";s:4:"text";s:17195:"He already knows, but He wants to hear it from you. This request was a huge test of faith. The Widow of Zarephath. (Philippians 4:19). He could have prayed and had God send away the debt collector or have the money delivered to her by someone else. She was a widow living in Zarephath, a city in Zidon about where Lebanon is today. He scooped him up and carried him back downstairs to his mother. 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. The widow could see that Elijah was an Israelite who served God. They may have little or no knowledge of Jehovah and need help to accept true worship. He takes the boy from her arms, carries him upstairs to his room and lays him on his bed. Ahab blamed Elijah for the drought and wanted to kill him. And thanks so much for that insight. Yet, what did Elijah say? But in times of spiritual crisis, he prayed in faith and God answered. TERMS OF USE When Elijah sees the woman God told him to meet, he asks her for a cup of water. The Word of the LORD is in reality truth and reliable. | Zarephath rest inside the region of Sidon, the native country of Queen Jezebel, the woman who married the wicked King Ahab and required her god, Baal to be worshipped instead of God Almighty (1 King 21:25-26). Such a powerful reminder of another of Gods promises at the perfect time. Elijah began to entreat God, and said (v. 20): Will You bring calamity upon this widow whose guest I am, and let her son die? The Rabbis derive from this that if someone opens his house to you, you are responsible for that persons well-being. Rabbah 27:4). She heard, understood and walked that walk of faith. A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). If youre a listener in Nairobi, Id love to hear from you and pray with you. Go in and do as you said. 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. 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. 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. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. In Christs name we pray. Lieberman], Ekev, p. 74). If you want to share this resource with others, please share the link to the blog post. Their mutual love of hospitality is not rooted in their religious or ethnic understanding, instead it is rooted in their shared humanity and love of God. The Widow of Zarephath is an example of faith. 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. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. Now how long would those last? Was she the woman who would give food to the prophet? She feeds Elijah in her home. ", Graciously, she had gone to fetch it, only to have him call after her, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread.". Plus, she was literally down to her last meal. "Widow of Zarephath: Midrash and Aggadah." Then sit back and listen to what He has to say. 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. Daily provision for food for three years. Yes, they are Bible characters from a long time ago but their faith in God has reached across time to uplift our hearts. From where did the ravens bring meat? Elijah was told to dwell by the brook Cheribth. What do you have? 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. What relationships does He want you to cultivate? Just as you saw the prophets widow through difficult times, may you work in a miraculous to take care of Edith. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake. Instead of cursing the stranger for his callousness, as we might expect, the woman did exactly as he had requested, feeding him the food she had reserved for herself and her son. 17) and Gods command to stop the drought (beginning of chap. 16) and the drought (beginning of chap. Yes, in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.Acts 10:35. Yes, God sustained her household through the drought, but there is more to her relationship with Gods prophet. When Elijah arrived at Zarephath, he saw a poor widow collecting pieces of wood. The woman, only referred to as the "widow of Zarephath," demonstrates a powerful faith through her obedience in 1 Kings. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can imagine what some people might have said: Give away our last meal? Blessings. Soon after, her son dies, and Elijah pleads to God for the power to resurrect him. return false; Chances are, their neighbors were struggling as well, so they likely didnt have money or food to spare. Facilitator: Amah Linda. God sends him to stay by a brook first. A POOR widow hugs her boy, her only child. You might be living from hand to mouth but recognize that it is Gods hands to your mouth. Her houseguest says: See, your son is alive.. Imagine the widows great joy when Elijah said: See, your son is alive! The city serves as part of her identification. She had every right to refuse. It takes courage to go to your neighbors and ask them for something. Have you ever been in debt? So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. He obeyed, finding a woman gathering sticks. Jezebel had commanded all the prophets in the land to be killed. Through her obedience, God sustained the prophet and her household. God will do what He needs to do to secure your hearts complete loyalty. 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. 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. Hiel had transgressed Joshuas prohibition against rebuilding Jericho (Josh. When her son became sick and died the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he was revived. 17). 31:20): her hands are stretched out to the needy, since she fed Elijah (Midrash Eshet Hayil, Batei Midrashot, vol. Even though she did not know much about Jehovah, she believed Elijah and did what he asked of her. In honor of International Womens Day on March 8, 2022, we are spotlighting women who rocked in Bible times! Here is a young woman whos had a difficult life. The is a very powerful Sermon. 18), creates a causal relationship between them. He doesn't urge them to pick themselves up and get going when they have no resources to do so. Sometimes our blessing is bound up with our serviceWhen we share, no matter how small, we are enriched. (Luke 4:25-26). Ahab and Jezebel worshipped Baal. When God sends Elijah to the Widow, the instruction was that he had commanded her to feed. Ahab and Jezebel were ruling the Kingdom of Israel in wickedness. What do we know about the Widow of Zarephath whose story is found in I Kings 17:8-24? The second of the encouraging Widow of Zarephath lessons is a bit of a cliche. This exegesis is based on the juxtaposition between the episode of Hiel the Bethelite (I Kings, end of chap. The Widow of Zarephaths story begins while she is at the gate gathering a few sticks so she can go home and prepare the last little bit of food for herself and her son. 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). It was in the middle of this drought that Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath become a part of each others lives. Elijah was feed by ravens for many days. I will not talk much about Naomi here as I have dedicated an entire, Continue reading Characteristics of Ruth in the Bible (and lessons from the story of Ruth and Boaz)Continue, The story of Rizpah in the Bible is one of the absolutely gory and heartbreaking sagas in all of Scripture. Blessings to you also. Background: 10 Century BC. Our God is still a miraculous provider, granting what we need sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Jehovah had decided that there would be a long drought in Israel in the days of wicked King Ahab. What could the widows husband have done differently? All He wants us to do is to love him back. Then do it. For her to move forward in obedience and faith, she needed to put away fear. 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.' Each widow faced difficulties far beyond anything they could handle on their own. There was a famine of food. Are you searching for and helping such people? Terms of Use: The contents of this blog post are restricted to your personal use only. Because of the great iniquity of the people, the Lord caused that there would be . Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house (where Elijah was staying) became ill. 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. We might easily assume this widow is not of Hebrew lineage, but she clearly believed in the Hebrews God and trusted Him. 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. Most important she learned that the word of the LORD is the truth. Elijah had declared God's message of judgment on Israel and her wicked king, but the message fell on deaf ears. God bless. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. 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). When we do this we are also forgetting the loving kindness of LORD God. Im sorry I didnt respond sooner. }); This man of God is asking for the last of. The first of the Widow of Zarephath lessons is that spiritual warfare goes up a notch in times of crisis. For those who are being threatened by others and are feeling helpless, be their Defense. This was trying times in her life and there was no guarantee there was going to be more meal or oil enough to sustain Elijah, her dying son and herself. Not only were they worshiping false Gods, but Jezebel had also commanded all the prophets in the land to be killed. Elijahs names means Yahweh is my God. Join with other women in theAll Gods Women Bible Study Facebook group. Forgive us when we lose faith and forget what an awesome God You are. 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). When Elijah finds her, she was picking up sticks for firewood. The Bible does not tell us, but we know this: The widow did not accuse God of doing anything wrong. Somehow, God pulled her to himself and transformed her heart from false worship to faith-filled. In this case, the widow appears to have been supportive of her husband. TEXT: 1 Kings 17; Luke 4:25-26 WOMAN: The Widow of Zarapeth. Rizpah was a woman of a different kind. Rabbah 2:5:3). The widow of Zarephath had felt utterly alone, not knowing God had his eye on her. 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. Elijah and Ahab had met when they came to console Hiel the Bethelite, who was in mourning. It will be said that two keys are held by the disciple and one by the Master! 11:1617]. We meet the Prophets Widow in 2 Kings chapter 4. Then you can make something afterward for you and your son. I look forward to hearing from you! If only her husband were alive to squeeze a harvest from the fields. Ask Him what youre supposed to do. Instead, challenge yourself to get to that place where your faith triumphs over your fear. He will provide for our needs on a daily basis. var checkboxFields = jQuery(this).find('[name^="GROUPINGS"]'); Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. (1 Kings 17:17-23). 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). 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. 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. Jesus makes reference here to an event in the life of Elijah the prophet. From the Widow of Zarephath we can also learn secrets for success in life and business. He encouraged her to gather as many as she could. Jehovah was listening. 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). Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. And I mean bad in a good way. This was his calling. The Rabbis applied to this woman the verse from the Eshet Hayil (Woman of Valor) passage (Prov. These women challenged the beliefs and practices of their day. Elijah also had a moment of doubt. return true; Admit your helplessness. But God is full of surprises. The woman, only referred to as the widow of Zarephath, demonstrates a powerful faith through her obedience in 1 Kings. Covid has stolen so much from so many, destroying businesses, eliminating jobs, taking away hope for the future. Jesus will be with you as you speak His words. 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. Her planwithout Gods miraculous intervention, which she must have hoped forshe and her son will starve to death. She said to Elijah, What do you have against me, man of God? THE WATCHTOWERSTUDY EDITION (SIMPLIFIED) February2014, Share 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. 3). 1 Kings 17: 9- 24. So Elijah, the prophet of God, declared a three year drought over the land of Israel. She looked to Elijah for answers. By sending Elijah to this widow, Jehovah showed that He notices sincere people who are not yet serving Him. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. This woman didn't know that the LORD is a loving LORD. Provide for her and her children. We can really pray for and trust God for BIG things. 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.. ";s:7:"keyword";s:52:"the widow of zarephath showed hospitality to prophet";s:5:"links";s:739:"Cleanliness Crossword Clue,
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