was the widow of zarephath an israelite

Sometime later Elijah brought him back to life the son of the woman who owned the house . The Backstory: Elijah the prophet had gone to King Ahab, Israel's most wicked king, to declare a drought. 23Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. It was a place of isolation and he was taken right out of the picture. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. Sarepta (near modern Sarafand, Lebanon) was a Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast between Sidon and Tyre, also known biblically as Zarephath. Actually, she divulges something of her inner despair saying that she is finding firewood in order to prepare a meal for her and her son that she suspect will be their last (verse 12). And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. She was blessed to have sufficient for her need during the time of the famine. Even though there were 7000 in Israel who were still faithful to the Lord and many wouldve considered it a great honor to help Elijah. Truth be told, sometimes we all feel that way. It is the concrete, this-worldly transformation of Israel that is at issue. He called to her and asked, Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?(I) 11As she was going to get it, he called, And bring me, please, a piece of bread., 12As surely as the Lord your God lives, she replied, I dont have any breadonly a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil(J) in a jug. But Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem (Lk. (1519.12.02 death 1551) as Auxiliary Bishop of, Guillaume Hanwere (1552.04.27 1560) as Auxiliary Bishop of above Tournai (Belgium) (1552.04.27 1560), Johannes Kaspar Stredele 'Austrian) (1631.12.15 death 1642.12.28) as Auxiliary Bishop of, Wojciech Ignacy Bardziski (1709.01.28 death 1722?) Go home and do as you have said. What a momentous test of faith that wasand what a wise decision she made! 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. The reversal of death in this story (vv. Its perhaps also worth noting that in Isaiahs vision of Zions restoration, a clear distinction is maintained between foreigners who will come to tend Israels flocks, plough the fields, dress the vines, and the Jews who will be called the priests of the Lord (Is. 10:13-15). In other words, the word of truth WRONGLY divided (2 Tim. Thanks for your comment! Although the poor widow of Zarephath lived among idolaters, she exercised faith. How are you like Elijah? Let's start in 1 Kings 17. 8-16. the word of the Lord came to himZarephath, Sarepta, now Surafend, whither he was directed to go, was far away on the western coast of Palestine, about nine miles south of Sidon, and within the dominions of Jezebel's impious father, where the famine also prevailed. 4. We can never experience Gods blessings if we just feel worried or put our focus only on our current difficult situation. He is on their side. According to the papyrus Anastasi i, which dates to the time of Ramses ii (13 th century b.c.e. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, nd Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow., Hebrew month of Tevet 5777 (2016) | My Beautiful Nest. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land,and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.Luke 4:25-26, Yesterday my blog post was on Luke 4:16-30Jesus is our Jubilee. When God commanded Elijah to go to Zarephath, God said, "I have commanded a widow there to provide for you" (1Kings 17:8-9). The other group of ruins, to the south, consists of columns, sarcophagi and marble slabs, indicating a city of considerable importance. Now I am gathering a few pieces of wood, and I will go in and make something for me and my son. James B. Pritchard, SAREPTA. The Widow of Zarephath. How to tell the biblical story in a way that makes a difference, The widow of Zarephath, Naaman the Syrian, and the redemption of the world, Theological terms in narrative-historical perspective, The narrative premise of a post-Christendom theology, Answers to questions about the narrative-historical method, New year, new attempt to explain what this blog is all about. Gods counsel is the best; anybody that take heed to it will never go astray. It fell to Sennacherib in 701 BCE. In all your ways take notice of him, and he will make your paths straight.Prov. 9:51), and the seventy-two are sent into every town and place where he himself was to go (Lk. The climax of the Sarepta discoveries at Sarafand is the cult shrine of "Tanit/Astart", who is identified in the site by an inscribed votive ivory plaque, the first identification of Tanit in her homeland. Pritchard's excavations revealed many artifacts of daily life in the ancient Phoenician city of Sarepta: pottery workshops and kilns, artifacts of daily use and religious figurines, numerous inscriptions that included some in Ugaritic. [12] It contained at that time a church dedicated to St. Elias (Elijah). The right division (correct partitioning) of the word of truth that Paul, under inspiration, writes to Timothy about is a mandate a key without which a faithful workman cannot open the doors of understanding and revelation. So what does this ancient survival story have to do with us today? 10:1; cf. Why God sent Elijah to this widow and not some one else we will never know. The Watchtower Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom1992, The Watchtower Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom2014, The Widow of Zarephath Was Rewarded for Her Faith. There are greater works to be done and Elijah is commanded to go to Zarephath and be nourished by a widow. When he came to the town gate, a . Thus it is with us,at various steps in the journey of life the Lord brings us to the place where he tests our faith. This man is not just a Gentileeverything about him defines the opposition. But despite his circumstances, he is a compassionate friend to Israel and helps them when they cannot help themselves, as well as recognizing the authority of Jesus and what he has come to do and has implicit faith in him. A Phoenician town belonging to or apparently dependent upon Sidon in Elijahs day. (Acts 24:15) Surely these are excellent reasons for remembering the widow of Zarephath. So she did as Elijah said, and a miracle occurred in her house. Luke 4:26says there were many widows inIsrael at the time but Elijah was sent to none of them. After Elijah announced the drought, God hid him from Ahab and miraculously fed the prophet with bread and meat brought to him by ravens. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I like that suggestion: have the students analyze the results of each successive decision made by the person in the text. This is evident from her words as surely as Jehovah your God is living. It appears that while she had some knowledge of Israels God, it was not to the point of using the words my God when referring to Jehovah. The message that God provides in the most unlikely of places and by means of the most unlikely of people may help us to be receptive to Gods provision when (not if) it comes. ), Phoenician city situated between Tyre and Sidon and dependent on the latter. This has relevance in the lives of teenagers as we discussed what it is that teenagers crave- what they so desperately need in their lives. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 "Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 "Arise, go to () Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. [2] Obadiah says it was the northern boundary of Canaan: And the exiles of this host of the sons of Israel who are among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath (Heb. Overcoming evil with love not judgement. 1 Kings 17:7-16 New International Version Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath 7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. She cannot believe her eyes. After carrying the boys limp body to the roof chamber, Elijah cried out: OJehovah my God, are you also bringing harm to the widow with whom I am staying by putting her son to death? The prophet could not bear the thought that reproach would be cast on Gods name if He were to allow this kind and hospitable woman to suffer further. Beyond the walls of our reality, with the eyes of faith, let us look at the blessings God has prepared for us. It is a word of judgment much like that pronounced later against Chorazin and Capernaum (Lk. Body image issues. And this story is no exception. (Matt. 1Ki 17:8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Why does Jesus give the kingdom back in the end and become subject again to God? At Zarephath the prophet was shown hospitality by a poor widow, whose flour and oil were miraculously sustained during a great famine and whose son Elijah, in God's power, subsequently raised from death. The widow of Zarephath. We saw the video entitled Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath on the Old Testament resource DVD package (disc 2). He is not saved; he serves to highlight the unrighteousnessof the priest and the Levite (Lk. He gave him to his mother(O) and said, Look, your son is alive!, 24Then the woman said to Elijah, Now I know(P) that you are a man of God(Q) and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.(R). From this, we can draw a vital lesson. Due to Ahab's wickedness ( 1 Kings 16:33 - 1 Kings 17:1) the Lord sent a famine throughout the land of Israel. Elijah is commanded to ask this woman to feed him. And then Ahab built altars and groves for her god Baal. We learned she did not have but a handful of meal in her barrel, and a little oil in the curse she did not have a cake for Elijah. Is hequite safe? The widow with her very limited resources first provided Elijah with food, before preparing food for her and her son. 100 Scriptural Proofs that Jesus Christ Will Save All Mankind by Erasmus Manford (18151884), and 150 Reasons for Believing in the Final Salvation of All Mankind by Thomas Whittemore (18001861). NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. 5:12). It has had the following incumbents of the fitting episcopal (lowest) rank: It was established as titular bishopric no later than the 15th century. he was sent to this widow only.. a Gentile widow. In Luke chapter 4 Jesuswas giving them examples of the Gentiles that Elijah and Elisha had done miracles among and this widow woman in 1 King 17:8-16 is one of them. Understanding the Sacred Text: Essays in honor of Morton S. Enslin on the Hebrew Bible and Christian beginnings, pp. As the woman was going to get some water, Elijah called to her and said. Due to Ahabs wickedness (1 Kings 16:33 1 Kings 17:1) the Lord sent a famine throughout the land of Israel. A resource for the whole church from Luther Seminary. Robin has a Master's in both Theology and Biblical Studies. We discussed how students give of themselves with respect to seminary attendance, service in their church assignments, and so forth. The author of Luke-Acts presents to Theophilus, the lover of God (could that be us? With respect to the salvation of ALL (universal reconciliation) which I have come to see as entirely Scriptural, I would recommend two works: 1. After hearing about the widows preparations for death, Elijah gives the widow the same word of promise God gave to Hagar: Fear not (1 Kings 17:13; cf. Not all the inhabitants of Baal-worshipping Zarephath were completely corrupt. Amadasi Guzzo, Maria Giulia. by Solomon L. Skoss, 1936 Yale University. The widow of Zarephath lived in a coastal town in Phoenicia, 9 mi. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.. healing, deliverance, rescue, making wholeto ALL who believe (Romans 1:16). The Lord moves Elijah onward from hiding out from King Ahab, the most wicked king Israel ever had (1Ki 16:30). And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. To preserve Elijah's life, the Lord sends him to the land of Zarephath in Sidon, to a widow. We saw that there was not going to be any rain for 3 years so God told Elijah to go to the brook Cherith. Have you ever had to do something hard that the Lord wanted you to do but were afraid? He speaks crazy talk. In reply to We just read the centurion by Phil Ledgerwood. They may have little or no knowledge of Jehovah and therefore need help if they are to embrace pure worship. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: 9 "Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. It is possible that this woman is a widow due to the famine in the . WATV is an abbreviation for Witness of Ahnsahnghong TeleVision.. He obeyed, finding a woman gathering sticks. CS Lewis gets this point across in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: Aslan is a lionthe Lion, the great Lion., Ooh! said Susan, Id thought he was a man. Low self-esteem. Elijah went there. Her joy: To experience repeated miracles of God's provision. A century later, according to Burchard of Mount Sion, it was in ruins and contained only seven or eight houses. I dont have any breadonly a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. At that time, there was a widow who lived in Zarephath. In order to make each one into an applicable statement of principle one only needs then to substitute their name and perhaps some personal appetite or some piece of prophetic counsel into each statement. Indeed, in every nation the man who fears [God] and does what is right is acceptable to him.Acts 10:35. Jehovah sent Elijah to her for the sake of both the woman and the prophet. This is a common lot of youth, and it is important for them to know that they are not alone. Despite any misgivings Elijah may have had, he began a conversation with the woman. English Standard Version and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. A POOR widow hugs her boy, her only child. The sites of many Phoenician cities, like Sidon and Tyre, by contrast, are still occupied, unavailable to archaeology except in highly restricted chance sites, usually much disturbed. Like Hagar before her (Genesis 21:16), the unnamed widow of Zarephath has resigned herself to the fact that she and her child are on a slow descent to the underworld. The widow recognized Elijah as a God-fearing Israelite. The widow of Sidon "But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow." Luke 4:25-26 Most of the objects by which Phoenician culture is characterised are those that have been recovered scattered among Phoenician colonies and trading posts; such carefully excavated colonial sites are in Spain, Sicily, Sardinia and Tunisia. But desperate times call for desperate measures and Elijah survives. The raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath is a miracle of the prophet Elijah recorded in the Hebrew Bible, 1 Kings 17, taking place in the Phoenician city of Zarephath. Zarephath, a town of Phoenicia. It is vital that the students learn this skill so that they continue to learn when they are not with us. But first make me a small round loaf of bread with what is there, and bring it out to me. When she was gathering sticks around the town gate, someone asked her. The Notitia episcopatuum, a list of bishoprics made in Antioch in the 6th century, speaks of Sarepta as a suffragan see of Tyre; all of its bishops are unknown. 223225, 1980, Charles Cutler Torrey, The Exiled God of Sarepta, Berytus, vol. Excavations of the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania, 1970-72. Kings 17:8-24 sermon by Rev. He complains that people never take a home town prophet seriously, and then goes on to relate two pertinent Old Testamentincidents: But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. Upon his arrival, Elijah discovers that the widow is an unlikely source of hospitality. I will command a widow there to supply you with food.1Ki. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. Every class shared a similar experience. The rest of 1 Kings 17 teaches us this. Jesus tells the two stories in Luke 4:25-27 not to expand the scope of the kingdom message but to confront the faithlessness of the Jews in Nazareth. In this desolate place, God provides for Elijah by sending ravens to bring food unlikely agents of Gods provision as ravens were considered scavengers and the meat they would have brought would be considered unclean. 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. FACT #3 - Elijah knew she was a widow because of what she was wearing. If you need hope, Elijah and the widow of Zarephath have life-giving lessons for you. Enter your email address to follow this blog and keep up to date with us! zar'-e-fath (tsarephath; Sarepta): The Sidonian town in which Elijah was entertained by a widow after he left the brook Cherith ( 1 Kings 17:9 ). While most of us will not find ourselves preaching to drought-afflicted persons, we will be preaching to people who live in various ways under a death sentence. The account in 1Kings chapter17 says no more about this woman. She believed the word of the prophet and gave ALL that she had. Then a worried look was cast on her face, because her food was running out as a result of the long drought. Go home and do as you have said. Deprivation and despair are two words that come to mind when reading the stories narrated in 1 Kings 17. So I think we can agree with the first part of Middletons argumentthat when Jesus proclaims the coming of the kingdom of God, he has in view a concrete, this-worldly transformation, rather than something of a more abstract, or spiritual, or heavenly nature. Identification of the site is secured by inscriptions that include a stamp-seal with the name of Sarepta. Did you do it anyway? Genesis 21:17). The good centurion is not saved, but his confidence in Jesus is contrasted with Israels lack of faith (Lk. Civil war in Lebanon put an end to the excavations. Then we should act in harmony with Jehovahs direction regardless of how difficult it may be to accept it. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat itand die., 13Elijah said to her, Dont be afraid. Designated Area I, it was excavated in 1969-70. Covenantal Theology, replacement theology are and were bankrupt (spiritualizing; over-metaphorizing) meanderings that leaves/left sincere seekers wandering in a fog of speculations and confusion. In the absence of food, the only logical conclusion is that death will soon follow. S Dt 11:17; S 28:24; S 2Sa 1:21; S 1Ki 8:36; Job 12:15; S Lk 4:25, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Revelation, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow Gods Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation. In the form of a god: what does the lack of an article tell us? For a start, it's not much to go on. 17:12) Let us reflect on what this exchange reveals. Most of the others have learned the hard way that life takes you places that most definitely were not part of your plan A, B, C or even D. And sometimes it happens that one finds oneself in the outskirts and even in the midst of a prolonged drought or famine. Time. Sarepta[1] is the exception, the one Phoenician city in the heartland of the culture that has been unearthed and thoroughly studied. She had no idea that God had commanded her to feed Elijah. [5], Zarephath ( rf, tsarft; , Srepta) in Hebrew became the eponym for any smelter or forge, or metalworking shop. In the absence of food, the only logical conclusion is that death will soon follow. Here we see the importance of a widow in the ministry of Elijah the prophet. Symbolically, Naaman has become a proselyte or asojourner. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, 9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. The widow who had to act on faith and obey a prophet or a prophet who had to ask a poor starving widow to give him her last meal? 101-114, Judson Press, 1972. Are you searching for and assisting such individuals? By their being Elijah-types, lives are blessed. God chose a Gentile to take care of Elijah. Another question we touched on as the class came to an end had to do with likening ourselves to Elijah. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. The narrative-historical reading of the New Testament: whats in it for me? 6. Thank you for your thoughts on this great story.

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