TEXT: I Kings 17:1, 18:1

SUBJECT: The Life of Elijah #2: The Drought

We come this afternoon to the second sermon in our study of Elijah's life. This is a misnomer, of course, because we're not as interested in his life as we are in what Christ was doing in that life. "The Scriptures...testify of Me" said our Lord. And so they do. As you have no doubt surmised, today's subject is "the drought". And from it, we'll try to see what Christ was doing in the drought and what it means to us.

But first, I must briefly describe the drought. A drought, of course, is a lack of rain. Whenever we receive less than about 15 inches per year, the meteorologists tell us we're in a drought. No one likes this. It causes the price of vegetables to rise; it makes our lawns turn brown; it hurts fishing and other water sports. The effects are real and unpleasant, but not too serious.

The drought of Elijah's day, however was. Israel had two rainy seasons each year--what the Bible calls "the early and latter rains". They irrigated the crops and permitted the grazing of sheep and cattle. The rains, however, weren't alone in this work. In the dry seasons, dew would form each morning to refresh the earth. Together, the rain and dew would produce good harvests and fat livestock. It was "the blessing of the LORD that made rich".

But Elijah comes along and announces: "As the LORD God of Israel lives...there shall not be dew nor rain these years..." Years! Over three years pass without a drop of rain or dew in all the land of Israel.

The results were devastating. The creeks and rivers ran dry, the crops withered, the grass died, the cattle starved, the economy collapsed, and the people slumped in despair. It's no wonder the king sent messengers to every nation on earth to fetch Elijah and have this drought called off!

So much for the drought itself. Now reflect on what Christ was doing in the drought.

In the first place, He was humbling the gods in whom Israel was trusting. For sixty years, the nation had made a pilgrimage to Bethel and Dan to pay homage to the Golden Calves Jeroboam set up. In this, "he made Israel to sin" as the Bible so often says. But worse: they were now worshiping the Baals whom the queen imported from Sidon. These gods were thought of with awe. Baal, in particular, was revered because he and his consort were the gods of fertility. By worshiping them, one would have many children, much livestock, and a bumper crop every year.

But the drought withered these pretensions. The Golden Calves who supposedly "brought Israel out of the land of Egypt" could not provide water--as the LORD had so often done. The Baals, who promised fertility were sterilized by the drought. The land wasn't producing much of anything. The cows weren't calving. The women, sick with malnutrition, were not conceiving children or were losing them in miscarriages.

The idols had had their day. But now, Christ was putting them in their place--under His footstool. In the drought--like the resurrection--He "spoiled powers and principalities, made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it".

He's doing the same today. Every day Christ reduces another idol to folly. For seventy years a man has loved his money. But today he's dying. He's leaving the world as naked as he came into it. Money proved unworthy of his devotion. But now, it's too late. Someone has called communism "the god that failed". As do all other politics--liberal or conservative, socialist or libertarian, democratic or monarchist. Every day, another one is brought low under the Scepter of King Jesus. Healthy bodies become sick; clear minds grow senile; famous names are soon forgotten. Every idol is brought low. In the end, no one's standing, but the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the second place, Christ was vindicating the prophetic word. The prophetic word is His Word. According to I Peter 1:11, it was "the Spirit of Christ who was in" the prophets. What had He said? Long before, He had warned of droughts occurring as a result of Israel's sin. Deuteronomy 28:23 is representative: "And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron". In the days of Elijah, He was renewing the curse: "...There shall not be dew nor rain these years except at my word".

The Word of Christ may be ignored, dismissed, or mocked; it cannot be escaped. "The counsel of the LORD stands forever; the thoughts of His heart to all generations". This is true, not only of its sweet promises, but equally of its solemn threats.

For sixty years Israel disregarded the Word of Christ. In the drought they paid dearly for their unbelief. Estates were wiped out; health was broken; lives were lost. What a frightful toll unbelief takes.

We must beware of it too. "Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore, the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil". A truer word has never been spoken. But "execution" is not the same as "speedy execution". The latter is rare; the former is inescapable. "He who is often reproved, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy".

Make no mistake about it: Not one of Christ's words will fall to the ground. "The word that I have spoken--our Lord once said--the same shall judge him in the last day".

Thirdly, Christ was employing intermediate steps in dealing with His people. Drought was a covenant curse. It was not, however, the ultimate curse. It was an intermediate step in the chastening of Israel. Christ might have exiled the people or even annihilated them. They deserved it; no one could have argued with the verdict. But He didn't. The drought, therefore, was both a curse and a blessing. A curse because it hurt the people badly. A blessing because that hurt might lead them to repentance while there was time to repent! By the drought they might "Hear the rod and who has appointed it".

What a merciful Savior He is! "Behold, the LORD God will do nothing but He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets" says Amos 3:7. Why does He reveal it, but to give space for repentance? He gave Nineveh forty days to repent. And they repented. "Behold, one greater than Jonah" is with us. The Lord Jesus is pleading with sinners to repent and find mercy.

Self-inflicted wounds are good for us if they teach us the folly and danger of sin and the patience and grace of our Lord Jesus. Thank Him for the "intermediate steps" He takes in dealing with His people. How He might have once damned us for our sins, but He didn't. He only convicted us of them. And even now, how patient and kind He is with us.

"He has not dealt with us after our sins;

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high

above the earth,

So great is His mercy

Toward those who fear

Him".

Finally, Christ ended the drought on easy terms. The sanctions may have never been lifted; He might have allowed His whole people to die of thirst. But He didn't. He sent rain in response to Israel's repentance--which subsequent chapters will show was a little less than perfect. To what can we attribute this but the

"Marvelous grace of our loving Lord

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt".

Shouldn't we do as much? In light of what Christ did for Israel--and for us daily--shouldn't we forgive others more eagerly than we do? Shouldn't we extend our brotherly love more readily than we have? If Christ sends rain to this half-repentant people, let us be easier on our brethren than we have been in the past. And let us remember that "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes, all things, and endures all things".