1 Kings 17:17-24

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Miracle of the Widow’s Son Raised to Life

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. God’s care is larger in scope than just meeting a person’s need.

  2. God’s crises are larger in scope than just testing a person’s faith.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Are we willing to help people who falsely accuse us?

  2. Are we willing to help people we don’t like?

QUESTIONS

  1. Discuss the death of the widow’s son at Zarephath.

  2. What does it mean, “God’s care is larger in scope than just meeting a person’s need”?

  3. What does it mean, “God’s crises are larger in scope than just testing a person’s faith”?

  4. How did Elijah respond when the widow blamed him for the death of her son?

  5. How did Elijah respond to God when the widow’s son died?

ANSWERS

  1. The widow blamed Elijah for the death of her son. Elijah disregarded the comment, and through prayer and by God’s grace took the son and brought him back to life. It was a great step for Elijah, touching a dead Gentile body. The widow acknowledged Elijah as a man of God when he brought the boy to her.

  2. God had Elijah stay with the widow to provide for both his and her needs, but it was greater than that. In Baal country, this woman was being witnessed to, cared for, and challenged in her faith. Others were being witnessed to, and furthermore, God was proving to Elijah that He could take care of him and protect him right in Jezebel’s back yard. In the New Testament, we see God’s larger scope in His care for Elijah when the Lord Jesus rebuked the people at Nazareth for their unbelief (Luke 4:25-26).

  3. God allows crises to come into our lives to build up our faith and to awaken our conscience, even as God tested the widow when her son died. We see here significant steps in faith in both the widow and in Elijah.

  4. Elijah responded in two ways – he ignored the blame placed upon him by the widow, and he did something to help the situation.

  5. Elijah blamed God in turn (1 Kings 17:20), but then he turned to the Lord and cried for help (1 Kings 17:21).

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Do you tend to limit the scope of God’s working in your life, perhaps through unbelief? How can you expand your vision in this regard?

  2. Has your faith been tested lately? To whom do you turn in times of crises? Has your faith grown because of a crisis? Be specific.

CHALLENGE

  1. Are you willing to help those who falsely accuse you? Are you thin skinned? What can you do to be more gracious to an “enemy”?

  2. Do you tend to blame others, or even God, for some things that happen in your life? How can you overcome this tendency?

KEY VERSES

  • “What have I to do with you, O man of God?” 1 Kings 17:18

  • “He cried out to the Lord…the Lord heard his voice...” 1 Kings 17:20-22

  • “Now I know that you are a man of God.” 1 Kings 17:24

1 Kings, Old Testament, TalksRon Reid1 KINGS 17:17-24