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AGAPE LESSON 37
THE CALL OF A PROPHET
Put together by Bogie Kuzwayo
1Kings chapter 17:
• (v1) Elijah or Eliah = my God is Jehovah or Yah(u) is God.
• (v1) Ahab = father’s brother (uncle). One who is good at cheating and cannot produce sons.
• (v1) Gilead = heap of witness – The pre-eminent focus of this ministry is Jesus – is passionate about His testimony. The focus is on the God of the house.
• (v1) As the Lord lives, before whom I stand = Elijah is standing on the earth but operating in the heavenlies. This Elijah anointing brings this dual presence in the life of the believer. We stand on the earth and operate from the heavenlies. We live in two realms = earthly and heavenly. [Ephesians2v5—6] Even when we were dead in trespasses, made us live together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We are able to execute heavenly purposes on the earth. Jesus said the same thing to Nicodemus, “No one has ascended to heaven but the Son of Man who is in heaven (John3v13). This operating system is intended to manifest heaven on earth. [Matthew6v10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Jesus desired that those, whom the Father has given Him, may be with Him where He is and behold His glory (John17v24). By beholding His glory, we are transformed to His image and likeness.
• (v1) There shall not be dew nor rain these years except at my word.” A proclamation from Elijah’s anointing can either be destructive or redemptive. Here Elijah was telling Ahab that Israel will not receive any revelation until he himself is sent to bring a new word from the Lord. He proclaimed spiritual death upon Ahab and the nation.
• (v2) Then the word of the Lord came to him. Elijah will only respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As a son, his steps are ordered of the Lord.
• (v3) Eastward = the direction from where the sun comes.
• (v3) Cherith = cutting. Elijah is being cut off (separated from his environment) – the famine was affecting everyone. For others the situation was judgemental, but for him it was redemptive (this place was a place of supernatural provision for Elijah).
• (v6) Bread = Christ (the Rod). [Psalm23v2, 4] He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your Rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Fellowship with the Rod was David’s comfort in the wilderness, while running away from Saul. God will orchestrate your wilderness experience to help you grow; migrate from the familiar, to a position that God will constantly lead you as you journey with Him. In the wilderness, the Rod, or the standard of His speaking will hold you firmly when adversity arises. [Isaiah59v19b] When the enemy comes in, like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up the standard against him.
• (v6) Meat = food for the mature in the house – those who can handle and deliver hard messages.
• (v9) Widow (Church) = one without a covering. This church was running an orphanage; not equipping, or raising up sons in the house, to do the work of ministry (Ephesians4v12).
• Zarephath = refining. Elijah was well provided while the widow and her son received covering from Elijah’s grace.
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• (v10) The widow (church meets Elijah). The son should have been the one to meet Elijah at
the gate; but he depended on the leadership who was doing all the work. This church has
failed the people of God by not equipping them. Most believers out there are lame, blind and
paralysed (John5v3); they are immature. [Psalm 127v3—5] Behold, children are a heritage
from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. (4) Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so
are the children of one’s youth. (5) Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they
shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies at the gate.
• (v12) I do not have bread. The church confesses that Christ was absent from her house, as
she was running an orphanage.
• (v12) A handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar, were her very last gimmicks she had
before her orphanage closes down. “See, I am collecting a couple of sticks that I may go and
prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat and die.”
• (v13) Make me a small cake first. God demands that we give Him the first things – they
belong to Him. God created all things in the first (the beginning). In the first, there is creative
power. [Exodus13v2] Consecrate to Me all the first-born, whatever opens the womb among
the children of Israel, both man and beast, it is Mine.
• (v15) This church gave her first fruits because she understood her position as the steward of
the resources of the kingdom. Hannah, the wife of Elkanah gave her first-fruit, her Samuel,
to the Lord to serve Him all the days of his life; as she had made a vow [1Samuel 1v11, 24—
28] Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction
of Your maidservant and remember me; and not forget Your maidservant, but give Your
maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor
shall come upon his head. (24) Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her
with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the
LORD in Shiloh. And the child was young.
Anything/anyone separated unto God is called holy. So, both Cherith and Zarephath speak of
holiness and the refining; and are places of supernatural sustenance.
• (v16) The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of
the LORD which He spoke by Elijah. The blessing of the Lord came to rest upon her house
(Ezekiel 44v30).
• (v17) Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house
became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. Immaturity
could not survive under the fathering grace of Elijah; it had to die.
• (v21) And he cried out to the Lord and said, “O LORD my God, I pray, let the soul of this child
come back to him.”
• (v21) And he stretched himself on the child three times and cried out to the Lord.
He stretched himself on the child – he imparted to him resurrection life.
Three symbolises perfection
• (v22) Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him and
he revived.
The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, that is, his pronouncement; and God responded by resurrecting the
child. [Isaiah44v24, 26] I am the Lord who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone,
who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; (25) who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and drives
diviners mad; who turns wisemen backwards, and make their knowledge foolishness; (26) who
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confirms the word of His servant, and performs the counsel of His messengers; who says to
Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited,’ to the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,’ and I will raise up her
waste places.
[Job22v28] You shall also declare a thing, and it shall be established for you; so light will shine on
your ways.
The soul of the child came back to him and he revived. Resurrection life kicked in, and the child was
born again.
• (v23) And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house.
This is the first baptism by the Holy Spirit who baptised him into the Body of Christ.
Elijah gave him to his mother and said, “See, your son lives!” – A son is given. [Isaiah9v6] For unto us
a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder.
• (v24) “Now, by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of God in your
mouth is the truth.” This was confirmation to the woman that Elijah indeed was the man sent
from God.
Elijah is a sent prophet.
Apostol is a sent one
Apostolic is a position of being sent
Elijah’s assignment is apostolic prophetic – a word from his mouth will either be redemptive or
destructive.
Redemptive word – [1Samuel 1v17] Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel
grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”
[1kings 17v13—14] And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear, go and do as you have said, but make me a
small cake from it first, and bring it to me, and afterward make some for yourself and your son. (14)
For thus says the LORD GOD, ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry,
until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’
[2Kings4v16] And he said to her, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.”
[Luke5v4] When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let down
your nets for a catch.”
[Acts3v6] Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you, ‘In the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Destructive word (it carries with it a ministry of confrontation) – [1Kings 17v1] – – – – – -, “As the God
of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
[1Kings13v2] And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, “O altar, altar!
Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, a child, Josiah by name shall be born to the house of David, and on you
he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be
burnt on you.’”
[Acts 13v10—11] Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him
(10) and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the
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straight ways of then Lord? (11) And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be
blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around
seeking someone to lead him by the hand.