Douglas Jacoby Podcast

CLEAN- podcast 20, Widow of Zarephath & Son

Episode Summary

Douglas continues his series called CLEAN, today looking at The Widow of Zarephath & Son.

Episode Notes

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introduction

• Reanimation = back from the dead.
• Why this is important will be explained more fully in the 10th reanimation podcast.
• How does this tie in with the theme of purity? Keep in mind that in Jewish thought, death is associated with uncleanness.
• Some positive feedback: "I'm enjoying CLEAN in '17. Very needed lessons. I've often wondered if impurity is like a story I once heard about a dirty river. The teller of the story said that once pollutants stopped being poured in the river, the river over time 'got pure' again, which is such a hope of mine, as I've struggled to live purely during my whole Christian life. Thank you again. Life giving-rebukes these are!"

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-24; 2 Kings 4:34-35; Luke 16:29-31; Luke 4:25-26 

• This miracle and the next are very similar: children of older parents being brought back to life. There are multiple parallels between the lives and miracles of Elijah and his protégé and successor, Elisha.
• Sidon (v.9) is in modern Lebanon, well north of the land of Israel.
• Elijah asks for water, then bread. It seems she fears he may soon ask her for something she doesn’t have.
• Notice the defeatist attitude of the widow (v.12).
• Elijah requests food (v.13). Often the Lord asks us to take action – to do something specific – before he grants our wish.
• The supply of flour and oil  -- essentially, the basic stuff of mealtime – will not run out, as long as it is needed (v.14). God is not a stingy giver.
• Some time later there is another problem: The woman’s son is dying (v.17). The brain and heart may still be working, but every outward indication is that he has given up the ghost.
• Or not. He may already be dead.
• This is a triple tragedy:
  • As an outsider to Israel, she would normally have little access to the blessings of being a member of God’s people, worshipping at this temple, sharing in the heritage and tradition of the Jews, and so on.
  • She has lost her husband. It would have been hoped the son would grow up to be her protector and provider.
  • And now she has lost her son, too. Quite possibly the widow is now childless. Maybe her relations died in a war, or through famine or disease. (I say that because it seems she has no support group—such as would have been provided by a network of children and grandchildren.)
• Yet God specializes in impossible situations!
• The seems to be a sort of resuscitation ritual (vs.19-22).
  • See 2 Kings 4:34-35.
  • This procedure is accompanied by prayer.
• The miracles confirms the prophet’s status (v.24).
• At various times in the Bible miracles confirm the spoken word of God – or perhaps we could say they confirm the speaker. (See Acts 14:4; Heb 2:4; Exod 4:5; and esp. Luke 16:29-31.) Note: Miracles never confirm the written word of God.
• Not only does the child have a new lease on life, but his mother also does. She transitions from hopelessness to hope.
• Jesus points to this account in his opening sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4:25-26).
  • There were many widows in need in Elijah’s time, but he did not work wonders for them. Jesus, too, healed or exorcized or reanimated only a small percentage, or fraction of a percent, of those in desperate straits in his day. His purpose was far more to preach than to work miracles.
  • God loves Gentiles, too.

For us

• God meets our needs.
• Or, if we have suffered for some time, he sends a friend to bring relief.
• Obviously there are exceptions, but the real point isn’t about miracles or even getting our prayers answered. It’s about learning what kind of a God we serve. It’s about coming to grips with his character.
• He reanimates dead hopes and restores shattered dreams!