Elijah along with Elisha, his protege and successor, were spiritual superstars in an otherwise arid spiritual environment where they lived and toiled for a number of decades. This is about Elijah whose career paralleled that of the morally bankrupt king of Israel (northern Israel), Ahab. II Kings 17 is the starting point for the saga of Elijah’s adventures as the prophet or “mouthpiece” of the true God. The story begins with Elijah, the Tishbite as he is called, announcing to wicked king Ahab that Israel’s idolatry has led to a drought that will last a long time. Having deposited this bad news with the king, Elijah departs and hides out on the eastern side of the Jordan while Ahab and his aides frantically search all over for him (I Kings 18:10). Meanwhile, Elijah is sustained by a flock of ravens which, at God’s direction, provide “room service” for Elijah consisting of meat and bread while Elijah drinks from the waters of the river located near the Kerith “hotel” or ravine.
As time went by, the river dries up because of the protracted drought which had expanded at least beyond Israel’s immediate borders, but the Lord has already booked new “reservations” for Elijah as he is ordered to move west to Phoenicia/Sidon also just outside of Israel’s borders. There he meets a widowed woman in an obscure town, Zarephath, which eventually became well known because of Elijah’s stay there. The widow is collecting some fire wood at the town gate when she runs into Elijah, who immediately asks for a drink of water. No sooner does she oblige him and he already is making more demands. Now he wants her to “bake” him a piece of “cake.” She says that bread doesn’t grow on trees and that whatever flour she has as well as cooking oil is sufficient for just one more meal before she and her son run out of food. Elijah is not to be denied as he “orders” her to first accommodate him from the little she has. It’s almost as though he is casually placing an order at the nearest “McDonalds” and she actually obliges after he promises that she will not run out of food if she fills his order. And she doesn’t run out. There is enough for Elijah, the widow and her son for the duration of the drought.
The interesting thing about this narrative is that the miracle was contingent on this Gentile woman’s obedience which was in stark contrast to Israel’s lack of faith and disobedience. I also like the fact that God had confidence in her (an interesting interplay of God’s sovereign will and human freedom (I Kings 17:9). But what interested me most was her reaction to the ensuing death of her son (17:17f). She felt abandoned or betrayed by the Lord considering how faithful the Lord had been to her. She was shocked by this turn of events and to say the least she lost confidence in God’s intentions for her well being not to mention her son who was now taken from her. What had she done wrong? Even Elijah was disquieted by this turn of events. It’s almost as if she felt immune from adversity because of her “favored” status with Elijah and his God. We too find it hard to accept that hard times or tragedy can come our way considering our own FAVOR with God (the meaning of grace). What our widow of Zarephath didn’t know is that Elijah’s God was far greater and more loving than anything she could possibly expect from her own puny gods whose “jurisdiction” was limited to their own geographic territory. But Elijah prayed hard and passionately (the meaning of how he prayed). Then when her son was dramatically restored to her, she realized that Israel’s God was God alone and that Elijah was not a mere clergyman but indeed the Spokesman for the God of heaven and earth. She says to Elijah in her own version of “the sinner’s prayer:” Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” I remember that certain ballplayers through the years have been referred to as “the truth,” meaning they were truly the epitome of what a ballplayer should be or “the real thing.” Our celebrated widow learned that Israel’s God was “The Real Thing.” Sometimes, even the most devout of God’s saints need to be reminded of that their current circumstances notwithstanding.
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