The Story of Elijah: The Widow's Son
Notes
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There was great fear in his voice, and the look of panic was on his face. My son Owen was sure there was some sort of monster in his bedroom
I heard his foot steps running across the living room and into our bedroom.
I asked him what was wrong, and he said there is something very scary in my room.
I told him that everything was fine and that he needed to go back to sleep.
He then responded, but I see his red eye, I think its a monster.
I said, ok, lets go take a look. Owen was anxious to have me come into his room to kill any monsters that might be hiding behind his toybox
I open the door, and its still dark… He says, see right over there, and he pointed to spot next to the wall where a red eye was looking at him.
I looked and saw what he was talking about. I put my hand on his shoulder and said, “ok Owen, go see what it is.”
He looked at me with eyes wide not wanting to go over by himself, I told him if it was a bad guy he could fight because i was right there.
He walked over timidly, and bent down and grabs the red eye previously sent him running into my room.
He says, “oh! its the charger to my helicopter!” I thought it was a monster, it was just the red light to the charger. “
For a seven year old boy, his faith in a safe bedroom knowing that God is in charge can so quickly turn to panic and fear. As soon as that safety it infiltrated by a red light and an active imagination his faith in safety is shaken.
But when he placed his faith in my words that he would be ok, he was able to walk up to that fearful red light and discover that it was nothing more than his charger.
We can all relate to this story
You could be living your life with healthy rhythms and habits, enjoying the blessings that God has given you, feeling confident in God’s goodness and grace upon you.
AND THEN you lose a loved one suddenly and all of sudden your faith is shaken
AND THEN you lose your job, or get stuck with a significant medical bill and your faith is shaken.
Someone might criticize you or offend you and your faith is shaken
There are times in our lives where we can be celebrating the grace and faithfulness of God and within moments our celebration can turn to grief, and our confidence can turn to doubt.
The Widow who fed Elijah and gave him a place to stay, likewise experienced this sort of shift from celebration to grief, from joy to sorrow.
The Widow quickly experienced what it was like to have her faith shaken.
We are going to be looking at the story of The Widow’s Son this morning which is found in
And what we see three movements through the text
The Widow’s Faith is Shaken
The Strength of Elijah’s Faith
The WIdow’s Faith is Strengthened
The Widow’s Faith is Shaken
The Widow’s Faith is Shaken
When Elijah met the Widow at the gates of the city, the Widow and her son were getting ready to eat their last meal before they starved to death
By the powerful of God through Elijah the Widow was given an endless supply of flour and oil so she could feed her household and a guest.
For months the widow and her son were nursed back to health by having plenty of food to eat.
During this time Elijah was teaching her about YHWH, and how he is far greater than Baal.
He was teaching her about the Law of God and what it is to serve YHWH as King rather than Baal.
This women, was a convert, a new convert who was being discipled by Elijah
Elijah would have witnessed her devotion to Baal soon after moving in. And by the power of God Elijah called her away from those sinful practices of baalism and toward a devotion and allegiance to YHWH
No doubt this Widow would have found God’s covenant promises so liberating compared to the oppression and bondage of serving Baal.
She was growing in her faith and daily experiencing the sustaining power of God through the supply of oil and flour.
Then something happened. Something so tragic that the Widow’s faith was shaken.
Look with me at :17-18
17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!”
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This women’s greatest fear just became a reality, her son, her only son, became very sick and died. And her faith was shaken
You can imagine this women's confusion. “I have been giving up my old life, I’ve allowed God’s prophet to stay with me, and I have seen God’s blessing each and every day with the flour and oil.”
And now, after all this, her son dies of a horrible sickness.
So how does this young follower of God respond?
The widow blames Elijah
The widow blames Elijah
The women is not strong enough in her faith to understand why this would happen.
She struggled to understand, trust, and have confidence that God is in control of all things.
So what does she do? she blames Elijah.
She says to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God”
Her first thought is that Elijah is against her.
That maybe this whole time Elijah was there to try and destroy her.
That maybe Elijah is no different than the prophets of Baal
That maybe God is no different that Baal himself.
It’s amazing how fast we can forget God’s faithfulness and even the loyalty and faithfulness of godly friends when something goes wrong.
Example**
I was in a situation not to long ago where a friend and I had a strong enough relationship to call each other on sinful habits and try and help one another walk in holiness
For months we had been walking through some habits in his life that were doing damage to people and causing great fear and defensiveness in his life
And through the whole process there was open dialogue around this issue and we would pray together and fight together.
And then one day, the dialogue stopped. He no longer wanted to hear anything I had to say, and I became the enemy.
He began to blame me for what was going on in his life and said I was the cause for the pain people were experiencing.
This sort of shift can happen on a dime. As soon as our comfort level get pushed just a little to far everything can change.
This women is looking for answers, and Elijah is the target of her attack
She goes on to say to him, “You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!”
She continues to blame Elijah for the death of her son. saying that the only reason he came to her was to show her her sins and the wages of those sins, which is death.
This is the sound a young believer having her faith shaken
How quickly she has forgotten God’s faithfulness toward her, how quickly she has forgotten how Elijah had saved her and her son from starvation
How quickly she has forgotten God’s faithfulness toward her, how quickly she has forgotten how Elijah had saved her and her son from starvation
We are the same way:
When our faith is shaken, How quickly do we forget God’s faithfulness toward us,
how quickly do we doubt God’s love, his grace, his sovereignty.
And how often do we see our sin as an ob
We join the widow by lamenting our struggles while at the same time being sustained by his love.
While the the taste of God’s blessings are still on our lips we curse one another and doubt God’s love for us.
Israel says, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness”
While our bellies are still full of God’s provision, we doubt his existence and his faithfulness.
We say, “
This women’s faith is shaken, and she does not know how to respond, so she blames Elijah.
How does Elijah respond to these charges?
He does not get into a theological debate with her, and put her in her place for not trusting God
He does not defend himself as a prophet of God
He does not say this, “Hey, if it wasn’t for me you would have starved to death months ago”
Rather, what we see happening is that when the women’s faith is shaken, Elijah’s faith remains strong.
Look how he responds to her.
5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”
11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?
19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
Here, in contrast to the widow’s shaken faith, we see the strength of Elijah’s faith
The Strength of Elijah’s Faith
The Strength of Elijah’s Faith
Elijah doesn’t try and comfort her, he doesn’t try and explain God’s sovereign will, nor does he try and defend the goodness of God.
Rather, Elijah says, “give me your son”
19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
Her son embodied all her pain, all her doubt, all her fear, and all of her grief. And the Man of God, Elijah, said to her, “give me your son”
Elijah then took her son from her arms and brought him up into his bedroom, and into the presence of God.
He took her pain, and brought it God
He took her doubts, and brought them to God
He took her fear and grief and brought them to God.
For the women did not have the faith to bring her troubles to God,
So Elijah takes them for her
Elijah goes up into his bedroom into the presence of God on behalf of the women.
It was the strength of Elijah’s faith in in the Most Hight that bore the weight of the Widow’s doubt and pain.
Elijah lays the boy on his bed and cried out to God,
20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?”
The calamity that God has sent upon Israel and Sidon has now found its grip on the Widow’s son.
The mature faith of Elijah doesn’t blame the widow, or the son, but puts full responsibility on God.
The Widow went to Elijah with an accusation that he is the one who caused the death of her son
Elijah takes the widows accusation and brings it to God.
He takes her pain and her distress and appealed her case to God.
Elijah
Elijah knows that God is the one who holds life and death in his hands.
And Elijah goes directly to God with his accusation
This is a mark of mature prayer, to boldly go before God knowing that he is in charge of all things. And not being afraid to place responsibility on God.
EXAMPLE
Far to often we view God as a sensitive and delicate God.
We try and pray in such a way as to not hurt God’s feelings.
We view God like a fragile crystal glass that we need to make sure not to smudge when we go to him in prayer.
And the result of this is a malnourished and anorexic prayer life.
And the result of a malnourished prayer life is a malnourished faith.
God is not a fragile God, he is not delicate, he is more than able to take your honesty in prayer.
The Bible talks about God like a mountain, like a rock, like an all consuming fire, he is more than able to withstand your hurt and frustration.
In fact, that Bible teaches us to pray to pray to God with this sort of honesty!
If you read through the Psalms you’ll see that David is not afraid to blame God. He is not afraid to be honest with God about how he is feeling!
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
1 With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;
my companions have become darkness.
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? 8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
The Psalms teach us how to pray, and Elijah likewise models for us what the prayers of a mature Christian looks like.
1 With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
The Psalms teach us how to pray, and Elijah likewise models for us what the prayers of a faithful and mature Christian looks like.
Going into the presence of God full of faith and honestly. Not being afraid of hurting God’s feelings, but rather telling him of all of our troubles, of all of our doubts, all of our frustrations and hurts.
Trust me, trust the bible, he can take it. And not only that, but he welcomes our honesty.
In so many ways Elijah models faithful, honest and persistent prayer.
Like Elijah, Men and women of prayer go to God on behalf of others.
Pleading to God while standing in the gap of those who lack the faith.
We are to bear one another’s burdens, and one way we do that is in prayer.
We take each others distress, doubt, pain, to God and pray on behalf of one another.
This is what Elijah did for the Widow
Elijah accuses God of bringing death to the Widow’s son, because he knows that only YHWH holds life and death in his hands.
This is actually the most faithful prayer possible - fully recognizing God’s power over all things, including death.
However, Elijah follows his accusation with action and petition.
21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.”
This even more amplifies the strength of Elijah’s faith!
This child died in the arms of his mother down stairs - Elijah carries this dead boy up-stairs and lays him in his bed, he then prays three times for God to restore his life.
It makes sense that Elijah would pray for the child while he is still alive, that God would bring healing.
But once the child dies, you would think that Elijah would stop praying. but he doesn’t!
And this shows us the strength and persistence of Elijah’s faith.
Elijah believed that God was in charge of all things, including the realm of the dead!
Elijah had such confidence in God that he prayed, not once, not twice, but three times that God would restore the boys life!
We see that Mature faith prays not only honestly, but persistently!
Elijah never thought he was bugging God by going to him in prayer.
Elijah was not trying to figure out the secret will of God in his prayers
Elijah was not afraid to ask God to do something that had never been done before
Elijah was not concerned in trying to figure out God’s secret will concerning the child
Elijah went boldly into the presence of God and made his request known!
Elijah was praying honestly, and he was praying persistently!
And God did not get annoyed with Elijah, but honored his faithful, honest, and persistent prayer
22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
2
The faithful, honest and persistent prayers of Elijah were answered!
And what we see happening is that through the strength of Elijah’s faith, the Widows faith was strengthened...
Moses goes up Sinai on behalf of Israel.
The Widow’s Faith is Strengthened
The Widow’s Faith is Strengthened
Look at vv. 23-24
23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
1 k 17-23-24
We have seen how the Widow’s faith was shaken
We have seen the strength of Elijah’s faith
And now we see that the Widow’s faith is strengthened because of Elijah’s faith
The Widow’s Faith is Strengthened
The Widow’s Faith is Strengthened
Elijah took the breathless child from the Widow’s arms saying, “give me your son” he took him upstairs and prayed.
Now he comes back down the stairs holding a living breathing child and gives him back to his mother saying, “See, your sons lives”
God’s faithfulness was made real to the Widow through Elijah’s faithful, honest and persistent prayer.
She said, “now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of YHWH in your mouth is truth!”
What a powerful testimony!
She had doubted the faithfulness of God
She had questioned his love
She doubted God’s forgiveness and thought he was acting capricious.
The women's faith in YHWH was shaken, but through the faith of Elijah and the resurrection of her son her faith is strengthened.
This is such a beautiful picture of the gospel
17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
If we have ears to hear, we hear the echoes of the Gospel resounding in this story
Paul talks often about how we are saved first and foremost because of the faithfulness of Jesus!
It was because of the faithfulness of Jesus that he entered into our lives, into our mess, into our brokenness and has strengthened our faith
If Jesus did not stand in the gap for us, we would have no life beyond the grave
It was because of the faithfulness of Jesus that he has stood in the gap for us, like Elijah did for the Widow, he makes intercession for us and gives us hope beyond the grave
It was because of the faithfulness of Jesus that he has taken our dead, breathless bodies up to the father, and has given us new life!
1 & 2 Kings 1 Kings 17:1–24
Through his prophet, Yahweh demonstrates his lordship, his boundary-bursting power. He shows his power over the wilderness, over enemy territory, over the grave.
Through his prophet, Yahweh demonstrates his lordship, his boundary-bursting power. He shows his power over the wilderness, over enemy territory, over the grave.
And on the cross, Jesus has likewise shown his boundary-bursting power.
We have seen in this story and the story of the Ravens and flour and oil that God is present with and sustains his people. There is no boundry that
When we are in the wilderness of life, when we are fearful and our faith is shaken, Christ is there
Look where God has gone in this story
Wilderness
When Elijah was in the wilderness we saw God meet him there, sustain him, and bless him.
Likewi
Enemy Territory
Death
Elijah went into the wilderness, and the life giving power of God was there feeding him through the Ravens
Elijah went into Baal’s kingdom, and the life giving power of God was there saving and feeding Elijah, the Widow, and the Widow’s son
When the boy died, Elijah appealed to God to go not only into the wilderness, and into Baal’s kingdom, but to go to the realm of the dead, and the life giving power of God went into sheol and brought life out of death.
Jesus brings the life giving power of God
Through Elijah God demonstrates his kingship, his boundary-bursting power!
Elijah goes into the wilderness and YHWH follows him.
God sustains Elijah in the wilderness by bringing him food from Ravens and water from a brook.
As we
And in the incarnation, we see Christ demonstrating his kingship, his boundary-bursting power!
Elijah goes to Zarephath in Sidon, and YHWH follows him.
We see that Elijah’s persistence in prayer is actually a reflection of God’s persistence toward his people.
The Widow’s son goes to the grave, and YHWH follows to bring life from death.
And in the incarnation, we see Christ demonstrating his kingship, his boundary-bursting power!
Elijah goes to Zarephath in Sidon, and YHWH follows him.
The Widow’s son goes to the grave, and YHWH follows to bring life from death.
YHWH comes to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
In Christ, God has crossed into the territory of the “prince of this world” for us? he has, in Christ
Will he cross the boundary between the living and the dead for us? he has, in Christ!
Wilderness Witness
The Gospel gives us the life giving power of Christ!
When Elijah was in the wilderness, God entered into that same wilderness and brought life to Elijah through the Ravens.
When Elijah was in the wilderness, God entered into that same wilderness and brought life to Elijah through the Ravens.
He has entered the wilderness and saved us.
In the wilderness, God was there
When Elijah went into enemy territory, Baal’s city of Sidon, God likewise entered into that city and brought life to Elijah and the Widow and her son through the flour and oil.
And now, Elijah petitions God to bring life from a place Elijah cannot go.
He calls to God to bring life back from the realm of the dead. And the boarders of Sheol could not keep YHWH out.
He crosses the boundary of death to rescue the boy from Sheol. thus bringing life out of death.
Elijah knows that YHWH is the Lord of life, but now we see that YHWH is also the Lord of Death.
1 & 2 Kings 1 Kings 17:1–24
The greatest test is the last. After Elijah saves the widow and her house from starvation, after Elijah brings new life to the house, suddenly death invades the house. The widow blames Elijah, and we can hear the disappointment and dismay in her accusing question: “I thought you were coming to save me and my son, but you’ve come to kill. I thought you came as a mediator of life, but you come instead with death.” This complaint raises a climactic challenge. Yahweh crosses into the wilderness and gives life; he gives life in Baal’s territory. But can he cross the boundary to rescue a boy from Sheol? Yahweh is the lord of life: but is he the lord of death? Again, the answer is yes. Elijah brings the widow’s accusation to Yahweh and then prays that the Lord will revive the boy. Yahweh listens to Elijah’s voice and restores the boy’s soul to his body. Yahweh is not only superior to Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility and life, but also greater than Mot, the Canaanite god of the underworld, snatching the dead boy from the grave (Provan 1995, 132).
Jesus has not only sustains us in the wilderness, but he also has entered the territory of the Prince of the world for us,
In the wilderness, God was there
YHWH shows himself to be more powerful than Baal and more powerful than Mot, the Canaanite god of the underworld.
YHWH goes into enemy territory and rescues the boy from death.
He has gone into the territory of of the Prince of this World and has claimed his kingship
In Sidon, the kingdom of Darkness, God was there
We see God going into the Sidon and claiming a widow and her son as his own.
They are brought into the covenant people of God through faith in YHWH.
When the widow’s son died, we see her say to Elijah, “O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son.”
The principle that Paul talks about in Romans is true all throughout the bible
O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son
The wages of sin is death
And this women thought that the wages of her sin was the death of her son.
But even this women's sins could not stop YHWH from bringing her and her son into covenant
God breaks through sin and demonstrates his forgiveness to the widow by raising her son from the dead, by giving new life, resurrection life, in her house.
1 & 2 Kings 1 Kings 17:1–24
The widow thinks that her sins are an obstacle to Yahweh: “What do I have to do with you, O man of God?” she complains; “you have come to me to bring my guilt to remembrance and to put my son to death!” (1 Kgs. 17:18). Even sin is not impenetrable barrier, for Yahweh breaks through sin and demonstrates his forgiveness to the widow by raising her son from the dead, by giving new life, resurrection life, in her house.
And he went into the grave and brought us out of the depths of hell and has given us new life!
Even into Sheol, God was there
He shows his power over the wilderness, over enemy territory, and over the grave.
We see that Elijah’s persistence in prayer is actually a reflection of God’s persistence toward his people.
Elijah goes into the wilderness and YHWH follows him.
Elijah goes to Zarephath in Sidon, and YHWH follows him.
The Widow’s son goes to the grave, and YHWH follows to bring life from death.
And this is the beautiful covenantal persistence of YHWH is seen manifested perfectly in the life of Jesus.
YHWH comes to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
In Christ, God has entered the wilderness of sin for us!
In Christ, God has crossed into the territory of the “prince of this world” for us? he has, in Christ
Will he cross the boundary between the living and the dead for us? he has, in Christ!
1 & 2 Kings 1 Kings 17:1–24
Through his prophet, Yahweh demonstrates his lordship, his boundary-bursting power. He shows his power over the wilderness, over enemy territory, over the grave. And in this he manifests his relentless persistence, his unwavering commitment to preserve his prophet and to save Israel. Elijah goes to the wilderness, and Yahweh follows him. Elijah goes to Zarephath, and Yahweh follows him. The widow’s son goes to the grave, and Yahweh follows to bring life from death.
May we look to the faithfulness and strength of Jesus and in doing so, our shaken faith will be made strong.
1 & 2 Kings 1 Kings 17:1–24
This is the God of Jesus Christ, the God who comes to us in Christ Jesus. Will our God enter the wilderness for us? He has done, in Jesus. Will he cross into the territory of the “prince of this world” for us? He has done, in Jesus. Will he cross the boundary between the living and the dead for us? He has done, in Jesus.
May we stand in the gap for one another, praying on behalf of one another, and pray with strength, honesty and persistence as this is what is pleasing to God.
Jesus is the New Elijah Y
Luke 7
Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Entered the wilderness
Entered the kingdom of Darkness
Entered Death