place of provision? Here's a third truth back in 1 Kings chapter 17. The "there" is also a place of ministry to others. So I want you to look in 1 Kings 17 beginning there with verse 8. Look what happens.
#49 | 37:28 to 37:58 | cleaned
"And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee." Wow! Note if you would. Verse 10: "So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." So now God sends Elijah to Zarephath to a widow woman.
#50 | 37:59 to 38:36 | cleaned
I want to read to you just two short paragraphs of what Arthur W. Pink wrote on this passage. He said, "But let us return to the outward circumstances which confronted Elijah upon his approach to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering sticks. God had told his servant to go there, and had promised the widow should sustain him."
#51 | 38:37 to 39:08 | cleaned
"But what her name was, where her house was, and how he was to distinguish her from others, he was not informed. He trusted God to give him further light when he arrived there, nor was he disappointed. He was speedily relieved of any suspense as to the identification of the person who was to befriend him. Apparently, this meeting was quite casual, for there was no appointment between them."
#52 | 39:09 to 39:38 | cleaned
"Behold, ponder, and admire, the widow woman was there. See how the Lord in his providence overrules all events, so this particular woman should be at the gate at the very time the prophet arrived. Behold, here she comes forth as if on purpose to meet him, yet he did not know her, nor she him. It has all the appearance of being accidental, and yet it was decreed and arranged by God so as to make good His word to the prophet." Wow! God just told Elijah, "Go to Zarephath. I've appointed a widow woman to take care of you." Did not give her name, her address, where she lived, any identifying marks, just "Go there."
#53 | 39:38 to 40:35 | cleaned
And that's where he went. And God had her waiting. By the way, I'll point this out, I hope, later. But you ladies would have to be a man to understand this. It was indeed a humbling experience for Elijah to be taken care of by a widow woman. Men usually take care of themselves, or at least that's what we like to think. But no, God said, "I've got a widow woman. She'll take care of you." Now, it's important to note what this widow woman was doing when he came.
#54 | 40:36 to 41:18 | cleaned
Look at verses 10 through 12. "So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." Which was not an unusual request. "And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand." Bring me something to eat. "And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die."
#55 | 41:19 to 42:07 | cleaned
"And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son." So the dearth then had affected everyone. There was drought, there was famine, and seemingly there was no hope or help for this widow and her son, they were facing imminent death by starvation. In light of that factor, in light of those circumstances, the request of Elijah would appear to be selfish and cruel. I mean, she said, "I'm gathering a few sticks that I can cook this for me and my son, and then die." He said, "Well, go ahead and cook it, but fix me a little cake first and bring it to me."
#56 | 42:07 to 43:13 | cleaned
Boy, would modern day leftist and political correct people have a heyday with this. "While you're taking food out of the mouth of a child, you're depriving that child." But you see, Elijah knew exactly what God was going to do. Look at it in verses 14 and 15. "For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days." The providence of God always provides for His own.
#57 | 43:13 to 43:56 | cleaned
Now I want you to understand something. It was not a wealthy merchant that took care of Elijah. It was not a king. It was not a prince. It was not a ruler that sustained the man of God. It was a widow. God had her in the right place at the right time in the right condition with a willing, gracious, and sacrificial heart even in the face of death. God used a widow woman to take care of His preacher.
#58 | 43:57 to 44:29 | cleaned
I've preached for 57 years. Never in my 57 years of preaching, never has a millionaire or a multi-millionaire come up to me and say, "Preacher, here's $100,000 for the work of the ministry." Never! But innumerable widows, children, everyday people, give generously and sacrificially. I'm just simply pointing out the fact that is why God used this widow woman to take care of Elijah. She was willing to share even in the face of imminent death.
#59 | 44:33 to 45:19 | cleaned
May I point something out? Think about this. The judgment of God upon a nation, upon a people, does not nullify or destroy charity, sacrifice, and obedience. In fact, it should intensify those attributes. We must be willing to share and we must be willing to sacrifice with God's people, even in the face of death. A willing heart is always acceptable unto the Lord. Elijah ministered to that woman and her child. And that woman and her child ministered back to Elijah. Ministry is reciprocal. Not everybody can preach. Not everybody can teach. But everybody has a gift that God has given them.
#60 | 45:21 to 46:11 | cleaned
I can't do what Steve does. I can't do what Gary does. I can't do what James does. I'm just simply saying, I have a gift. Each of you have a gift. You know, and there is ministry. As I minister to you, you minister back to me. As you minister to someone else, they minister back to you. So, the "there" is not only a place of obedience, it's not only a place of provision, it's also a place of ministry.
#61 | 46:12 to 46:37 | cleaned
Let me show you one other thing. The "there" is also a place of protection. I want you to look in verse 15 of 1 Kings chapter 17. Watch it. "And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days." So how long was Elijah living in the house of this widow with her son? Well, the answer is many days. You will remember in verse 7 of this chapter, the brook that God initially sent Elijah to dried up. So my question is, how long does it take for a brook to dry up? Well, that depends upon the size of the brook. But if there's no rain, if there's no dew, and the brook is not very large, I would imagine it's going to dry up in three or four months at the most. The drought lasted three and a half years. So that meant that Elijah probably was at the widow woman's house for three years or better, for many days. Wow. Wow. Hmm. Let me show you what I mean.
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It's a place of protection. God hid Elijah first by the brook.
#63 | 48:09 to 48:15 | cleaned
Secondly, he hid him at the widow woman's house. When you go to 1 Kings chapter 18, beginning there with verse 7, God now sends Elijah back to meet Ahab, but he runs across Obadiah first. And in 1 Kings 18 verse 7, "And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?"
#64 | 48:16 to 48:45 | cleaned
"And he answered, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?"
#65 | 48:46 to 48:57 | cleaned
Now look, "As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not." What was Ahab doing the time that Elijah was at the widow woman's house? Seeking him. Why was he seeking him? So that he could kill him. You remember as Elijah said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, there shall not be rain nor dew these years, but according to my word." And so Ahab is blaming everything on Elijah. And if he can get his hands on him, he's going to kill him. And so he sends to every nation, every kingdom, seeking for Elijah. And when he can't find him there, he takes an oath of the rulers that he's not there.
#66 | 48:58 to 49:50 | cleaned
Here's the mentality of a tyrant. Here's the mentality of a politician. "I'm living the good life. I've got plenty. I'm living in a palace. And here's my opposition. He is probably being sustained by some rich man. He's probably being sustained by some ruler, some prince. He's living in luxury. He's not doing without. And I'm going to seek Him out of all these kingdoms, out of all these nations, and when I get my hands on Him..." And all the while, He's at a little woman's house.
#67 | 49:54 to 50:34 | cleaned
I told you God has a sense of humor. Now let me show you something. Can you imagine living with a widow woman and her child, and eating meal, little cakes of bread, that's cooked in oil, for three years? Can you imagine laying around for three years not having anything to do? Suppose, suppose Elijah had gotten tired of being cooped up. Suppose Elijah had gotten tired of eating bread. Suppose Elijah had gotten tired of doing chores. Suppose he had gotten tired of inaction against Ahab and Jezebel, and he decided to take it on his own and go to a larger city. Could God have protected him there? Of course, he could have.
#68 | 50:39 to 51:53 | cleaned
But he would have been exposing himself. So the others might have told Ahab where he was. The point I'm trying to make is this. God told him first to go to the brook, and then God told him, second, go to the widow's house. That's exactly where he went. There's a vast difference between faith and foolishness. It would have been foolish for Elijah to have exposed himself. He stayed right where God told him to stay. Until God said, "Go show thyself to Ahab." So the safest place for a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of God's will.
#69 | 51:55 to 52:36 | cleaned
So, let me ask this question again. Are you there? Where's there? Are you there in the place of obedience? Are you there in the place of provision? Are you there in the place of ministry? Are you there in the place of protection? Are you where God has directed you to be? Are you in the will of God for your life, is your family in the will of God, whether it's permanent or temporary, you should know. It was a temporary stay at the brook. It was a temporary stay at the widow's house, but it was God's will for those temporary stays. The place of blessing is the place of obedience.
#70 | 52:39 to 53:30 | cleaned
Now, here's the second thing. Do not despise small things. The question is asked in Zechariah chapter 4 and verse 10, "Who hath despised the day of small things?" When you look at 1 Kings chapter 17, a raven is a small thing by comparison. A brook is a small thing. A cruse of oil is a small thing. Meal is a small thing. A widow's house is a small thing. But have you ever noticed that God uses small things? He uses a widow to protect and support Elijah. When you lump all of the small things together, you end up with great things. We have to learn to be content with small things. There's nothing wrong with smallness as long as it is in the will of God.
#71 | 53:31 to 54:52 | cleaned
You heard me say, I'd rather preach to 10 people who really and truly want the Word of God than 10,000 who could care less. There's nothing wrong being small as long as it is in the will of God. You say, "Would you like to preach to 10,000?" Sure. Every preacher would like to preach to 10,000 people, but I'm not interested in preaching to 10,000 just to preach to 10,000. If 10,000 people really truly wanted the word of God, I'd want to preach to them. But if they don't, I'd rather preach to the 10.
#72 | 54:55 to 55:36 | cleaned
May I remind you about John chapter 6? When our Lord was teaching, He said, "I'm not going to send these people away fasting." He said, "We're in a desert place." I think it was Philip who said, "There's a lad here, he's got a few loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many?" Our Lord said, "Bring them to me." And with those loaves and two fish, the Bible says He fed 5,000 men, not counting the women and the children. Don't despise small things. There was a small boy. There was a small dinner. Probably small loaves and small fish. But our Lord used it. There's that old gospel tune, "Little is much when God is in it."
#73 | 55:38 to 56:37 | cleaned
"Labor not for wealth or fame. There's a crown and you can win it if you go in Jesus' name. Little is much when God is in it." Smallness does not matter if it's in the will of God. Here's the third one. We're living in a day of judgment. It is bad now. But unless there's real repentance, it is going to get an awful lot worse. All you have to do is read the book of Amos chapter 4 and you can read all about all these judgments. God says, "I've stretched forth my hand and you refused." And once that judgment does not work, God sends another. God sends another. And every judgment increases in intensity and severity.
#74 | 56:38 to 57:24 | cleaned
The point I'm trying to make is this. The more we perceive the judgment of God and the more we understand that the hand of God is against this land and against this country, the more holy, the more godly, the more obedient, the more righteous we should be. In other words, we have to come to the realization that obedience is primary. Let me again quote Zephaniah chapter 2 and verse 3. Listen carefully. "Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness."
#75 | 57:27 to 58:12 | cleaned
"It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." If we want to be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger, we need to be meek and humble and obedient and godly and righteous. So the question is, are you there? Are you there in the place where God can hide you? Where God can deliver you? Where God can protect you? Where God can provide for you?
#76 | 58:12 to 58:46 | cleaned
Where you can minister to others? Are you there? Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. And help us, Father, to be there. To be there in the place of obedience. To be there in the place of provision. To be there in the place of ministry. To be there in the place of protection. Make us, Father, what we should be. Order our steps. Direct our paths. Lead us, guide us, and direct us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray, Amen.
#77 | 58:46 to 1:00:05 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T20:18:31Z

There

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver explores the significance of the word 'there' in 1 Kings 17:1-6, emphasizing that God's specific directions to Elijah—first to the brook Cherith and later to Zarephath—represent places of obedience, provision, ministry, and protection. He argues that partial or delayed obedience is disobedience, and that God's provision often comes through small, unexpected means. The sermon challenges believers to examine whether they are in the place God has ordained for them, especially in times of judgment.

Opening

Let's open our Bibles today, if we would please, to 1 Kings chapter 17. 1 Kings chapter 17. And we're going to be reading through the first six verses. 1 Kings chapter 17.

The title of the message is simply "There," T-H-E-R-E. You will see the significance of that word shortly. But notice, if you would, in 1 Kings 17, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 17:1-6

"And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."

Think about the word "there." Have you ever considered the significance of that word?

Introduction: The Significance of 'There'

The word 'there' is an adverb indicating a specific place, used frequently in Scripture to denote where God acts or places individuals.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:8

"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed."

The Context of Elijah and the Drought

Elijah, a man of prayer, declared a drought as judgment on Israel under Ahab and Jezebel, leading to famine and suffering.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 18:5-6

"And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself."

So there's such a dearth and such a drought that they're looking for just a little bit of grass somewhere to save the horses and mules alive.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 17:7

"And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land."

First Point: 'There' as a Place of Obedience

Elijah's obedience to go to the brook Cherith was complete and immediate; partial or delayed obedience is disobedience.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15

I would not be even hearing that. And here is what God said in 1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 19 through the prophet Samuel. He said to Saul, "Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?" Now, what could Saul say in response? "Well, I obeyed mostly. I mean, I got rid of all that was vile and worthless and refuse. But, you know, I almost obeyed." But he didn't obey. God counted that partial obedience as disobedience and then God added that it was positively evil. And consequently Saul was rejected by God for his partial obedience. There's another good illustration of partial obedience.

Second Point: 'There' as a Place of Provision

God provided for Elijah at the brook through ravens, demonstrating that the place of obedience is the place of provision.

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 11:13-15

"And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the osprey, and the vulture, and the kite after his kind; and every raven after his kind."

And then when you get to Deuteronomy 14 and verse 14, you have the same thing:

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 11:13-15

"And every raven after his kind."

Third Point: 'There' as a Place of Ministry

God sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath, where mutual ministry occurred; God uses small, willing vessels.

Fourth Point: 'There' as a Place of Protection

Elijah was hidden from Ahab's search while staying at the widow's house, showing that God's will is the safest place.

Application: Are You There?

Believers must examine if they are in God's will, not despising small things, and seeking righteousness in times of judgment.

There

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	6hpITMFW8pw
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Creation, Fall, and Dominion
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-11-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 075: Genesis — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	77

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Significance of 'There': The word 'there' is an adverb indicating a specific place, used frequently in Scripture to denote where God acts or places individuals.
The Context of Elijah and the Drought: Elijah, a man of prayer, declared a drought as judgment on Israel under Ahab and Jezebel, leading to famine and suffering.
First Point: 'There' as a Place of Obedience: Elijah's obedience to go to the brook Cherith was complete and immediate; partial or delayed obedience is disobedience.
Second Point: 'There' as a Place of Provision: God provided for Elijah at the brook through ravens, demonstrating that the place of obedience is the place of provision.
Third Point: 'There' as a Place of Ministry: God sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath, where mutual ministry occurred; God uses small, willing vessels.
Fourth Point: 'There' as a Place of Protection: Elijah was hidden from Ahab's search while staying at the widow's house, showing that God's will is the safest place.
Application: Are You There?: Believers must examine if they are in God's will, not despising small things, and seeking righteousness in times of judgment.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Partial obedience is disobedience

God requires full compliance; Saul's sparing of Agag and the man of God's eating in Bethel show that incomplete obedience is rejected.

1 Samuel 15 and 1 Kings 13 illustrate that God counted partial obedience as evil and punished it.

Delayed obedience is disobedience

Obedience must be immediate; the parable of the two sons shows that saying 'I go' but not going is disobedience.

Matthew 21:28-31 demonstrates that the son who initially refused but later went did the father's will, not the one who promised but delayed.

The place of obedience is the place of provision

God's provision is tied to being in His appointed place; Elijah was fed only at the brook.

1 Kings 17:4 says 'I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there,' linking provision to location.

God uses small, unlikely means

God often works through humble instruments—ravens, a widow, a handful of meal—to accomplish His purposes.

The ravens, unclean birds, brought food; the widow had only a little meal and oil, yet it sustained them for years.

God's will is the safest place

Elijah was protected from Ahab's search because he stayed where God directed; leaving would have been foolishness.

1 Kings 18:10 shows Ahab searched everywhere; Elijah remained hidden in the widow's house until God sent him out.

Judgment should produce greater righteousness

Perceiving God's judgment should lead believers to seek meekness and righteousness for divine hiding.

Zephaniah 2:3 exhorts the meek to seek the Lord and righteousness to be hid in the day of anger.

Scripture References

1 Kings 17:1-6: Elijah declares drought, is sent to brook Cherith, and fed by ravens.
Genesis 2:8: God placed man in the garden of Eden, a specific place.
Genesis 11:9: God confounded language at Babel, a specific place.
Genesis 13:4: Abram called on the Lord at the place of the altar.
Psalm 137:1: By the rivers of Babylon, they sat down and wept.
Luke 2:25: There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon.
James 5:17-18: Elijah was a man of like passions who prayed for drought and rain.
1 Kings 18:5-6: Ahab and Obadiah search for grass to save animals during drought.
1 Kings 17:7: The brook dried up because there was no rain.
1 Kings 18:2: There was a sore famine in Samaria.
Deuteronomy 10:18: God executes judgment for the fatherless and widow.
Psalm 68:5: God is a father of the fatherless and judge of widows.
1 Samuel 15: Saul's partial obedience in sparing Agag is rejected as evil.
1 Kings 13: The man of God from Judah disobeyed by eating and was killed by a lion.
Matthew 21:28-31: Parable of two sons; delayed obedience is disobedience.
Leviticus 11:13-15: Ravens are listed as unclean birds.
Deuteronomy 14:14: Every raven after its kind is unclean.
1 Kings 18:13: Obadiah hid 100 prophets from Jezebel.
1 Kings 19:10: Elijah says he alone is left and they seek his life.
Zephaniah 2:1-3: Seek righteousness and meekness to be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

Historical References

Ahab and Jezebel: Wicked king and queen of Israel during Elijah's ministry; Ahab murdered Naboth for a garden.
Hurricane Andrew: A pastor prayed that Hurricane Andrew followed the path God laid down before the world was formed.
Jochebed and Moses: Moses' mother was paid by Pharaoh's daughter to nurse her own child.

Important Quotes

Partial obedience is not obedience. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Core argument that God requires full compliance, not halfway measures.

Delayed obedience is disobedience.

Emphasizes that timing matters in obedience; procrastination is rebellion.

The place of obedience is the place of provision.

Links God's care directly to being in His appointed location.

The safest place for a child of God is right smack dab in the middle of God's will.

Summarizes the protection theme; God's will is the ultimate refuge.

Do not despise small things.

Encourages contentment with humble circumstances when in God's will.

Little is much when God is in it.

Reinforces that God can use insignificant means for great purposes.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean to be 'there' in the place of obedience, and how can we discern God's specific direction for our lives?

[Context]

The sermon emphasizes that God directed Elijah to specific locations; believers must seek and follow God's will.

[Question]

Why is partial or delayed obedience considered disobedience, and what are some modern examples of this?

[Context]

Using Saul and the man of God from Judah, the pastor argues that incomplete obedience is rebellion.

[Question]

How have you experienced God's provision when you were in the place He called you to be?

[Context]

Elijah was fed by ravens at the brook; God provides in unexpected ways when we obey.

[Question]

In what ways can we minister to others even when we have very little, like the widow of Zarephath?

[Context]

The widow shared her last meal; ministry is reciprocal and often involves sacrifice.

[Question]

How does the concept of divine protection in God's will challenge our tendency to seek safety in worldly means?

[Context]

Elijah was hidden in a widow's house while Ahab searched everywhere; God's will is the safest place.

[Question]

What 'small things' in your life might God be using, and how can you avoid despising them?

[Context]

The sermon highlights the brook, ravens, and meal as small things God used mightily.

[Question]

How should the perception of God's judgment on a nation affect the way Christians live?

[Context]

Zephaniah 2:3 calls for seeking righteousness to be hid; judgment should produce greater godliness.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T12:49:51Z