“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition…”~ 1 Cor. 10:11
Allow me to give two illustrations of our text. One in the New Testament, the second in the Old Canon of scripture.
When he [Jesus] had heard therefore that he [Lazarus] was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.” Why wait? Our Lord’s friend, whom He loved dearly, is at death’s door. And, as a result of His tarrying, Lazarus does die, which, as Martha stated, would not have happened had He been there. Why does Christ wait until the situation is impossible before showing up? Simple; to show He’s the God of the impossible, and to manifest His glory.
This same God is the God who answered Elijah’s prayer by fire. But before doing so, what did have the God have His prophet do, before the fire fell? He had twelve barrels of water poured on the sacrifice, wood, and altar, and then filled the trench around the altar with water; everything was water soaked. All this was not very conducive to a plan for God to burn up the sacrifice and everything connected to it. But the man, who was “of like passions” as we are, knew nothing was too hard for the Lord. Do we know this?
“God is not rushed, but he is reliable.” (rds)