God did not abandon that poor widow. Her body shook as she stood over the fire, greedily sipping and sucking the steam from the pan, as though the smell of frying bread could fill her belly and soothe her fears. When we suffer trials, we need to look for Jehovahs guidance in the Scriptures and in our publications. Here we find reciprocal hospitality: a Phoenician widow (a non-Israelite) feeding a Jewish prophet who will eventually save her son. Holstein, Joanne The Widow of Zarephath:. Becker Bible Studies Library Apr 2015.. She had every right to refuse. He doesn't urge them to pick themselves up and get going when they have no resources to do so. So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 3). But in this post, we focus in on Sarahs characteristics and what we can learn from, Continue reading Lessons from the life of Sarah in the Bible (characteristics and marriage lessons)Continue, The characteristics of Ruth in the Bible makes for an exciting study! Who was the Widow of Zarephath? Later, the widow's faith would again be tested when her young son died. Elijahs stay in the house of the widow was meant to bring him closer to the suffering prevalent in the world, and to acquaint him with the hunger and want from which the women and children suffered. The LORD knew her, knew all about her situation, and the condition of her heart. Perhaps she had come to know him well in the time that had passed. Have you come to remind me of my guilt and to put my son to death? (1Kings 17:17,18) What do those bitter words mean? In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we have a living prophet again on the earth! Let's begin in Luke.4.25-26. Jesus makes reference here to an event in the life of Elijah the prophet. } Elijah was a fugitive but God used this widow to give him a place where he could be at rest and have some comfort as he waited for Gods promise to be fulfilled. The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that persons well-being. FACT #1 The name of her village was Sarepta. He said: Please, bring me a little water in a cup so that I may drink. When she went to get him some water, Elijah added: Please, bring me a piece of bread. (1Kings 17:10,11) The widow was not worried about giving this stranger a drink, but giving him bread was a problem. This Widow demonstrates Christs invitation of His followers to Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first and all other things shall be added to them (Matthew 6:33). Rabbah 2:5:3). 10:22 refers: It is the blessing of the Lord that enriches. A single spoonful of ground flour that the woman had and the little oil in the jug sufficed, they were not exhausted, and the blessing reigned from within her home (Tanhuma, Ki Tisa 29). God sends him to stay by a brook first. You can imagine what some people might have said: Give away our last meal? The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, kept her and her son alive. (Luke 4:25,26) Her story teaches us that God blesses those doing good to his servants. She cannot believe what she is seeing. Jehovah will help you if you trust in him when your integrity is tested. The Widow of Zarephath (Women in the Bible Series) July 10. It was according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which the LORD has shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. FACT #3 Elijah knew she was a widow because of what she was wearing. Jezebel, King Ahabs wife, tried to kill all of Gods prophets. When the brook dried up, God sent Elijah to Zarephath with instruction to look to a widow to sustain him. Elijah took him and delivered him unto his mother. She explained to Elijah she was gathering two sticks that she could prepare the meal for her and her son that they may eat it, and die. When we do this we are also forgetting the loving kindness of LORD God. It seems that God allowed the boy to die because He knew that this resurrection, the first one recorded in the Scriptures, would give hope to millions in the future. But the brook dried up after a while. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.. Rabbah 27:4). He wants us to lean on him and depend on him daily.It takes faith to deal with this. ", Graciously, she had gone to fetch it, only to have him call after her, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread.". Ask God to make it obvious what youre supposed to do. So Elijah begged: OJehovah my God, please, let this childs life come back into him.1Kings 17:20,21. Elijah, however, was committed only to save the lives of his hosts (Ex. She had nothing to offer but a jar of oil. The story of the bleeding woman is one of the most moving in the Scriptures. Your email address will not be published. The Widow of Zarephath. Through her obedience, God sustained the prophet and her household. They saw first hand how the oil from one jar filled enough jars to not only pay off their fathers debt, but for the family to live off of. Your email address will not be published. ( 1Ki 17:8-24; Lu 4:25, 26) It later marked an . If you want to share this resource with others, please share the link to the blog post. Life Story of Prophet W.M.B - Part 1; Mystery Of The Godhead Revealed? Just enough for them to live on a daily basis. Now the woman looks at her resurrected son and is thrilled to see his smile. We can assume she is the only widow in her city. In Christs name we pray. So inspiring and, encouraging and hope-giving. When this happened, she was ready to be used by God.And used her he did. Elijah lived with her for 2 years and God provided enough for each day.God did not provide a whole barrel full at once. Watch over and protect those who are vulnerable. Chicago Style Citation: It is common for us all to blame ourselves and our sins for things that happen to us. The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that person's well-being. STOP delaying to get to know the Bible better! All He wants us to do is to love him back. Would you like to read this article in %%? We can assume she is the only widow in her city. These two boys were facing a terrible future unless God intervened. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 17). But how precious that they were able to be active participants in the miraculous provision for their needs. TERMS OF USE And in each case, God showed them that they werent alone and that He cared for them. If youre a listener in Nairobi, Id love to hear from you and pray with you. Used with permission. Do you stare at the bills and wonder how on earth theyre ever going to get paid? We are never alone, He hears our every prayers, He answers our prayers in ways we would never imagine. To make matters worse, he died, leaving her with a debt she had no way of paying. But he had died before the drought, leaving her with a small son, a house, and little else. Are you searching for and helping such people? It was a wicked time where the worship of false gods was practice. Even her name is lost to the history. The city serves as part of her identification. The king of the kingdom of Israel was Ahab and his wife was Jezebel. "Widow of Zarephath: Midrash and Aggadah." Are you feeling pressure to provide for your family but you dont know how youre going to? Are you willing to be used by God to speak His truth into the lives of others as He leads you. (Psalm 23:3). No matter how little, we have something we can use to bless someone. But in a way that is grounded in abiding trust. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. She is a great example of having faith, trust and obedience to the LORD. Lieberman], Ekev, p. 74). Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Church Gallery; WMB Gallery; FAQ; Contact. Her planwithout Gods miraculous intervention, which she must have hoped forshe and her son will starve to death. The same held true for food: when he came to the widows house, she and he ate from his [that is, both the widow of Zarephath and Elijah partook of Elijahs food, which was miraculously provided to sustain him in the widows house]. Prophets always teach and testify of Christ. In those days, widows, especially those without sons, were very vulnerable. Tell Him your situation. Like the woman with the issue of blood and Naaman, Elijah was no different. Did she think that her sons death was punishment from God and that Elijah was Gods messenger of death? While that is often a part of his plan, our eyes usually rest on ourselves, when in fact it has less to do with us and more to do with what He wants to do through our relationships with the people to whom He connects us. To help you get started in organizing your time, here are some sample Sunday School schedules for preschool through grade 6 for varying classroom lengths: If you have a 30-minute class, consider taking two weeks per lesson or following a schedule such as this: "Come on in" games: 5 minutes.. 9 images found in 1 Kings 17. When God sends Elijah to the Widow, the instruction was that he had commanded her to feed. Then you can make something afterward for you and your son. Elijah prayed and from heaven he was given the key of rain, so that it would descend only at his command. (Acts 24:15) Surely these are excellent reasons for remembering the widow of Zarephath. Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 17:8-24; Luke 4:25-26 They are sure. So glad you were encouraged. Just as Elijah promised, Jehovah multiplied her meager supplies so that they sustained Elijah, the widow, and her son until the drought ended. Elijahs receiving food from a widow creates a parallelism with Moses, the father of all prophets. Elijah undergoes a process of change: the death of the son enables him to understand Gods suffering at the sight of His starving handiwork and he is therefore willing to return the key of rain. Elisha told her to go to all of her neighbors and borrow empty vessels from them. She went back to Elisha to ask what she was to do next. So Elijah, the prophet of God, declared a three year drought over the land of Israel. But God is full of surprises. And he called to her and said, 'Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.' And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, 'Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.' Did the woman remember a past sin that bothered her conscience? God spoke to Elijah again and told him to go to Zarephath. He scooped him up and carried him back downstairs to his mother. It is not unusual that during times of great stress we forget all the blessings we have received from the LORD. God mercifully preserved her and her son, even though they were not of His chosen people. Shes angry. RECORDING DATE: July 3, 2020. Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house (where Elijah was staying) became ill. It takes courage to go to your neighbors and ask them for something. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. The article went on to say that it is the same for us. Thanks so much for the exposition of the story of the widow of zarephath. Upon seeing her son, the widow said to Elijah, Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth (1 Kings 17:24 NKJV). Elisha had the widow AND her sons going to their neighbors and asking for vessels. There is always spiritual warfare over your hearts loyalty. Soon after, her son dies, and Elijah pleads to God for the power to resurrect him. For this is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: The large jar of flour will not run out, and the small jar of oil will not run dry until the day Jehovah makes it rain on the surface of the ground.1Kings 17:11-14. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. She was a Gentile, an outsider. Jewish Women's Archive. | She did exactly what he instructed to the letter. The faith of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath helps us to realize that God wants to trust Him each day. You must be joking. But that was not this widows reaction. Were not told of her praying to God herself, but she did know to go to Gods man for direction, and possibly, a miracle. Think of a time God provided for your financial needs. After that, every time she dipped her hand into the flour, every time she poured oil from the jug, the widow saw another miracle unfold, another sign of favor, additional evidence of God's provision. Yes, in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.Acts 10:35. Jehovah was listening. The Rabbis applied to this woman the verse from the Eshet Hayil (Woman of Valor) passage (Prov. The resurrection of her son was an event in her life that truly strengthened her faith. Amen. Let us know. 11:1617]. She had always loved the sea, but now its watery abundance seemed only to mock her, reminding her of all she lacked. But know this God is in the business of performing miracles for which only he can get the glory. Well never know what went through her head, but we do know that when Elisha gave her an assignment to do, she willingly obeyed without question. The Widow of Zarephath did not know who Elijah was, and she did not know that there would be more meal and oil left over after she had fed him. Lord God, these are difficult times for so many. So they willingly gave. The Widow of Zarephath is that perfect example of going hand in hand with Jesus I so often speak about. More than anything, the story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath can teach us a lot. Elijah also had a moment of doubt. He dedicated his life to studying and serving God which meant he was dependent on others to provide for him financially. Learn how your comment data is processed. In that moment she chose to trust God. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Did she expect a miracle or was she more practical minded? God told Elijah to go to Zarephath and find a widow. This womans husband was one of those students. He knew the current reality did not measure up with Gods promise. Though she starved herself to feed her child, his distended belly accused her. , trust and obedience to the widow was not worried about giving this stranger a drink, but now watery! 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