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 gives rain on the land.' Elijah, however, was committed only to save the lives of his hosts (Ex. I will not be exploring all of them in this post or we would have a whole book. 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.. Copyright 2022| Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians |, The Psychological Condition of Depression. The city serves as part of her identification. 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). // check if at least one field is required You give freely to those in need. We might easily assume this widow is not of Hebrew lineage, but she clearly believed in the Hebrews God and trusted Him. The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that person's well-being. But what a wise decision she made! Instead, he sometimes intervenes by miraculous understatement, in this case by making sure that a little bit of oil and flourjust enough for a small loafdidn't run out. Did you know that All Gods Women can be heard around the world? Zarephath was a gentile country. Firstly, the Widow of Zarephath was a gentile. Jehovah will help you if you trust in him when your integrity is tested. Then Elisha had the widow and her sons closing the door before filling the jars. It was at a moment of weakness that she doubted. The Bible account says: After these things, the son of the woman who owned the house fell sick, and his sickness became so severe that he stopped breathing. Trying to find a reason why this tragedy happened, the grieving mother said to Elijah: What do you have against me, Oman of the true God? After this, the womans son falls ill and dies (v. 17). ", Graciously, she had gone to fetch it, only to have him call after her, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread.". 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. Baal was said to be the god of the weather. The curse of the teacher is not fulfilled, but that of his disciple is? Let's begin in Luke.4.25-26. But God is still providing for Elijah for now God sends Elijah to the care of a widow. alert("Please select at least one list. PRIVACY POLICY Even if we ourselves are struggling, reaching out can save you both. The woman, only referred to as the widow of Zarephath, demonstrates a powerful faith through her obedience in 1 Kings. What relationships does He want you to cultivate? 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. The story of a widow, who remained unnamed in the Bible, was important enough to have her faith and obedience recorded in the Bible. Instead, challenge yourself to get to that place where your faith triumphs over your fear. Holstein, Joanne (2015) The Widow of Zarephath:. Becker Bible Studies Library (April), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2541, (accessed). This a very short Widow of Zarephath lesson about the power of fear versus the power of faith.. 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 was she expecting when she went to Elisha for help? She had just told him that after she made one more meal for her and her son, they would eat it and die. "); But these were difficult times. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.". A lesson that we can learn from this is that God blesses those who show faith in him. She was faithful and obedient to the commands of the LORD. It will be said that two keys are held by the disciple and one by the Master! 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. God uses something or someone to change your husband's heart just when you thought he didn't love you anymore. 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. Amen. Have you ever had others demanding from you what you didnt have to give? Ask Him what youre supposed to do. 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. She prepared food for Elijah with the last of her food, and trusted his words that her barrel would not be empty. But then a stranger had called to her: "Woman, would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink? Its blessing for me to be Gods instrument of inspiration at this time in your Christian walk . The story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephtah can be found in the following Bible verses: 5 Faith lessons from the woman with the issue of blood in the Bible, Lessons from the life of Sarah in the Bible (characteristics and marriage lessons), Characteristics of Ruth in the Bible (and lessons from the story of Ruth and Boaz), Rizpah in the Bible Characteristics and lessons learned, Faith in Bible stories: 30+ inspirational examples and stories from Scripture, Daughters of Zelophehad Lessons for life, faith and prayer. The Widow of Zarephath. The Widow of Zarephath. 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. They further state that when Elijah revived the widows son, he could have resurrected his dead relatives as well. Try it FREE right now! (Acts 24:15) Surely these are excellent reasons for remembering the widow of Zarephath. Zarephath was a gentile country. The Rabbis applied to this the verse (Ps. Elijah was told to dwell by the brook Cheribth. Go home and do as you have said. The woman from Zarephath wasn't a Jew, but a Phoenician. Why did Elisha have them pouring the oil in the privacy of their home? Then theyd set it aside and grab a new jar to fill. Their clothing set them apart so they could receive help from their community. Then he died, leaving his helpless widow owing money and having no way to pay off the debt. Plead your case. He cried out to God and asked that the boys life return to Him. He doesn't urge them to pick themselves up and get going when they have no resources to do so. She lashes out in her pain at the man she trusted, the man who God used to perform a miracle. Rabbah 2:5:3). This midrash seemingly comes to somewhat moderate Elijahs powers as they are presented in the Biblical narrative, since he does not control everything, but receives only one key at a time. Soon after, her son dies, and Elijah pleads to God for the power to resurrect him. Blessings to you as well. She had lived her life a stone's throw from the Mediterranean, at Zarephath, seven miles south of Sidon, in a territory ruled by Jezebel's father. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). Because of the great iniquity of the people, the Lord caused that there would be . Lieberman], Ekev, p. 74). 1 Kings 17:9-24, Luke 4:25-26. The Bible is filled with God granting miracles for widows. She was a Gentile, an outsider. Did the woman remember a past sin that bothered her conscience? Plus, she was literally down to her last meal. 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.. Join with other women in theAll Gods Women Bible Study Facebook group. The Widow of Zarephath didnt blame Elijah or the LORD for the death of her son. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. This widow was from Sidon. Every night she hoped for rain, but every morning she woke to a brilliant sky. Another trial was going to test the widows faith. From the Widow of Zarephath we can also learn secrets for success in life and business. When we do this we are also forgetting the loving kindness of LORD God. 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. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. Just as Elijah promised, Jehovah added to her supply of food so that there was enough to feed Elijah, her, and her son until the drought ended. It was located between Sidon and Tyre which would be in modern day Lebanon. 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. 17) and Gods command to stop the drought (beginning of chap. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED) February2014, The WatchtowerStudy Edition (Simplified)| February2014. (Philippians 4:19). Lets keep in touch. (Psalm 23:3). He told her to sell the oil, pay back the debt, and she and her sons could live off of whatever remained. And when she gave, something amazing happened. So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 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. Gods purposes are so much higher and wider than what we imagine. Open job opportunities for her that will pay for her bills and help pay off her debts. Youre welcome Frazer. For this is what Jehovah the God of Israel says: The large jar of flour will not run out, and the small jar of oil will not run dry until the day Jehovah makes it rain on the surface of the ground.1Kings 17:11-14. 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. She began to prepare for a final supper for herself and her child. Chicago Style Citation: It was ironic since generally, Israelites were not supposed to be mixing with the surrounding nations. Hopefully we can see it as God positioning us for blessing. In their meeting in the mourners house, Ahab asked Elijah: The curse of Joshua is fulfilled, but the curse of Moses is not? Elijahs receiving food from a widow creates a parallelism with Moses, the father of all prophets. 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. | WMB English Version; WMB Tamil Version; Gallery. Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son. Check out our on demand resources, Experience Hope Daily Devotional Family Life Radio Updates. The first of the Widow of Zarephath lessons is that spiritual warfare goes up a notch in times of crisis. 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. Women Who Rocked the BibleStories of Those Who Shaped Their Culture and Still Inspire You Today. 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