When times get tough, we tend to question fundamental truths of life, asking ourselves: Where is God? Is He powerful enough to help me? Will He provide for my basic needs? If He chooses not to, why?

Life in Israel during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel was difficult. The three-year drought had caused a famine, and although rain had come again, the recovery was slow. People still suffered. Amid that suffering, it would have been tempting to believe that the God of Israel was weak, and perhaps Baal could do a better job providing for their basic needs. After all, he was worshiped by the Canaanites as the god of thunder, rain, fertility, and life!

These mighty acts of God through Elisha were designed to show that Yahweh is the God of all those facets of life, and the only God. With the widow who had no food, God showed that He could provide even for the lowest in society (vv. 1–7). In the story of the Shunammite woman (4:8–37), God proved that He is in control of fertility as well as life and death! Then in the story of the poisonous stew and the servant with limited food (vv. 38–44), God showed that He can provide and even multiply food for His people. Why tell about these seemingly random events? Because they demonstrated that Yahweh, not Baal, was God to a people who were sorely tempted to believe otherwise.

For certain, Israel was suffering under the hand of judgment because of their sinfulness, but faithful people were suffering as well. Where was God when they needed Him? He was right there, providing according to His plan. He was making it plain to see, that despite the famine, despite the reality of death, despite their limited resources, He was still there. And He was in charge!

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