It was then that the widow knew that Elijah was a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth. Media information about this sermon Title: Raising The Faith Of The Widow Of ZarephathTitle in Tamil: . I will command a widow there to supply you with food.1Kings 17:1-9. 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. But God is full of surprises. After this, the womans son falls ill and dies (v. 17). The Bible is filled with God granting miracles for widows. Series: Women in the Bible. The Widow had her last bit of sustenance left in this life.But she was so willing to give from it. APA Style Citation: We ask today that you be with those women who are struggling financially, especially those who are widows or single moms. Not in a way that is driven by anxiety. 17) and Gods command to stop the drought (beginning of chap. It will be said that two keys are held by the disciple and one by the Master! Baals, the false gods, were erected all over the land of Israel and places of idol worship were on every corner. You can follow me on social media, follow my blog, or contact me directly via email or my contact form. She went back to Elisha to ask what she was to do next. Are you looking for God to answer you through the divine connection of relationship Hes placed in your life? He will provide for our needs on a daily basis. There is hardly a person who cannot relate to struggling with something for a long, Continue reading 5 Faith lessons from the woman with the issue of blood in the BibleContinue, The lessons from the life of Sarah in the Bible are all so interesting because her story is filled so much drama. Did she think that her sons death was punishment from God and that Elijah was Gods messenger of death? 37:25): I have been young and am now old, but I have never seen a righteous man abandoned, or his children seeking bread. God does not abandon the righteous or their children in time of famine, and if drought comes to the world, He arranges sustenance for them. I look forward to hearing from you! Then we should follow Jehovahs direction, no matter how difficult it may be to accept. God told Elijah to go to Zarephath and find a widow. Instead, he sometimes intervenes by miraculous understatement, in this case by making sure that a little bit of oil and flourjust enough for a small loafdidn't run out. Shed fill it with oil from her original container. Fear can be just as strong as faithif you let it. Yes, God sustained her household through the drought, but there is more to her relationship with Gods prophet. So keep fighting with God for your faith. She was a widow living in Zarephath, a city in Zidon about where Lebanon is today. He doesn't pat them on the back and say he's sorry life is so tough. Join the women of prayer simulstudy Coming January 9, All Gods Women Bible Study Facebook group, Shunammite Woman: Cool, Calm, Collected Sharon Wilharm Christian Storyteller. ( 1Ki 17:8-24; Lu 4:25, 26) It later marked an . She left a legacy of faith that has lasted for generations. She prepared food for Elijah with the last of her food, and trusted his words that her barrel would not be empty. Elijah lived with her for 2 years and God provided enough for each day.God did not provide a whole barrel full at once. Jezebel had commanded all the prophets in the land to be killed. How like God to construct a parable of grace during a time of judgment, to display his mercy and power in the midst of weakness and need. When God saw that there was suffering in the world but Elijah was unaware of it, He told him to go to Zarephath, the widow (BT Sanhedrin 113a). Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2541,. Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son. He dedicated his life to studying and serving God which meant he was dependent on others to provide for him financially. Sometimes our blessing is bound up with our serviceWhen we share, no matter how small, we are enriched. Oh Desmond, I hear you and I definitely understand the fear. Sometimes Jehovah allows our faith in him to be tested. But what a wise decision she made! He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake. They may have little or no knowledge of Jehovah and need help to accept true worship. There it was the promise of a miracle. PRIVACY SETTINGS, The Widow of Zarephath Was Rewarded for Her Faith, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/m/402014124/univ/art/402014124_univ_sqr_xl.jpg, THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED) February2014, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/a/ws/E/20140215/wpub/ws_E_20140215_lg.jpg, Share He stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this childs soul come into him again. The LORD heard the cries of Elijah and revived the child. He encouraged her to gather as many as she could. This woman didn't know that the LORD is a loving LORD. She did what had to be done because she had faith in the LORD. Thank you so much J. Edith, just checking back to see how you are doing. Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. (Luke 4:25,26) Her story teaches us that God blesses those doing good to his servants. We learned she did not have but a handful of meal in her barrel, and a little oil in the curse she did not have a cake for Elijah. And note that his prayers were no small prayers and his faith was equally huge. The Widow of Zarephath Was Rewarded for Her Faith, Publication download options She is introduced to us by saying she was gathering sticks when Elijah called her to fetch him a little water and a morsel of bread. And in case you are wondering if it is possible to trust God in such a way, the last of the Widow of Zarephath lessons will bring the point home. We have to allow the Lord into our lives and accept His loving kindness and live by faith that He is with us through our journey through live. We can really pray for and trust God for BIG things. You can imagine what some people might have said: Give away our last meal? The Widow of Zarephath lessons that we will explore in this post might challenge you. Amen. 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. So Elijah, the prophet of God, declared a three year drought over the land of Israel. Have you ever been in as desperate a situation as the widow was in? It is hard to separate her from Hagar and her husband. It was ironic since generally, Israelites were not supposed to be mixing with the surrounding nations. After declaring no more rain, Elijah hid himself in the Kerith Ravine, east of Jordan, where the Lord sustained him with water from a brook and food ravens brought to him (1 Kings 17:5). The Rabbis also learned that giving food to someone else is a virtue that results in the resurrection of the dead before its time: because the widow from Zarephath gave food to Elijah, she merited the reviving of her son. They further state that when Elijah revived the widows son, he could have resurrected his dead relatives, as well. FACT #5 The son of the Widow at Zarephath remains nameless. Episode 86: Fat Torah with Minna Bromberg. God richly bless you. When Elijah declares that her food would not run out, the Widow steps out on this word and uses her last bit of flour and oil to make him a meal. The widow could see that Elijah was an Israelite who served God. (Matthew 6:25-34) This account also shows us that Jehovah has the desire and the ability to resurrect the dead. This next of the Widow of Zarephath lessons is an exciting one. But she would also be the first woman to witness God's power to raise the dead, which he did in response to Elijah's repeated prayers on behalf of her child. As we read more about her, we will learn some very important lessons. A Phoenician town 'belonging to' or apparently dependent upon Sidon in Elijah's day. Her houseguest says: See, your son is alive.. An unexpected check comes just when you need it. The story of Peter in the Bible teaches that. Please take away the fear and anxiety that the enemy is trying to use to intimidate your child. The rest of the story is the little child was brought back to life by the LORD God. In her mind, the end is near. Elisha could have just given her the money she needed. We do not know her name, but she is a widow living in the town of Zarephath. In all your ways take notice of him, and he will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5,6. It is not because of our righteousness or any of our good works that we were saved by Him. Right now, feel free to press pause, and get on your knees and pour out your heart to the Lord Jesus. Even her name is lost to the history. Elijahs names means Yahweh is my God. The LORD God had commanded this widow woman to sustain someone she did not know during a time of great drought and starvation. I will not talk much about Naomi here as I have dedicated an entire, Continue reading Characteristics of Ruth in the Bible (and lessons from the story of Ruth and Boaz)Continue, The story of Rizpah in the Bible is one of the absolutely gory and heartbreaking sagas in all of Scripture. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. The widow's faith saved not only her son and herself but actually provided a refuge for Elijah, who may have wondered why God chose such flimsy protectiona destitute woman who lived in the territory of his worst enemy, Jezebel. And for those of us who struggle in our faith, He always meets us where we are in our imperfect faith and helps us grow. Today she had scraped the last bit of flour from the barrel and poured the last drop of oil from the jug. Was she the woman who would give food to the prophet? Elijah arose and went to Wadi Cherith, where the ravens brought him bread and meat (v. 2). 16) and the drought (beginning of chap. The curse of the teacher is not fulfilled, but that of his disciple is? Lord God, please be with Edith. Holstein, Joanne (2015) The Widow of Zarephath:. Becker Bible Studies Library (April), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2541, (accessed). If you want to share this resource with others, please share the link to the blog post. Make learning about the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17:7-24 fun with this no prep, printable activity sheet word-find and digital EASEL activity. The prophet had to take out a loan in order to provide for his family. 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.' The Widow of Zarephaths story begins while she is at the gate gathering a few sticks so she can go home and prepare the last little bit of food for herself and her son. Did the woman remember a past sin that bothered her conscience? Baal was said to be the god of the weather. But hard times is nothing new. They are sure. Ahab and Jezebel were ruling the Kingdom of Israel in wickedness. The Widow of Zarephath had nothing for her own family to eat, much less a prophet. The second of the encouraging Widow of Zarephath lessons is a bit of a cliche. For her to move forward in obedience and faith, she needed to put away fear. It took great faith for Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath to believe God. From Ahabs slaughterhouse. Chicago Style Citation: There is much curiosity about what he was called but there is no record of his name in all of Scripture. Go in and do as you said. This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. He obeyed, finding a woman gathering sticks. 3). TERMS OF USE What about you? So many people are prevented from reaching their goals, accessing their blessings, and living an abundant life because of fear. This exposition, based on the juxtaposition of the resurrection of the widows son (end of chap. The fact that God resurrects the dead was already shown by Elijah, Elisha and Ezekiel (Lev. This is so insightful and inspiring. Then sit back and listen to what He has to say. This was the hometown of Jezeb el, wife of King Ahab. How special that Elisha involved the sons in the gathering and filling. And thanks so much for that insight. Because of the reviving of her son, she knew that Elijah was a man of the LORD God, and that the word of the LORD in his mouth is truth. In their meeting in the mourners house, Ahab asked Elijah: The curse of Joshua is fulfilled, but the curse of Moses is not? Not all those who lived in Zarephath were completely corrupt. It was a wicked time where the worship of false gods was practice. THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED), Copyright 2023 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. I am so happy that you have found what you need for you sermon. 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 31 December 1999. FACT #3 Elijah knew she was a widow because of what she was wearing. Elijahs life is saved.Her blessings were full to the running over. I look forward to hearing from you in the days ahead. He wants us to lean on him and depend on him daily.It takes faith to deal with this. The Rabbis expound that the cake that the widow made for Elijah was similar to mazzah (unleavened bread) and to the mazzah cakes eaten by the Israelites when they departed from Egypt. There are so many people of faith in the Bible. How hard it was to suffer her fears alone, to wake in the night with no one to warm her, no one to whisper sweet lies about tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by Evangelist Solomon. However, Jehovah noticed something special in the heart of this widow. Just Elijahs presence in the land was an offense to the enemy. Why does God allow godly men to die young? She did exactly what he instructed to the letter. This misfortune turned out to be a miracle and not only did the widow of Zarephath receive the blessing that her supply of flour and oil would never run out but she gained the life of her son after he died. Elijah was feed by ravens for many days. She had every right to refuse. The life of a ministers wife can be difficult. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Elijah began to entreat God, and said (v. 20): Will You bring calamity upon this widow whose guest I am, and let her son die? The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that persons well-being. Blessings. The worship of the true God was at an all time low. Elijah struggled with wobbly faith, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. This was not a miracle to be witnessed by the masses, but rather a private blessing for this little family to see God at work. Another trial was going to test the widows faith. And I mean bad in a good way. This womans husband was one of those students. Read a psalm or two. Tell Him your situation. Yet, what did Elijah say? ". Elijah prayed that God give him the key of the resurrection of the dead, but he was told from Heaven: Three keys were not entrusted to an agent [i.e., an agent responsible for them], but remained with God, namely: the key of the woman giving birth, the key of rain and the key of the resurrection of the dead. Elijah asks her for a piece of bread, and the destitute widow invites him to her home where she uses her last bit of flour and oil to bake for him. Jehovah listened to Elijahs prayer and brought the child back to life. If everything was dying, she should have had more access to firewood. Required fields are marked *. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. There was a famine of food. We can learn so many lessons from the story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath. 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. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. The husband may have been called by God, but the wife may feel shes just along for the ride with no say in the situation. FACT #3 - Elijah knew she was a widow because of what she was wearing. In fact, our biggest following is in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. Yes, the large jar of flour did not run out, and the small jar of oil did not run dry, according to Jehovahs word that he had spoken through Elijah. (1Kings 17:16; 18:1) If that woman had acted differently, the loaf of bread that she made from her small supply of flour and oil might have become her last meal. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. Elijah orders the woman to prepare a small cake for him (v. 13). Elijah also had a moment of doubt. The Prophet Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath illustrates the biblical story of the encounter between prophet Elijah and a widow and her son gathering sticks when he arrives at the town of Zarephath. Go home and do as you have said. The houseguest is Gods prophet Elijah. Completely. Tears escaped her eyes, try as she might to blink them back. Hiel had transgressed Joshuas prohibition against rebuilding Jericho (Josh. The Widow of Zarephath was desperately poor! But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me and then make something for yourself and your son. Elijah turns up and two things are obvious. The widow did exactly as he instructed. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. After we eat it, well die (1 Kings 17:12 MSG). When this happened, she was ready to be used by God.And used her he did. Why? He will not allow the enemy to snatch you up without a fight. Elijah was told to dwell by the brook Cheribth. Instead, challenge yourself to get to that place where your faith triumphs over your fear. Daily provision for food for three years. Then behind her, she hears him ask for a piece of bread. Join with other women in theAll Gods Women Bible Study Facebook group. You must be joking. But that was not this widows reaction. As a woman who endured extreme difficulties, her story reveals God's power to provide what we need the mosta commodity of the heart called faith. In today's episode of All God's Women we look at the Prophet's Widow, a woman with debt collectors knocking on her door and she had no way to repay them. Am much encouraged at the same time I was looking for further understanding about the story of Elijah and the widow since for the first time I will be giving the word of God where I fellowship.i thank God for leading me and giving me what I was looking for through this page.for sure fear and anxiety has been killing me but this word has ministered to me.help me God. The widow then told Elijah: Now I know that you truly are a man of God and that Jehovahs word in your mouth is truth.1Kings 17:22-24. In those days, widows, especially those without sons, were very vulnerable. (Luke 4:25-26). They had to be scared. Elijah carried the boys limp body to the roof chamber and cried out: OJehovah my God, are you also bringing harm to the widow with whom I am staying by putting her son to death? It deeply upset Elijah to think that Jehovahs name would be dishonored if this kind and hospitable woman was allowed to suffer even more. And when she completed the task, she again went to him for the next step. Thank you for stopping by. You give freely to those in need. During this time in history God rose up prophets like Elisha who held prophecy schools where they tutored or trained other prophets in the ancient Law. Reinforce vocabulary and Bible studies with a fun printable wordsearch puzzle. If you are going through a rough patch, you will find encouragement. But he had died before the drought, leaving her with a small son, a house, and little else. The city serves as part of her identification. 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. Umma, the widow of Zarephath lived in a prime real estate location but did not have two sticks to rub together and make a fire. Lets keep in touch. Her name didnt matter, but her faith and obedience will forever be remembered. We know this because she said: As surely as Jehovah your God is living. It seems that even though she knew some things about Israels God, she was not serving him. 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]. Instead of cursing the stranger for his callousness, as we might expect, the woman did exactly as he had requested, feeding him the food she had reserved for herself and her son. Losing a spouse is hard enough, but now, while this woman is still dealing with the grief of her loved one, she discovers that he took out a loan and shes required to pay it off. She had nothing to offer but a jar of oil. You can read about it in 1Kings chapter17. Can you imagine just a little attitude in her response to him? We can learn a very important lesson from this. ", Graciously, she had gone to fetch it, only to have him call after her, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread.". So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. Elijah had to run for his life. Rabbah 4:2). A POOR widow hugs her boy, her only child. And in each case, God showed them that they werent alone and that He cared for them. If only her husband were alive to squeeze a harvest from the fields. Plead your case. Elijah is commanded to go to Sidon, where he will be fed by a widow (17:9). for(var i=0; i. Titus 3:1-7 is a reminder that we all have been foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. Here is a young woman whos had a difficult life.

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