But the brook dried up after a while. But first make me a small round loaf of bread with what is there, and bring it out to me. We do know she was a Phoenician woman living in a pagan land and that she showed extraordinary hospitality by providing safe harbor for one of God's prophets during a period of famine. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We might easily assume this widow is not of Hebrew lineage, but she clearly believed in the Hebrews God and trusted Him. But know this God is in the business of performing miracles for which only he can get the glory. She had no idea that the stranger was Elijah, a prophet who had the gall to inform King Ahab that God was withholding rain to punish Israel's idolatry. Its easy to not deny Him when we are in love with Jesus. When Elijah finds her, she was picking up sticks for firewood. So he made the request for food on faith, knowing that God would no doubt watch over his word and make it come to pass. Thank you for stopping by. But in a way that is grounded in abiding trust. A POOR widow hugs her boy, her only child. Ahab and Jezebel worshipped Baal. The widow went to Elisha and pleaded her case. He wants us to lean on him and depend on him daily.It takes faith to deal with this. Im using this story to talk about faith to hear and hearken to Gods prophets throughout the ages. Today she had scraped the last bit of flour from the barrel and poured the last drop of oil from the jug. His need condemned her. So they willingly gave. She had nothing to offer but a jar of oil. How like God to construct a parable of grace during a time of judgment, to display his mercy and power in the midst of weakness and need. The Rabbis applied to this the verse (Ps. We have to allow the Lord into our lives and accept His loving kindness and live by faith that He is with us through our journey through live. What a comfort . 2:20): Ask him in to break bread (Pesikta Rabbati chap. FACT #2 - She was a gentile. Tell Him your situation. The people there worshiped Baal, the god of rain. God will do what He needs to do to secure your hearts complete loyalty. Ahab and Jezebel were ruling the Kingdom of Israel in wickedness. Yet for some reason she believed Elijah and acted accordingly, giving him everything she had. And thanks so much for that insight. The Widow of Zarephath lessons that we will explore in this post might challenge you. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. var checkboxFields = jQuery(this).find('[name^="GROUPINGS"]'); } Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son. There it was the promise of a miracle. Then he died, leaving his helpless widow owing money and having no way to pay off the debt. 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. 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). Her sons would hand her an empty jar. For those who are being threatened by others and are feeling helpless, be their Defense. Yes, in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.Acts 10:35. Then we should follow Jehovahs direction, no matter how difficult it may be to accept. The Widow of Zarephath did not know who Elijah was, and she did not know that there would be more meal and oil left over after she had fed him. "Widow of Zarephath: Midrash and Aggadah." Her joy: To experience repeated miracles of God's provision. Elisha had the widow AND her sons going to their neighbors and asking for vessels. Somehow, God pulled her to himself and transformed her heart from false worship to faith-filled. They handed those empty vessels to their mom and watched as she filled them with oil. Read about other women who rocked in the Bible: Deboraha Faithful Focus on What You Can Do, Want more? If there was ever a Hallmark-worthy story in the Bible, this is it. But hard times is nothing new. 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. This man of God is asking for the last of all she has. Daily provision for food for three years. He told her to sell the oil, pay back the debt, and she and her sons could live off of whatever remained. From where did the ravens bring meat? Not only were they worshiping false Gods, but Jezebel had also commanded all the prophets in the land to be killed. In their meeting in the mourners house, Ahab asked Elijah: The curse of Joshua is fulfilled, but the curse of Moses is not? The curse of the teacher is not fulfilled, but that of his disciple is? 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? Elijah also had a moment of doubt. she wondered. Then Jehovah told Elijah: Rise up, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Although they may be surrounded by members of false religion, they may want something better. Another tradition reveals Elijahs dislike of having to rely on other people. Even though she did not know much about Jehovah, she believed Elijah and did what he asked of her. When Elijah sees the woman God told him to meet, he asks her for a cup of water. God is also always looking for opportunities to show up in your life and show off. Later, the widow's faith would again be tested when her young son died. 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. Moses had said: Take care not to be lured away to serve other gods [] For the Lords anger will flare up against you, and He will shut up the skies so that there will be no rain [Deut. Reinforce vocabulary and Bible studies with a fun printable wordsearch puzzle. That emotional resurrection happened almost 3,000 years ago. But it was also a declaration that although it seemed like God was absent, He was very much present. Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath Bible story word search puzzle with coloring activity page. She is well-known as a counselor to Christian faithful who are struggling with tremendous burden in these difficult times. 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. Rabbah 2:5:3). Let us know. If you are going through a rough patch, you will find encouragement. This woman didnt know that the LORD is a loving LORD. As she decided to care for Gods spokesperson, God provided miraculously for her household. } Read a psalm or two. Rabbah 27:4). 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. (Viewed on January 18, 2023) . No matter how little, we have something we can use to bless someone. He will provide for our needs on a daily basis. Moses, too, received his food from a woman, when Jethro sent his daughters to bring him from the well (Ex. Luke 4:25-26. He sent Elijah to the widow to help both her and the prophet. Bible Gateway Plus makes it simple. Like a baby who knows that mom will come when she needs something, God truly wants us to expect him to show up for us. This is another lesson we as women of Christ always need to be reminded of. While Ahab and Jezebel and Elijah were drawing swords on earth, that was just a representation of what was happening in the spiritual word. Baal was said to be the god of the weather. Try it FREE right now! Are you looking for God to answer you through the divine connection of relationship Hes placed in your life? Did she think that her sons death was punishment from God and that Elijah was Gods messenger of death? We are never alone, He hears our every prayers, He answers our prayers in ways we would never imagine. 11:1617]. When we suffer trials, we need to look for Jehovahs guidance in the Scriptures and in our publications. ( 1Ki 17:8-24; Lu 4:25, 26) It later marked an . Why does God allow godly men to die young? Can you imagine just a little attitude in her response to him? Please take away the fear and anxiety that the enemy is trying to use to intimidate your child. God remember me . God richly bless you. 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. Elijahs receiving food from a widow creates a parallelism with Moses, the father of all prophets. Chances are, their neighbors were struggling as well, so they likely didnt have money or food to spare. Holstein, Joanne The Widow of Zarephath:. Becker Bible Studies Library Apr 2015.. She needs a miracle. Jesus makes reference here to an event in the life of Elijah the prophet. God uses something or someone to change your husband's heart just when you thought he didn't love you anymore. If you want to share this resource with others, please share the link to the blog post. Here is a widow with a son who was not one of the children of Israel 1 Kings 17:10. But she did have oil. Edith, just checking back to see how you are doing. (Psalm 37:25), And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. This widow was from Sidon. If you want to continue learning from the Widow of Zarephath story, I encourage you to check out someother Bible studies. The Widow of Zarephath (Women in the Bible Series) July 10. She feeds Elijah in her home. How were the widows sons involved in the miracle? Here is a young woman whos had a difficult life. Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son? (1 Kings 17:17-18 NIV). Then do it. Zarephath rest inside the region of Sidon, the native country of Queen Jezebel, the woman who married the wicked King Ahab . Then you can make something afterward for you and your son. Rabbah 4:2). I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Lessons from the Canaanite Woman and her Faith. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. An unexpected check comes just when you need it. alert("Please select at least one list. 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. Did she expect a miracle or was she more practical minded? Have an update or correction? Soon after, her son dies, and Elijah pleads to God for the power to resurrect him. The Widow of Zarephath. A lesson that we can learn from this is that God blesses those who show faith in him. Blessings. She is introduced to us by saying she was gathering sticks when Elijah called her to fetch him a little water and a morsel of bread. This exposition, based on the juxtaposition of the resurrection of the widows son (end of chap. Am shelmith from Kenya. The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that person's well-being. We are totally dependent of the Lord in every aspect of our lives. 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. However, Jehovah noticed something special in the heart of this widow. } 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. But she showed faith, trusted in Jehovah, and fed Elijah first. for(var i=0; i ) July 10 widow woman to sustain Elijah, where he will provide for needs. Elijah must have been shocked by both the death of the LORD had commanded widow! Is acceptable to the widow of zarephath showed hospitality to prophet 10:35 to intimidate your child the WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION ( SIMPLIFIED ), and fed Elijah.... 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