TH E KING’S BUSINESS
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give it to God’s servant, and only after that to make for herself and for her son. But along with the command there came a prom ise, there are always promises attached to God’s commandments. And the promise was a wonderful one—substantially the same promise that every believer who obeys God’s commandments about giving, has—that God will supply every need (Phil. 4:19; note context). She had nothing to go upon but God’s Word, but that was sufficient. There is nothing better, indeed there is nothing else so good and sufficient, to go upon as God’s Word. v. IS. “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she and all her house, did eat many days.” In simple faith the woman went and did as she was bidden by God’s servant, and thereby she got a blessing that saved her own life, and that of her son. By faith salvation not only came to her, but to her whole house (cf. Acts 16:31), Our barrels are wasting and our oil is failing because we are refusing to share them, lest we ourselves suffer (Prov. 3:9, 10; Phil. 4:19, note context; 2 Cor. 9:8, note context), v. 16. “And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, accord ing to the Word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah." It all turned out for the woman and for Elijah just as the LORD said it would. This was because they be lieved what God promised, and proved their faith by doing, just as they were told (cf. Luke 1:45; John 4:S0, 51). The widow and the prophet had nothing ahead from day to day, but each day that day’s need was sup plied; and they had God’S guarantee for the future, and that was sufficient. They lived from hand to mouth—-from God’s hand to their mouths. That is the most blessed way to live.
phath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." God had not told Elijah who the widow woman was, whom He had commanded to sustain him, but Elijah had gone right on just the same, trusting the Lord to show him the right widow when he got to Zarephath, and there he finds her right at the very gate. Elijah at once discerned the hand of the Lord in this seemingly chance meeting, and immediately asked water and food. vs. 11, 12. “And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thy hand. And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in the barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die." The Lord had commanded this woman to sustain Elijah (v. 9), and yet she had barely enough to sustain herself and child for one meal. God’s ways are indeed mysterious. Never theless she accepted the divine commission without a question, and proceeded to carry it out. It was enough that God had com manded, and she obeyed.- vs: 13,' 14. “And Elijah said unto her, Fear, not.; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a-little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel. The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.” Here indeed was a test of the widow’s faith; only a handful of meal in the barrel, and a little oil in the cruse, but she is commanded first to take a little meal and
LESSON OUTLINE
The heavens are to be shut up at the prophet’s word, v, 1. Questions: Was Elijah the John the Baptist of the
(1) The Prophet’s Message to the King, vs. 1. Elijah brings a solemn message to Ahab, v. 1.
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