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Prophets and Kings
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 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.”
No greater test of faith than this could have been required. The
widow had hitherto treated all strangers with kindness and liberality.
Now, regardless of the suffering that might result to herself and child,
and trusting in the God of Israel to supply her every need, she met
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this supreme test of hospitality by doing “according to the saying of
Elijah.”
Wonderful was the hospitality shown to God’s prophet by this
Phoenician woman, and wonderfully were her faith and generosity
rewarded. “She, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the
barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according
to the word of the Lord, which He spake by Elijah.
“And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman,
the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that
there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I
to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call
my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
“And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of
her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid
him upon his own bed.... And he stretched himself upon the child three
times, and cried unto the Lord.... And the Lord heard the voice of
Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
“And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the cham-
ber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said,
See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know
that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth
is truth.”
The widow of Zarephath shared her morsel with Elijah, and in
return her life and that of her son were preserved. And to all who, in
time of trial and want, give sympathy and assistance to others more
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needy, God has promised great blessing. He has not changed. His
power is no less now than in the days of Elijah. No less sure now
than when spoken by our Saviour is the promise, “He that receiveth
a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.”
Matthew 10:41
.