上帝興起先知以利亞來譴責亞哈──以色列史上最邪惡的王。以利亞就像黑暗中的一束光，因為他滿有上帝的能力和權柄，單單他一個人就像一支大軍，足以與亞哈和他企圖摧毀真神上帝之敬拜的外邦妻子耶洗別抗衡。

        以利亞來自約但河東基列地的提斯比，所以他可能屬迦得支派。他似乎是個堅毅、粗獷的人，有堅強的信心和信念，不能坐視撒但的工具毀滅上帝的百姓。他帶著神聖的熱心和義怒，不召自請的到亞哈面前大膽宣布上帝因耶洗別帶到以色列的巴力大罪所將施行的審判。

        以利亞誠懇的祈禱，上帝也應允了他的祈求，因為聖經說：「義人祈禱所發的力量是大有功效的」（雅5：16）。雖然是「和我們一樣性情」的平凡人，但他的禱告使得以色列境內三年半不下雨。乾旱、饑荒是對拜偶像和悖逆之罪的咒詛（申28：23~24）。上帝用這個自然界的現象向巴力挑戰，因為百姓相信使地豐收的巴力神掌管地上的氣候。上帝審判的目的是要使以色列人回轉歸向上帝。他們將瞭解，巴力無法幫助他們，他們必須向上帝呼求才能得救。如果今天有更多像以利亞那樣大有信心、膽量的信徒向我們的敵人挑戰，那麼一定有更多人能從撒但的詭計、陷阱裡被拯救出來。

        以利亞雖勇敢，他也必須按智慧行事。上帝要他躲藏起來，免得遭殺身之禍，因為上帝要存留以利亞的生命，以便能更多使用他。以利亞順服上帝，到上帝要他去的地方──基立溪旁（大概在耶利哥之南）。在那裡，上帝奇蹟似的派烏鴉餵養他。上帝常常用看起來最不可能的方式，但也因此使我們更加明白，榮耀唯獨應歸給祂。烏鴉在利未記中被列為不潔的動物，所以不能當作食物吃。牠們是骯髒、自私的鳥，好取而不樂意給。但服事以利亞的那隻烏鴉竟一天兩次叨食物來給他，這真是超自然的神蹟。

        當基立溪水因乾旱而枯竭，上帝用另一個辦法照顧以利亞以及另外兩個困苦無助的人。以利亞再次順服上帝，到腓尼基的撒勒法鎮上，那是在以色列北邊，地中海岸上介於推羅和西頓的一個小港口。撒勒法也是耶洗別的家鄉。那是一個最危險的地方，但也是最安全的地方，因為誰會想到去那裡尋捕以利亞呢？

        正如上帝所言，以利亞在那裡遇見一位寡婦。雖然那位婦人可能是個外邦人，但她表現出對以色列之上帝的信心，因她奉以利亞之永生上帝的名起誓。她能相信以利亞的應許也證明她對上帝的信心。雖然以利亞是個陌生人，她還是將第一塊餅先送給以利亞，而她自己和她的兒子可能連「最後一餐」都沒有著落。上帝尊榮他們的信心，奇蹟似的供應他們的需要，沒有讓寡婦罈內的麵粉和瓶裡的油短缺。

        後來，寡婦的兒子病死，這對以利亞的信心是更大的考驗。他憑信心禱告，求上帝使寡婦的兒子復生。結果一定使得以利亞對上帝的能力有更大的信心──這份信心是以利亞後來在迦密山面對另一更大考驗時絕對必需的。事實上，以前所有的經驗都是用來預備以利亞的迦密山事件。

        噢，以利亞的上帝，您也是我們的上帝。謝謝您在乾旱中奇蹟式的預備。您應許要照您榮耀的豐富供應我們的需要。我們讚美您，偉大的供應者！奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        God raised up the prophet Elijah to confront Ahab, Israel's most wicked king. Elijah was like a gleam of light in the darkness of Ahab's reign. Because he was equipped with the power and authority of God, he alone was like an army against Ahab and his foreign wife Jezebel, who tried to destroy the worship of God.

        Elijah was from the town of Tishbe in Gilead, east of the Jordan, so he was probably from the tribe of Gad. He appears to have been tough and rugged, a man of strong faith and conviction who could not stand idly by and watch Satan's instruments destroy the people of God. With holy zeal and righteous indignation, he boldly came unannounced before Ahab to proclaim God's judgment upon Israel for the great evil of Baalism that Jezebel had introduced.

        Elijah had earnestly prayed and God answered him, for as the Word of God says, "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16). Although he was an ordinary man with "a nature like ours", Elijah's prayer stopped the rain from falling for three and a half years (James 5:17). Drought and famine were curses for the disobedience of idolatry (Deuteronomy 28:23-24). This form of God's intervention in the course of nature came as a challenge to Baal, the god of fruitfulness, who was supposed to control the weather. The purpose of this judgment was to bring Israel back to God. They were to understand that Baal could not help them; they would have to cry out to God for deliverance. If only there were more believers like Elijah with the holy boldness and faith to challenge the enemy; then more people could be rescued from the tricks and entrapments of Satan today.

        Although Elijah was brave, he also had to be wise. God told him to hide so he would not be killed, for He wanted Elijah alive so He could use him further. Elijah obeyed and went exactly where God told him to go — to Brook Cherith (likely Wadi Qilt, south of Jericho). There the Lord miraculously fed him by the ravens. Often the Lord uses the most unlikely means, but in this way it is made clear that it is He alone who must receive the glory. Ravens are dirty scavengers. They were classified as unclean and therefore not to be eaten (Leviticus 11:15).

        They are selfish birds that take; it is unnatural for them to give, but this was the supernatural miracle: twice a day, morning and evening, the ravens brought him food (17:6). When the brook ran dry due to the drought, God had another plan to care not only for Elijah but two other destitute people as well. Once again, Elijah was obedient to God and went to the Phoenician town of Zarephath, a small port on the coast of the Mediterranean between Tyre and Sidon north of Israel. This was the homeland of Jezebel. It was an unlikely place for Elijah to flee but a good place, for who would think of looking for him there?

        Just as the Lord had told him, Elijah found a widow there. Although she was probably a Gentile, this woman showed faith in the God of Israel, for she verified her statement by Elijah's living God (17:12; Luke 4:24-26). She also showed faith in God to believe Elijah's promise that her flour and oil would not run out, for although he was a stranger, she gave him the first cake when there was hardly enough for a "last meal" for her and her son. God honoured their faith and miraculously provided for them; He did not allow her bin of flour nor her jar of oil to run dry.

        A greater test of Elijah's faith came when the widow's son died. He prayed the prayer of faith and God restored the boy's life. This would certainly give Elijah greater confidence in the power of God — the confidence he would need for the greater test of faith yet to come on Mount Carmel. In fact, all these experiences served to prepare Elijah for that great event.

        O Cod of Elijah, we call You our God too. Thank You for Your miraculous provision in the midst of drought. You have promised that You would supply our needs according to Your riches in Glory which have been provided by Christ Jesus. We praise You today, our great Provider!