Fri.’s Devo - God’s Provision and His Victory

Read: 1 Kings 18:1-46; Acts 11:1-30; Psalm 135:1-21; Proverbs 17:12-13 The famine was into its third year and God told Elijah to meet with King Ahab and tell him that He was going to soon send the rain. Ahab and Obadiah, the man in charge of his palace were out personally looking for enough grass to keep a few of his horses and donkeys alive. The famine was so severe that he couldn’t trust anyone to find it for him. Obadiah feared and worshipped the Lord and had hidden 100 of God’s prophets from Jezebel’s wrath. Obadiah and Ahab divided the land and went separate ways looking for grass. Obadiah met Elijah on his road and fell to the ground with respect. Elijah told him to tell Ahab he wanted to meet with him. When Ahab came, he accused Elijah of bringing the famine on Israel. Elijah made it clear that Ahab and his family and their sins were the reason for the famine. Ahab was to summon all of Jezebel’s 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah to Mt. Carmel. When they arrived, Elijah told the prophets to make a decision whether they were going to worship God or Baal. No one spoke. Elijah had them bring two bulls to him. They were to pick their bull and Elijah would take the other. They would each pray and the god who answered in fire would be the true God. Elijah told the false prophets to go first. They did all sorts of incantations, dances, and cried out to their god from morning till noon. When they were exhausted, it was Elijah’s turn. Elijah first dug a trench around his altar large enough to hold three gallons of water. He placed the wood in first then cut his bull into pieces and laid them on the wood. He then asked for water, which in the famine, water was like gold. He had them pour four large jars with water over the sacrifice till it filled his trench. He had them do it three times, then prayed. His prayer was that God would prove himself to his people and bring them back to Him. God answered in fire that flashed down from heaven and burned up everything in the trench. The people fell on their faces and acknowledged that God was the true God. Then Elijah commanded that every prophet of Baal be taken down to the Kishon Valley and killed there. He told Ahab to eat and drink because he heard a mighty rainstorm coming. Elijah climbed to the top of Mt. Carmel to pray for the rain. Elijah sent his servant seven times to see if there was any rain coming. The last time he went he saw a small cloud in the sky. Elijah sent his servant to tell Elijah to hurry home or he would be caught in the storm. Soon the sky was dark with clouds and Ahab tucked his robe and outran Ahab’s chariot all the way to Jezreel. In Acts, Peter returned to Jerusalem where news had reached them of Peter’s preaching to the Gentiles. He had to explain the whole event so they could see how God had led him to them. The people’s objections turned to praise. Other Christians who had been scattered to other nations also were seeing a great spread in the Gospel. There was a great move of God in Antioch which was in Syria. Barnabas was sent to teach the Syrians the truth. When Barnabas arrived he realized he needed help and went to get Saul to help him. They stayed there a whole year teaching them the truth of God’s Word. Prophets were sent from Jerusalem to Syria and Agabus was one of them. He prophesied a famine was coming. The believers were able to prepare for themselves and send supplies to other believers in Judea. They sent aid also to the believers in Jerusalem. Both of our stories include a famine and in both, God took care of his people. God supplied a widow with oil and flour until she could get her own and in the New, God warned them so they could store up and bless others. Lord, help us to prepare our hearts to be ready for your next move upon the earth.