Let's due just a little review.
God tells Elijah, "I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
Elijah goes to Zarephath as instructed.
When Elijah comes to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks.
Elijah called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
I had to think on this next portion for a few moments. God said, I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." She says, "As surely as the Lord your God lives, I don't have any bread." Seems to be a little misunderstanding between what God commanded her and what she thinks she has and is able to do? It appears that her circumstances were so consuming that she may not have even heard God's command?
"As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
The widow sounds like she is beyond desperate? "I have just enough for myself and my son to eat and die." At least they will not die hungry.
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Interesting? I am not picking up on the widow being afraid.
Elijah says, "Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son."
Make you a small cake of bread first? The widow had to be thinking, if only for a moment, what part of, "I have just enough for myself and my son" didn't you understand? This may be where fear enters in. That if she makes Elijah a small cake first there will not be enough for her and her son. Okay this is where faith is required on the widows part and fear is the opposite of faith so this may be why Elijah says, "don't be afraid." What he is really saying is, trust what God has already commanded you. Have faith in what God has commanded you and what I have confirmed for you.
But immediately Elijah tells her why she is to do as he has said. "For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.' "
Now there is a king waiting for it to rain and a widow hoping it won't rain. When king Ahab gets what he wants the widow apparently loses what she wants.
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
And again I say, "of course she went and did as Elijah told her." God had already commanded her, Elijah gave her a "thus saith the Lord" and then he told her why she needed to do it. God did his part. Elijah did his part. The widow did her part. Oh........ it seems as though God's decision to send a poor needy prophet, with only a word from the Lord was enough for the widow.
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