1 Kings 19:13-18 ESV

13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

AN UNWORTHY VESSEL.

After the display of power, Elijah wrapped his face with cloak as an act of contrition. Spurgeon said, “it is a great thing when a sinner is willing to wrap his face when he is confounded, and say, ‘I cannot defend my course; I am guilty.’ We know that if at our judgment-seat a man pleads guilty, he is punished; but at the judgment-seat of the gospel whoever pleads guilty is forgiven. Wrap your face.”

And, as God asked the same question, “What are you doing here Elijah?” Elijah blurted the same response. Similarly, Jesus asked the same question to backsliding Peter, “Do you love me?” for three times. And his responses were all the same. That he loved Jesus honestly as a brother.

God puts premium to an honest yet humble heart. Both Elijah and Peter wouldn’t hide the truth. The good thing however was that they had perceived God again rightly. Elijah saw God at Mount Horeb while Peter at the shore of Galilee.

Amazingly, in their acknowledgment of failings, God commissioned them. Elijah had to go and anoint Hazael and Nimshi as new kings of Syria and Israel, respectively. He had to anoint Elisha to replace him as well. What an honor for him to end his ministry in such a fashion. In the case of Peter, he was commissioned by the Lord to go and feed the sheep of God.

Strange as it is, God’s treatment for His despaired soldier is not to put him out of the fight. Instead, He thrusted them into his vineyard, as instruments of blesssing. Trust and empowerment are the cures to the wounded soul. Definitely, the feeling of being trusted by no other than God Himself could boast our confidence. For many times, our problem is not our sense of inadequacy. It is our lack of trust that God could use unworthy vessels for His glory, isn’t it? It’s not about us but God always.

Paul had clearly emphasized that God uses the insignificant. He said, “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”[1 Cor 1:26-29]

God uses unworthy vessels as channel for His glory.

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1 Kings 19:9-12 ESV

9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, ELIJAH?”

Unlike to God’s previous appearances to Elijah, this time God had appeared and had asked him a question, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Did not the all knowing God know what He was doing? Definitely, it was not a question for God to know but for Elijah to come to his own senses.

We may minister effectively to the discouraged by just asking simple questions, like “ Kumusta ka na?” Discouraged people are talking from their hearts not from their heads. It’s almost impossible to talk rationally with a person overwhelmed with so much passion. A diagnostic and prescriptive approach may not work, even counterproductive to defensive heart. The person himself must be honest to process and come to his own senses for having been provoked by a simple question.

Elijah’s answer to God had been skewed and exaggerated. The ‘bread and water’ that the angel gave him should have reminded him of both the raven’s bread and meat daily provision and the widow’s jar of flour and jug of oil at Zarepath. But, evidently, he had a selective memory. Did he remember that the ruined altar was restored, the wicked prophets were killed and the nation of Israel was brought back to Yahweh at Mount Carmel? He discounted all these and had focused on one woman, Jezebel. He needs to be reminded of the past in order to see God clearly who He really is and what He has done. We shouldn’t dwell in the past but draw strength from our experiences with God in our past. He was definitely better than his ancestors but he felt not.

Instead of talking, God opted to display His object lessons. It wasn’t entertaining I suppose but a nerve wrenching display of power for Elijah to witness at Mount Horeb – His great and strong wind that tore and break mountains and rocks, respectively, the earthquake and fire. A similar display was seen when Moses received the law from God that caused fear and awe to the nation of Israel. In this case, there was just one audience – a discouraged prophet. After the display of fire, he must had remembered the fire that came from heaven and devoured the offering and the altar at Mount Carmel.

But the Lord wasn’t in the wind, earthquake and fire. Of course God was there but it was too blinding and deafening to Elijah. God did whisper and he was able to hear God clearly. To a distressed soul, a soft answer gets attention more than a shout, is it not? As Proverbs 15:1 says “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Perhaps today, you’re discouraged like Elijah. Don’t look for the spectacular. God is there in our silence. Let’s have a posture of quiet listening to the still small voice of God. As the psalmist had admonished us,

“Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!” [Psa 46:10]

1 Kings 19:5-8 ESV

5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

THE ANGEL’S TOUCH.

Being dead tired and exhausted, Elijah had fallen asleep under the broom tree. And suddenly, he was awaken by a touch of the angel from the Lord, “Arise and eat.” Just beside his head was a ‘cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water’ provided. It was a breakfast in bed. He ate and drank and sleep again. This time it was a sleep with full stomach.

Elijah wished to die but the angel let him live. Suddenly, he appeared to feed him. I am thankful that God answers our prayers the other way around at times. In desperation, we are prompted to pray. And, our prayers mostly are just ventilations of our frustrations and disappointments. Thankfuly, God, our Father, does show His gentleness for He knows that we are made of dust. Indeed, “a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.” [Matt 12:42]

Elijah had excluded God from his equation but God did not. He ran away but God outran him. For God’s plan was not yet through in his life. He is leading him back to his feet and run for God, not for himself. How? He fed and let him sleep and awaken him to eat once more. For, Elijah has a great journey to Mt. Horeb [Sinai], the mount of God.

In times of our discouragements, God wants us to go where He is. He wants us to “lift up our eyes to the hills, from where does our help come.”[Psa 121:8]. Let us resolve to say with the psalmist, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”[Psa 42:11]

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1 Kings 19:1-4 ESV

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

POST VICTORY BLUES.

It’s unimaginable that Elijah who had trashed 840 prophets a day earlier would cower in fear the next day. Post victory blues can happen. Indeed, he was a man of the same passion as all of us. [Jas 5:16] A man may soar up to the clouds. We should not forget however, that his feet is still clay.

We admire Christian giants of faith, even idolize them to some degree. The infamous Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon is considered as the prince of preachers. But, at one moment in his life, he was stricken with depression. Thus, we shouldn’t forget to pray our succesful Christian leaders today.

Having been overwhelmed with fear, he arose and ran for his life. This prophet who used to run for God is now running for his self preservation. Earlier God had commanded him to hide at the brook Cherith which was evidently absent here. In short, he took matters into his hands.

In the same manner, it happened to Peter. While he was walking on the water, he changed his focus away from Christ to the waves had began to sink. The waves of life may prompt fear. But, if we continue to look unto Jesus, we could muster courage. Let us therefore keep “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”[Heb 12:2]

Definitely, Elijah’s emotion had overruled his faitha nd reason. Why did he take a day’s journey and ask at the end for God to take his life? Thu, we must be watchful to our physical and emotional weariness. For these could implode into deep self inferiority and insecurity. Thus, Elijah lamented wrongly to say, “I am no better than my fathers.”

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-1 Kings 18:41-46 ESV

41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. 44 And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” 45 And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

SOUND BEFORE SIGHT.

Under normal circumstances, the flashes of lightning do come before we hear a crushing thunder, is it not? Thank God, for we have a time to prepare, that is, to crouch and cover our ears. However, in the economy of faith, we must hear and believe first the sound[the wordof God] before we would see it happens [experience].

Hence, faith is just believing that what God says is true regardless of the circumstances. Elijah had heard the sound of rain from God in a cloudless day. This prompted him to command his servant to watch for the clouds is coming soon. His faith was contagious. Though the servant had found none, he did not tire himself to climb up and down the mountain peak to view towards the sea many times. It was at the seventh time that he saw a far distant cloud as big as his fist.

In God, to hear is to see. That is, to hear and believe His word precedes our witness that it’s true. In a lot of cases, to ask for a sign first is showing our doubt, isn’t it. Jesus said to Thomas who asked for a sign, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”[John 20:28] How many times we are like Thomas more than like Elijah?

May today, we will have a paradigm shift of faith. Let His word govern our spiritual ears. Like the boy Samuel, we may readily say, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”[1 Sam 3:10] Like David, we may have the resolve to say;

“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living!”[Psa 27:13]

Sound before sight. That is, to hear God’s word is to see. May as we wake up everyday, we will seek and listen attentively to His words, that are, to what He says and promises. Then, as we obey, we will see His words have proven real in and through our jobs, relationships and ministries.

1 Kings 18:30-40 ESV

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

THE LORD, HE IS GOD.

While Baal was silent, God had won the reverence of the people in a highly spectacular fashion. First, Elijah asked them to come closer to him. There are just just acts of God that are too precious to miss. They were so distant to God for having been told to embrace Baal. Like Elijah, let us usher people towards knowing God.

Elijah then did repair the destroyed altar of the Lord. An altar neglected over the years had surely worn and broken. Have we neglected our personal worship with God so that we need to restore it? Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,”[v.31] This must be a reminder to all of them that as one covenant people they should worship the only true God.

And, Elijah did what was unexpected. What did the people think when he made troughs around the altar and poured water unto the pieces of wood and bullock for three times? He poured water unto the sacrifice before he prayed for the Lord to send the fire. The Lord does not need our help through manipulations, cutting corners and trickeries, does He? Thus, when the people had encountered God firsthand, so close and personal, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”

Let God be God. As His servants like Elijah, our role is to obey God, nothing more, nothing less and nothing else. As a leaven to the dough, we should neither intervene nor introduce anything coming from the flesh,no matter how noble is it. God does not need neither our opinions nor suggestions, does He.

Thus, in presenting the gospel, Paul had said, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” [1 Cor 2:1-5]

1 Kings 18:20-29 ESV

20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

SILENCE.

In the eyes of man, the contest at Mt. Carmel was lopsided. How can one man stand against the 400 prophets of Baal and 450 prophets of Asherah combined? But, in the eyes of God, it was nothing. Elijah with Yahweh is more than conqueror. His fight is the Lord’s.

What they thought could be a laudable victory for the prophets has made them a laughing stock. Remember, Baal for them was the god of fire. As they set the bull sacrifice at the altar, they cried from morning to to noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. Silence. And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. And still, silence.

Idols are nothing before God. Thus, Elijah had made fun for them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” However, this does not warrant us to be disrespectful to idol worshipers. Peter has warned us, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”[1 Pet 3:15]

Worshiping idols will make us like them – nothing before God. It’s futility to put our trust on nothing. Conversely, it’s the wisest to put our whole trust upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.

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1 Kings 18:16-19 ESV

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”

THE REAL TROUBLE.

The famine became severe. Thus he did explorations to find food and water for his animals all over the land. He met Elijah along the way for God had appointed the meeting.[see verse 1]

He immediately accused Elijah and held him responsible for the ongoing famine. That, Elijah was the troubler of Israel and not himself. A person could be hardened with sin as Ahab to become unconscionable. What a sad state of his heart to spiral down from accepting sin to exalting it. He made idol temples and altars in his kingdom.

Most probably, he took for granted the word of God through Elijah, that is, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” [1 Kings 17:1] A person who continues to reject God’s word is making his heart impermeable. The wall of his heart is thickened and lose its sensitivity.

Indeed, the practice of sinning results to illusionment. It did not cross in Ahab’s mind that he was the problem. Definitely, he didn’t see wrong with his marriage with Jezebel and his worship to idols, did he? A person who sees the mote in others’ eyes but can’t see the beam before his eyes is an exaggeration Jesus had said. Sadly, this pictures the blinding effect of a deceived heart. A hardened heart makes his eyes blind to the realities.

My pastor friend said one time, “Karamihan as atin nagsasabi na ang problema sa mundo ay komunismo, capitalismo, pasisismo at socialismo.Hindi ba natin alam na ang problema sa mundo ay ‘tayo mismo’?” Ahab was in a big trouble for having been oblivious that he was the cause of trouble.

Today, let’s sport a tender heart before the Lord. Let us not be deceived by the lures of sin. May we will be able to see our hearts as God sees it. [see Psa 139:23,24]

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1 Kings 18:1-6 ESV

After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, 4 and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” 6 So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.

DIPLOMACY AND SMARTNESS.

Should God can use a confrontative prophet Elijah, He can use a diplomatic prophet Obadiah. Obadiah had served Ahab inside the palace. However, it does not mean that He had compromised. God may call us uniquely in His vineyard. Elijah was no better than Obadiah, vice-versa. There should be no comparing as Paul had written, that is “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers.”[1 Cor 3:-9a]

How did he serve God in the courts of Ahab?

He took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water. Unlike Elijah who directly and openly rebuked Ahab, he indirectly and secretly use Ahab’s power and resources for God’s glory. Where did he get the bread and water to feed the one hundred prophets hiding in the caves? Most probably, he risked to channel the king’s resources to support God’s spokesmen.

Obadiah wasn’t coward but wise. God had called him in his position uniquely as was Daniel and his three friends before Nebuchadnezzar. Let’s not forget that Jesus has said to his disciples, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”[Matthew 10:16] In difficult times, we must work harmlessly and wisely for the advancement of God’s kingdom like Daniel and his friends.

Honey hunters do try not to disturb the bee colony as much as possible in getting the honeycomb. Similarly, we can be us stealthy as possible, avoiding unnecessary incumbrance, in promoting or advancing the kingdom of God. We don’t necessarily have to lobby politically in government institutions in order to initiate change, do we? Thank God for godly men and women in oppressive institutions, who feared God greatly and had not bowed to the ‘baals’ of this world.

Are you and I guilty of zeal without knowledge in advancing the kingdom of God? Are we willing to be like Obadiah, to take risk in the kingdom of God in the hostile work places we are in? Do we see an opportunity to work silently in the midst of hostility that would bring impact for the gospel?

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1 Kings 17:17-24 ESv

17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

AFFLICTION, SUPPLICATION AND VINDICATION.

At her initial meeting with Elijah, this widow was hopeless to cook her last meal with his son. She must be elated to receive God’s provision miraculously – the jar of flour and jug of oil did not fail. Then, her son got sick and died. An affliction resolved guarantees no immunity in the future.

Blame is the natural cop-out to somebody who is tormented with pain, isn’t it? The widow blamed Elijah, saying, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” Did she forget that she and her son could have died long ago in hunger if not for Elijah? The blessings we receive day by day may numb our soul. Our hearts could be plagued with familiarity to the blessings so that we feel contempt.

Crisis should lead us to supplication. In many cases this is the best and only thing we need to do. Amazingly, Elijah didn’t defend himself before the woman but had redirected the crisis to God. Let us not defend ourselves in the court of man when we can bring every accusation into the court of God.

He took responsibility. Although he was not to blame, he took the dead boy from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. In secret, he stretched for three times upon the child cried to the Lord. Didn’t Jesus teach us to pray in secret? [Matt 6:6] He begged God to show His glory by reviving the child. And He did.

Although the widow had experienced the provision of God previously, it was this miracle that she confirmed Elijah as really the man of God. Her animosity towards him was turned into an admiration. She acknowledged that Elijah’s words are coming from God and are true without any doubt. Simply put, God had vindicated Elijah.

Jesus similarly had done a lot of miracles. But, it was the raising of Lazarus back to life that sparked faith of many Jews and anger to his enemies. “Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”[John 11:45-48]

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