Elijah at the Brook.

James 5:17; 1 Kings 17:1‑9
LITTLE is recorded of the history of Elijah prior to his public service, beyond that he “was a man subject to his passions as we are,” and one who “prayed earnestly” (James 5:1717Elias 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. (James 5:17)). Whether he was rich or poor, old or young, before his life of faith, matters little: we only really begin to live when we have died unto sin, and are alive unto God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and this, too, dates the commencement of our true riches.
It is worthy of notice, that the earnest praying of this dear man of God is the first feature in his history that the blessed Spirit presents to us― “He prayed earnestly that it might not rain.” (James 5) He knew what secret intercourse with God was, and he was rewarded openly (Matt. 6:66But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:6)). He sought the honor of God, and was honored. All Israel seemed carried away by a spirit of idolatry, and it was terrible to Elijah’s heart to see no one standing up for the truth of God. Doubtless he knew from the word of the Lord, that it was the will of God to visit such abominations with shutting the heavens that there should be no rain (Deut. 11:16, 1716Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you. (Deuteronomy 11:16‑17)), therefore “he prayed earnestly” that Jehovah would interfere, make known His displeasure, and not allow the adversary to prosper, and the name of the Holy One of Israel to be so blasphemed. The prophet “prayed earnestly that it might not rain,” &c. &c., and the prayer of one man prevailed with God, and brought down His interference with the whole nation. By this secret dealing with God, Elijah was strengthened to go into the presence of the king himself, and boldly testify, in the name of the “Lord God of Israel, before whom,” said he, “I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain,” &c.
And in this solemn mission there was none with him. He had to deliver his sorrowful sentence against revolted Israel alone, in the presence of their wicked and idolatrous king: he had no human helper, no yoke-fellow to take part in his denunciation of judgment. But the word of God was his guide, the presence of the Lord his hiding-place, the joy of the Lord his strength, and the fear of the Lord his safeguard from the fear of man. Truly, he walked with God!
The man of faith and prayer, though without natural resources, must be preserved in time of famine (Psa. 37:1919They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. (Psalm 37:19)). “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him.” Elijah seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and food, raiment, &c are added unto him. (Matt. 6).
Make you His service your delight,
He’ll make your wants His care.
Hence we read, “The word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn 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” (1 Kings 17:2-42And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. (1 Kings 17:2‑4)). Who would have supposed that birds of prey, unclean birds, whose natural instinct would have led them to pick out the prophet’s eyes, would be thus employed to minister to the necessities of the Lord’s servant! But so it was, and God often leads us by a way that we know not, makes darkness light before us, and crooked things straight, according to His own word.
The prophet makes no remark on this unexpected command of God: he asks no question, indulges no imaginary nor real difficulty, leans not unto his own understanding, but trusts in the living and true God to fulfill His own gracious promise; and, therefore, he goes forward. He was a man who “prayed earnestly,” and consequently was prepared unto every good work― a vessel meet for the Master’s use. Faith is always obedient to God’s commands; it waits God’s warrant for acting, and that only. Elijah, therefore, went to the exact spot he was commanded; he “did according to the word of the Lord,” and was fed with “bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook;” thus proving, and daily experiencing, the faithfulness of Him who cannot deny Himself. Imagine for a moment the position of this dear man of God―solitary, secluded from all human associations, apparently Unoccupied, yet most truly serving the Lord with all humility of mind, enjoying communion with God, and loaded with His benefits: all this time undergoing trials of faith and patience, while witnessing the resources of the brook becoming less and less every day. The same word of the living and true God, however, that brought him there, sustained him also, and enabled him to wait with patience. It may be said of him, as it was of Abraham, “By faith he went out,” and “by faith he sojourned.” How simple and blessed is the life and walk of faith!
At length the time came when “the brook dried up.” It was a solemn moment for the prophet, all visible means of sustenance were gone, that great blessing of the Lord in the time of drought was expended; but, though the gifts of God may alter, or become exhausted, His resources fail not, His grace is as rich as ever, and His loving kindness in no measure abates. As the running brook had been a blessing, so the “dried up” brook is a blessing also, as teaching the man of God the blessedness of trusting in Jehovah under all circumstances, and of proving the inexhaustible resources of the Fountain of living waters. How needful it is on such occasions as these, when streams, that have ministered blessing, fail and dry up, and gourds of comfort and protection wither, to abide in the unchangeable, unfathomable, love of Jehovah-jireh! What else could have sustained Elijah’s soul at this time? What besides could have preserved him from taking refuge in some broken cistern or carnal stratagem? We find him quiet and unmoved until the word of Him who cared for him was heard, “Arise, get thee to Zarephath,” &c. Oh! how precious it is to trust God, who is so worthy of our confidence!
“Earthly friends may fail or leave us,
One day soothe, the next day grieve us,
But this Friend will ne’er deceive us;
O how He loves!”
The Divine purpose in sending Elijah to the brook had, doubtless, now been accomplished; the appointed lessons had there been learned; and the man of faith fitted for a higher class of instruction in the school of God. He had proved the power of earnest prayer, the blessedness of simply obeying the word of the Lord, the favor and faithfulness of God toward those who trust in Him, and therefore he was prepared for another sphere of service, and to have former lessons deepened in his soul, in circumstances where ravens had disappeared, and the brook had “dried up.”
Elijah, however, lost nothing, though the brook “dried up,” for Jehovah was his Shepherd. The solitude was exchanged for opportunities of fellowship, and the rude hiding-place of Cherith for the widow’s house of Zarephath, so that one great blessing was removed to be succeeded by many and greater; and, though it might have been unknown to the prophet at the time why he was to hide himself by the brook, he afterward found that it was God’s provision for his safety from the vengeance of Ahab, who had sought him by sending to every kingdom and nation for him. Oh how great is His goodness which He has laid up for them that fear Him, for them that trust in Him before the sons of men! Let the Lord’s tender care over His servant teach us, beloved, to “be still” in circumstances of adversity, and to trust God where we cannot see Him nor understand His way, in the blessed assurance that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
Oh may I ever trust my God,
Whatever my distress,
With firm reliance in His word,
And changeless faithfulness!
Those who trust in God may be greatly tempted, and distressed, but will never be confounded.