035. The Widow’s Son Raised Through Prayer.
The Widow’s Son Raised Through Prayer.
Elijah, having delivered his message to Ahab, is directed to retire, and hide himself from the exasperated monarch. The place selected is in the neighborhood of the brook Cherith, a dreary wild, near the banks of the Jordan. This is his appointed retreat. “The blue sky his roof; the bare rocks his walls; the stones his seat; the shady wood his bed-chamber; the grass his couch.” For twelve long months Elijah dwells here, quenching his thirst from the brook, and receiving food daily from the hoarse and voracious ravens. At the expiration of this time, the brook dried up, and God directs him to go to Zarephath. It was a long and toilsome journey, through a wild and barren country, in a time of general famine, and extreme drought; and this into the land of Zidon, beyond the borders of Israel, among a heathen people, enslaved to a vile idolatry; the native country of Jezebel, his bitterest enemy, and the territory of her father, a furious tyrant, also in alliance with Ahab.
Elijah obeys; and, at length, reaches the neighborhood of Zarephath. The Lord had arranged for his reception. A widow receives him into her house. She was poor in this world’s goods, but rich in faith, although in a heathen land. To put her heart at rest, as to the means of supporting the man of God, she is told that the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruise of oil fail, until the day that the Lord should send rain upon the earth.
If the presence of Elijah was a blessing, temporal and spiritual, as doubtless it was to the widow, not less was his comfort enhanced under her hospitable roof.
He had now passed several months in this quiet retreat, engaging in prayer and praise, and holy discourse, when, unexpectedly, a heavy cloud darkened the peaceful cottage. The widow’s child—an only son—suddenly falls sick, and almost before she is aware, he is a corpse.
How mysterious! What explanation does the dispensation admit of? Could we assign no reason, we should believe that it was ordered wisely; for, though clouds and darkness are round about the Infinite God, yet “all his works are truth, and his ways judgment.” or righteousness. But, possibly, a satisfactory reason may be given. “The widow, we may believe,” says Krummacher, “was a person of real piety, but acquainted with God in a partial and too superficial manner. She knew something of God’s loving kindness, but not enough of his grace. In short, while well-affected to godliness in general, she was too far off from God; ignorant of a Mediator and Intercessor; and not enough broken and contrite in heart.” The design of God, then, was the improvement of this woman in piety. It was by afflicting her, that he designed to show her more of her heart; and, in the sequel, to exalt and confirm her faith. The grief of the widowed mother affects the heart of the prophet. Perhaps he understood the reason of the affliction, and blessed God for it, while he was touched with a heartfelt compassion and sympathy. At length, under a divine impulse, he asks for the child. She yields it, and he retires with it to his chamber, lays it on his own bed, and applies himself in prayer to God.
“And now, listen! What a prayer it is which he pours forth! It is a prayer that certainly would not pass uncensured by us; that certainly would not escape the criticism- and the condemnation of our wisdom, had we heard it from the mouth of any other than such a one as Elijah. ‘O Lord, my God, cries he; ‘hast thou also brought evil upon the widow, with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?’ What! does Elijah speak before the living God of bringing evil? and does he venture to approach Jehovah’s throne with such a question, and with such a complaint? Yes; he speaks as his heart dictates. And if he speaks foolishly, he does it in simplicity, and in faith. And if he pleads too familiarly with God, he does so, encouraged by the blood of the Lamb, and the promises of God! It is not for us to censure him, for his prayer was accepted of the Lord. Yet, what was its purport? ‘Lord! didst thou care to slay this child? Impossible! Thy purpose was to lead this mother through affliction to repentance. This, O Lord, having been accomplished, must the child continue dead? Look, O Lord God, upon this widow graciously, and remember that I am her guest. She has shown much kindness unto thy servant. I would gladly recompense her. Do thou recompense her, for I am poor, and have nothing. And O, remember, also, that I am thy prophet. If I am reproached, thou art reproached also. Therefore, that thy name may be hallowed, and thy praise magnified upon earth, now, O Lord, hear my prayer.’
“Having thus expostulated, as it were, with Jehovah, Elijah arose, threw himself upon the dead child, and stretched himself upon it three times, as though he would say, ‘I will not leave the child, but will await God’s answer to my prayer.’ And he cried unto Jehovah, and said, ‘O Jehovah, my God! I pray thee let this child’s soul come into it again;’ a prayer, you perceive, quite positive and unconditional. And what followed upon this holy boldness in prayer? ‘The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into it again, and he revived.’
“But how does this agree with our notions and maxims concerning acceptable prayer? Here we have, as I have said, an unconditional prayer; a prayer, too, for something temporal; a prayer for a miracle; a prayer without limitations; yet the Lord heard and answered it. Yes, our gracious God does not bind himself to our maxims, nor suffer himself to be limited by our rules.” (Elijah, The Tishbite, by Krummacher.)
“See, thy son liveth!” said the joyful prophet, as he took down the child to its mother. He added nothing more, but left the holy Spirit to say the rest. And that Spirit did speak; he enlightened her understanding as much as he warmed her heart. “Now by this I know,” she exclaimed, “that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.” The word of the Lord! What word of the Lord was it that Elijah had spoken to her? This may be easily conjectured. We find here, at the close of the narrative, a new key to the whole. Elijah had probably said something to her, during their acquaintance, which she had been unable to comprehend or believe. It is not difficult to suppose what it may have been. The widow was a woman of piety, but still sadly ignorant of many important religious truths—particularly of the doctrine of a promised Messiah. In respect to this doctrine, Elijah is supposed to have attempted her instruction: how the sinner might be pardoned; how, through the atonement of a Mediator, she might stand justified before God. This great truth now shone into her soul; and. to the faith of it, she yielded herself with joy. Henceforth, she stood upon solid ground; for, being a devout person, she was now evinced to be a daughter of Abraham’s faith; and, at the moment when Elijah said to her, “See, thy son liveth,” her heart was fitted to say something greater still: “I know that my Redeemer liveth!”
God takes strange methods, by which to accomplish his plans; strange means, by which to dispel the ignorance of his children; to confirm their faith; to establish them upon a sure foundation. This widow needed instruction in regard to important truths; and in no way, perhaps, so well could it be imparted, as by the method which God adopted. Afflictions often enlighten and reform; correct and purify, better than it can be done by any other process.