Elijah's Quarantine Time

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Written By Destiny Image

When You Cannot Do Anything In Quarantine – Pray

When I look at the unusual times we are in, I went to Scripture to let God speak to me about what  we as Christians can do.  In 1 Kings 17 - 19, God put Elijah into quarantine.  First, Elijah was sent into the wilderness to be separate from two things that were happening in his world.  First, there was a great famine and God provided for his food in the time of quarantine. Second, there was the evil influence of King Ahab and God was protecting Elijah from him.

Today, we in America - and many people around the world, are in various stages of quarantine.  What can we learn from Elijah?  Here are some principles that should guide us to develop:

  • Strong faith
  • To pray and intercede
  • To continue our worship of God.
  1. In the midst of a quarantine, God provides where God guides.  God sent ravens to feed Elijah daily, not the best of food, but adequate.  So, when we are in the center of God's will, we can trust God to provide for our daily necessities.
  2. When you are in quarantine, listen for the voice of God and look for the power of God.  The Lord told Elijah where to go and what to do. All Elijah had to do was obey.
  3. Elijah enjoyed the presence of God and was able to fellowship with Him.
  4. God uses unusual means to take care of us. Whereas God used ravens, i.e., scavenger birds to take care of Elijah, God may use unusual means to take care of us.
  5. God’s plans are not always logical to our way of thinking. Remember there is a mystery with God and when we face the mystery of God (Gen. 21:33; Eph. 3:9-10), we will be surprised by what God will do for us.
  6. Sometimes a quarantine is to prepare us for a greater work ahead.  God was going to use Elijah for two great supernatural works.  First, he would confront King Ahab on Mt. Carmel and demonstrate God’s power and victory over the evil power of idols and satan. Second, God was going to use Elijah to end the famine and send the rain.  Let’s pray that God uses our quarantine to prepare us spiritually to pray and get ready for showers of blessings . . . or even greater; revival rain.
  7. There is both a blessing and liability in quarantine.  It is called time.  We hate a quarantine because our usual times are taken from us and we cannot do what we want to do.  Maybe we don’t have to do all the things we think we need to do. Maybe you shouldn’t fight the quarantine you are experiencing today. But there is the second thing, an advantage of quarantine, which is called time.  Let’s spend our time mediating on God and all the lessons He has taught us and is teaching us.  Let’s spend our time thanking God for all the good things He has given us.  I challenge you to a 10-minutes praise time.  Don’t do anything in prayer for 10 minutes but thanking God.  Don’t ask for anything, just learn the lessons of gratitude.
  8. This blessing of time should be used for prayer.  Don’t start asking for your list of things you want or need, start praying for your spiritual growth, asking God, “What do you want me to do now.” 
  9. After all is said and done Elijah, won a great victory on Mt. Carmel after a three- and half-year quarantine. Are you prepared to thank God for your quarantine and what He is teaching you?
  10. 10. The first quarantine led to a second quarantine Elijah didn’t know it at the time, but he would face a future 40-day quarantine.  But the future challenge would bring more blessings than he could ever conceive.  God was going to lead him to Mt. Sinai on a 40-day quarantine to meet Himself. 

For I swear by the Lord your God that the king has searched every nation and kingdom on earth from end to end to find you. And each time he was told, ‘Elijah isn’t here,’ King Ahab forced the king of that nation to swear to the truth of his claim. And now you say, ‘Go and tell your master, “Elijah is here.”’ But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you away to who knows where. When Ahab comes and cannot find you, he will kill me.

Yet I have been a true servant of the Lord all my life.

1 Kings 18:10-12, NLT

What did Elijah learn from God? The quarantine led him to a greater ministry than he had ever had before, a greater usefulness to God’s people and perhaps, the example of what Elijah learned is what we should learn,

“My quarantine is in Thy hands” (Psalm 31:5, ELT). 

Elmer Towns 

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