Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath (I Kings 17:1-16)
In the Old Testament, God used prophets who declared His word to the children of Israel, warned leadership of their sins and actions against God, and performed miracles to show God’s power. The people were blessed with prosperity and peace when they followed God and obeyed His commandments. There were kings that ruled righteously and followed God and there were kings who were disobedient and followed after pagan gods and celebrated idolatry. In the book of I Kings, we read about King Ahab who was the worst of all the kings that had ruled before him. He erected wooden idols and worshiped the false god Baal. He also married a very wicked woman by the name of Jezebel.
God’s prophet at that time was Elijah from the area of Tishbi. Elijah proclaimed to King Ahab that there would be no rain or dew for years until he would speak the word for rain. God instructed Elijah to go into hiding by a brook that had flowing water. God provided bread and meat in the morning and evening by sending ravens to bring him food. After the water dried up due to the drought, God told Elijah to go to a coastal town called Zarephath which was outside of the land of Israel. God told Elijah that a widow would provide for him.
Elijah arrives at the city gates and sees a widow gathering sticks. Although she is a Gentile and not a Jew, Elijah obeys God and asks her for a cup of water and then asks for a piece of bread. The woman replies, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it—and die.” Elijah responds, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. 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. 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.’
The widow had faith in the man of God and did as he requested. The flour and oil never ran out and all three of them were sustained during the rest of the drought which lasted a total of three and a half years
In the New Testament, Jesus refers to this story in the book of Luke and says, “ I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.”
This story is a great illustration of God’s grace and mercy even during a time of drought and famine. Although God had a covenant or agreement with the children of Israel to be their God and they, His people, their disobedience opened the door for a poor Gentile widow woman to receive His grace and mercy. When Jesus came to earth to His chosen people, the Jews, and they as a nation rejected Him, it opened the door for the gospel to go to the Gentiles. When you are going through a period of drought and famine, call upon the God who loves you and expect Him to come to your aid. The widow of Zarephath was not qualified for any benefits under the covenant, but God’s love and grace qualified her because of her faith. We, whether Jews or Gentiles, are not qualified or worthy, but through faith in Jesus and His sacrifice we are when we believe in Him and His love for us. (John 3:16; Luke 4:25-26)
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Personal Development Tip of the week:
How do you continue to believe in yourself and what you are doing when nothing seems to be going right?
We all go through seasons of drought when it comes to the things we are pursuing in our personal and professional lives. It’s also hard to not get down on yourself when things are not moving quickly enough especially when you are putting forth much effort.
Consider this, maybe you are going through a season of drought because God is more concerned with your character development right now than he is your forward momentum.
Since God’s timing is always better than our own he might be helping you develop the necessary capabilities before this drought in your life ends so that you can fully maximize the breakthrough that’s on its way.
God works in mysterious ways but it’s always for a purpose and our greatest benefit.
Here are some powerful questions you can use whenever you feel like you are going through a drought in your life that I have found help me greatly.
Powerful Questions:
What’s great about this?
What is God trying to help me develop or discover during this season?
Where is the gift inside this time?
What can I learn right now?
Question for you? How do continue to keep moving forward in your life when you are experiencing a drought?
Prayer for the week:
Father God, bless me as I step into this new week ahead. Help me to make good decisions that move my life forward and not backward. I pray for stronger patience in my life when I’m going through a season of drought and know that you’re helping me grow no matter what’s going on. Bless me to have a great week ahead in Jesus name Amen.
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Do you know Jesus?
If you have never asked Jesus to be the leader of your life and forgive you of all your sins, this is the right time to act. Pray this simple prayer and believe it in your heart: “Dear God, Your Word says that You loved me so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for me. I want to be saved and have all my sins forgiven, past, present, and future. Forgive me now as I receive Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. You promised me salvation and an abundant life. I believe and receive Your free gift. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me grow stronger in You each day, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.” (John 3:16)
Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath