Ep. 134. 1 Kings 17 | Elijah is Cool

EPISODE 134

ELIJAH IS COOL: 1 KINGS 17

Elijah really is one of the coolest characters in the Biblical narrative. He does some amazing things. But we need to remember that we don't have a different Spirit than the one Elijah had. Elijah wasn't cool and didn't do amazing things because he was somehow more religious or better than us. The Holy Spirit empowered every God-glorifying thing Elijah did. We know that as followers of Christ, the Holy Spirit has sealed us and that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us. We, too, can do amazing God-glorifying things with our lives. We must quit settling for mediocrity and remember that we have been raised to walk in new life, filled with the fullness of the Spirit. 

Also of note in this chapter is that Elijah blessed a Gentile and not a Jew during the time of famine. Jesus would reference this in his first recorded sermon in Luke 4, and through that, would absolutely enrage the Jewish crowds. Jesus points out that this widow, a Gentile woman, was blessed rather than the numerous Jewish widows. He will further point out that under the leadership of Elisha (we will look at this in a couple of days), a Gentile leper was healed rather than the numerous Jewish lepers. Jesus is making the point to his audience that the Jews will reject God's purpose for them and the truth of Jesus as the savior, but that the Gentiles will believe.

ADDITIONAL READING: James 5:16-18; Luke 4:25-26; Ephesians 1:13, 17-19; Romans 8:9