ONLY A LITTLE FLOUR AND OIL
The nation of Israel has had many kings. One of them is named Ahab. Unfortunately, he was a very evil king for he worshipped a false god Baal, as you can read in I Kings 16:32
He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.
God was very angry with him and sent the prophet Elijah to him with a message that there was going to be a drought in the land for a few years as a form of punishment.
You can read that in I Kings 17:1
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
No doubt, these words will have made the king very upset with Elijah so God sends His prophet to a safe place, a ravine where he hides and where he can drink from the brook, as you can read in I Kings 17:2-6
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
However, one day the unthinkable happens, for even that brook dries up, as you can read in I Kings 17:7
Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.
What is Elijah to do now? Surely God will continue to take care of His prophet? After all, it is not his fault that there is a drought in the land. He has only been the one who has foretold the drought. But he is not the cause of it and he should not really have to suffer the effects of the drought. It is true, so far God has taken care of him. But now the brook has dried up too and God has not done something miraculous to make the brook continue to provide water for Elijah. Please read I Kings 17:8-9 to see what happens next
Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.”
True to His faithful nature, God once again speaks to His servant and this time tells him to go to a place called Zarephath in Sidon. That is interesting because that place is outside Israel. We might think that God will want to keep Elijah in Israel because the nations surrounding Israel are all pagan nations. But apparently God does not mind for his prophet to go to places he may not necessarily think of going.
Not only does God tell him which place He wants Elijah to go, He tells the prophet the person He has selected to take care of him: a widow. That seems to be quite an unusual choice, is it not? First of all, God is about to send his prophet to a place outside of Israel and the next thing He has decided to do is to send him to a widow. If God wants to send him to a widow, why not send him to a widow in Israel? After all, there are plenty of widows in Israel so it makes no sense whatsoever for God to send him so far away to a widow who, very likely, does not even know the God of Elijah. May be it is because this widow is better off. Most if not all widows in Israel are poor and God may have chosen this particular widow because she is a little wealthier so it will be easier for her to take care of Elijah and still take care of herself as well. Surely God must have His reasons as to why He is sending Elijah all the way to this widow in Sidon and it makes sense to send him to one who is able to provide for him. Whatever God’s reasons, the prophet does obey God and goes to Zarephath, as you can read in read I Kings 17:10-11
So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called,” And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
No doubt, before his arrival at Zarephath he must have wondered where exactly he will meet this widow, who is supposed to take care of him. Will he see her the moment he arrives or will he have to go into the town to look for her? And how will he even be able to recognise this widow God has commanded to take care of him? At his arrival he does notice a widow and he decides to try and find out if she is the one God has chosen for him. He suddenly realises as well that he is hungry and thirsty because he has not had anything to eat or drink for a long time so he asks this widow for something to drink and something to eat. Surely her answer will help him decide whether or not she is the widow selected by God to provide for him. Please read I Kings 17:12 to find out.
“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat – and die.”
This widow cannot possibly be God’s choice for Elijah, can she now? If God has spoken to her about taking care of Elijah then she must know about it and welcome Elijah to her home. But it seems she has no idea that God has commanded her to take care of him. In fact, she makes it quite clear that she is not planning to entertain anyone, including Elijah, but that she is planning to cook one final meal for herself and her son. After that final meal she does not plan to cook anymore but to just lie down and wait for death to come for her and her son. Surely Elijah will have realised from her words that she cannot possibly be the one widow he is supposed to stay with. This woman has nothing to offer him. She does barely have enough food for one meal for herself and her son and then she plans to die rather than take care of him. Her story is a very sad story but there is nothing he can do for her and she certainly can do nothing for him. And he is really very hungry and thirsty. So, no doubt, he will make his excuses and leave her to her to do what she needs to do so that he can go into the town to find the widow who will provide for him. Let’s read Elijah’s words to her in I Kings 17:13 to find out what his response is
Elijah said to her,” Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.”
Isn’t that interesting? It seems he believes he has already found the widow God has selected for him. However, having heard her say that she has only a little flour and a little oil left, just enough to feed herself and her son one more time, he still insists that she feeds him first before making something for herself and her son. It seems he does not understand that there is only food for two people and not food for three people. Does he not care that if she gives him food, either she or her son will starve without one of them even having had their final meal? Apparently Elijah does not care and you may wonder why. Can it be because he knows something that you don’t know? Please read I Kings 17:14 to find out if God has shown him something that you may not be aware of.
For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the Lord gives rain on the land.”
The reason Elijah is so persistent in asking that she make him some food first is because God has shown him that there will be flour and oil for the three of them until the time the rain returns on the land. And the widow, knowing that the rain stopped at the command of this prophet, believes his words that they will have food to eat while the drought last. And so she goes home to prepare a cake of bread for the prophet, as you can read in I Kings 17:15-16
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word the Lord spoke by Elijah.”
The story sounds a little bit like a fairy tale. I don’t know if you know about fairy tales but they always end with the sentence “and they lived happily ever after.” Well, the three of them; Elijah, the woman and the son seem to live happily ever after. But then one day something terrible happens, as you can read in I Kings 17:17
Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.
Disaster strikes. The son of the widow gets ill and dies. And that right under the nose of the prophet. He who has been able to prevent rain from falling down for the last few years is not able to prevent this boy from getting ill, never mind from dying. It looks like the prophet Elijah has become a failure. More importantly, it looks like God has failed for, He has not prevented this son from becoming ill and dying.
The presence of the prophet is supposed to bring blessing to the home of the widow and not disaster. But that is not what has happened. What can possibly be the reason for this terrible tragedy? You can see who the woman thinks is to be blamed in I Kings 17:18
She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
The widow believes the prophet is responsible for the death of her son. It seems she has forgotten that without the prophet’s intervention in her life she and the boy would have both died some time ago already. But we cannot blame her for her emotional outburst because God promised they would live through this drought and it seems He has not kept His promise so who better to blame than the one who represents him; the prophet?
How does Elijah respond to the woman’s words? Does he get upset with her and walks out of the house telling her that he will have nothing to do with her anymore for she is an ungrateful woman who has completely forgotten what he has done for her? Thankfully that is not what happens, as you can see from I Kings 17:19
“Give me you son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him out on his bed.
The prophet takes the boy from the widow’s arms and takes his body to his room. It is time for an encounter with his God for Elijah knows that he can do nothing without his God, as you can read in John 15:5b where Jesus says
“…..Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
To the widow Elijah is responsible for the death of her son but Elijah knows he cannot be blamed for it for he is not God. You can see what Elijah thinks of this tragic situation in I Kings 17:20
Then he cried out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, have You brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, causing her son to die?”
Elijah knows he has not caused the death of this young boy so it must be God who is to be blamed for who else can be blamed for this tragedy? This whole situation does not make sense to him even as the prophet of God. After all, he knows that God has sent him to this widow and her son for the sole purpose of keeping them alive throughout the famine. How can God then take the life of this boy? How can God be so cruel to this widow? Having poured out his heart to God he decides that he needs to do more than just blame God for the tragedy, as you can read in I Kings 17:21
Then he stretched out himself out on the boy three times and cried to the Lord, ”O Lord, my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”
Elijah, having worked through his emotional outburst, once again relies on the intimate knowledge he has of his God. For he knows that his God desires to give life rather than death. So he cries out for the boy’s life to be returned to him. And how does God respond? Please read I Kings 17:22 to find out
The Lord heard Elijah’s cry and the boy’s life returned.
It seems the Lord waits patiently for Elijah to work through his emotions and then, in answer to his prayer, is delighted to give the boy back his life. Elijah is, of course, overjoyed. God has answered his prayer; the boy has come back to life. But what about his mother. Should she not be told? You can find out what happens next in I Kings 17:23
Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive.”
When Elijah returns with the boy to the mother, there is no need for any word. The mother can see that death has left her child. Joy overwhelms her soul. Her son has been returned to her. And now she understands why God has allowed this ordeal in her life, as you can read in I Kings 17:24
Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”
This tragedy has been used by God to help the widow trust the man of God as well as his God more fully. She has already experienced the truth of Elijah’s words and the trustworthiness of Elijah’s God for some time because of the daily miraculous provision of flour and oil. Yet, God knows that this widow still has some doubts about the prophet and his God. Something more needs to happen in her life for her to overcome her doubts. He, therefore, allows this tragedy in her life, knowing that it will make her fully accept Elijah as the man of God that he is and to trust his God completely
God selected this widow, who was not even a widow in Israel, to take care of His servant. This proves that He knew who she was, knew where she lived, and knew her circumstances. And yet He chose her for this special task. His prophet needed a safe place to stay where he could rest and where he would be fed. We may have expected God to choose someone who would have been better able to take care of Elijah, but God did not for He knew that He would multiply the little she had so that it would be enough for all of them to last them for the time they would need it.
You may feel you are somewhat like this widow for no one knows you, knows where you live, nor do they know your difficult circumstances. But I want you to know that just as God knew this widow, so God knows you, knows where you live and knows your circumstances. And just as God chose to use this widow so God wants to use you. And just as God used the little she had and multiplied it in her life, so He will use the little that you have as you give it to Him and He will multiply it in your life. You may say, “Well I don’t even have what she had for I do not have any flour or any oil.” But I tell you, you have something to give to God for God to multiply in your life for the benefit of others. You can show kindness to someone who may not deserve it, can’t you? You can give forgiveness to someone who has hurt you, can’t you? These are some of the things God is looking for you to give away so he can multiply them in your life for the sake of others. And as you give from your heart more shall be given to you so you have even more to give away. Jesus teaches these things in Luke 6:27-38, where He says
But I tell you who hear me, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you. If someone strikes you one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” love those who love them. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even “sinners” lend to “sinners”, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
The widow gave whatever she had and, because of it, she and her son lived. Likewise, God will cause you to come truly alive in Him when you are willing to give whatever you can be it in the form of kindness, love, mercy, forgiveness to those who may not deserve it. And you will experience His Joy, His Peace and His very Presence in a way you may not have known before.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Question 1: What is the name of one of the kings of Israel?
Answer: The name of one of the kings of Israel is Ahab.
Question 2: Was Ahab a very evil king?
Answer: Ahab was a very evil king.
Question 3: Why was Ahab a very evil king?
Answer: Ahab was a very evil king because he worshipped a false god Baal.
Question 4a: According to I Kings 16:32 what did king Ahab do?
Answer: According to I Kings 16:32 king Ahab set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal.
Question 4b: According to I Kings 16:32 were did king Ahab build a temple of Baal?
Answer: According to I Kings 16:32 king Ahab built a temple of Baal in Samaria.
Question 5: Who was angry with Ahab?
Answer: God was angry with Ahab.
Question 6: Who did God send to Ahab?
Answer: God sent the prophet Elijah to Ahab.
Question 7: What message did Elijah give to Ahab?
Answer: The message that Elijah gave to Ahab was that there was going to be a drought in the land.
Question 8: Why was there going to be a drought in the land?
Answer: There was going to be a drought in the land as a form of punishment.
Question 9a: According to I Kings 17:1 where is Elijah originally from?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:1 Elijah is originally from Tishbe in Gilead.
Question 9b: According to I Kings 17:1 Who does Elijah serve?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:1 Elijah serves the Lord, the God of Israel.
Question 9c: According to I Kings 17:1 what does Elijah say to Ahab?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:1 Elijah says to Ahab that there will be neither rain nor dew for the next few years.
Question 9d: According to I Kings 17:1 at whose words will the situation change?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:1 the situation will change at the words of Elijah.
Question 10: Will Elijah’s words have made Ahab very upset?
Answer: Elijah’s words will have made Ahab very upset.
Question 11: What does God do for Elijah?
Answer: God sends Elijah to a safe place.
Question 12a: According to I Kings 17:2-6 where does God send Elijah?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:2-6 God sends Elijah to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.
Question 12b: According to I Kings 17:2-6 how does God provide for Elijah?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:2-6 God provides for Elijah by ordering ravens to bring him bread and by giving him water from the brook.
Question 13: What happens to the brook?
Answer: The brook dries up.
Question 14: According to I Kings 17:7 why does the brook dry up?
Answer: According to 1 Kings 17:7 the brook dries up because there has been no rain in the land.
Question 15: Is it Elijah’s fault that there is a drought in the land?
Answer: It is not Elijah’s fault that there is a drought in the land.
Question 16: What has Elijah done?
Answer: Elijah has foretold the drought.
Question 17: Is Elijah the cause of the drought?
Answer: Elijah is not the cause of the drought.
Question 18: Should Elijah have to suffer the effects of the drought?
Answer: Elijah should not have to suffer the effects of the drought.
Question 19: Has God done something miraculous to make the brook continue to provide water for Elijah?
Answer: God has not done something miraculous to make the brook continue to provide water for Elijah.
Question 20a: According to I Kings 17:8-9 what does the Lord tell Elijah to do?
Answer: According to I Kings 18:8-9 the Lord tells Elijah to go to Zarephath of Sidon.
Question 20b: According to I Kings 17:8-9 who has God spoken to in Zarephath of Sidon?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:8-9 the Lord has commanded a widow in Zarephath of Sidon to supply Elijah with food.
Question 21: Where is Zarephath of Sidon?
Answer: Zarephath in Sidon is outside Israel.
Question 22: Do the nations outside Israel worship the God of Israel?
Answer: The nations outside Israel are all pagan nations.
Question 23: Does God tell the prophet who He has selected to take care of him?
Answer: God tells the prophet He has selected a widow to take care of him.
Question 24: Are there widows in Israel?
Answer: There are plenty of widows in Israel.
Question 25: Does it make sense for God to send Elijah to a widow in Zarephath?
Answer: It does not make sense for God to send Elijah to a widow in Zarephath.
Question 26: Does Elijah obey God and go to Zarephath?
Answer: Elijah obeys God and goes to Zarephath.
Question 27a: According to I Kings 17:10-11 who is gathering woodsticks at the town gate?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:10- a widow is gathering woodsticks at the town gate.
Question 27b: According to I Kings 17:10-11 what does Elijah ask the widow to do for him?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:10-11 Elijah asks the widow to bring him a little water in a jar.
Question 27c: According to I Kings 17:10-11 what else does Elijah ask the widow to do for him?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:10-11 Elijah asks the widow to bring him a piece of bread.
Question 28: Will Elijah have wondered where exactly he will meet this widow?
Answer: Elijah will have wondered where exactly he will meet this widow.
Question 29: Does Elijah know how he is able to recognise this widow?
Answer: Elijah will not know how he is able to recognise this widow.
Question 30: What does Elijah decide to do when he notices a widow?
Answer: Elijah decides to try and find out is this widow is the one God has chosen for him.
Question 31: Why does Elijah ask the widow for something to drink and to eat?
Answer: Elijah asks the widow for something to drink and to eat because he suddenly realizes that he is hungry and thirsty.
Question 32: Will this help Elijah know whether or not she is the widow who has been selected by God to provide for him?
Answer: This will help Elijah know whether or not she is the widow who has been selected by God to provide for him.
Question 33a: According to I Kings 17:12 what does the widow call Elijah’s God?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:12 the widow calls Elijah’s God, the Lord his God.
Question 33b: According to I Kings 17:12 how does the widow respond to Elijah’s request for bread?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:12 the widow tells Elijah that she does not have any bread.
Question 33c: According to I Kings 17:12 what ingredients does the widow have?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:12 the widow has only a handful of flour and a little oil.
Question 33d: According to I Kings 17:12 what is the widow doing?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:12 the widow is gathering some sticks.
Question 33e: According to I Kings 17:12 why is the widow gathering some sticks?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:12 the widow is gathering some sticks to take home and make a meal for herself and her son.
Question 33f: According to I Kings 17:12 what is the widow planning to do after she and her son have eaten?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:12 the widow and her son plan to die after they have eaten.
Question 34: Does the widow seem to know that God has commanded her to take care of Elijah?
Answer: The widow does not seem to know that God has commanded her to take care of Elijah.
Question 35: Is the widow planning to entertain anyone, including Elijah?
Answer: The widow is not planning to entertain anyone, including Elijah.
Question 36: Can this widow offer Elijah anything?
Answer: This widow has nothing to offer Elijah.
Question 37: Has she food for Elijah?
Answer: She has barely enough food for one meal for herself and her son.
Question 38a; According to I Kings 17:13 what does Elijah tell the widow to do?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:113 Elijah tells the widow not be afraid.
Question 38b: According to I Kings 17:13 does Elijah tell the widow to stay with him?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:13 Elijah tells the widow to go home and make something to eat for herself and her son.
Question 38c: According to I Kings 17:13 what does Elijah ask the widow to do first?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:13 Elijah asks the widow to make a small cake of bread for him first.
Question 38d: According to I Kings 17:13 what else does Elijah say to the widow?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:13 Elijah says to the widow to make something for herself and her son after she has made a cake of bread for him.
Question 39: Does Elijah seem to believe he has already found the widow God has selected for him?
Answer: It seems Elijah believes he has already found the widow God has selected for him.
Question 40: Does Elijah not understand that there is only food for two people and not for three people?
Answer: Elijah does not seem to understand that there is only food for two people and not for three people.
Question 41: Is it possible that Elijah knows something that you do not know?
Answer: It is possible that Elijah knows something that you do not know.
Question 42a: According to I Kings 17:14 what does the Lord, the God of Israel say?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:14 the Lord, the God of Israel says that the jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry.
Question 42b: According to I Kings 17:14 until what time will the jar of flour not be used up and the jug of oil not run dry?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:14 the jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the time that the Lord gives rain on the land.
Question 43: What has the Lord shown Elijah?
Answer: The Lord has shown Elijah that there will be flour and oil for the three of them until the time the rain returns on the land.
Question 44: What does the widow know about Elijah?
Answer: The widow knows that the rain stopped at the command of Elijah.
Question 45: Does the widow believe Elijah’s words that they will have food to eat while the drought last?
Answer: The widow believes Elijah’s words that they will have food to eat while the drought last.
Question 46: What does the widow do to show that she believes Elijah’s words?
Answer: The widow goes home to prepare a cake for Elijah to show that she believes his words that they will have food to eat while the drought last.
Question 47a: According to I Kings 17:15-16 is there food every day for Elijah, the woman and her family?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:15-16 there is food every day for Elijah, the woman and her family.
Question 47b: According to I Kings 17:15-16 what happens with the flour and oil?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:15-16 the jar of flour is not used up and the jar of oil does not run dry.
Question 47c: According to I Kings 17:15-16 is this in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:15-16 this is in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
Question 48: Do Elijah, the woman and the son live happily ever after?
Answer: One day something terrible happens.
Question 49a: According to I Kings 17:17 what happens to the son of the woman who owns the house?
Answer, According to I Kings 17:17 the son of the woman who owns the house becomes ill.
Question 49b: According to I Kings 17:17 does the son of the woman who owns the house improve?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:17 the son of the woman who owns the house grows worse and worse.
Question 49c: According to I Kings 17:17 what does finally happen to the son of the women who owns the house?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:17 the son of the woman who owns the house stops breathing.
Question 50: Is Elijah living in the house of the woman who owns the house when the son gets ill?
Answer: Elijah is living in the house of the woman who owns the house when the son gets ill.
Question 51: Is Elijah able to prevent the boy from getting ill?
Answer: Elijah is not able to prevent the boy from getting ill.
Question 52: Is Elijah able to prevent the boy from dying?
Answer: Elijah is not able to prevent the boy from dying.
Question 53: Does it look like Elijah is a failure?
Answer: It looks like Elijah is a failure.
Question 54: Why does it look like God has failed?
Answer: It looks like God has failed for He has not prevented the son from getting ill and consequently from dying.
Question 55: Is the presence of Elijah supposed to be a blessing to the home of the widow and not a disaster?
Answer: The presence of Elijah is supposed to be a blessing to the home of the widow and not a disaster.
Question 56a: According to I Kings 17:18 what does the widow ask Elijah?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:18 the widow asks Elijah what he has against her.
Question 56b: According to I Kings 17:18 what does the widow believe Elijah has come to remind her of?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:18 the widow believes Elijah has come to remind her of her sin.
Question 56c: According to I Kings 17:18 who does the widow believe has killed her son?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:18 the widow believes Elijah has killed her son.
Question 57: Has the widow forgotten that without Elijah’s intervention in her life she and the son will have died some time ago already?
Answer: The widow seems to have forgotten that without Elijah’s intervention in her life she and the son will have died some time ago already.
Question 58: Why can you not blame the widow for her emotional outburst?
Answer: You cannot blame the widow for her emotional outburst because God promised they would live through the drought.
Question 59: Does it seem God has not kept His promise that they would live through the drought?
Answer: It seems God has not kept His promise that they would live through the drought.
Question 60: Who represents God and is, therefore, the best person to be blamed for the death of the son?
Answer: Elijah represents God and is, therefore, the best person to be blamed for the death of the son.
Question 61: Does Elijah get upset with the widow and walks out of the house?
Answer: Elijah does not tell the widow that he will have nothing to do with her anymore.
Question 62a: According to I Kings 17:19 what does Elijah say to the widow?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:19 Elijah says to the widow to give him her son.
Question 62b: According to I Kings 17:19 where does Elijah take the son?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:19 Elijah takes the son to the upper room where he is staying.
Question 62c: According to I Kings 17:19 what does Elijah do with the son?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:19 Elijah lays the son on his bed.
Question 63: What is it time for?
Answer: It is time for an encounter with God.
Question 64: According to John 15:5b can you do anything apart from the Lord?
Answer: According to John 15:5b you can do nothing, apart from the Lord.
Question 65: Who is responsible for the death of the son according to the widow?
Answer: Elijah is responsible for the death of the son according to the widow.
Question 66: Why does Elijah know he cannot be blamed for the death of the son?
Answer: Elijah knows he cannot be blamed for the death of the son because he is not God.
Question 67a: According to I Kings 17:20 what does Elijah do next?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:20 Elijah cries out to the Lord.
Question 67b: According to I Kings 17:20 what does Elijah question the Lord about?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:20 Elijah questions the Lord if He has brought tragedy upon the widow he is staying with, causing her son to die.
Question 68: Does Elijah know that he has not caused the death of this young boy?
Answer: Elijah knows that he has not caused the death of this young boy.
Question 69: Who does Elijah think must blamed for the death of this young boy?
Answer: Elijah thinks God must be blamed for the death of this young boy.
Question 70: Why does Elijah think that God must be blamed for the death of this young boy?
Answer: Elijah thinks that God must be blamed for the death of this young boy because no one else can be blamed for the death of this young boy.
Question 71: Does this whole situation make sense to Elijah?
Answer: This whole situation does not make sense to Elijah, even as the prophet of God.
Question 72: What has been God’s sole purpose in sending Elijah to the widow and her son?
Answer: God’s sole purpose in sending Elijah to the widow and her son has been to keep them alive through the famine.
Question 73: Does it seem to Elijah that God has been cruel to the widow?
Answer: It seems to Elijah that God has been cruel to the widow.
Question 74: After having poured out his heart to God does Elijah knows he needs to do more than just blame God for the tragedy?
Answer: After having poured out his heart to God Elijah knows he needs to do more than just blame God for the tragedy.
Question 75a: According to I Kings 17:21 what does Elijah do after having poured out his heart to God?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:21 after having poured out his heart to God Elijah stretches himself out on the boy three times.
Question 75b: According to I Kings 17:21 what does Elijah ask the Lord to do?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:21 Elijah asks the Lord to let the boy’s life return to him.
Question 76: What does Elijah rely on once he has worked through his emotional outburst?
Answer: Elijah once again relies on the intimate knowledge he has of his God once he has worked through his emotional outburst.
Question 77: What does Elijah know about his God?
Answer: Elijah knows about his God that his God desires to give life rather than death.
Question 78: Based on his knowledge of God what does Elijah ask God to do?
Answer: Based on his knowledge of God Elijah asks God for the boy’s life to be returned to him.
Question 79a: According to I Kings 17:22 does the Lord hear Elijah’s cry?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:22 the Lord hears Elijah’s cry.
Question 79b: According to I Kings 17:22 what happens to the boy?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:22 the boy’s life returns to him.
Question 80: Does the Lord seem to wait patiently for Elijah to work through his emotions?
Answer: The Lord seems to wait patiently for Elijah to work through his emotions.
Question 81: How does God answer Elijah prayer?
Answer: In answer to Elijah’s prayer God is delighted to give the boy back his life.
Question 82: Should the mother be told that her son has come back to life?
Answer: The mother should be told that her son has come back to life.
Question 83a: According to I Kings 17:23 what does Elijah do with the child?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:23 Elijah picks up the child.
Question 83b: According to I Kings 17:23 where does Elijah take the child?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:23 Elijah takes the child from the room into the house.
Question 83c: According to I Kings 17:23 to whom does Elijah give the child?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:23 Elijah gives the child to his mother.
Question 83d: According to I Kings 17:23 what does Elijah say to the mother of the child?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:23 says to the mother that her child is alive.
Question 84: Will joy have overwhelmed the mother’s soul at the return of her son?
Answer: Joy will have overwhelmed the mother’s soul when her son is returned to her.
Question 85: Does the widow now understand why God has allowed this ordeal in her life?
Answer: The widow now understands why God has allowed this ordeal in her life.
Question 86a: According to I Kings 17:24 what does the woman now know about Elijah?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:24 the woman now knows that Elijah is a man of God.
Question 86b: According to I Kings 17:24 what else does the woman now know about Elijah?
Answer: According to I Kings 17:24 the woman now knows that the word of the Lord from Elijah’s mouth is the truth.
Question 87: How has this tragedy been used by God?
Answer: This tragedy has been used by God to help the widow trust Elijah as the man of God as well as his God more fully.
Question 88: How has this widow already experienced the truth of Elijah’s words and the trustworthiness of his God for some time?
Answer: The widow has already experienced the truth of Elijah’s words and the trustworthiness of his God for some time because of the daily miraculous provision of flour and oil.
Question 89: Does God know that the widow still has some doubts about Elijah and his God?
Answer: God knows that he widow still has some doubts about Elijah and his God.
Question 90: Why does God allow this tragedy in the widow’s life?
Answer: God allows this tragedy in the widow’s life for He knows that it will make her fully accept Elijah as the man of God and to trust his God completely.
Question 91: Who did God select to take care of His servant Elijah?
Answer: God selected a widow, who was not even a widow in Israel, to take care of His servant Elijah.
Question 92: What does this prove about God?
Answer: It proves that God knew who this widow was, where she lived and knew her circumstances.
Question 93: Why did God not choose someone who would have been better able to take care of Elijah?
Answer: God did not choose someone who would have been better able to take care of Elijah because He knew that He would multiply the little the widow had so that it would be enough for all them to last for the time they would need it.
Question 94: Do you sometimes feel like this widow?
Answer: You may sometimes feel like this widow for no one knows you, knows where you live, nor do they know your difficult circumstances.
Question 95: Does God know you?
Answer: God knows you, knows where you live and knows your circumstances.
Question 96: Does God wants to use you just as He used the widow?
Answer: God wants to use you just as He used the widow.
Question 97: What does God want you to do?
Answer: God wants you to give Him the little you have and He will multiply it in your life.
Question 98: What can you give to God for Him to multiply in your life?
Answer: You can give kindness to someone who may not deserve it.
Question 99: What else can you give to God for Him to multiply into your life?
Answer: You can give forgiveness to someone who has hurt you.
Question 100: As you give from your heart why will you be given more?
Answer: As you give from your heart more will be given to you so you have even more to give away.
Question 101a: According to Luke 6:27-38 what does Jesus say you are to do with regards your enemies?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to love your enemies.
Question 101b: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do regarding those who hate you?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to do good to those who hate you.
Question 101c: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do with regards those who curse you?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to bless those who curse you.
Question 101d: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do with regards those who ill-treat you?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to pray for those who ill-treat you.
Question 101e: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do with regards the person who strikes you on one cheek?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to turn to him the other cheek also.
Question 101f: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do if someone takes your cloak?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are not to stop him from taking your tunic.
Question 101g: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do with regards those who ask you to give them something?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to give to those who ask you.
Question 101h: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do with regards someone who has taken what belongs to you?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are not to demand back what anyone has taken that belongs to you.
Question 101i: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do to others?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to do to others what you would have them do to you.
Question 101j: According to Luke 6:27-38 do “sinners” love those who love them?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 even “sinners” love those who love them.
Question 101k: According to Luke 6:27-38 do “sinners” lend to “sinners”?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 even “sinners” lend to “sinners”, expecting to be repaid in full.
Question 101l: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to do with regards your enemies?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to love your enemies, do good to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Question 101m: According to Luke 6:27-38 Whose son will you be if you do these things?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you will be a son of the Most High.
Question 101n: According to Luke 6:27-38 why will you be a son of the Most High if you do these things?
Answer: You will be a son of the Most High because He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Question 101o: According to Luke 6:27-38 what are you to be?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Question 101p: According to Luke 6:27-38 why are you not to judge?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are not to judge so you will not be judged.
Question `101q: According to Luke 6:27-38 why are you not to condemn?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are not to condemn so you will not be condemned.
Question 101r: According to Luke 6:27-38 why are you to forgive?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to forgive so you will be forgiven.
Question 101s: According to Luke 6:27-38 why are you to give?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 you are to give so that what you have given will be given to you.
Question 101t: According to Luke 6:27-38 what will be poured into your lap?
Answer: According to Luke 6:27-38 a good measure of what you have given, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
Question 102: How will you come truly alive in God?
Answer: God will cause you to come truly alive in Him when you are willing to give to those who may not deserve it.
Question 103: What are you to give to those who may not deserve it?
Answer: You are to give kindness, love, mercy, forgiveness to those who may not deserve it.
Question 104: What will you experience when you give kindness, love, mercy, forgiveness to those who may not deserve it?
Answer: You will experience God’s Joy, Peace and His very Presence in a way that you may not have known before.