God’s Vague Timing

God’s Vague Timing - 1 Kings 17:7-10

“Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him [Elijah]:  ‘Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.’ So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’ As she was going to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’”

Let’s look at the words that indicate the passage of time:

Some time later - We don’t know how long Elijah was in the ravine, but it was more than a few days or weeks, probably more than a few months because he stayed until the brook had dried up due to the drought. Imagine this. What did Elijah do all day? Maybe he went on walks to explore the ravine, took long naps in the sun, or stayed fit by lifting rocks. But, seriously, how long would any of that be truly entertaining? How long was it until he found that he was talking to himself all throughout the day, and getting bored with that? How many days did he wash in the same brook he had to drink from and long to be out of the elements? Even if it didn’t rain, it was still an isolated location where Elijah was not only exposed to the elements but also cut off from other people. 

Go at once - Next, God spoke to Elijah and told him to go to a widow in Zarephath and stay there. Elijah didn’t know who she was or what she needed. He didn’t know how long he would be with her, but still he went. He actually didn’t even know where to find her. But God told him to go and promised that the widow would supply him with food. Remember, with no rain, the entire land experienced drought. Food would be in short supply, and people would be frantic to see that they had food for themselves and for their families. 

What might Elijah have learned in the ravine that enabled him to take this next direction from God?

Why might God have left Elijah waiting in the ravine for so long?

(Spoiler: We later learn in 1 Kings 18 that Ahab blames Elijah for the drought and has been seeking his life. God sending Elijah to the ravine was for his protection as well as for his spiritual growth.