LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Widow of Zarephat
The passage in 1 Kings 17:18-24 tells us of the prophet Elijah being sent by God to a widow of Zarephath. Zarephath means 'the goldsmith's house'. It is very interesting. The Lord shows preciousness of his divinity in this text, with the sense of purifying and molding his church as a candlestick.
The prophet is sent to Sidon, a Gentile land, which is us; he is a figure of Christ, and the widow is a figure of the church. Then we see him asking that it be given to him first: "Make me first ... a little cake" (v. 13). We see this principle throughout Scripture, whether from a poor widow (Mark 12:42-43), or from a rich young man (Matt. 19:16-22). The servant must always give first to his Lord, and then he may sit down to eat. In this way, in the house of the Lord, the servant will never be in need (Luke 17:7-9).
The Lord asks that it be given to Him first, not because He expects anything from us, but to take away what is ours, that in which we put our trust and which is even our security, in order to give us of Himself (Luke 9:23-24). Who is the Bread of life, but the Lord Himself? Our bread is perishable, but the Bread which came down from heaven is eternal food.
But there is also a teaching here. It says in verse 12 that she also wanted to eat and then die. Why then, when her son died, was she distressed and claimed the prophet? Was she not willing to die? This is how we consider the operation of death in us. We preach about the cross and its work in us, of the death of self; but, when it comes as a discipline for our sanctification, we complain (Prov. 3:11-12).
When the cross operates in us, we also say like the widow: "Have you come to me to bring my iniquities to remembrance?". We see that it hurts too much, and we ask: Why me? What was my sin? But something glorious happened to that woman. When she lost everything, she was able to experience resurrection life. We are suffering the loss of the old, that we may be clothed with the new; purifying that which is temporal, that we may gain that which is eternal and far more glorious (2 Cor. 4:16-18).