Middlebelt Baptist Church
September 28, 2025

      • Psalm 37:1–7CSB

  • trouble don't last always
  • Trust In God

      • 1 Kings 17:8–24CSB

      • Acts 10:9–16CSB

  • Intro:

    1 Kings 17:8–24 CSB
    8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” 10 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” 12 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked—only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.” 13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, 14 for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’ ” 15 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. 16 The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through Elijah. 17 After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do you have against me? Have you come to call attention to my iniquity so that my son is put to death?” 19 But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!” 22 So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived. 23 Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.”

    Intro:

    The Setting

    In 1 Kings 17:1
    1 Kings 17:1 CSB
    1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!”
    We learn some key facts in this text. Elijah is the prophet of God. His responsiblity is to speak to the King and the Nation “what thus says the Lord” The prophet is responsible for giving the people an honest spirtual assessment of their condition through the direct revelation from God.
    Who is Ahab?
    1 Kings 16:29–33 CSB
    29 Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Judah’s King Asa; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him. 31 Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were not enough, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to anger the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
    (29-30) Ahab is the son of Omri who was an evil king it says about him in (25) “he did more evil than all who were before him” as if that wasn’t bad enough look at what it says about his son “Ahab” in (30) “But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him” Ahab trump all the previous Kings of Samaria. The ten northern tribes.
    (31-33) The writer of Kings then tells us Ahab married a foriegn wife. This was not strange Solomon did so did other kings, but it must have been something rather insidious about this woman. Ahab married a woman named “Jezebel” She was the daughter of the King-Priest of the Sidonians named Ethbaal his name means “with or towards the Gods” meaning his name means he is working with “The god Baal”
    (31-33) The way it was written signifies that Jezebel had a reputation. Notice what she brought with her. She proceeded to serve Baal and bow in worship to him. He husband “Ahab” set up altars for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah(goddess of fertility) pole.
    Why would Ahab marry a woman like this? He could find pretty all over Israel he didn’t need to marry her
    Location, Location, Location.
    Jezebel hometown is Zarephath which is located in modern day Lebanon. It was halfway in between Tyre and Sidon. This is a port city directly adjecent to the Mediterranean Sea. Port City were very rich because people needed access to the city, so that city was able to regulate the movement of armies, the movement of goods and services, and fishing. Ahab needed this Port for financial reason rather than trust God so he got into bed with a known Idolater and his family.
    God sent Elijah to a town that was stoked in idolatry.
    In I kings 17:1 Elijah prophecied a famine on the kingdom because of Israel’s idolatry in the midst of that God told Elijah go get food from a widow

    I. Elijah’s Request

    1 Kings 17:8–11 CSB
    8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” 10 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”
    (EXP)(8-9) Elijah get up and go I have providentially setup your next living situation. You will be feed by a widow in the gentile stronghold of Phoenicia.
    (10) Elijah obeyed God. He probable had some mental question. “Lord I’m Jewish, you know we aren’t supposed to fellowship with gentiles” but I am going to go anyway. When he arrived at the city gates he saw a woman gathering wood and he asked for some water to see if this might be the woman God wanted him to fellowship with.
    (11) As Elijah saw her obedience he surmised this might be the woman God wants me to eat with. So he asked her for some bread as well. Now remeber the whole region is experiencing famine.

    II. The Widow’s Response

    1 Kings 17:12–15 CSB
    12 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked—only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.” 13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, 14 for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’ ” 15 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days.
    (EXP)(12) She said “As the Lord your God lives” is a fascinating response. I know it’s not in the text, but I have to conclude she must have known something about Elijah or there was something in his demeanor that made her recognize he was a prophet of some sort. Notice what she says “As the Lord your God lives” she was saying your God is a living God. She was in this statement losing confidence in her god “Baal” and it sounds like she was looking for another solution she was desperate.
    The Canaanites considered Baal to be the god of fertility and the lord of the earth in control of nature. He was also the god of storms and responsible for the life-giving rains. Some references to Baal called him "Lord of the Heavens" and "He Who Rides on Clouds."
    Mot (Phoenician: 𐤌𐤕 mūt, Hebrew: מות māweṯ, Ugaritic: 𐎎𐎚) was the Canaanite god of death and the Underworld.[1][2] He was also known to the people of Ugarit and in Phoenicia,[3] where Canaanite religion was widespread
    In the Canaanite system these two gods were always at war and Mot was the one who usually prevailed so in there system “Mot” or the death god was stronger than Baal.
    This woman was ready to let go her gods because of the desperate nature of her circumstances, both she and her son had one more meal with no option for future sustenance, and she was looking to this vistor(Elijah) for hope.
    How would she have any knowledge of his God? and the fact that Elijah served a living God not one made from wood?
    1 Kings 17:9 CSB
    9 “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.”
    The same God who told Elijah to look for a widow is the same God who told the woman look for a Man! She knew when Elijah showed up she had to provide for him. When she told him I only have this much she basically saying I can give you some water but I can’t take care of you.
    Oh Saints just for a second put yourself in her shoes. I got two slices of bread “One for my son and one for me” and this visitor comes and ask me for the first portion. And in the ancient world we don’t split we always give the guest more than we get. So Elijah gets the first slice and me and my son split the second one.
    Saints could you do it?
    Her faith is so even our Lord mentioned her again in his gospels Luke 4:24-27
    Luke 4:24–27 CSB
    24 He also said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 But I say to you, there were certainly many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months while a great famine came over all the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them except a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 And in the prophet Elisha’s time, there were many in Israel who had leprosy, and yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
    1 Kings 17:13–15 CSB
    13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, 14 for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’ ” 15 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days.
    (EXP)(13) Elijah calmed her fears then he gives her a word from the Lord. “For this is what the Lord God of Israel says” In this moment she has to make a faith decision. I am listening to the prophet communicate a word from his God who I am just getting to know. Elijah tells her “The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land” Elijah promises a perpetual supply of food until the end of the famine when she can grow her own again.
    Giving our anxiety to God makes eminent sense “because he cares for you.” God is not indifferent, nor is he cruel. He has compassion on his children and will sustain them in every distress.
    Thomas Schreiner
    I hear some of yall now if the Lord promise me the same thing I would have done the same thing as the Widow? Really?
    Ecclesiastes 11:1 CSB
    1 Send your bread on the surface of the water, for after many days you may find it.
    Ecclesiastes 11:4 CSB
    4 One who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap.
    Matthew 6:31–34 CSB
    31 So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
    What does this mean?
    When can give freely even during times of desperation and times of famine because God has promised to take care of us.

    III. The Lord’s test(He’s up to something)

    1 Kings 17:17–24 CSB
    17 After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do you have against me? Have you come to call attention to my iniquity so that my son is put to death?” 19 But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!” 22 So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived. 23 Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.”
    Conclusion
    (17-18) Elijah has taken up residence in the house. During the time of her blessing her son feel ill. The woman pretty much ask “The Man of God” did you do all of this just to rebuke me for my idolatry. Are you playing games with me?
    She called him “Man of God!” Singular. This is unheard of from a pagan polytheistic practitioner.
    This sounds like a converted pagan trying wrestling with the soveriegn God.
    God just saved the life of her and her son by providing them perpetual food. Then her baby feel sick and died. Her faith was immediately challenged, but rather than return to her ole system of paganism she went the right place with to the prophet.
    Elijah stretched out over the boy 3x and pleaded for his life. The Lord answered his prayers and brought to life.
    (24) “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true” The widow got more than food this day, the widow got more than resurrected son, the widow that day got God!
    This pagan gentile widow got saved by the resurrection of a little boy!!!
    Can you see the correlation? Elijah pleads 3x for his life. Jesus 3x in the grave!
    God did more than feed her that day!! He saved her.
    Is there anyone in this room that can testify like the woman about Elijah but now about our Last prophet Christ!! “I know you are the God/Man and every word of your mouth is true!”
    Saints if thats the case we never have to ration our money with the Lord. We can give to God genoursly even when times our tough!
    Giving to God in KY. When we didn’t have enough money to feed the family. And God gave us 5000.00 for the girls to start school.

      • 1 Kings 17:8–24CSB

      • 1 Kings 17:1CSB

      • 1 Kings 16:29–33CSB

      • 1 Kings 17:8–11CSB

      • 1 Kings 17:12–15CSB

      • 1 Kings 17:9CSB

      • Luke 4:24–27CSB

      • 1 Kings 17:13–15CSB

      • Ecclesiastes 11:1CSB

      • Ecclesiastes 11:4CSB

      • Matthew 6:31–34CSB

      • 1 Kings 17:17–24CSB

      • 2 Corinthians 6:2bESV

Middlebelt Baptist Church
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