1 Kings 17:7-16
1. The circumstances that may cause us to question God’s promise
7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. 1 Kings 17:7 (ESV)
2. The exceptional manner in which God fulfills His promise (8-9)
8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 1 Kings 17:8-9 (ESV)
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5 (ESV)
24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. Luke 4:24-26 (ESV)
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong . . . 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV)
3. The obedient request that exhibits faith in God’s promise (10-13)
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”
13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 1 Kings 17:10-13 (ESV)
4. The confident assertion in God’s promise (14)
14 For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” 1 Kings 17:14 (ESV)
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 . . . — 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 (ESV)
5. The faith and reward for those who trust in God’s promise (15-16)
15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:15-16 (ESV)
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! Psalm 34:9 (ESV)
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. Matthew 10:40-41 (ESV)