Topical Bible: Prayer: Answered: Elijah, Raising the Widow's Son

◄ Prayer: Answered: Elijah, Raising the Widow's Son ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The account of Elijah raising the widow's son is a profound example of answered prayer in the Old Testament, demonstrating God's power and faithfulness through the intercession of His prophet. This event is recorded in 1 Kings 17:17-24 and highlights the themes of faith, divine intervention, and the authority of God's prophets.

Context and Background

Elijah, a prophet of God, was sent to the region of Zarephath during a severe drought and famine. There, he encountered a widow gathering sticks, preparing to make a final meal for herself and her son before succumbing to starvation. Elijah, under God's direction, promised her that her jar of flour and jug of oil would not run dry until the Lord sent rain upon the land (1 Kings 17:14). The widow obeyed Elijah's instructions, and God's provision sustained them.

The Crisis

The narrative takes a dramatic turn when the widow's son falls ill and dies. In her grief, the widow confronts Elijah, questioning whether his presence has brought judgment upon her household (1 Kings 17:18). This moment of crisis sets the stage for a powerful demonstration of God's ability to restore life.

Elijah's Prayer and God's Response

Elijah responds to the widow's distress by taking her son to the upper room where he was staying. He lays the boy on his own bed and cries out to the Lord, expressing his anguish and pleading for the child's life to return. Elijah's prayer is marked by earnestness and faith, as he stretches himself over the child three times and calls upon the Lord: "O LORD my God, let this boy’s life return to him!" (1 Kings 17:21).

The Lord hears Elijah's prayer, and the soul of the child returns to him, reviving him. Elijah then presents the living child to his mother, affirming the power of God and the truth of His word spoken through His prophet (1 Kings 17:22-23).

Significance

This miraculous event underscores several key theological themes:

1. The Power of Prayer: Elijah's intercession exemplifies the efficacy of fervent prayer. His direct appeal to God and the subsequent miracle highlight the intimate relationship between the prophet and the Lord, as well as the responsiveness of God to the prayers of His faithful servants.

2. God's Sovereignty Over Life and Death: The restoration of the widow's son serves as a testament to God's ultimate authority over life and death. It foreshadows the resurrection power that is fully revealed in the New Testament through Jesus Christ.

3. Validation of Prophetic Authority: The miracle confirms Elijah's status as a true prophet of God. The widow's declaration, "Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is truth" (1 Kings 17:24), emphasizes the authenticity and divine backing of Elijah's ministry.

4. Faith and Obedience: The widow's initial act of faith in providing for Elijah, despite her dire circumstances, sets the stage for the miracle. Her obedience and trust in God's promise through Elijah are rewarded with the restoration of her son.

The account of Elijah raising the widow's son remains a powerful illustration of God's compassion and the transformative power of prayer, serving as an enduring testament to His faithfulness and might.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Kings 17:22
And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Answers to Prayer
... the interposition of God, as feeding Elijah by the ... OF A CITY MISSIONARY."A PRAYER
FOR SUPPER ANSWERED. ... to God's hearing and answering the prayer of faith. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/various/the wonders of prayer/answers to prayer.htm

The Five Books Against Marcion
... Chapter IX.--Another Cavil Answered, Ie, the Fall Imputable ... Eminent Servants of the
Creator as Moses and Elijah. ... from the Creator The Lord's Prayer and Other ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/the five books against marcion/

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... how afterwards at the command of Elijah and Elisha the ... three companies met together
for psalm-singing and prayer. ... is over and gone," she answered joyfully "the ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... his repentance, [81]305; his shame before Elijah, [82]411 ... 85]124; excuses for not
giving answered, [86]ib ... the communion, [225]220, [226]282; the prayer for, [227 ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm