Elijah Visits a Widow at Zarephath

Topic: Provision
Passage: 1 Kings 17:1–24

January 5, 2022

Commentary

 

 

Elijah’s prophetic ministry dominates this section of the book of l Kings. He had been prepared by the Lord to demonstrate to all of Israel that God and not Baal is still the only true God. Perhaps as Elijah heard reports of Jezebel’s increasing maneuverings to replace the worship of the Lord with Baal worship his godly heart was stirred up. God gave him a mission..

 

Appearing suddenly on the scene, Elijah stood before Ahab and announced a three and one-half year drought. Having made this dramatic announcement, Elijah was told by the Lord to leave Samaria and travel eastward. He was to ride from Ahab by the brook Cherish, east of the Jordan River. There the Lord provided him with water, bread and meat brought by the ravens. (l7:l-7).

 

In his next directive Elijah is sent into Jezebel’s home territory. From here he went to Zarephath where God had already commanded a “widow” to provide for him. Although the widow only had enough flour and oil to make bread that would last for one meal for her and her son, Elijah assured her that God would provide.

 

Soon after his arrival the widow’s son died. She had a guilty conscience and immediately concluded that God was punishing her for her sin by killing her son. She took him to Elijah and he took the child and prayed. His prayer was not a simple request but out of a heart of deep concern. The Lord miraculously restored the boy’s life. This is the first recorded instance in Scripture of restoration to life of one who had died. This miracle proved to the widow that Elijah was indeed a man of God.

 

Application

 

 

In a nation that was required by law to care for its prophets it is ironic that God turned to unclean birds and a widow who was a foreigner to care for Elijah. It is amazing how God provided for me in areas where I least expected it.

 

1 Kings 17:1– 24 (NET)

1 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.” 2 The Lord’s message came to him: 3 “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 4 Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.” 5 So he carried out the Lord’s message; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 6 The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.

7 After a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 The Lord’s message came to him, 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” 10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a little water in a cup, so I can take a drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” 12 She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make me a small cake and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” 15 She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. 16 The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken through Elijah.

17 After this the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. 18 She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come to me to confront me with my sin and kill my son?” 19 He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. 20 Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” 22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. 23 Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” 24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet and that the Lord’s message really does come through you.”

Elijah Visits a Widow at Zarephath

Topic: Provision
Passage: 1 Kings 17:1–24

November 30, 2021

Commentary

 

 

Elijah’s prophetic ministry dominates this section of the book of l Kings. He had been prepared by the Lord to demonstrate to all of Israel that God and not Baal is still the only true God. Perhaps as Elijah heard reports of Jezebel’s increasing maneuverings to replace the worship of the Lord with Baal worship his godly heart was stirred up. God gave him a mission..

 

Appearing suddenly on the scene, Elijah stood before Ahab and announced a three and one-half year drought. Having made this dramatic announcement, Elijah was told by the Lord to leave Samaria and travel eastward. He was to ride from Ahab by the brook Cherish, east of the Jordan River. There the Lord provided him with water, bread and meat brought by the ravens. (l7:l-7).

 

In his next directive Elijah is sent into Jezebel’s home territory. From here he went to Zarephath where God had already commanded a “widow” to provide for him. Although the widow only had enough flour and oil to make bread that would last for one meal for her and her son, Elijah assured her that God would provide.

 

Soon after his arrival the widow’s son died. She had a guilty conscience and immediately concluded that God was punishing her for her sin by killing her son. She took him to Elijah and he took the child and prayed. His prayer was not a simple request but out of a heart of deep concern. The Lord miraculously restored the boy’s life. This is the first recorded instance in Scripture of restoration to life of one who had died. This miracle proved to the widow that Elijah was indeed a man of God.

 

Application

 

 

In a nation that was required by law to care for its prophets it is ironic that God turned to unclean birds and a widow who was a foreigner to care for Elijah. It is amazing how God provided for me in areas where I least expected it.

 

1 Kings 17:1– 24 (NET)

1 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.” 2 The Lord’s message came to him: 3 “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 4 Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.” 5 So he carried out the Lord’s message; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. 6 The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.

7 After a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 The Lord’s message came to him, 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” 10 So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a little water in a cup, so I can take a drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” 12 She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make me a small cake and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord God of Israel has said: ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” 15 She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. 16 The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken through Elijah.

17 After this the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. 18 She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come to me to confront me with my sin and kill my son?” 19 He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. 20 Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” 22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. 23 Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” 24 The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet and that the Lord’s message really does come through you.”