MEN LIKE ELIJAH

1 Kings 17:1-24

Tuesday, 17 March 2026

And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word." -1Kings 17:1

GOD INTRODUCES ELIJAH:

A very vivid and powerful way of introducing the servant of God, to a distorted and idolatrous nation. Elijah became the powerful voice of God to the nation that had gone away from God’s ways. The very word spoken by Elijah to King Ahab has been heard by God and the effect immediately followed. There was no time delay for this prophecy and it was an answer to the prayer of Elijah. “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.” (James 5:17).

    While the nation Israel plunged into spiritual darkness, God prepared His rescue on the mountains of Tishbe in Gilead. He was kept like an arrow hidden in the quiver of God, till it was apt time for God to release it to the scene. Baal, the pagan god was thought by Israelites as the deity who was giving rain when worshipped. That is the reason why Elijah chose to pray and shut the heavens to show them clearly that it was not Baal who gave the rains in due season but God Almighty Himself. Elijah received his counsel from God and acted accordingly. The nation of Israel had become an idolatrous nation with kings and priests who served Baal instead of God-Jehovah. It was thus when it had almost completely gone into darkness, that God raised up Elijah with a powerful anointing to bring back the light to the dark world of Israel. This was done with great heroic declarations before the King Ahab itself. 

TODAY’S WORLD NEEDS MEN LIKE ELIJAH:

The world today needs this kind of spiritual men, who would stand in the presence of kings of this world and proclaim the oracle of God, with such power, that will cause every knee to bow before the Lord Jesus Christ. The world is in turmoil, not knowing which direction to turn because the period of deep darkness has set in. It was a similar situation in Elijah's time. So without complaint, Elijah set himself to pray. This image is carried by James, who was known for his prayer life and was aptly called a man with camel’s knee, due to his constant devotion in prayer to God. 

Today in our churches we need bold men like Elijah, who should be powerful enough to stand alone in king’s courts and declare God’s words to them. The church needs to produce such heroic men with real power. “Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks.” - Phillips Brooks

A LIFE SURRENDERED TO GOD’S WILL:

How did Elijah rise to this prominence and serve God without wavering from his devotion all throughout his life time? The only answer we can see is his total surrender into God’s hands. After his heroic declaration to King Ahab, he was asked by God to go and hide near the brook of Kerith, where he was fed by ravens and water from the brook was his drink. Later God asked him to go to Zarephath, where he was sustained by a widow in a miraculous way. He was willing to go under God’s discipline in every area of life. He was tuned only to God’s calling and he left everything to God to be provided for and God literally sustained him with heavenly provisions. 

Prayer: Dear God, I am amazed by the way Elijah was used. Please raise up such men of heroic virtues for these end times. In Jesus name. Amen.

Listen: 'Days of Elijah'