Living in Light of God's Providence

Well, as mentioned earlier, I am not Matthew Capone.

I am Drew Arrington, and I am an ordained minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church,

serving as a chaplain here at Fort Carson.

And Matthew and the CMP session have graciously given me the privilege and honor to explore with you today

the topic of God's providence as we find it in the early years of Elijah's ministry in 1 Kings 17.

You know, it's times like these that I'm really thankful that we are part of a confessional church

because you at least have some idea of what we're talking about when we say God's providence.

There are many Christians that do not, but thankfully we are not among them

because we already considered this morning question 11 in the Shorter Catechism.

So you're not unfamiliar with the topic.

It's a topic that the 18th century English poet, William Cowper, was not unaccustomed to either.

And he wrote a lot about God's providence in his hymn, God Moves in a Mysterious Way.

And the first two stanzas of that hymn are there in your bulletin this morning.

And you can take a look at those.

And in that, he begins to explore an aspect of God's providence that's not covered in the catechism.

Mainly, Cooper explores the mysterious and unfathomable nature of God's providence.

See, often in our experience or in the experience of people that we know,

we like to take credit when things are going well.

And as soon as this switch flips, we quickly assail God when things aren't going well.

And we hear that oftentimes in what seems like innocent ways.

Questions like, where is God?

Is God really in charge?

Why would God allow something like that to happen?

You see, when we experience the triumphs of life, we want to take credit for it.

It was our skill.

It was our hard work.

It was our ingenuity.

But then when tragedy strikes, we charge God with being uncaring or distant or weak.

When there's peace and our relationships, whether it's our marriages, whether it's international relationships,

or anywhere in between, are peaceful and things are going well, we're like, yeah, this is great.

I got this.

Look what we were able to accomplish.

Oh, but let conflict enter in.

Let a war start between our friends and our loved ones or between international parties.

And all of a sudden, the question is, well, why would God allow something like that to happen?

When we enjoy the favor of peers or a boss at work,

we enjoy the favor of peers or a boss at work,

and we get good write-ups,

we enjoy great success,

we get a promotion or a bump in pay,

we're like, yeah, look what I have done,

look what I've earned,

look at all this hard work,

it's finally paying off.

Oh, but have a moment

where you don't enjoy that favor

at work.

where the opposite is true,

and you find yourself

in a position of disfavor

with your boss

and with your peers,

and you don't get that promotion

you thought you deserved.

You don't get that bump in pay.

You don't get that review

that you were anticipating.

And ho, how we want to charge God

with being unfair.

But you know,

there's a great thing

about God's providence,

and it is that it saves the Christian

from the seesaw of emotion.

Because if we allow God's providence

and the full effect of God's providence

to seep into our hearts

and into our souls,

it will produce peace

and stability in our lives.

In today's passage,

we see three encounters

with God's providence.

Encounters that help the Christian

understand the providence of God.

Understanding that the providence of God

produces peace

in perilous times

and stability of faith

and a world shattered by sin.

And as we look at this passage,

we're encouraged to ask the question,

how do we live

in light of God's providence?

It's a very simple question.

How do we live

in light of God's providence?

And as we go through the passage,

you'll see

and we'll ask that question.

But my guess is

that as we go through,

you're going to identify

another question.

And it's going to be

a nagging question

that we'll address at the end.

And I want to see

if you will catch it.

And so with that in mind,

let us pray

and then turn our attention

to the reading of 1 Kings 17.

Join with me in prayer.

God, I am thankful.

We are thankful.

Lord, that you

have given us your scripture.

God, that you

inspired men of old

to write down

the words that you

would have for us today.

God, that you

through your Holy Spirit

preserved the content

and the character

and the integrity

of scripture

so that what we have today

are your words.

And we thank you

that they are powerful today

as they were

when they were first written

because you

are the eternal

and everlasting God

and your word

does not change.

Enable your Holy Spirit

to drive these words

deep into our heart.

May they become

an ointment

for all that hurts

and a salve

of your healing grace.

In Christ's name we pray.

Amen.

Alright, so

turn with me

to 1 Kings.

We're going to read

the whole chapter

and we're going to focus

mostly on verses

8 and following.

Now Elijah the Tishbite

of Tishbi

and Gilead

said to Ahab,

As the Lord

the God of Israel

lives

before whom I stand

there shall be

neither dew

nor rain

these years

except by my word.

And the word

of the Lord

came to him.

Depart from here

and turn eastward

and hide yourself

by the book

Cherith

which is east

of the Jordan.

You shall drink

from the brook

and I have commanded

the ravens

to feed you there.

So he went

and did according

to the word

of the Lord.

He went

and lived

by the brook Cherith

that is east

of the Jordan.

And the ravens

brought him bread

and meat

in the morning

and bread

and meat

in the evening

and he drank

from the brook.

And after a while

the brook

dried up

because there

was no rain

in the land.

Then the word

of the Lord

came to him

arise

go to Zarephath

which belongs

to Sidon

and dwell there.

Behold

I have commanded

a widow there

to feed you.

So he arose

and went to Zarephath

and when he came

to the gate

of the city

behold

a widow was there

gathering sticks

and he called

to her

and said

bring me

a little water

and a vessel

that I may drink.

And as she was going

to bring it

he called

to her

and said

bring me

a morsel

of bread

in your hand.

And she said

as the Lord

your God

lives

I have

nothing baked

only a handful

of flour

in a jar

and a little

oil

in a jug

and now

I am gathering

a couple

of sticks

that I may

go in

and prepare it

for myself

and my son

that we may

eat it

and die.

And Elijah

said to her

do not fear

go and do

as you have

said

but first

make me a little

cake of it

and bring it

to me

and afterward

make something

for yourself

and your son

for thus

says the Lord

the God

of Israel

the jar

of flour

shall not

be spent

and the jug

of oil

shall not

be empty

until the day

that the Lord

sends rain

upon the earth.

And she went

and did

as Elijah said

and she

and her

household

ate

for many days

the jar

of flour

was not spent

neither did

the jug

of oil

become empty

according

to the word

of the Lord

that he spoke

by Elijah.

After this

the son

of the woman

the mistress

of the house

became ill

and his illness

was so severe

that there was

no breath

left in him

and she said

to Elijah

what have you

against me

oh man of God

you have come

to bring

to me

bring

to my

you have

come to me

to bring

my sin

to remembrance

and to cause

the death

of my son

and he said

to her

give me

your son

and he took

him from her

arms

and carried

him up

into the upper

chamber

where he lodged

and laid him

on his own bed

and he cried

to the Lord

oh Lord

my God

have you brought

calamity

even upon the widow

with whom I sojourn

by killing her son

then he stretched

himself upon the child

three times

and cried

to the Lord

oh Lord

my God

let this child's

life come

into him again

and the Lord

listened to the voice

of Elijah

and the life

of the child

came into him

again

and he revived

and Elijah

took the child

and brought him

down from the

upper chamber

into the house

and delivered him

to his mother

and Elijah

said

see

your son

lives

and the woman

said to Elijah

now I know

that you are

a man of God

and that the word

of the Lord

in your mouth

is truth

the reading

of God's word

for this morning

well

we see here

the first

evidence

or encounter

with God's

providence

is we see

that God's

providence

in a hostile

environment

God's providence

in a hostile

environment

now

seems strange

a very strange

providence

here that God

tells Elijah

after the water

has run out

at the brook

to go

to Zarephath

and it's

a strange

providence

because God

is sending him

not to the people

of Israel

he's sending him

very much

into the heart

and home

of Jezebel

so if you know

anything

Jezebel

is the

wife

of Ahab

the king

of Israel

and Jezebel

was perhaps

one of the most

single

evil

influences

in Israel

at that time

and so

he's saying

hey

go into

the very

heart

and home

of that

evil

queen

Jezebel

and I'm

going to

provide for you

there

oh and not

only is it

the heart

and home

of Jezebel

it's also

the heart

and home

of

Baal

the God

who is

trying

the people

who are

trying to

make this

a rival

God

to Yahweh

and if you

know anything

about the

ancient

near east

it was

believed

that gods

were limited

to a

geographic

area

and that

those gods

were the gods

within those

that bounds

and they

were the ones

responsible for

health

wealth

well being

but they

didn't really

have much

power

outside

of their

borders

and so

we see

here

God

is

calling

Elijah

to go

into a

hostile

environment

and there

he will

provide

for the

prophet

you can

imagine

some of the

things that

Elijah might

be thinking

God are you

sure

are you

sure you

want to do

this

after all

you are

sending me

into the

home of

Baal worship

the home

of Jezebel

who's

seeking my

head in

many regards

why can't

you let me

find hospitality

among my

own people

why can't

you make

water

still come

from this

brook

just like

you did

for Moses

and the

people of

Israel

when they

were coming

out of

Egypt

you can

do it

I've

heard about

it

but God

has a

purpose

in sending

young

Elijah

into

enemy

territory

and it

is to

let him

know

that

God's

providence

is not

limited

by geographical

borders

God's

saying to

Elijah

look I

can provide

for you

here

by this

brook

and I

can command

ravens

to come

and feed

you

with bread

and meat

morning and

evening

I can do

the same

in the land

of your

enemy

and I

am going

to show

you that

I

am

God

not just

in Israel

but over

all

creation

and this

is important

it's important

for Elijah

to know

this

because if we

know anything

Elijah is going

to be called

to be more

confrontational

with Ahab

and Jezebel

and the

prophets

of Baal

he's going

to need

to know

that God

indeed

is sovereign

and that

God's

providence

exists

even in

hostile

environments

so

how are we

to live

in light

of God's

providence

how are we

to live

in light

of God's

providence

in hostile

environments

we trust

based on

this incident

we trust

that God

has

shown himself

throughout history

throughout the

Bible

to be a God

who is not

limited

to the borders

of Israel

that he

indeed

is the God

of all creation

that heaven

and earth

bow before him

and that nothing

is not

under his purview

and his power

that God's

providence

extends

into the

very hostile

environments

in which

we find

ourselves

hostile

environments

due to

cultural

shifts

where

Christianity

has moved

from

preferred

in some

cases

to

being

a pariah

God

is still

sovereign

whether

we find

ourselves

in a

country

like

ours

that

still

does

have

some

semblance

of

religious

freedom

or

we

find

ourselves

in a

country

where

there

is

no

such

constitutional

guarantee

God

is still

sovereign

whether

we

find

ourselves

lauded

for holding

on to our

religious

convictions

or derided

for holding

on to those

convictions

we know

that God

is sovereign

whether

we are

here at

home

enjoying

the

relative

comfort

and

peace

of the

United

States

or whether

we find

ourselves

in a

hostile

nation

deployed

in armed

combat

we know

that God

is sovereign

and so

from this

encounter

we learn

that God's

providence

extends

over any

and all

hostile

environments

in which

we may

find

ourselves

and in

the next

encounter

we will

discover

that God's

providence

is at

work

in great

times

of need

we see

this

beginning

in verse

10

going

through

verse

16

that God's

providence

exists

even in

times

of great

need

and we

see here

Elijah

is entering

into this

enemy

territory

where God

is going

to prove

that his

providence

still exists

even there

and he's

to go

find

a Gentile

widow

who's going

to provide

him sustenance

and support

in his

time of

great need

but it's

quite interesting

that even in the

midst of enemy

territory

God's calling

him to a

woman

first of

all

Jewish

society

men and

women

don't

interact

unless

you're

related

to one

another

so not

only

is there

that going

into enemy

territory

there's

being supported

by a

female

and then

not only

a female

that he

has to

engage

with

this is

a widow

if you

know

anything

about

the

ancient

near east

and in

society

today

the most

vulnerable

people

group

or some

of the

most

vulnerable

people

in our

society

are

widows

we

understand

that most

likely

this is a

fairly young

widow

because she's

out gathering

sticks

and you may

think well

how do we

know that

she's young

well because

she has a

son

and if the

son were

of any

age

he would

be the

one out

picking up

sticks

not mom

so we

know that

this is

likely a

young

widow

with a

young

child

who's

not even

old enough

to go

out and

pick up

sticks

to make

a fire

and what

we also

notice here

is that

this widow

is in

great

need

what she

doesn't

need

is another

mouth to

feed

but that

is exactly

what God

does

God

brings

Elijah

and this

widow

to meet

right as

Elijah is

entering the

city

and Elijah

asks her

bring me

water

bring me

bread

she says

I don't

have it

she says

yes sure

to the

water

she's gonna

go get

that

but when

the bread

is added

she turns

and says

I don't

have

anything

all I've

got is

a little

bit of

flour

and a

little

bit of

oil

and I'm

gathering

up these

little

itty bitty

sticks

to go

make a

little

itty bitty

fire

so that

I can

bake a

little

bit of

bread

that my

son and

I can

eat it

and then

we're

gonna die

and audacity

in some

regards

or faithfulness

of Elijah

to say

bake me a

little bit

and bring it

to me

then go fix

your final

meal

but the

widow is

willing

the widow

is willing

to take

what little

bit of

what little

bit of

bread

she has

and bring

it

to Elijah

and God

is faithful

to his

promises

to that

widow

and the

flour

never runs

out

and the

oil

doesn't go

empty

until the

day

that God

brings

rain

upon the

earth

about

two and

a half

years

later

oh so we

see that

God's

providence

here is

important for

Elijah the

widow and

the son

because he

shows that

he can

satisfy

them in

times of

great need

not with

an abundance

but with

daily bread

providing

what they

need

day by

day

and it's

a provision

that makes

the difference

between life

and death

life and

death

in the

balance

and God

providing

so how

are we

to live

in light

of God's

providence

when we

face

times of

great need

we understand

that God

does satisfy

our need

he satisfies

it through

obedience

like Elijah

heading out

going into

hostile enemy

territory

and having

the courage

to ask

a widow

to provide

for him

God does

meet our

needs when

we obey

and then

also as

the widow

willingly

trusted

what the

prophet

promised

she

willingly

took

the last

bit

of wheat

and oil

and God

blessed her

for that

and we

see that

too

in our

obedience

and willingness

to trust

when we

come to

the Lord's

table

when we

take communion

it is just

a little

bit of bread

and a little

bit of wine

but it is a

great reminder

that Jesus

Christ

the bread

of life

satisfies

our

greatest

need

that he

through the

power of

the Holy

Spirit

sustains

and nourishes

us

even

in our

times

of great

need

well through

this second

encounter with

God's

providence

in 1st

Kings 17

we're reminded

that God

does in

fact satisfy

our greatest

need

not with

bread

made of

flour

and oil

but with

the bread

of life

Jesus

Christ

in our

final

encounter

here with

God's

providence

we discover

that even

in the depths

of human

despair

God's

providence

still

reigns

and that's

in the

ballots 17

through 24

we see

God's

providence

in the

depths

of despair

God

sovereignly

ruling

even over

sin

and death

and so we

encounter here

the widow's

despair

right

here God

has

miraculously

continued to

multiply the

flour and the

oil

and then

her son

gets sick

and it

seems to be

a very rapid

sickness and

decline because

she is thrown

into the depths

of despair

and she brings

the child's

breathless body

to Elijah

and says

Elijah

what have you

done

have you

come here

to remind

me of my

sin

and to

bring down

God's

judgment

on me

because

I was

a Baal

worshiper

look at

this

so she's

confronted

by her

sin

but she's

also

confused

your God

provided

flour

and oil

but my

son

we sense

her anger

and frustration

and the

prophet

perhaps

confused

and perplexed

almost as much

as he has

says

give me

your son

he runs

upstairs

puts the

child on

his bed

and he

says God

what are

you doing

I don't

understand

it

he says

God

please

heal

this boy

and bring

life back

to him

so he

stretches

his body

over the

child

that

that seems

weird

it is

weird

but you

know

God

answers

Elijah's

prayer

and God

breathes

life

back into

the child

and Elijah

comes down

the stairs

and says

here is your

son

and he's

alive

and oh

this encounter

with God's

providence

is so

important

obviously

it's important

for the

son

because he

received

his life

back

but it's

important

for Elijah

because he

is once

again

confirmed

by God

in his

calling

to be a

prophet

God

says to

Elijah

I will

hear you

when you

call out

to me

and that

will be

really

important

for him

when he's

standing

on Mount

Carmel

asking God

to consume

the sacrifice

that he's

prepared

in the

face

of

the

Baal

the

prophets

of

Baal

oh but

in this

passage

it's also

important

for the

widow

so I

don't know

if you

caught it

but really

this

instance

of where

she

turns her

son over

to the

prophet

leads

to the

confirmation

of her

faith

verse 11

she says

back at the

very beginning

hey you know

as the

Lord

your God

lives

she's saying

okay yeah

sure

if your God

says it

sure I'll

believe it

maybe it'll

work out

okay great

she's not

really convinced

it's almost

as if she's

saying hey

what have I

got to

lose

I got

a little

bit of

flour

got a

little bit

of oil

it's only

going to

make one

little bitty

cake of

bread

what have

I got

to lose

sure if

your God

says he's

going to

do it

here you

go

and God

is faithful

but

but then

in the

depths of

despair

having

received

her son

back

look at

verse 24

this is

what she

says

now I

know

that you

are a

man of

God

and that

the word

of the

Lord

in your

mouth

is

truth

it's

as if

she says

look

I

kind of

in

desperation

was

giving you

bread

previously

but now

I know

that God

is God

and that

what you

say about

him

is true

it's as

if

she has

come to

the point

where she

says

oh let's

forget about

Baal

and I

am going

to cling

to the

God

who

demonstrates

his

providence

even

in the

depths

of my

despair

so what

about us

how are

we to

live

in light

of God's

providence

when we

find ourselves

in the

depths of

despair

well

we

understand

looking back

at this

passage

that God's

providence

extends over

sickness

that God's

providence

extends over

sin

and that

God's

providence

extends over

death itself

and what that

means is that

God can use

those things

for his

glory

and for

our good

that is

great news

for us

because

if God

can raise

the widow's

son

if God

can breathe

life

back into

a child

who was

plagued

by the

curse

of sin

and if

God

can raise

Christ

who was

sinless

and perfect

to eternal

life

then we

have great

hope

hope

we have

great hope

and the

promise

that God

will fulfill

what he

has said

that God

will too

ensure that

we do not

experience the

eternal corruption

of sin

death

and the

grave

that we

will not

experience

corruption

but that

we will

experience

eternal

life

well in

our final

encounter

with God's

providence

we walked

through

we felt

the depth

of the

widow's

despair

and we

realize

that

neither

God

nor the

author

abandons

us

or the

widow

in those

depths

but that

like the

widow

we too

are elevated

to the

heights

of God's

providence

seeing that

he is the

one

who is in

charge

of even

sin

and death

itself

and that

he does

that

through the

incarnation

life

death

resurrection

and ascension

of Jesus

Christ

well that's

all three of

the encounters

with God's

providence

and I

want to

ask you

do you

have that

nagging

question

that's left

with this

passage

that

nagging

question

is the

one

that the

widow

indirectly

asks

Elijah

when she

brings her

breathless

son

to him

it's the

same

question

that haunts

us

many of

our brothers

and sisters

in Christ

and those

who are

reluctant to

embrace

Christ as

their savior

here

it's a

nagging

question

that's

something

a bit

like

this

how are

we to

live

when we

don't

see

and

experience

the

visible

miraculous

outpouring

of God's

providential

purposes

when we

are in the

depths of

despair

and we

don't see

life being

breathed

into a

loved one

who is

on their

sickbed

how are we

to persevere

in those

hostile

environments

when we

don't see

God's

providential

provision

when we

don't get

the

report

that we

think

we

were

going

to

get

when

God

doesn't

save

the

battle

buddy

on our

right

what are

we to

do

when God

doesn't

providentially

provide

in times

of great

need

when that

bill goes

unpaid

when it

goes into

default

when I

have to

eat rice

and beans

for the

fifth meal

of the

week

what is

our

recourse

when in

the depths

of despair

we feel

distant

from God's

providence

what if

our experience

is more

like that

of Job

what if

it's like

Jesus

in the

garden

of

Gethsemane

what if

crying

and pleading

for relief

from the

cross

and that

relief

doesn't

come

what if

our

experience

is closer

to that

of our

savior

when he's

hanging on

the cross

and he

cries out

father

father

why have

you

forsaken

me

how are

we to

live in

light of

God's

providence

when there

is no

miraculous

provision

when God

in his