The Widow of Zarephath: The Leap of Faith

A destitute widow, two noteworthy football players and the wife of a presidential candidate – What do they all have in common and what don’t they have in common with this week’s Sabbath School lesson? Read on . . .

An Introductory Commentary to This Week’s Study and Reflection

The definition of faith is illusive. True we have the comment in Hebrews which says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) but how does that help you define faith! That is hardly a definition. Wouldn’t that apply to just about anything? Take for example the high school football player in Washington state who said he was surprised he received a penalty for pointing to Heaven after a touchdown. "I do that to give glory to my Heavenly Father, Jesus. He gives me the strength. He's the one who gives me these abilities in the first place." What I found interesting was that he was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct because he drew attention to himself. Ponder that for a moment! Was he exhibiting faith by pointing his finger towards heaven as he kneeled on the football field?
Then there was the professional football player who fumbled a perfectly thrown pass at a critical moment in the game. No doubt out of embarrassment he wrote on Twitter: “I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO... “ I understand that later he apologized for this “twit”. Was this football player showing a lack of faith?
But it doesn’t stop with football players. It also includes those who have greatly inspired us with courage as they faced terrible crises and I am thinking specifically of Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of the former presidential candidate John Edwards. She recently succumbed to a valiant battle with cancer. In a blog she wrote: "I have, I think, somewhat of an odd version of God," Edwards explained to an audience of women bloggers when asked how her beliefs inform her politics. "I do not have an intervening God. I don't think I can pray to him -- or her -- to cure me of cancer.""I appreciate other people's prayers for that [a cure for her cancer], but I believe that we are given a set of guidelines, and that we are obligated to live our lives with a view to those guidelines. And I don't believe that we should live our lives that way for some promise of eternal life, but because that's what's right. We should do those things because that's what's right." Is this some kind of intellectualized faith?

And then there is the destitute Phoenician widow of Zarapheth who was down to her last handful of flour and a little oil. To make things more challenging a prophet came to town and asked to be fed. Keep in mind this is not a woman with the favored religion. She was from a culture dwarfed with idolatry and the mother of a hungry son. What was she to do? When Elijah, the prophet, told her “Don’t be afraid” the Lord will provide, she acted and did exactly as she was told. Sure enough the food lasted for the duration of the famine that had been plaguing the land! But faith that is not tested is not faith at all. Her son became ill and died while Elijah was staying there. In grief she blurted out that perhaps it was because of Elijah that her son had died. Elijah had previously been blamed for troubling Israel and now he is implied as having been responsible for the death of the one cherished position this widow clung to. She willingly confessed to her “sin” and was crushed by its weight and the loss of her loved one. She was overwhelmed with her grief. Elijah prays for God’s intervention and God does just that. I have a question for you: The climax of the story with the destitute widow of Zarephath was what? The bread supplied? Her son healed? No, not at all. The climax of the story is found in 1 Ki 17:24,
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." (NIV)
More important than the definition of “faith” is how faith is described throughout Scripture. More important than the heros of faith is the God in whom they trusted.

Something to Consider

Interventions of God come in many ways and if we focus more on the manifestations of that intervention than on the God of interventions it is likely we will see neither.
Speaking of the heros of faith the writer of Hebrews struck gold when he wrote:
Heb 11:39-12:3
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (NIV)


Lesson Study for December 11, 2010
Larry Evans, Class Teacher

Thought Questions

1. God is not present in the midst of evil. (1 Ki 16:29 to 17:6) True or False?

2. A desperate need experienced by one person can also become the answer for someone else. (1 Ki 17:1-15) True or False?

3. In responding to human dilemmas, God could do more if more resources were brought to Him. (1 Ki 17:13,14; Jer. 29:11; Dan. 3:28) True or False?

4. Sometimes God allows us to be an Elijah for others while at other times we are more like the widow of Zarepath. (1 Ki. 17: 13-21, 2,3; Mt. 14:30, Jn 12:27; Lk 1:17) True or False?

5. The example of the widow of Zarephath illustrates that we should give all we have to feed the poor. True or False?

6. Elijah’s own hunger becomes apparent when he instructs the widow to feed him first. (1 Ki. 17:13) True or False?

7. Faith removes doubt. (1 Ki 17:15-18) True or False?

8. Sensing God’s presence can be a good and a bad thing. It is determined by your interpretation. (1 Ki 17:17,18; Job 42:5,6; Isa 6:5) True or False?

9. Trying circumstances, such as those that came to the widow living in Phoenicia, come because we/they have been disloyal to God and have sinned. (1 Ki 17:17,18) True or False?

10. A prophet has a distinct advantage over others: He or she at least understands “why” things happen as they do. (1 Ki 17:20) True or False?