return false; Jezebel had commanded all the prophets in the land to be killed. 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. Can you imagine just a little attitude in her response to him? Rabbah [ed. Elisha told her to go to all of her neighbors and borrow empty vessels from them. Think of a time God provided for your financial needs. The people there worshiped Baal, the god of rain. What could the widows husband have done differently? She is well-known as a counselor to Christian faithful who are struggling with tremendous burden in these difficult times. Elijah needed to trust that if God said provision would be made, then Gods promise would be fulfilled. But God is still providing for Elijah for now God sends Elijah to the care of a widow. Are you looking for God to answer you through the divine connection of relationship Hes placed in your life? Copyright 2022| Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians |, The Psychological Condition of Depression. The Widow of Zarephath is an example of faith. Indeed, "the large jar of flour did not run out, and the small jar of oil did not . Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son. The widow went to Elisha and pleaded her case. He took God at his word. As they filled up the vessels they were to set aside the ones that were full. 3). There were so many possibilities to this story. There is much curiosity about what he was called but there is no record of his name in all of Scripture. Terms of Use: The contents of this blog post are restricted to your personal use only. They handed those empty vessels to their mom and watched as she filled them with oil. No one repented, and Elijah was forced to live in hiding. Then Elisha had the widow and her sons closing the door before filling the jars. You might be living from hand to mouth but recognize that it is Gods hands to your mouth. In their meeting in the mourners house, Ahab asked Elijah: The curse of Joshua is fulfilled, but the curse of Moses is not? He said to her, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink," and, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand" (verses 11-12). There is, after all, a drought in progress. It was a wicked time where the worship of false gods was practice. We can assume she is the only widow in her city. Here are a few details about her that will help you to understand her story. Rabbah 2:5:3). It may require you to look around at what you have and do something with the resources Hes already blessed you with. So inspiring and, encouraging and hope-giving. But they did have extra containers. God bless. For him to pay the debt? Then sit back and listen to what He has to say. Lord God, these are difficult times for so many. She feeds Elijah in her home. The widow did exactly as he instructed. Rabbah 4:2). The Rabbis relate that this son was Jonah son of Amittai, who was completely righteous, and would eventually enter the Garden of Eden while still alive (Midrash Tehilim 26:7). Amen. This man of God is asking for the last of all she has. It took great faith for Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath to believe God. And in each case, God showed them that they . When the Widow of Zarephath expresses concern for her meagre meal, Elijah told her, Do not be afraid.. She cannot believe what she is seeing. But God is full of surprises. The Widow had her last bit of sustenance left in this life.But she was so willing to give from it. The life of a ministers wife can be difficult. Today she had scraped the last bit of flour from the barrel and poured the last drop of oil from the jug. The story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephtah can be found in the following Bible verses: 1 Kings 17: 8-24. Joanne Holstein is a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and Author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. Ahab and Jezebel were ruling the Kingdom of Israel in wickedness. Elijah could be seen as taking advantage of the vulnerable in society.Nevertheless, she was quite giving. Zarephath was a gentile country. Lord God, please be with Edith. 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). Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house (where Elijah was staying) became ill. How could she do so, since she was so poor? Covid has stolen so much from so many, destroying businesses, eliminating jobs, taking away hope for the future. Lieberman], Ekev, p. 74). 1 Kings 17:9-24, Luke 4:25-26. Life Story of Prophet W.M.B - Part 1; Mystery Of The Godhead Revealed? Zarephath rest inside the region of Sidon, the native country of Queen Jezebel, the woman who married the wicked King Ahab . 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 Rabbis applied to this woman the verse from the Eshet Hayil (Woman of Valor) passage (Prov. 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. 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. WMB English Version; WMB Tamil Version; Gallery. New International Version (NIV). The widows faith in Elijahs God, Jehovah, kept her and her son alive. Through her obedience, God sustained the prophet and her household. 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. Gods purposes are so much higher and wider than what we imagine. God will do what He needs to do to secure your hearts complete loyalty. Once she had the jars, jugs, and pots collected she was to shut the door behind her and she and her sons would pour the oil they had into the vessels theyd gathered. You are our Provider when we have nothing. Please take away the fear and anxiety that the enemy is trying to use to intimidate your child. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Lessons from the Canaanite Woman and her Faith. She said to Elijah, What do you have against me, man of God? It is sometimes said we wear our sins on our sleeves. Second, she was in no position to feed anybody. But know this God is in the business of performing miracles for which only he can get the glory. Elijah tells her not to be afraid, but instead to Go home and do as you have said. Was she looking for a handout? Ive been serving the Lord for sometime know,but I still have this fear in me,and Im also afraid of going to hell,because Jesus says in his word,deny me on earth and I deny you on the day of jugdment,this sermon give Im hope in putting faith before my fear Amen. Ahab was the king in Israel at a crucial time. And in each case, God showed them that they werent alone and that He cared for them. Yet, what did Elijah say? And he was fighting to rescue the hearts of his people from worshiping things that would not serve them. Wrap your arms around her and remind her that shes not alone, that you see her and you love her very much. The Widow of Zarephath is that perfect example of going hand in hand with Jesus I so often speak about. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. We will get back to the context of Jesus . 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. 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. Ask Him what youre supposed to do. Not only that, but the debt collector is trying to take away her two sons and turn them into slaves. The Bible does not tell us, but we know this: The widow did not accuse God of doing anything wrong. Holstein, Joanne (2015) The Widow of Zarephath:. Becker Bible Studies Library (April), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2541, (accessed). At one point, Elijah thought he was the last living prophet (1 Kings 18:22). } She did what had to be done because she had faith in the LORD. Forgive us when we lose faith and forget what an awesome God You are. 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. If there was ever a Hallmark-worthy story in the Bible, this is it. This is why the ketiv [the Scriptural text as written, in v. 15] has he and she had food, while the keri [the traditional reading] has she and he had food. The Rabbis ask why, then, does God say: I have designated a widow there to feed youdid he eat from her food? "); The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 17:8-24; Luke 4:25-26 Is the man mad? If you are going through a rough patch, you will find encouragement. Hopefully we can see it as God positioning us for blessing. In her mind, the end is near. Like Naaman, her faith was unlikely and Jesus makes reference to him as well. Concubine of a Levite: Midrash and Aggadah, Daughters of Zelophehad: Midrash and Aggadah, The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Copyright 19982023, Jewish Women's Archive. Have you ever been in as desperate a situation as the widow was in? Most important she learned that the word of the LORD is the truth. We will be greatly blessed if we do what this wise proverb says: Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. He cried out to God and asked that the boys life return to Him. But how precious that they were able to be active participants in the miraculous provision for their needs. 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. That concludes this weeks episode of All Gods Women. And note that his prayers were no small prayers and his faith was equally huge. 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. 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.. He wants us to lean on him and depend on him daily.It takes faith to deal with this. No matter how small or insignificant, we have something to give to someone else to help them. Their clothing set them apart so they could receive help from their community. Jehovah will help you if you trust in him when your integrity is tested. Media information about this sermon Title: Raising The Faith Of The Widow Of ZarephathTitle in Tamil: . Provide for her and her children. Amen Blessings to you. Let us know. THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED) February2014, Audio download options Right now, feel free to press pause, and get on your knees and pour out your heart to the Lord Jesus. First, she seemed to be unaware of this command. Much blessings to you my sister. Beg for His mercy and provision. She is a great example of having faith, trust and obedience to the LORD. Even if he had any doubts, Elijah began a conversation with the woman. Praise the living God. 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. Its blessing for me to be Gods instrument of inspiration at this time in your Christian walk . The first of the Widow of Zarephath lessons is that spiritual warfare goes up a notch in times of crisis. Hello Diana. She had a home; she was the "mistress" of the house in 1 Kings 17:17, yet she was "house poor," possessing little to nothing beyond her home. Elijah was feed by ravens for many days. He sent Elijah to the widow to help both her and the prophet. Shes angry. Just as Elijah had promised, the supply of flour and oil lasted day after day, month after month, never failing until at last the rains came and revived the land. I feel encouraged my name is Edith a single mother from Nairobi Kenya .av been going through tough times and its not easy at all kindly pray with me for job opportunities am a qualified interior designer , declutter and organising expert.it really crashes my I got bills and debts and am not able to pay. Open job opportunities for her that will pay for her bills and help pay off her debts. 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. Thank you for stopping by. We can assume she is the only widow in her city. 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). TERMS OF USE }); This man of God is asking for the last of. God sends him to stay by a brook first. 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