the widow of zarephath showed hospitality to prophet

We can really pray for and trust God for BIG things. Elijah could be seen as taking advantage of the vulnerable in society.Nevertheless, she was quite giving. But first make me a small round loaf of bread with what is there, and bring it out to me. Women of Prayer is a 10-Week Bible study about getting to know the character of God through the stories of Bible women who prayed. } Lets keep in touch. 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. Can you imagine just a little attitude in her response to him? In that moment she chose to trust God. In that moment she chose to trust God. This widow was from Sidon. The widow then told Elijah: Now I know that you truly are a man of God and that Jehovahs word in your mouth is truth.1Kings 17:22-24. She cannot believe what she is seeing. 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. 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. Did you know that All Gods Women can be heard around the world? Elijahs names means Yahweh is my God. I will command a widow there to supply you with food.1Kings 17:1-9. 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. 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. The Widow of Zarephath is that perfect example of going hand in hand with Jesus I so often speak about. It was located between Sidon and Tyre which would be in modern day Lebanon. 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. She would have been astonished to learn that this same God had instructed Elijah to "go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. STOP delaying to get to know the Bible better! This is a short story, but so much packed into it. But in a way that is grounded in abiding trust. The Rabbis applied to this the verse (Ps. 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. So they willingly gave. Before we get into the lessons from the Widow of Zarephath, let me summarize the story and create some context for you. But God is full of surprises. Were not told of her praying to God herself, but she did know to go to Gods man for direction, and possibly, a miracle. The Widow of Zarephath (Women in the Bible Series) July 10. Right now, feel free to press pause, and get on your knees and pour out your heart to the Lord Jesus. 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. 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.. I love this example of a miracle because it required action from the recipients. He knew the current reality did not measure up with Gods promise. 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. We are never alone, He hears our every prayers, He answers our prayers in ways we would never imagine. The Prophet Elijah is invited into a widow 's home after he asks her for a piece of bread. 1 Kings 17: 9- 24. "Then the LORD said to Elijah, 'Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Rabbis applied to this woman the verse from the Eshet Hayil (Woman of Valor) passage (Prov. 31:20): her hands are stretched out to the needy, since she fed Elijah (Midrash Eshet Hayil, Batei Midrashot, vol. The Widow. Indeed, "the large jar of flour did not run out, and the small jar of oil did not . The widow did exactly as he instructed. Zarephath was a gentile country. Now that you, who are righteous, have come to me, God weighs my actions in comparison with yours, and so you have recalled my sins, and [consequently] my son died (Pesikta Rabbati chap. TEXT: 1 Kings 17; Luke 4:25-26 WOMAN: The Widow of Zarapeth. 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. Prophets always teach and testify of Christ. In fact, our biggest following is in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. Read the story of the prophets widow in 2 Kings 4. What was she expecting when she went to Elisha for help? The widow of Zarephath had felt utterly alone, not knowing God had his eye on her. It was almost gone. There was a famine of food. Elijah worshipped Jehovah. What about you? There is, after all, a drought in progress. Shed fill it with oil from her original container. Another Rabbinic teaching states: If someone tells you that God does not resurrect the dead, say to him: Elijah the Gileadite attests that God resurrects the dead (Deut. Yes, "the large jar of flour did not run out, and the small jar of oil did not run dry . But she did have oil. The woman, only referred to as the "widow of Zarephath," demonstrates a powerful faith through her obedience in 1 Kings. 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. What do you have? It will likely take faith on your part. This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. return true; YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Lessons from the Canaanite Woman and her Faith. ! With this question Ahab sought to deny the Divine system of reward and punishment that Elijah represented. Elijahs life is saved.Her blessings were full to the running over. God heard Elijah and the boy lived once again. Then sit back and listen to what He has to say. He said: Please, bring me a little water in a cup so that I may drink. When she went to get him some water, Elijah added: Please, bring me a piece of bread. (1Kings 17:10,11) The widow was not worried about giving this stranger a drink, but giving him bread was a problem. 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? 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. Chicago Style Citation: We are totally dependent of the Lord in every aspect of our lives. Elijah was staying with the widow and her household while there was a drought in the land. jQuery('.mc4wp-form').find('form').on('submit', function(evt) { Your email address will not be published. It took great faith for Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath to believe God. Look! Then Jehovah told Elijah: Rise up, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. She had always loved the sea, but now its watery abundance seemed only to mock her, reminding her of all she lacked. Use your servant mightily to encourage the hearts of your people. Life Story of Prophet W.M.B - Part 1; Mystery Of The Godhead Revealed? It is not unusual that during times of great stress we forget all the blessings we have received from the LORD. 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). But in times of spiritual crisis, he prayed in faith and God answered. 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. The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that persons well-being. Yet, what did Elijah say? But God is still providing for Elijah for now God sends Elijah to the care of a widow. We will get back to the context of Jesus . Am shelmith from Kenya. They are sure. All she had to do was believe God the God of Israel and obey. These lessons from the woman with the issue of blood in the Bible will empower, encourage and inspire you. Elijah asks her for a piece of bread, and the destitute widow invites him to her home where she uses her last bit of flour and oil to bake for him. 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. 4). The Bible is filled with God granting miracles for widows. 16) and the drought (beginning of chap. Elijah, however, was committed only to save the lives of his hosts (Ex. It was ironic since generally, Israelites were not supposed to be mixing with the surrounding nations. It is not because of our righteousness or any of our good works that we were saved by Him. Elisha told her to go to all of her neighbors and borrow empty vessels from them. Hello Diana. Even her name is lost to the history. Although they may be surrounded by members of false religion, they may want something better. Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. Just a short time earlier, she had gently held his lifeless body in her arms. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. 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). Elijah was feed by ravens for many days. When God sends Elijah to the Widow, the instruction was that he had commanded her to feed. FACT #1 The name of her village was Sarepta. The story has three main characters: Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. It seems that God allowed the boy to die because He knew that this resurrection, the first one recorded in the Scriptures, would give hope to millions in the future. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Admit your helplessness. Even though she did not know much about Jehovah, she believed Elijah and did what he asked of her. Rabbah 2:5:3). If ever there was a list of bad women in the Bible, they would be on it. They had to be scared. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. He told her to sell the oil, pay back the debt, and she and her sons could live off of whatever remained. When Elijah sees the woman God told him to meet, he asks her for a cup of water. The widows faith in Elijahs God, Jehovah, kept her and her son alive. Media information about this sermon Title: Raising The Faith Of The Widow Of ZarephathTitle in Tamil: . "Don't be afraid. For her to move forward in obedience and faith, she needed to put away fear. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. Learn how your comment data is processed. Start for FREE. He will not allow the enemy to snatch you up without a fight. The widow didnt have much. The widow went to Elisha and pleaded her case. Ahab blamed Elijah for the drought and wanted to kill him. Its easy to not deny Him when we are in love with Jesus. After we have eaten, we will die. (1Kings 17:12) What can we learn from this conversation? for(var i=0; i. So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 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. The Widow of Zarephath is an example of faith. (1 Kings 17:17-23). You are our Provider when we have nothing. He doesn't pat them on the back and say he's sorry life is so tough. God spoke to Elijah again and told him to go to Zarephath. Blessings to you as well. Were told she was one of the wives of the sons of the prophets. He cried out to God and asked that the boys life return to Him. Elijah, however, was committed only to save the lives of his hosts. In today's episode of All God's Women we look at the Prophet's Widow, a woman with debt collectors knocking on her door and she had no way to repay them. 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. He provided for them in ways they didnt expect, and in doing so, demonstrated His amazing love for them. Second, she was in no position to feed anybody. The story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephtah can be found in the following Bible verses: 1 Kings 17: 8-24. Imagine the widows great joy when Elijah said: See, your son is alive! Elijah turns up and two things are obvious. But he wants us to trust Him. How could she do so, since she was so poor? The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that person's well-being. Remember, she was looking at the possibility of dying a bit earlier if she gave away her very last meal. But it was also a declaration that although it seemed like God was absent, He was very much present. It takes courage to go to your neighbors and ask them for something. I look forward to hearing from you! You give freely to those in need. 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. Rabbah [ed. When her level of faith was compared to those who claimed to know God, she stood head and shoulders above them. Though she starved herself to feed her child, his distended belly accused her. Blessings. "Widow of Zarephath: Midrash and Aggadah." But God is full of surprises. Let's begin in Luke.4.25-26. Ask Him what youre supposed to do. He will watch over his word until it comes to pass. And thanks so much for that insight. The story of the woman with the issue of blood and many other stories show Jesus doing that (https://thefaithspace.com/lessons-from-the-woman-with-the-issue-of-blood/ ). And the mother? Read a psalm or two. Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. She had nothing to offer but a jar of oil. What could the widows husband have done differently? Instead, challenge yourself to get to that place where your faith triumphs over your fear. 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. To help you get started in organizing your time, here are some sample Sunday School schedules for preschool through grade 6 for varying classroom lengths: If you have a 30-minute class, consider taking two weeks per lesson or following a schedule such as this: "Come on in" games: 5 minutes.. 9 images found in 1 Kings 17. God is also always looking for opportunities to show up in your life and show off. 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. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. I hope you have been encouraged by these lessons from the story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath. 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). Because he paid the ultimate sacrifice for you with His life. (Read on to find out why he chose a drought over anything else). The fact that God resurrects the dead was already shown by Elijah, Elisha and Ezekiel (Lev. The faith of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath helps us to realize that God wants to trust Him each day. We can assume she is the only widow in her city. Tears escaped her eyes, try as she might to blink them back. She was a Gentile, an outsider. After this, the womans son falls ill and dies (v. 17). This can be learned from Elijah, for whom God provided, as it is said (I Kings 17:9): I have designated a widow there to feed you (Tanhuma, Mikez 6). Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. She feeds Elijah in her home. Open job opportunities for her that will pay for her bills and help pay off her debts. Are you searching for and helping such people? Are debt collectors knocking on your door or calling you on the phone? As she decided to care for Gods spokesperson, God provided miraculously for her household. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath. FACT #4 She was extremely poor. She did not refer to Jehovah as my God. She lived in Zarephath, a town that belonged to the Phoenician city of Sidon. Now I am gathering a few pieces of wood, and I will go in and make something for me and my son. He already knows, but He wants to hear it from you. He sent Elijah to the widow to help both her and the prophet. However, the contents of this blog post may not be modified, compiled, combined with other content, copied, recorded, synchronized, transmitted, translated, formatted, distributed, publicly displayed, publicly performed, reproduced, given away, used to create derivative works and otherwise used or exploited (including for-profit or commercial gain) without the creators expressed permission. When we suffer trials, we need to look for Jehovahs guidance in the Scriptures and in our publications. Yes, God sustained her household through the drought, but there is more to her relationship with Gods prophet. I will not be exploring all of them in this post or we would have a whole book. They teach so, Continue reading Daughters of Zelophehad Lessons for life, faith and prayerContinue, Thank you very much and may God bless you. Soon after, her son dies, and Elijah pleads to God for the power to resurrect him. Why does God allow godly men to die young? Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son. He encouraged her to gather as many as she could. All He wants us to do is to love him back. Ask God to make it obvious what youre supposed to do. Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. He took God at his word. PRIVACY POLICY Are you open to hearing His voice when He speaks through others? When Elijah arrived at Zarephath, he saw a poor widow collecting pieces of wood. Lord God, please be with Edith. Edith, just checking back to see how you are doing. Although the poor widow of Zarephath lived in an area where many people worshipped idols, she showed faith in Jehovah. And this showdown came to a head in the story of Mount Carmel. In Christs name we pray. A Phoenician town 'belonging to' or apparently dependent upon Sidon in Elijah's day. After that, every time she dipped her hand into the flour, every time she poured oil from the jug, the widow saw another miracle unfold, another sign of favor, additional evidence of God's provision. Jewish Women's Archive. What do we know about the Widow of Zarephath whose story is found in I Kings 17:8-24? When the brook dried up, God sent Elijah to Zarephath with instruction to look to a widow to sustain him. 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. Her sons would hand her an empty jar. But God sent Elijah out of Israel, to the town of Zarephath in Sidon instead. 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. The woman, only referred to as the widow of Zarephath, demonstrates a powerful faith through her obedience in 1 Kings. Required fields are marked *. (Psalm 23:3). God did not abandon that poor widow. Well, very little. No one repented, and Elijah was forced to live in hiding. After declaring no more rain, Elijah hid himself in the Kerith Ravine, east of Jordan, where the Lord sustained him with water from a brook and food ravens brought to him (1 Kings 17:5). And He needs to know youre listening. It is common for us all to blame ourselves and our sins for things that happen to us. Covid has stolen so much from so many, destroying businesses, eliminating jobs, taking away hope for the future. He would even take oil-lamps and wicks with him when he went from place to place, so as not to trouble others. 17). Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. Moses, too, received his food from a woman, when Jethro sent his daughters to bring him from the well (Ex. Plead your case. Do not be afraid. Here is a young woman whos had a difficult life. This is another lesson we as women of Christ always need to be reminded of. And he was fighting to rescue the hearts of his people from worshiping things that would not serve them. Have you ever been in debt? APA Style Citation: Completely. 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. Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath Sure enough, the brook runs dry.
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