Much blessings to you my sister. These women challenged the beliefs and practices of their day. } Then Elisha had the widow and her sons closing the door before filling the jars. Comfort her when shes feeling overwhelmed. Tune in next week when we talk about the Shunammite woman, a wealthy woman who experienced a life and death miracle from God. Elijah was told to dwell by the brook Cheribth. She feeds Elijah in her home. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, kept her and her son alive. Yet for some reason she believed Elijah and acted accordingly, giving him everything she had. God will do what He needs to do to secure your hearts complete loyalty. 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. Instead of asking for forgiveness and repenting, we dwell on the short comings of our sins blaming everything bad that has happens in our lives. Do you stare at the bills and wonder how on earth theyre ever going to get paid? Look! It was almost gone. if( checkboxFields.length ) { Blessings to you also. First, go directly to God. What was she expecting when she went to Elisha for help? The Message says she said, I swear, as surely as your God lives, I dont have so much as a biscuit. Elijah had to run for his life. They are sure. So many people are prevented from reaching their goals, accessing their blessings, and living an abundant life because of fear. 1 Kings 17: 10-16: "So he arose and went to Zarephath. We need to know about the time period she lived in and the events that led to her faithfulness to the LORD. The widow had shown faith and had cared for Elijahs needs. She had nothing to offer but a jar of oil. The city serves as part of her identification. She heard, understood and walked that walk of faith. Im using this story to talk about faith to hear and hearken to Gods prophets throughout the ages. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. God never leaves his people without guidance and direction. 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. I have learned this though: Even for people who have denied Jesus, there is forgiveness and complete restoration. This is a real and raw story about injustice, loss,, Continue reading Rizpah in the Bible Characteristics and lessons learnedContinue, Studying faith in Bible stories is one of my favorite ways to encourage my heart, especially in rough times. Have an update or correction? Rabbah [ed. God did not abandon that poor widow. Ahab and Jezebel worshipped Baal. Then behind her, she hears him ask for a piece of bread. Joanne Holstein is a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and Author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. Amen. 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. After this, the womans son falls ill and dies (v. 17). The Widow of Zarephath. Jewish Women's Archive. Im sorry I didnt respond sooner. The curse of the teacher is not fulfilled, but that of his disciple is? An unexpected check comes just when you need it. 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. 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? Why does God allow godly men to die young? Just as you saw the prophets widow through difficult times, may you work in a miraculous to take care of Edith. There it was the promise of a miracle. Another tradition reveals Elijahs dislike of having to rely on other people. He doesn't urge them to pick themselves up and get going when they have no resources to do so. We are totally dependent of the Lord in every aspect of our lives. 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. There is much curiosity about what he was called but there is no record of his name in all of Scripture. But it was also a declaration that although it seemed like God was absent, He was very much present. But these were difficult times. The Widow of Zarephath, the mother of the dying boy was afraid it was her fault because her sins were remembered and they were so bad that the LORD God slayed her son. The resurrection of her son was an event in her life that truly strengthened her faith. 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). Kadari, Tamar. Elijah also had a moment of doubt. She lashes out in her pain at the man she trusted, the man who God used to perform a miracle. The LORD knew her, knew all about her situation, and the condition of her heart. Here is a prayer for you Lord, I pray you will be with your servant Shelmith. Elijahs life is saved.Her blessings were full to the running over. 3). 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. Terms of Use: The contents of this blog post are restricted to your personal use only. The LORD God told His prophet Elijah that because of the wickedness of the people He would cause there not to be rain in the land for three and a half years. We ask today that you be with those women who are struggling financially, especially those who are widows or single moms. This was the hometown of Jezeb el, wife of King Ahab. Such a powerful reminder of another of Gods promises at the perfect time. Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son. Are you looking for God to answer you through the divine connection of relationship Hes placed in your life? As she decided to care for Gods spokesperson, God provided miraculously for her household. Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. God did not abandon that poor widow. This woman didnt know that the LORD is a loving LORD. Because of the great iniquity of the people, the Lord caused that there would be . Just as Elijah promised, Jehovah multiplied her meager supplies so that they sustained Elijah, the widow, and her son until the drought ended. If we have faith, it said, we will get the blessing; if we do not [have faith], we will lose it.. As we read more about her, we will learn some very important lessons. Amen. The woman, only referred to as the "widow of Zarephath," demonstrates a powerful faith through her obedience in 1 Kings. 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. Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 17:8-24; Luke 4:25-26 Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. She was obedient and faithful to the LORD. When we do this we are also forgetting the loving kindness of LORD God. Hers is a story of the pain of loss and grief. Now I am gathering a few pieces of wood, and I will go in and make something for me and my son. 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. Covid has stolen so much from so many, destroying businesses, eliminating jobs, taking away hope for the future. He cried out to God and asked that the boys life return to Him. He doesn't pat them on the back and say he's sorry life is so tough. 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). He will provide for our needs on a daily basis. The Widow had her last bit of sustenance left in this life.But she was so willing to give from it. Ive stopped saying we should challenge God for big things.Actually, nothing challenges God. She was a widow living in Zarephath, a city in Zidon about where Lebanon is today. 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 said to Elijah, What do you have against me, man of God? We meet the Prophets Widow in 2 Kings chapter 4. Elijah worshipped Jehovah. RECORDING DATE: July 3, 2020. In this case, the widow appears to have been supportive of her husband. Give back the key of rain, and take the key of the resurrection of the dead. Accordingly, after Elijah revived the widows son, the Biblical text states (I Kings 18:1): Go, appear before Ahab; then I will send rain, because he had to return the key of rain and stop the drought (BT Sanhedrin 113a). When Elijah sees the woman God told him to meet, he asks her for a cup of water. When God sends Elijah to the Widow, the instruction was that he had commanded her to feed. WMB English Version; WMB Tamil Version; Gallery. 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. Ahab was the king in Israel at a crucial time. APA Style Citation: This a very short Widow of Zarephath lesson about the power of fear versus the power of faith.. When the drought began, God hid Elijah from Ahab and miraculously fed the prophet by using ravens to bring meat and bread for him to eat. "Then the LORD said to Elijah, 'Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. The widow went to Elisha and pleaded her case. for(var i=0; i How Soon After Monoclonal Antibodies Will I Feel Better, Keto Baked Alaska, Articles T