Praise the living God. Your email address will not be published. God provides for him through a raven. It took great faith for Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath to believe God. I look forward to hearing from you in the days ahead. The first of the Widow of Zarephath lessons is that spiritual warfare goes up a notch in times of crisis. If everything was dying, she should have had more access to firewood. All He wants us to do is to love him back. (Viewed on January 18, 2023) . Elijahs receiving food from a widow creates a parallelism with Moses, the father of all prophets. While in the widows house, Elijah performs the miracle of the jar of flour and the jug of oil, to which, according to the Rabbis, Prov. Rabbah 27:4). Such a powerful reminder of another of Gods promises at the perfect time. In todays episode of All Gods Women we look at the Prophets Widow, a woman with debt collectors knocking on her door and she had no way to repay them. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Moses, too, received his food from a woman, when Jethro sent his daughters to bring him from the well (Ex. Did the woman remember a past sin that bothered her conscience? 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. 4). Amen Blessings to you. The faith of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath helps us to realize that God wants to trust Him each day. Did you know that All Gods Women can be heard around the world? if( checkboxFields.length ) { 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. For him to pay the debt? And when she gave, something amazing happened. 2:20): Ask him in to break bread (Pesikta Rabbati chap. Not in a way that is driven by anxiety. Would you like to read this article in %%? If there was ever a Hallmark-worthy story in the Bible, this is it. Amen. How could she do so, since she was so poor? 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. But God is full of surprises. Before we get into the lessons from the Widow of Zarephath, let me summarize the story and create some context for you. If you are a Bible study teacher, you are free to allow this content to influence the lessons you teach or the sermons you present. Please take away the fear and anxiety that the enemy is trying to use to intimidate your child. 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. It was almost gone. Much blessings to you my sister. 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. Then Jehovah told Elijah: Rise up, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. You already have the key of rain, and you [also] want the key of the resurrection of the dead? We ask today that you be with those women who are struggling financially, especially those who are widows or single moms. The midrash apparently understands that the food eaten by Elijah during his stay with the widow was of miraculous origin, since the entire land was suffering from a severe drought. Rather, because she received him hospitably and attended to him, this hospitality is ascribed to her, and she also merited having Elijah revive her son (Cant. The people there worshiped Baal, the god of rain. Have you ever witnessed a miracle? (Philippians 4:19). I have directed a widow there to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath. Tune in next week when we talk about the Shunammite woman, a wealthy woman who experienced a life and death miracle from God. Every night she hoped for rain, but every morning she woke to a brilliant sky. The Widow of Zarephath is a picture of faith. Reach US; Reach our Team; Locations; Join on Telegram; Alternate . The Rabbis applied to this the verse (Ps. This womans husband was one of those students. This is another lesson we as women of Christ always need to be reminded of. ", But the man had persisted. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah (1 Kings 17:15-16 NKJV). Another tradition reveals Elijahs dislike of having to rely on other people. God doesn't ignore the needs of those who cannot help themselves. The story of Peter in the Bible teaches that. That concludes this weeks episode of All Gods Women. Well, very little. 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. They continued until all the vessels were full. Later, the widow's faith would again be tested when her young son died. 1 Kings 17:17 tells us it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so bad, that there was no breath left in him. I will be praying for you my brother in Christ. The Widow of Zarephath had nothing for her own family to eat, much less a prophet. This is a short story, but so much packed into it. And in each case, God showed them that they . Rabbah [ed. Zarephath was a gentile country. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2541,. This request was a huge test of faith. This was a humbling activity. The widow did exactly as he instructed. The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that person's well-being. God chose to take the life of the prophet Elijah and intertwine it with the life of the one widow. ", Graciously, she had gone to fetch it, only to have him call after her, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread.". The LORD had been preparing her to be an instrument in His hand. He sent Elijah to the widow to help both her and the prophet. From the Widow of Zarephath we can also learn secrets for success in life and business. Zarephath rest inside the region of Sidon, the native country of Queen Jezebel, the woman who married the wicked King Ahab and required her god, Baal to be worshipped instead of God Almighty (1 King 21:25-26). 6:26), and the resulting curse cost him the lives of his sons: He laid its foundations at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set its gates at the cost of Segub his youngest (I Kings 16:34). A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). Wrap your arms around her and remind her that shes not alone, that you see her and you love her very much. Are you willing to be used by God to speak His truth into the lives of others as He leads you. The prophet had to take out a loan in order to provide for his family. 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 provided for them in ways they didnt expect, and in doing so, demonstrated His amazing love for them. Yet for some reason she believed Elijah and acted accordingly, giving him everything she had. You can follow me on social media, follow my blog, or contact me directly via email or my contact form. She lashes out in her pain at the man she trusted, the man who God used to perform a miracle. (1 Kings 17:17-23). But he had died before the drought, leaving her with a small son, a house, and little else. God sent Elijah to a woman who had nothing so that He could provide for her and her family supernaturally as a result of her faith. She is a leading authority on historical development of Christian churches and the practices and beliefs of world religions and cults. Bible Gateway Plus makes it simple. This was the hometown of Jezeb el, wife of King Ahab. We can learn so many lessons from the story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath. God heard Elijah and the boy lived once again. 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.. The Widow of Zarephath. Jesus will be with you as you speak His words. Its blessing for me to be Gods instrument of inspiration at this time in your Christian walk . Join with other women in theAll Gods Women Bible Study Facebook group. Those who worshipped Baal believed he was the god who brought rains and bountiful harvestso the words Elijah spoke for God were profanity against Jezebels god. What about you? The faith of the Widow of Zeraphath was absolutely stretched to limits! Have you ever been in as desperate a situation as the widow was in? TERMS OF USE She was a widow living in Zarephath, a city in Zidon about where Lebanon is today. The story of a widow, who remained unnamed in the Bible, was important enough to have her faith and obedience recorded in the Bible. She reminded him that her husband had studied with him and that he had feared the Lord, but now he was dead and the creditor was threatening to take her two sons as slaves if she didnt pay off the loan. In that moment she chose to trust God. She needs a miracle. Elijah had declared God's message of judgment on Israel and her wicked king, but the message fell on deaf ears. Gods purposes are so much higher and wider than what we imagine. Another mother gives you her kids' outgrown clothing so you can clothe your own children. 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. The Bible does not tell us, but we know this: The widow did not accuse God of doing anything wrong. If youre a listener in Nairobi, Id love to hear from you and pray with you. 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. 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. Just Elijahs presence in the land was an offense to the enemy. 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. You must be joking. But that was not this widows reaction. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. 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. Just as you saw the prophets widow through difficult times, may you work in a miraculous to take care of Edith. 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. She thought it was a punishment because of her sins. Then behind her, she hears him ask for a piece of bread. There is a widow there who will feed you. God uses something or someone to change your husband's heart just when you thought he didn't love you anymore. Not all those who lived in Zarephath were completely corrupt. When the husband is supposed to provide for the family, and hes busy studying and serving and the family suffers, its easy to feel resentful, to get angry with the husband and with God. Her character: A Phoenician woman, she showed extraordinary hospitality to one of God's prophets, providing a safe harbor for him during a period of famine.Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son.Her joy: To experience repeated miracles of God's provision.Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 17:8-24; Luke 4:25-26. | The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah (1 Kings 17:15-16 NKJV). I love this example of a miracle because it required action from the recipients. But first make me a small round loaf of bread with what is there, and bring it out to me. 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.. 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. Just enough for them to live on a daily basis. Elijah struggled with wobbly faith, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED) February2014, Audio download options It was at a moment of weakness that she doubted. Did she expect a miracle or was she more practical minded? The widow of Zarephath plays a small but important role in Elijah's story. The Rabbis also learned from this episode that giving food to someone else is a great 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 (Cant. Have you ever been in debt? It was ironic since generally, Israelites were not supposed to be mixing with the surrounding nations. Perhaps she had come to know him well in the time that had passed. Why did Elisha have them pouring the oil in the privacy of their home? Rabbah 2:5:3). "Don't be afraid. Baals, the false gods, were erected all over the land of Israel and places of idol worship were on every corner. Now I am gathering a few pieces of wood, and I will go in and make something for me and my son. And this showdown came to a head in the story of Mount Carmel. 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. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. Who has God sent into your life to help you? Second, she was in no position to feed anybody. 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). But these were difficult times. If you are going through a rough patch, you will find encouragement. The Widow of Zarephath Was Rewarded for Her Faith, Publication download options BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. The Widow had her last bit of sustenance left in this life.But she was so willing to give from it. return true; Elijah was staying with the widow and her household while there was a drought in the land. Tears escaped her eyes, try as she might to blink them back. Life Story of Prophet W.M.B - Part 1; Mystery Of The Godhead Revealed? Elijah arose and went to Wadi Cherith, where the ravens brought him bread and meat (v. 2). 1 Kings 17:9-24, Luke 4:25-26. 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. How were the widows sons involved in the miracle? She depended on her husband to provide for her and their sons, but he was so busy studying and serving that he didnt bring in enough income to meet their basic needs. Jehovah will help you if you trust in him when your integrity is tested. Elijah prayed and from heaven he was given the key of rain, so that it would descend only at his command. 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. Luke 4:25-26. Rabbah 2:5:3). These days she stood with shoulders hunched as though to hide her breasts. THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED), Copyright 2023 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. 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.' Are you open to hearing His voice when He speaks through others? In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we have a living prophet again on the earth! Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. Reinforce vocabulary and Bible studies with a fun printable wordsearch puzzle. if( checkboxFields[i].checked ) { Elijahs names means Yahweh is my God. What do we know about the Widow of Zarephath whose story is found in I Kings 17:8-24? So he made the request for food on faith, knowing that God would no doubt watch over his word and make it come to pass. He told her to sell the oil, pay back the debt, and she and her sons could live off of whatever remained. He would even take oil-lamps and wicks with him when he went from place to place, so as not to trouble others. Although the poor widow of Zarephath lived in an area where many people worshipped idols, she showed faith in Jehovah. It is not unusual that during times of great stress we forget all the blessings we have received from the LORD. The prophet immediately responded to the king: As the Lord lives, the God of Israel [] there will be no dew or rain except at my bidding (I Kings 17:1). Elisha could have just given her the money she needed. The widow didnt have much. 1 Kings 17: 10-16: "So he arose and went to Zarephath. They had to be scared. I am blessed that you have been encouraged. The story of the bleeding woman is one of the most moving in the Scriptures. return false; There is always spiritual warfare over your hearts loyalty. God bless. Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house (where Elijah was staying) became ill. Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son? (1 Kings 17:17-18 NIV). I have learned this though: Even for people who have denied Jesus, there is forgiveness and complete restoration. When her level of faith was compared to those who claimed to know God, she stood head and shoulders above them. There it was the promise of a miracle. And he was fighting to rescue the hearts of his people from worshiping things that would not serve them. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijahs time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Then he died, leaving his helpless widow owing money and having no way to pay off the debt. As she decided to care for Gods spokesperson, God provided miraculously for her household. The Widow of Zarephath didnt blame Elijah or the LORD for the death of her son. God sends him to stay by a brook first. Covid has stolen so much from so many, destroying businesses, eliminating jobs, taking away hope for the future.
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