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. So many people are prevented from reaching their goals, accessing their blessings, and living an abundant life because of fear. Ask Him what youre supposed to do. 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. She is a leading authority on historical development of Christian churches and the practices and beliefs of world religions and cults. The story of a widow, who remained unnamed in the Bible, was important enough to have her faith and obedience recorded in the Bible. Holstein, Joanne The Widow of Zarephath:. Becker Bible Studies Library Apr 2015.. She thought it was a punishment because of her sins. Elijah also had a moment of doubt. Start for FREE. These two boys were facing a terrible future unless God intervened. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. (Luke 4:25,26) Her story teaches us that God blesses those doing good to his servants. Well never know what went through her head, but we do know that when Elisha gave her an assignment to do, she willingly obeyed without question. And I mean bad in a good way. The Widow of Zarephath helps us to better understand that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. 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. We can assume she is the only widow in her city. They teach so, Continue reading Daughters of Zelophehad Lessons for life, faith and prayerContinue, Thank you very much and may God bless you. Jesus makes the point that during a time of drought and famine, there were many widows in Israel who had need. She went back to Elisha to ask what she was to do next. So Elijah begged: OJehovah my God, please, let this childs life come back into him.1Kings 17:20,21. Ask God to make it obvious what youre supposed to do. Baals, the false gods, were erected all over the land of Israel and places of idol worship were on every corner. I will not be exploring all of them in this post or we would have a whole book. He doesn't urge them to pick themselves up and get going when they have no resources to do so. It will likely take faith on your part. It was in the middle of this drought that Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath become a part of each others lives. As we read more about her, we will learn some very important lessons. Elijahs names means Yahweh is my God. He sent Elijah to the widow to help both her and the prophet. He dedicated his life to studying and serving God which meant he was dependent on others to provide for him financially. This next of the Widow of Zarephath lessons is an exciting one. This woman didnt know that the LORD is a loving LORD. Did you know that All Gods Women can be heard around the world? This request was a huge test of faith. 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). While Ahab and Jezebel and Elijah were drawing swords on earth, that was just a representation of what was happening in the spiritual word. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food." 10 So he went to Zarephath. Elijah struggled with wobbly faith, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. The woman said to Elijah (v. 18): [] that you should come here to recall my sin and cause the death of my son? In the midrashic expansion, she tells him: Until you came here, God would weigh my actions in comparison with the local people, and I would be found worthy. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. God told Elijah to go to Zarephath and find a widow. (Matthew 25:34-40) It proves that God takes care of those who are faithful to him, even when they are enduring very difficult trials. Rabbah 2:5:3). What do we know about the Widow of Zarephath whose story is found in I Kings 17:8-24? But God is still providing for Elijah for now God sends Elijah to the care of a widow. 17). How many people who live in your territory are like the widow of Zarephath? 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. (Luke 4:25-26). It is very likely that many Baal worshippers lived in Zarephath. He takes the boy from her arms, carries him upstairs to his room and lays him on his bed. Before we get into the lessons from the Widow of Zarephath, let me summarize the story and create some context for you. This was not a miracle to be witnessed by the masses, but rather a private blessing for this little family to see God at work. He obeyed, finding a woman gathering sticks. She is well-known as a counselor to Christian faithful who are struggling with tremendous burden in these difficult times. 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). 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). She did exactly what he instructed to the letter. But these were difficult times. In that moment she chose to trust God. These days she stood with shoulders hunched as though to hide her breasts. When the brook dried up, God sent Elijah to Zarephath with instruction to look to a widow to sustain him. His need condemned her. The is a very powerful Sermon. Remember, she was looking at the possibility of dying a bit earlier if she gave away her very last meal. I look forward to hearing from you! All she had to do was believe God the God of Israel and obey. In all your ways take notice of him, and he will make your paths straight.Proverbs 3:5,6. Is the man mad? Zarephath rest inside the region of Sidon, the native country of Queen Jezebel, the woman who married the wicked King Ahab . Are you willing to be used by God to speak His truth into the lives of others as He leads you. This man of God is asking for the last of all she has. They are sure. But first make me a small round loaf of bread with what is there, and bring it out to me. I have learned this though: Even for people who have denied Jesus, there is forgiveness and complete restoration. The Rabbis applied to this woman the verse from the Eshet Hayil (Woman of Valor) passage (Prov. Amen. 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. Here is a prayer for you Lord, I pray you will be with your servant Shelmith. The widow did exactly as he instructed. Rabbah [ed. When Elijah declares that her food would not run out, the Widow steps out on this word and uses her last bit of flour and oil to make him a meal. The Widow of Zarephath. Elijahs receiving food from a widow creates a parallelism with Moses, the father of all prophets. He may ask you to do something thats humbling. Her sorrow: To suffer extreme poverty, famine, and the loss of husband and son. Most important she learned that the word of the LORD is the truth. Here is a young woman whos had a difficult life. Tune in next week when we talk about the Shunammite woman, a wealthy woman who experienced a life and death miracle from God. RELATED: Women of faith in the Bible 14 Characteristics and lessons learned. 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). It was at a moment of weakness that she doubted. Elijah had to run for his life. God never leaves his people without guidance and direction. Not only that, but the debt collector is trying to take away her two sons and turn them into slaves. Subscribe today and listen on your favorite platform. 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. It took great faith for Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath to believe God. Second, she was in no position to feed anybody. You already have the key of rain, and you [also] want the key of the resurrection of the dead? So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. Elijah needed to trust that if God said provision would be made, then Gods promise would be fulfilled. Give guidance and wisdom so that we know exactly what to do in whatever situation we may find us in. And who was her son? We meet the Prophets Widow in 2 Kings chapter 4. In Christs name we pray. Then theyd set it aside and grab a new jar to fill. The widow could see that Elijah was an Israelite who served God. 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. This is when God brings Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath together. It takes courage to go to your neighbors and ask them for something. Our God is still a miraculous provider, granting what we need sometimes in the most unexpected ways. Jehovah was listening. 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. But the brook dried up after a while. 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. 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. 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. It is common for us all to blame ourselves and our sins for things that happen to us. 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. The widow's faith in Elijah's God, Jehovah, preserved her and her son alive. In honor of International Womens Day on March 8, 2022, we are spotlighting women who rocked in Bible times! 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. You are our Provider when we have nothing. The Widow of Zarephaths story doesnt end there. Elijah served as Gods spokesperson, the man who stood in front of King Ahab and prophesied the next years are going to see a total droughtnot a drop of dew or rain unless I say otherwise (1 Kings 17:1 MSG). Elijah and Ahab had met when they came to console Hiel the Bethelite, who was in mourning. Indeed, "the large jar of flour did not run out, and the small jar of oil did not . The faith of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath helps us to realize that God wants to trust Him each day. Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. 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. Lieberman], Ekev, p. 74). Its blessing for me to be Gods instrument of inspiration at this time in your Christian walk . He stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this childs soul come into him again. The LORD heard the cries of Elijah and revived the child. 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. In those days, widows, especially those without sons, were very vulnerable. 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. Here are a few details about her that will help you to understand her story. The husband may have been called by God, but the wife may feel shes just along for the ride with no say in the situation. A lesson that we can learn from this is that God blesses those who show faith in him. Shes all alone and desperately trying to protect her children. But hard times is nothing new. 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. Like the woman with the issue of blood and Naaman, Elijah was no different. Another mother gives you her kids' outgrown clothing so you can clothe your own children. And the mother? We can learn so many lessons from the story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath. They saw first hand how the oil from one jar filled enough jars to not only pay off their fathers debt, but for the family to live off of. So they willingly gave. The Widow of Zarephath had doubt, just like we all do when we have reached our breaking point. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. Because of the reviving of her son she knew that Elijah was a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in his mouth is truth. The Rabbis expound that the cake that the widow made for Elijah was similar to mazzah (unleavened bread) and to the mazzah cakes eaten by the Israelites when they departed from Egypt. The Bible does not tell us, but we know this: The widow did not accuse God of doing anything wrong. It will be said that two keys are held by the disciple and one by the Master! ! With this question Ahab sought to deny the Divine system of reward and punishment that Elijah represented. I look forward to hearing from you in the days ahead. 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. Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 17:8-24; Luke 4:25-26 1 Kings 17: 10-16: "So he arose and went to Zarephath. But she wasnt prepared for his death. Blessings to you as well. Yes, they are Bible characters from a long time ago but their faith in God has reached across time to uplift our hearts. It was ironic since generally, Israelites were not supposed to be mixing with the surrounding nations. This was the hometown of Jezeb el, wife of King Ahab. We are never alone, He hears our every prayers, He answers our prayers in ways we would never imagine. If we have faith, it said, we will get the blessing; if we do not [have faith], we will lose it.. When God sends Elijah to the Widow, the instruction was that he had commanded her to feed. for(var i=0; i

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