She did exactly what he instructed to the letter. For him to take up a love offering? Her arms were spindly and rough, like the dry twigs she had gathered for kindling. Did she expect a miracle or was she more practical minded? He scooped him up and carried him back downstairs to his mother. Elijah tells her not to be afraid, but instead to Go home and do as you have said. Elijah prayed and from heaven he was given the key of rain, so that it would descend only at his command. Let us know. And just as He provided for the prophets widow, so He can provide for you. 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. By doing so we help ourselves and could even save ourselves.Maybe your times of crisis can be lifted if you reach out to help someone. The Widow of Zarephath lessons that we will explore in this post might challenge you. 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. 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. And in each case, God showed them that they . Reinforce vocabulary and Bible studies with a fun printable wordsearch puzzle. "Widow of Zarephath: Midrash and Aggadah." FACT #3 - Elijah knew she was a widow because of what she was wearing. 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. He would even take oil-lamps and wicks with him when he went from place to place, so as not to trouble others. The A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).midrash explains why Elijah stopped the rains and how it happened that he was commanded to go to the home of the woman in Zarephath. FACT #3 Elijah knew she was a widow because of what she was wearing. The Bible is filled with God granting miracles for widows. The people there worshiped Baal, the god of rain. Media information about this sermon Title: Raising The Faith Of The Widow Of ZarephathTitle in Tamil: . There was a famine of food. God is also always looking for opportunities to show up in your life and show off. Her name didnt matter, but her faith and obedience will forever be remembered. From Ahabs slaughterhouse. Ahab was the king in Israel at a crucial time. It was almost gone. 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. 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. Its easy to not deny Him when we are in love with Jesus. But in a way that is grounded in abiding trust. Amen. By sending Elijah to this widow, Jehovah showed that He notices sincere people who are not yet serving Him. New International Version (NIV). Learn how your comment data is processed. Elijah also had a moment of doubt. The life of a ministers wife can be difficult. Right now, feel free to press pause, and get on your knees and pour out your heart to the Lord Jesus. Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath. 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. From the Widow of Zarephath we can also learn secrets for success in life and business. In their meeting in the mourners house, Ahab asked Elijah: The curse of Joshua is fulfilled, but the curse of Moses is not? ( 1Ki 17:8-24; Lu 4:25, 26) It later marked an . Life Story of Prophet W.M.B - Part 1; Mystery Of The Godhead Revealed? 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. The Widow of Zarephath Was Rewarded for Her Faith, Publication download options Jehovah was listening. Plus, she was literally down to her last meal. Elijah tells her not to be afraid, but instead to Go home and do as you have said. It was at a moment of weakness that she doubted. I am blessed that you have been encouraged. The faith of the Widow of Zarephath turned out to lead to the provision for a tired, depressed, and hungry prophet on the run for his life. First, go directly to God. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. How special that Elisha involved the sons in the gathering and filling. What a time in my Christian walk to learn this? We ask today that you be with those women who are struggling financially, especially those who are widows or single moms. FACT #4 She was extremely poor. How could she do so, since she was so poor? Ahab hired hundreds of priests to conduct the services. When we do this we are also forgetting the loving kindness of LORD God. When Elijah finds her, she was picking up sticks for firewood. if( checkboxFields.length ) { The widow of Zarephath plays a small but important role in Elijahs story. Much blessings to you my sister. Like Naaman, her faith was unlikely and Jesus makes reference to him as well. 2). In those days, widows, especially those without sons, were very vulnerable. | THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED) February2014, Share She replied: As surely as Jehovah your God is living, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the large jar and a little oil in the small jar. 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. Here we find reciprocal hospitality: a Phoenician widow (a non-Israelite) feeding a Jewish prophet who will eventually save her son. Elijah took the boy and laid him upon his own bed and cried unto the LORD. All she had to do was believe God the God of Israel and obey. She went back to Elisha to ask what she was to do next. ". Hiel had transgressed Joshuas prohibition against rebuilding Jericho (Josh. The Rabbis applied to this woman the verse from the Eshet Hayil (Woman of Valor) passage (Prov. Thanks so much for sharing. Elisha asked her what she had in her house. Check out our on demand resources, Experience Hope Daily Devotional Family Life Radio Updates. You give freely to those in need. 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). Another tradition reveals Elijahs dislike of having to rely on other people. We can assume she is the only widow in her city. (Philippians 4:19). She lashes out in her pain at the man she trusted, the man who God used to perform a miracle. 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. He doesn't urge them to pick themselves up and get going when they have no resources to do so. 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. 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. Although the poor widow of Zarephath lived in an area where many people worshipped idols, she showed faith in Jehovah. We need to know about the time period she lived in and the events that led to her faithfulness to the LORD. And in each case, God showed them that they werent alone and that He cared for them. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. All she had to do was believe God the God of Israel and obey. Just enough for them to live on a daily basis. John 1:14 reassures us: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Once again in 1Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.. The people of Israel were struggling. She is a great example of having faith, trust and obedience to the LORD. These days she stood with shoulders hunched as though to hide her breasts. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. 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 could see that Elijah was an Israelite who served God. What relationships does He want you to cultivate? 18), creates a causal relationship between them. Elijah asks her to give her son to him. Moses, too, received his food from a woman, when Jethro sent his daughters to bring him from the well (Ex. (Matthew 25:34-40) It proves that God takes care of those who are faithful to him, even when they are enduring very difficult trials. Bible Gateway Plus makes it simple. The second of the encouraging Widow of Zarephath lessons is a bit of a cliche. 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. Lord God, please be with Edith. 4). The is a very powerful Sermon. Joanne Holstein is a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and Author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She heard, understood and walked that walk of faith. 17) and Gods command to stop the drought (beginning of chap. I am so happy that you have found what you need for you sermon. This a very short Widow of Zarephath lesson about the power of fear versus the power of faith.. Sometimes Jehovah allows our faith in him to be tested. She was not an Israelite. 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). Her joy: To experience repeated miracles of God's provision. That emotional resurrection happened almost 3,000 years ago. 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). I look forward to hearing from you! He encouraged her to gather as many as she could. The woman said to Elijah (v. 18): [] that you should come here to recall my sin and cause the death of my son? In the midrashic expansion, she tells him: Until you came here, God would weigh my actions in comparison with the local people, and I would be found worthy. An unexpected check comes just when you need it. 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. After we have eaten, we will die. (1Kings 17:12) What can we learn from this conversation? The widow had shown faith and had cared for Elijahs needs. Then behind her, she hears him ask for a piece of bread. Hers is a story of the pain of loss and grief. God told Elijah to go to Zarephath and find a widow. 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. 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. 17). Not only that, but the debt collector is trying to take away her two sons and turn them into slaves. The Mystery of the Four Kingdoms; The Revelation of The Seven Trumpets; The Seven Church Ages Commentary; WMB Books. Daily provision for food for three years. However, Jehovah noticed something special in the heart of this widow. I will command a widow there to supply you with food.1Kings 17:1-9. Watch over and protect those who are vulnerable. God doesn't ignore the needs of those who cannot help themselves. There were so many possibilities to this story. The Message says she said, I swear, as surely as your God lives, I dont have so much as a biscuit. evt.preventDefault; 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 This womans husband was one of those students. God did not abandon that poor widow. Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house (where Elijah was staying) became ill. Have you ever witnessed a miracle? She said to Elijah, What do you have against me, man of God? It is not because of our righteousness or any of our good works that we were saved by Him. God provides for him through a raven. Ravens feed Elijah for many days, but when the brook dries up he is commanded to go to, There was also a growing desire for integration in Latin America, and several steps were taken in this direction. When Elijah sees the woman God told him to meet, he asks her for a cup of water. 16) and the drought (beginning of chap. for(var i=0; i Condado Dirty Sauce Recipe, La Poubelle Du Ski Longueuil, Goochland County, Virginia Genealogy, Articles T