“And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1Kings 19:8)
This was the supernatural food God provided Elijah. Elijah had slain all of Jezebel’s false prophets and Jezebel was going to kill him. He fled into the wilderness and asked God to die. While he slept under a juniper tree, an angel woke him up and told him to eat. There was a cake on the coals and water. He ate and slept again. And again the angel woke him up and told him to eat because the journey was too long for him. (1Kings 19:1-8) What God provided was sufficient. It was what he needed to sustain him forty days and forty night to go to Horeb the mount of God, where God met with Him.
The Lord Jehovah Jireh is our provider. He provides us with what we need. The Lord told Paul, “...My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2Corinthians 12:9) Whatever the need is God provides. Even in Paul’s case. He didn’t take the infirmity away, but provided His grace to endure for God’s eternal purpose. I know, we want the infirmity gone, but we don’t see with God’s eyes. The Lord’s heart is to have us with Him in eternity. There is where perfect love, peace and joy are. There is where we really want to be when it’s all said and done. But our natural flesh doesn’t know this and wants instant gratification. If we allow the Lord to have His way, He will provide what is the best for us. His grace will carry us to eternity. Like Elijah, we will be able to make that difficult long journey to be with Him.
It's interesting that Elijah journeyed forty days and forty nights. It’s significant in that so many events were for forty days and forty nights. The rain fell forty days and forty nights and flooded the earth. (Genesis 7:12) Moses was on Mount Saini forty days and forty nights without eating and drinking and God gave him the Ten commandments. (Exodus 34:28) The spies spent forty days and forty nights spying the land. (Numbers 13:25) Goliath taunted the Israelite army for forty days before David slew him. (1Samuel 17:16) After his rebellion, Jonah warned the people of Ninevah that God would destroy them in forty days for their wickedness. (Jonah 3:4) Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights and faced temptation before beginning His ministry. (Matthew 4:2) Jesus walked on the earth forty days preaching the kingdom of God after His resurrection. (Acts 1:3) Forty days and forty nights is mentioned in the Bible 24 times. Forty days and forty nights are not only significant but specifically the number forty. The Jews wandered for forty years. (Deuteronomy 8:2) Forty lashes was the punishment for the guilty. (Deuteronomy 25:3) Forty days is the time from lent to Easter. Forty weeks is the pregnancy time for women. One commentator mentions that forty is the number of completion. In the study of the Torah, the Jewish belief is that forty symbolized a maximal amount of time for enduring something or a minimal amount of time to complete something, depending on the context.
In many of the incidents mentioned there was testing, preparation and then transformation. When our faith is being tested, we need to know that the Lord is preparing us for a transformation. This is not to say that the process will last forty days, but to remember that God used this process over forty days to transform individuals or situations. It will help us to remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel (difficulty) and that it will be for our good. It will help us to keep the right attitude and the right expectation. It will help us to keep trusting God. This honors the Lord and causes His grace to pull us through.
The flood symbolized purification, redemption and the beginning of a new era. (Michael Anderson-John the Baptist CEO) When we’re flooded with the consequences of sin, neglect or carelessness, or if we are afflicted with what seems a flood of evil, we are assured of God’s desire to purify us completely spirit and soul (mind, will and emotions) which was bought with the work of redemption. Offering ourselves completely to the Lord will be a new beginning. Yielding to the sanctification of the Holy Spirit will bring us each time to a new level of glory.
The wandering of the Israelites symbolized faith, obedience and reliance on God. (Michael Anderson-John the Baptist CEO) Our wandering up one day and down another is an instability in our faith. Faith is dependence fully on the Lord. It depends on keeping our eyes on Jesus rather than what we see, hear or feel. Righteous actions such as church attendance, Bible reading and study, and worship and prayer become part of us that establish and build our faith and reliance on God. They make our obedience easy because we won’t do things in our strength but on the Lord’s.
We can see how symbolically the Old Testament ties in to our lives in the New Testament and New Covenant dispensation of grace. People don’t change and difficulties continue to afflict all people now as it did then. But the Lord’s faithfulness, mercy and love remain through the ages. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8) His desire to bless His people is the same. He provides what we need to bring us to Him. “For I am the LORD, I change not; ...” (Malachi 3:6)
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