Welcome everyone to this week’s Sunday School Lesson Preview. This week’s lesson found in 1 Kings 17:8-16 is entitled “Blessed for Faithfulness”. Elijah is called by some “the lawsuit prophet” because of the way he prophesied against Israel for the way they had abandoned their covenant with God. He is also significant because Elijah appeared alongside Jesus and Moses on the mount of transfiguration.
He prophesied in a time when there was rampant idolatry and decadence among the people much like it is today in many parts of the world and here in the US. People were then as are now more interested in what’s going on in their own lives than seeking and worshiping God in spirit and in truth. In order to demonstrate that He is still sovereign, God told Elijah to tell the people it would not rain until he said so.
One reason God shut down the rain is because the people were worshipping and had much faith in a Canaanite god called Baal who supposedly had power over fertility and rain. During the time of this drought God send Elijah to be sustained by a widow who lived with her son. She was gathering wood for a final meal for herself and her son when she encountered Elijah.
Elijah told her to prepare a meal for him first because the Lord has assured him the oil and meal would not run out until the rain returns. Some people would not have believed him or not put Elijah before themselves. But the widow recognized him as a man of God and seeing that she was so far down that she didn’t have anywhere to go but up, she trusted Elijah and did as he asked. Needless to say, the flour and oil remained just as Elijah had said and the widow and her son survived.
Too often we fail to trust God as this widow did and others. God requires that we trust him and not in ourselves to save ourselves and see what we desire come to pass. People are so concerned with their own lives and trying to make things happen for themselves and others that they too are giving themselves to idolatry and decadence by neglecting to seek and do the will of God.
They are turning to all sorts of things and schemes and plans to accomplish what they want just as the Israelites did in the time of this lesson. Worship today in many instances is hollow at best and nonexistent most of the time in many so-called Christian places. But those who are trusting God with their time, talent, money and resources will find that God has a way of providing for and taking care of those who trust him just as he did for the widow and her son.
Maybe some have to get to their last meal or so far down that there is nowhere to go but up before they will trust God. The sad part is most won’t get to that place before it’s too late to do anything about it. Elijah, like all who trust God, want people to see and know that there are blessings in faithfulness not only here and now, but the greatest blessings are eternal and are yet to come.
Well, I hope you will attend SS this coming Sunday and share your thoughts with your class. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section of this preview. So, until next time remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
God is real we must trust and put him frist thank you for that word