Elijah was a servant of God. He went to King Ahab to inform him that the land would have no dew, rain, or any renewing water source for years. God would not give water to the land until Elijah asked Him too. Talk about a big responsibility. God had to get the king's attention because he was the national leader, but this would punish the people before it would ever affect the king. This made the responsibility of the lives of the people to be laid on Elijah's shoulders.
Obviously Ahab was angry and blamed the messenger. Elijah had to go into hiding. He hid not only from the king, but also the people. Once they found out they would hate him or at least blame him too. He found a little brook to have refreshing water, God sent ravens to bring him bread and meat every day. He stayed there until the brook dried up. He too was affected by this drought.
God sent Elijah to Zarephath to find a widow to feed him. When he found her she was preparing the last meal for her and her son. Elijah's faith was strong, so he told her not to worry. Instead give the last of her food to him. He promised her that her jar of oil and flour would not run out. She had faith because he did.
One day the widow's son died. She blamed Elijah. When the faith is new or not mature it is easy to crumble when horrible things happen. It is so much harder to keep the faith and trust that there is a purpose to the pain. Elijah asked the widow for the boy's body. He took it and cried out to God. He did not want the boy to die any more than his mother. God heard his prayers and put life back into the boy. When she saw her boy alive, her faith became genuine.
1 Kings 17
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