“And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. – 1 Kings 17:22
Food insecurity has increasingly become an issue in the United States. According to Feeding America, “more than 47 million people in the U.S. face hunger, including 1 in 5 children.” They say that access to healthy food is a big problem, but not irresolvable. Nor is hunger restricted to children. According to the USDA, almost 7 million seniors were said to be food insecure in 2022. These “artificial famines” in a land of much prosperity come from both a lack of funds and a lack of good nutritional education.
Actual famines are often seen in Bible accounts, including during the time of Elijah (1 Kings 17:1; 18:2). In chapter 17, there had been no rain for three years. For an agrarian society, that means drought and devastation. At the Lord’s direction, Elijah visited with a widow whose cupboards were bare. She had “only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug” (verse 12). This was not going to provide for herself and her son for much longer. Through Elijah, God miraculously made provision for them for that time and into the future.
However, her son later became severely ill and died. Elijah laid his body atop the child and cried out to the Lord, who answered those cries and restored the child to life. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus visited a small town where a funeral procession was carrying the body of the son of a widow to be buried. By speaking a word to the boy, life was restored to him, and the people declared that “another great prophet has arisen among us,” calling to mind Elijah. Jesus would later raise the daughter of Jairus and his friend Lazarus back to life. He told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whosoever believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). The power of life and death are in His hands. As he asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” (verse 26).
People in Jesus’ day saw “the spirit and power of Elijah” in Him. Are you living as a servant of the living God? Do people see God’s spirit and power reflected in your life? As both Elijah and Jesus did, put your full trust and faith in the Father. Then watch what He accomplishes as a result.
Today’s Verse: 1 Kings 17:22
And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: 1 Kings 17:17-24
17 After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. 20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” 24 And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
