By Andrew Williams
Series: The Year of the Prophet- Month 3: The School of the Wilderness (Preparation)
Week 10: The Purpose of Hiddenness (The “Cherith” Phase)
Anchor Scripture: “For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.” — 1 Kings 18:4 (NKJV)
The Teaching
One of the most difficult lessons for a prophet to learn is the Season of the Cave. We live in a culture—and a Church—that worships visibility. We are told that if we aren’t “seen,” we aren’t “succeeding.” But in the economy of the Kingdom, God often places His most valuable messengers in a “cave of hiddenness” before He presents them to the world.
In the days of Elijah, when Jezebel was actively seeking to destroy every prophetic voice, a man named Obadiah hid one hundred prophets in caves. These were not failed prophets; they were the “hidden remnant.” They were being kept in a dark, cramped, and solitary place for their own protection and for the preservation of a future move of God.
God hides His prophets for two primary reasons: Protection and Incubation.
Protection: He hides you from the “spirit of the age” and from leaders who would try to use your gift for their own agenda before you have the character to say no.
Incubation: Like a jewel forming under intense pressure in the dark of the earth, your prophetic “substance” is formed when there is no one around to applaud you. In the cave, you learn that God’s “bread and water” are enough to sustain you. If you cannot be satisfied with God in a cave, you will be destroyed by the pride of the platform.
Prophetic Insight
Do not mistake your “hiddenness” for “abandonment.” Jewels are not found on the surface of the ground; they are hidden in the deep, dark places of the earth. If you feel like your ministry has been put in a cave—where your voice isn’t being heard, your gifts aren’t being used, and your “social status” is zero—be encouraged. God only hides what is valuable. He is keeping you “under wraps” because He is not done seasoning you. The cave is a “safe house.” It is where you are forged into a weapon that Jezebel cannot tempt and the world cannot buy.
The Activation
Think about the areas of your life where you feel most “hidden” or “unseen.” Instead of trying to force a door open or “promote” yourself, practice the “Joy of the Cave.” Spend time today thanking God for His protection. Say to Him, “Lord, if You want me hidden, I am content to stay here. Feed me with Your bread and water.” Write down three things you have learned about God in this quiet season that you wouldn’t have known if you were busy on a platform.
Daily Prayer: Lord God, I thank You for the cave. I thank You that You value me enough to hide me. Forgive me for my restlessness and my desire to be seen by men. I choose to trust Your timing. I accept Your bread and Your water in this hidden place. Work deep within me while I am in the dark, so that when You bring me into the light, I will reflect only Your glory. Amen.
