1 Kings 17
We saw at the end of the last chapter that Ahab was a particularly nasty king who did not just ignore the ways of God but positively is hostile to God.
Against Ahab and the moral degeneration God raised up a new breed of messenger, the prophets, starting with Elijah.
Elijah started his mission be announcing a prolonged drought on the land of Israel. He is then told to make himself scarce in the Kerith ravine where there is water to drink. God arranges that Elijah is fed morning and evening by ravens bringing him food.
Eventually since no rain or dew has fallen the brook ran dry and Elijah is told to head to Zarephath in Sidon where he meets a widow who is gathering sticks to make a fire.
Elijah asked her for some food and she explained patiently that she lived with her son and all they had to eat was a small amount of flour and olive oil and no chance of any more food to come, so this was going to be her and her son's last meal and they would starve to death very soon.
Elijah told her that if she shares her last meal with him she and her son would not starve.
Elijah winds up lodging with the widow an her son and the small amount of flour and oil never ran out and they lived.
Some time later the widow's son became seriously ill and stopped breathing. The widow asked him "what do you have against me man of God?, did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"
Elijah asked for the sons body and prayed to God "Lord my God have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with by causing her son to die?" He laid the body on the bed and stretched himself over the boy and prayed 3 times "Lord my God, let this boys life return to him".
The boy's life was returned and he came around. Elijah re-united him with his mother.
We saw at the end of the last chapter that Ahab was a particularly nasty king who did not just ignore the ways of God but positively is hostile to God.
Against Ahab and the moral degeneration God raised up a new breed of messenger, the prophets, starting with Elijah.
Elijah started his mission be announcing a prolonged drought on the land of Israel. He is then told to make himself scarce in the Kerith ravine where there is water to drink. God arranges that Elijah is fed morning and evening by ravens bringing him food.
Eventually since no rain or dew has fallen the brook ran dry and Elijah is told to head to Zarephath in Sidon where he meets a widow who is gathering sticks to make a fire.
Elijah asked her for some food and she explained patiently that she lived with her son and all they had to eat was a small amount of flour and olive oil and no chance of any more food to come, so this was going to be her and her son's last meal and they would starve to death very soon.
Elijah told her that if she shares her last meal with him she and her son would not starve.
Elijah winds up lodging with the widow an her son and the small amount of flour and oil never ran out and they lived.
Some time later the widow's son became seriously ill and stopped breathing. The widow asked him "what do you have against me man of God?, did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?"
Elijah asked for the sons body and prayed to God "Lord my God have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with by causing her son to die?" He laid the body on the bed and stretched himself over the boy and prayed 3 times "Lord my God, let this boys life return to him".
The boy's life was returned and he came around. Elijah re-united him with his mother.
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