I kings 17:7- And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
After a while, the brook went dry. Now, Elijah had no water to drink. But, God knew what Elijah needed, and He was going to take care of him.
I Kings 17:8-9- And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
God told Elijah to go to a Gentile city. In fact, it was a city whose ruler was the father of the wicked Jezebel, whom the king of Israel had married. Elijah could have gotten angry that God would ask him to go to a heathen city. He could even have decided to find a place on his own to wait out the drought. But, Elijah knew that it was best to obey God even if he didn't understand.
I Kings 17:10-12- So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, 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.
Elijah went to the Gentile city and saw a widow woman out gather sticks. He asked her to bring him some water. She was about to go get him something to drink when he added a request- something to eat. This woman had just enough food for one more meal. She was gathering the sticks to use to cook the food and then she was resigned to starve to death.
God not only knew that Elijah was going to need a place where the wicked King Ahab couldn't find him, but He also knew that this widow woman was running out of food and needed His help.
God was going to bless both Elijah and the Gentile widow.
I Kings 17:13-14- And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 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.
The Bible doesn't tell us if this woman already worshiped God Almighty. It doesn't even say that she believed the prophet's words. But, whether she worshiped or believed, she obeyed. And God always blesses obedience.
I Kings 17:15-16- And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
This miracle fed her, the prophet, and her family until the end of the drought. All it took was her obedience. I'm sure there was a time when she went back to the barrel and wondered how there was enough to get them through. It's possible that she looked at the cruse of oil and maybe felt a little despair until she peeked inside and saw the small amount. But, each time there was enough, just like the prophet had said.
God was going to work another miracle in this woman's life.
I Kings 17:17-18- And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
The woman's son got very sick. It was so bad that the boy stopped breathing. This poor woman had already lost her husband, and now she was going to lose her son. She cried out to the prophet wondering if it was because of some sin she had committed.
I Kings 17:19-21- And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
Elijah didn't want this woman's son to die. He took the child and laid him on his own bed and then he got down and prayed. Elijah had a wonderful relationship with the Lord. He knew that the Lord would hear him if he prayed. He begged God to allow the child to live.
God knew that Elijah would do as he was asked. I wonder if God healed the child to show Elijah just how powerful He was? Perhaps, God was doing this to let Elijah know that He would answer when things seemed impossible.
I Kings 17:22-24- And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. 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.
The widow may not have believed that Elijah was a servant of the Most High when he kept her son and her family alive through the drought. Perhaps she had seen false gods work magic before. But, only God Almighty can raise the dead, and now she believed.
Elijah had seen God do some amazing things. He watched as God commanded the heavens not to rain on the earth. He saw how the animals obeyed God and brought him food twice a day. He observed the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil though almost empty feed them day after day. And now, he's seen God raise the dead. God had proven himself to Elijah time and again. And soon, God was going to ask Elijah to do something for Him- face the wicked King Ahab.
