OBEDIENCE REWARDED (I Kings 17:10-15) This account of how Elijah was fed and kept by the widow of Zarephath is one of the greatest sources of encouragement for God s people! It s a lesson that illustrates Peter s statement, I Pet. 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. She was undoubtedly in extreme personal circumstances. Poverty and starvation were closing in on her and she feared the end was but a short time away. Meanwhile, onto the scene comes the man of God! Have you ever had an experience when it seemed as if you were almost at the end of your tether? You had nowhere to look and no one to call upon. It seemed as if you were on your own and your burdens were too heavy to bear. This woman s son (v.12) could not provide for their family, neither could her household (cf. v.17). Yes, the central figure in these chapters is Elijah but here also is a widow woman who, - because of her desperate circumstances, - made a great discovery, I Kgs. 17:24 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. She found her obedience rewarded. I trust our study this morning will be of encouragement to you. You have successfully proved the Lord before but presently, - as it were, - you are down to the bottom of the barrel and there seems only to be a few grains left. Look at this woman and learn the lessons God s Word has for each of us today. First of all, we find this widow woman TESTED Here is something I find very encouraging v.10 when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there. Even if a hundred women had been at the gate, this woman would have been the one the Lord made sure Elijah would see first, - this wasn t just a woman this was the woman! When Elijah came to the gate of the city the Lord had given him no other information about her than v.9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. How was he to know exactly it was her? Very simply, when he saw her he tested her to see if she was willing, - against the background of the famine, - to give him something to eat and something to drink. He put her to the test. He addressed her gently and respectfully, - he didn t push his way in expecting kindness from her, - v.10 Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. Under those hard circumstances, he believed that if this woman would meet his request she was the widow woman of whom the Lord spoke, who would sustain him in Zarephath.
Note how graciously he spoke to her. He understood her predicament. Elijah was a complete stranger to her, - a foreigner, a man from a different race. She could have given him an answer that would totally have rejected him but the Lord was already in this situation. Elijah wasn t always so approachable. When he spoke with King Ahab, he was direct and showed no signs of making himself amenable to the king, v.1 As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. It was a straightforward no-nonsense announcement. On another occasion when the king s servant Obadiah met him on his return to Samaria, again the greeting was no-nonsense, 18:5 Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. 6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? 8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. When Ahab himself came out to meet Elijah (18:16-19), there was none of the tender personal rapport he had with this widow woman. Why? Because the Lord had already started to do a work in Zarephath in the home and in the heart of this woman and the Lord had intimated to Elijah this woman was part of His plan for the restoration of Israel. Her home was to be a shelter and a means of provision for His servant while he laboured there for the Lord. And the Lord s promise to Abram in ancient times was Gen. 12:3 I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. This woman was going to be blessed because she would be a blessing unto Elijah. Incidentally, I think we should take every occasion to mention it, this is also a truth for today. God blesses those who bless and care for the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac, - the Jewish nation. This woman was about to be a blessing to God s servant, and God in turn was about to bless her and her home. But what a severe test this was! This man whom she had never met before was asking her for something she genuinely could not afford. She didn t have much water to spare, - it had almost all dried up. She had been using it sparingly so she could make it last as long as she possibly could. The heat and the dryness of the land the dust how she longed for a good drink the way she used to in the days of plenty but she mustn t not now in these days of great famine! 2
3 You can also look back to times when you had plenty and you never had to give a thought to the simple things in life, but now you can understand something of what the woman was facing because a darkness has descended all around you. You know, it wasn t actually the man of God that changed the situation for this woman, it was the God of this man! Any of us are only servants at best but the one Who changes situations and circumstances is the God we serve. Not only had Elijah come to Zarephath, but the Lord came also. Just as she was going to fetch Elijah a drink, - and notice she didn t put up any argument, she simply went to do it, - he called after her once again very politely and very graciously, v.11 Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. By now the woman was in a real quandary, v.12 As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. I can literally see the bottom of the barrel! She wasn t pretending this wasn t a game She wasn t holding back she was genuinely preparing for her last meal and along comes a man asking so courteously and so gently, v.11 Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. She really could not afford it. He didn t command her, he spoke to her politely and respectfully. In fact when you look at them both, they were together hungry and thirsty, - the woman was down to her last and Elijah didn t even have as much as that to call his own! We can look away to another well, at Sychar, at which a greater than Elijah sat. We read about how the Lord Jesus v.4 must needs go through Samaria and how he v.6 being wearied with his journey requested from a woman, Jn. 4:7 Give me to drink. He had none of the basic luxuries, - He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:7,8), - and yet He came to lost and needy souls with the message, Jn. 4:14 whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Despite the darkness of the picture here in Zarephath, isn t it so absolutely beautiful the Lord knew about this woman s predicament and He brought Elijah into her home just at the right time! There is nobody here, - I would venture to say, - is down to their last round of bread or their last cup of water but yet you still might be as low as this woman was, in your own spirit. It hasn t been your fault it has simply been the circumstances that have come upon you.
4 It might be a spiritual issue you are battling with Maybe you re trying to work out why the Lord has allowed this dark cloud to descend upon you! You can see no way out, and the last thing you need is someone like me standing in a pulpit telling you everything is going to be alright. I am not instructed to do that, but I believe I am instructed to tell you that the God who met this woman s need can also meet your need. No barrel can be so empty that He is not able to sustain you from it. No well is so dry that there is not enough left to quench your thirst. But here is what you need to do you need to do as this woman did She started on her way, believing that she had sufficient to meet this man s request, - she just had enough, but she was willing to share it. And even when he asked her for the morsel of bread she couldn t afford, she was nonetheless willing to take him at his word, that thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth (v.14). We know this story and how it develops but she didn t know how it would turn out! You might think, It s all very well for him standing up there, but what he s saying doesn t apply in my situation. Oh yes, it does. The faith in God we say we have must not be hypothetical or theoretical but practical! To believe in God we must trust Him! That is how realistic this is! This woman was a foreigner, - a foreigner to the people of Israel and to the grace of God and yet the Lord met our need. Now, you look at yourself and consider all Christ has done for you up until this day You are not a foreigner, - you are a precious blood-bought child of your Heavenly Father! He has proved Himself to you time and time again, and you know that what we are gleaning from God s Word is so true because you have experienced it often in the past! Why not trust Him again?! It doesn t need to be a major incident in your life that you are contending with and maybe it is, though, but here is the Lord, - yes, Elijah was there too, - but it was the Lord Who came into this woman s home to meet her need! Isaiah told his people, 30:15 in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength 18 therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him. 19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. 20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, 21 thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
5 God has never handed control of your life to any other, - He is still in charge! Yes, this woman was definitely TESTED. TRUSTED Where else had she to turn? She could have said to Elijah, Who are you? I ve never heard of you! This widow woman was at the absolute limit. She had no control over her circumstances but she thought she might be able to hold on to the last few morsels of bread but here this man was asking her for even a piece of them! Life can be so cruel. Something happens that threatens to tear even the last little remnants of hope from your grip. You feel as if you are losing everything and you can t do anything to stop it! But, the Lord has a purpose in all of this, - He is setting out to prove her and, in fact, she became such a jewel in His hands that here we are today speaking about her! We don t know her name, or the street in which she lived, her descendants or anything about her but we know what she did in the purposes of the Lord. She sustained His servant, and His servant was used in the restoration of that nation of Israel! I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse (v.12) that s all I have! Actually, there is something hidden away here in this statement. Back in Joshua 19:28 we read that when Canaan was divided into various portions of the land, this district of Zidon, - in which Zarephath was situated, - fell to the lot of Asher (the second son of Jacob and Zilpah). Then when you go back to Dt. 33, - where Moses blessed the twelve tribes on his deathbed, - he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil (v. 24). Moses was referring to the oil from the crops in the fields for which the region was famous. This little oil in a cruse was about to be used to work the miracle of sustaining His servant and those now associated with him during those hard times of drought. It is yet another example of how God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:11,12). She only had a little oil left, and yet, - in the perfect and planned will of God, - it was sufficient to meet her need. It is indeed significant the Holy Spirit makes a point of recording how little she had left for the chorus reminds us, Little is much when God is in it. You might think all you have left is so small and has no value. Well, the lesson here is that with God that which is of little value in other people s eyes can be used to His glory in a wonderful way we could never imagine.
6 Yes, this woman was being tested and she did not think she could meet what was being asked of her. She was being tested to the extreme! She knew nothing of what the Lord had said to Elijah back at the brook Cherith v.9 I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. And God was not going to let His servant down, - He wouldn t make a promise He couldn t keep. Trust in the Lord and don t despair, He is a Friend so true! No matter what your troubles are, Jesus will see you through. You know yourself He has proved it to you in the past, and He can do it again! Indeed, how much better He is than all our fears! Tested Trusted TRIUMPHED To natural sight and to human understanding it seemed impossible, - it couldn t happen but it did! The end of her provisions was in sight, - she and her son were going to go through the awful lingering death of starvation. Her problem was that her eyes were not fixed upon God but upon the empty barrel, and it was failing her. The psalmist said, 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God. As yet, the woman was a stranger to the God of Israel, - so she confessed in v.12 As the LORD thy God liveth. All her hope was in the barrel of meal and it was emptying fast down to its last few grains. She didn t know any better! But you and I do. We know what our God is capable of. It s not right when we doubt His power and His ability to work through the difficult situations of life with us. We all are too prone to lean on something just as ineffectual as a barrel of meal and for so long as we do, our expectations will be disappointed. He has said, Ps. 50:10 every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 12 for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. You know, true faith recognises no difficulties for with God, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mk. 9:23). Faith, said A.W. Pink, is not occupied with circumstances, but with the God of circumstances. She is now ready to believe! Now it is another test of Elijah s faith. He had given her a promise that he couldn t retreat from but He was trusting in the Lord to deliver! In front of him were the starving widow and her son, a few sticks, a handful of meal from the bottom of the barrel, and a little oil that was all that lay between them and death. But, this was the place God had planned for Elijah to be, and the Lord has already been teaching him The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you and care for you. God had told him, I have commanded a
7 widow woman there to sustain thee. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. But we never can prove the delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay; For the favour He shows, for the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey. Don t be afraid to trust Him! You know how true it is theoretically, well, believe it practically. Don t just say you should believe it believe it! Fear not; go and do as thou hast said (v.13), Elijah told the woman v.14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And what was the result? Tested, Trusted and now Triumphed! CONCLUSION There is another point worth making here up to almost the very end, this woman did not fail to discharge her responsibility, even before Elijah arrived. She was the industrious kind, making use of any means at her disposal. Instead of giving way to her despair, - or waiting for someone else to sort out her problem, - she was busily occupied gathering sticks for what she fully believed would be her last meal. Yes, some people expect it all to be done for them without them putting themselves to too much trouble. If this woman had been idle, I don t believe the Lord would have sent Elijah to her. Not that I m saying she was worthy of the Lord s goodness but nonetheless, the Lord saw in her qualities He could use in the life of His servant. That is why many years later, the Lord Jesus continued to see those qualities, Lk. 4:26 unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. If life seems to have you in a stranglehold and you can t see a way out read again this story of how good the Lord is. He loves you for He loves all of His people with a special love, He will never let you go, He will never let you out of His sight, and He will never allow anything to happen in your life outside of His will and His will is always to His glory and consequently, to the benefit of His people. The psalmist declared, 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. This widow woman of Zarephath Tested, Trusted and Triumphed. May the Lord encourage His people through the study of His precious Word! Amen.