Life of Elijah, His Deportment in the Widow’S Home at Zarephath
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Chapel Library • 2603 West Wright St. • Pensacola, Florida 32505 USA Sending Christ-centered materials from prior centuries worldwide Worldwide: please use the online downloads worldwide without charge. In North America: please write for a printed copy sent postage paid and completely without charge. We do not ask for donations, send promotional mailings, or share mailing lists. © Copyright 1997 Chapel Library; Pensacola, Florida. THE LIFE OF ELIJAH A.W. PINK Contents Introduction..................................................................................................2 1. The Prophet Himself..........................................................................4 2. Before Ahab.........................................................................................6 3. By the Brook........................................................................................9 4. At Zarephath .....................................................................................16 5. Facing Danger ...................................................................................29 6. Confronting Ahab.............................................................................31 7. On Carmel..........................................................................................37 8. Effectual Prayer.................................................................................47 9. Holiness Vindicated..........................................................................50 10. Welcome Rain....................................................................................52 11. In Flight..............................................................................................58 12. Dejected..............................................................................................63 13. Refreshed............................................................................................65 14. In the Cave.........................................................................................68 15. His Recovery......................................................................................73 16. His Ordeal..........................................................................................76 17. His Last Task .....................................................................................84 18. His Exit...............................................................................................90 Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952) wrote and published these chapters as a series of articles in his monthly magazine, Studies in the Scriptures, from January 1940 through December 1942. By God’s grace, Chapel Library republishes the Studies beginning with the year 1932, available for download worldwide, and mailing three issues each quarter by free subscription in North America. We also print many books and booklets gleaned from articles in the Studies. These also may be ordered from our catalog in North America, or downloaded from our website world- wide without charge. 2 The Life of Elijah INTRODUCTION 1 Kings 17:1 – 2 Kings 2:11 The office which Elijah filled supplies an important key to an understanding of the times in which he lived and the character of his mission. He was a prophet, in fact one of the most remarkable pertaining to that divine order. Now there is a real and marked difference between a servant of God and a prophet of God, for while all His prophets are servants yet not all of His servants are prophets. Prophecy always presupposes failure and sin. God only sent forth one of His prophets in a time of marked declension and departure of the people from Himself. As this is not generally known, we propose to labour the point and furnish Scripture proofs of our assertion. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy: whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light which shi- neth in a dark place” (2Pe 1:19): that expresses the general principle. How many of our readers can recall the very first prophecy recorded in Holy Writ? Well, it is found in, “I will put enmity be- tween thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen 3:15). And when was that initial prophecy given? Not while our first parents walked in obedience to and fellowship with the Lord God, but after they had sinned against Him and broken His commandments. Let this be duly noted and carefully pondered, for like the first mention of anything in the Scriptures, it is of deep moment, intimating the nature and design of all subsequent prophecy. This initial prediction, then, was not furnished by God while the original bliss of Eden obtained, but after it had been rudely shattered. It was supplied after mankind had rebelled and apostatized. And now a harder question: How many of our readers can name the first prophet of God mentioned in the Scriptures? In order to find the answer we have to turn to the Epistle of Jude, where we are told, “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds,” etc. (vv. 14-15). Here again we see the same principle illustrated and the same fact exemplified. Enoch the Prophet lived in a day of abounding wickedness. He was contemporary with Noah, when “the earth was filled with violence,” and “all flesh had corrupted his [God’s] way upon the earth” (Gen 6:11-12). The ministry of Enoch, then, was exercised some time previous to the great Flood, and he was raised up to call upon men to forsake their sins and to announce the certainty of divine judgment falling upon them should they refuse to do so. Who are the next men referred to in Scripture as being “prophets” of God? The answer may surprise some of our readers: they are none other than Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In Psalm 105 we read, “He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (vv. 14-15). The context clearly identifies these “prophets.” “He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law and to Israel for an ever- lasting covenant: saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance” (vv. 8-11). And why were the Patri- archs denominated “prophets”? That which has been before us in the preceding paragraphs supplies the answer, and the title here given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is to be explained on the same principle. A new and fearful evil had entered the world, and God called out the Patriarchs separating them from it, so that by their lips and lives they were witnesses against it. That evil was, idolatry. So far as Scripture reveals, idols were not worshipped by men previous to the Flood. But soon after the great deluge idolatry not only obtained a footing, but became general. “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor; and they served other gods” (Jos 24:2). It is to that very period in ancient history—namely, to the days of Nimrod and onwards—that Romans 1:22-23 looks back: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.” An incidental reference, which however may be re- garded as symptomatic of general conditions, is contained in, “Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s” (Gen 31:19). It was from this awful sin of idolatry that the Patriarchs were separated, to serve as “prophets”—witnesses for the true God. Thus we see once more that the bringing in of the Prophet was in the face of apostasy. Passing down the stream of human history, let us next consider the case of the chosen nation. Jehovah had separated the He- brews unto Himself as His favoured people. Called out of Egypt, they were first brought into a place of isolation: the wilderness. There the tabernacle of worship and witness was erected, laws were given to Israel, and the priesthood was instituted. We read of princes, elders, and judges in the congregation, but no mention whatever is made of any order of “prophets” being appointed. Why is this? Because there was no need for them. So long as Israel walked in obedience to and fellowship with the Lord and worshipped Him according to His institutions, no “prophet” was required! This is a fact which has not received the attention it deserves. While the life of Israel remained normal there was a place for the teacher, the Levite, and the magistrate; but no room whatever for the prophetic function. But after Israel entered the land of Canaan and Joshua was removed from their head, what we have pointed out above no longer obtained. At a later date in Israel’s history we do find God sending prophets unto them. Why? Because the priesthood had failed and the people had departed from God. History repeated itself: the divine mercies were abused, the divine Law was flouted, the servants of God lamentably failed in the discharge of their duties. Corruption set in and there was grievous and widespread de- parture from the Lord. Then it was that He instituted the prophetic order in Israel. And who was it that headed the long list of Is- 18. His Exit 3 rael’s