2017 Version:
A land judged by God, three years of famine and drought, with the people suffering due to sin. Yet, two individuals were divinely favoured, receiving special provision. Why? When darkness covers the earth and deep gloom the nations, if you wish to escape terrible disasters, you must know how to become someone preserved by God.
Questions for Reflection:
Have you ever wondered why calamities occur frequently in the world today?
In a year of drought and famine, if you were the widow, would you be willing to give your last cake and water to Elijah?
Do you agree that one needs to eat well and sleep well to be healthy? Please explain using specific Bible verses. How do you think you should lead a prosperous and healthy life?
This chapter is interesting. I find it particularly good and wonderful to read these kinds of stories. Reading them fills one with hope and provides a model to follow, wouldn't you agree? This chapter discusses four things: first, God's Judgment; second, God's Provision; third, The Wise Widow; and fourth, It is the Spirit that Gives Life.
God's Judgment
When the sins of people accumulate, God will surely judge. Looking at the generation we live in today, you will notice a condition where people's sins are becoming increasingly wicked, and their iniquity is reaching its fullness. As the end of the world approaches, two phenomena will emerge. One is that the world will become exceedingly evil. The second is that the church will increasingly possess God's glory and become more holy. These two will form a sharp contrast. What is this contrast? It is the stark contrast between the world's wickedness and the church's holiness and glory.
Everyone must understand that God created this world, the world we live in today, to be destroyed, not to last forever. Whether you live well or not, this world will be destroyed. What do we see today? We see the ruins of the Mayan civilization. Documentaries show that cities were built on islands with stones weighing tens of tons. It is hard to believe how people thousands of years ago could stack those stones, after quarrying them from a distant mountain and transporting them there. It is unimaginable! Yet, that place has become a cursed place. To this day, many say that no one can live there; those who do will die. This is a cursed place, a result of God's judgment, and such judgment will surely come upon an evil generation.
What is the situation we see today? The world is becoming more like Sodom and Gomorrah. If you see the increasing prevalence of homosexuality, you know that the conditions of Sodom and Gomorrah are beginning to appear. Today, don't feel sorry that this world will be judged; it is simply too evil. Today, I saw a news report about a car on the Jinan highway suddenly braking and throwing a sleeping child out of the vehicle, onto the road divider, and then driving away, not caring. It is said that over forty children, all with disabilities, have been abandoned in that area, which is very disturbing.
I tell you, this generation must be judged. However, you and I need not worry. After reading this, we can relate it to ourselves. Elijah proclaimed a judgment on that generation, and today we must also proclaim God's judgment on this generation. But if we proclaim God's judgment on this generation today, will we be affected? Yes, we will be affected. But God will surely provide. In the Book of Revelation, you will see the entire world in utter chaos. What we see today is that the world is starting to show signs of that chaos. Those who study history can see that the tensions before World War I and World War II, the reshuffling of power, and the economic and military contrasts have begun to show a clear change.
The process of the entire world being reshuffled is a prelude to world war. I tell you, when World War III breaks out, we will certainly still be on this earth. We will be raptured after it ends, when the seventh trumpet is blown. But in such difficult circumstances, will you worry? I tell you, there is no need to worry. If God can provide for Elijah through a raven, He can provide for us through pigeons or ravens. But where is the problem? The problem lies in whether we are walking in God's will. Elijah was a man who walked in God's will. Did he know he would be affected? He knew. He knew he would have no water and that it would not rain for three years, yet he lived in that place and was affected. But God provided for him through ravens.
God's Provision
The second point is that God is the God who provides for us. God did two things. The first was that the ravens provided for Elijah. Don't read this as just a myth, because the era we live in today is very close to that situation. That is to say, no matter how hard you work to earn money, there may come a time when you cannot buy food even with money, and you will have no way to solve the problem. Money is not the fundamental solution to people's problems. Everyone must begin to have the same perspective as me: money is the smallest problem. The biggest problem is actually our relationship with God. If you have a good relationship with God, He can use ravens or even angels to provide for you. Everyone must have this concept, because the generation we live in today is very close to the end times. However, I do not advocate using the teachings of cults, which say, Oh, the world is ending! and then commit collective suicide. That is not what the Bible says.
Suicide does not come from the Bible. Therefore, everyone must know that no matter what judgment the world faces, we must be people who are pleasing to God and who fulfill His mission. We must be people who fulfill His mission and who work with God in that generation, proclaiming the judgment of that generation, and God will surely provide. This provision is very interesting; ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and evening, and he drank water from the brook. Eventually, the brook dried up! This was a great test for Elijah. Think about it, Elijah saw the brook drying up, not in one day or suddenly, but gradually decreasing. His faith would be increasingly tested, and he would think, What will happen if the brook dries up? I tell you, you must learn a lesson: do not dwell on these things. How God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years, without planting or herding, yet they never lacked food or clothing.
Today, it is still the same. Although the brook dried up, Elijah knew very well that since God could provide for him through ravens, He could also provide for him in other ways. As a result, God said, Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food. (1 Kings 17:9) He indeed found a widow there who was also on the verge of death, with only a handful of flour and a little oil left. The widow's original plan was to eat the remaining flour and oil and then die. However, the widow said something very surprising: As surely as the Lord your God lives. She actually knew that there was a living God. In fact, God does things miraculously. God sent Elijah to save the widow, not to have the widow provide for Elijah. But the result was that Elijah was sustained by the widow, and the widow was sustained by Elijah.
This is wonderful. So I thought, God is the God who provides for us. God not only provided for Elijah but also for the widow of Zarephath. When the widow of Zarephath had only a little oil and a little flour left, she said in her heart, After I eat it, I will die! What does this mean? In fact, this widow had her own view of life and death. I also encourage everyone to have such a view. A person who looks down on death will surely live; a person who fears death will surely not live. So, I often encounter people whose words reveal whether they will die or not.
The Wise Widow
If I die, I diefaith
If a person says, Oh well, if I die, I die! you can basically guess that he will not die. If a person says, Oh, I cannot die! I cannot die! Is there the best doctor? Is there the best medicine? I must find the best doctor in the world to cure my disease! then he is not far from death. So, I encourage brothers and sisters to start learning from this widow. She had this if I die, I die faith, and she did not care about death at all. This is the widow's first wisdom.
Calling on God
What is the second wisdom? Actually, when we read this passage, Elijah asked her to do something, and she did it. Do you find it strange? Elijah said, Go and make a small cake for me first, and then make something for yourself and your son. You must make a small cake for me. Then the widow actually did it. (See 1 Kings 17:13-15) This widow was a woman of great faith. In fact, before her if I die, I die faith, there was an even wiser point. She said, Lord Jehovah, God of Israel, am I going to die like this? I believe you will send someone to save me.
As a result, when Elijah came to the widow, if I were that widow, I would think, Is this the person God sent? Then, Elijah said to her, Don't be afraid! 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. 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 sends rain on the land.' (1 Kings 17:13-14) The widow's reaction to these words was actually a reaction of faith. You must know that the words a prophet declares to you must harmonize with your inner faith. If there is no harmony with your inner faith, you will not receive anything. If it were today, I often encounter people to whom I say, You will not die, you will surely live. He said, Nonsense! The doctor said I am going to die. What are you talking about? I tell you, he does not have the faith to live. That is, he wants to live, but he has no faith to live. This is a very fatal thing.
So everyone must know that this widow had actually been calling on God for a long time! We must know that God is not only the God who provides for Elijah but also the God who provides for the widow! Everyone who calls on Him will be saved! This is what it means. So it says in the Bible, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (See Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13) Don't think that saved means going to heaven after death. No! It is experiencing that salvation while alive.
Made a very clear calculation
This widow had been calling on God for a long time. At this time, Elijah said to her, For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, and then the widow believed and received. Therefore, if you believe that you will receive, you will surely receive. I will share an important concept with everyone: those who believe without doubting will surely receive. Believe, do not doubt; when people doubt, they mess things up. Because a double-minded person should not expect to receive anything from God. This is the verse we memorized today. This widow made a decision: Yes, I will make a small cake for you first, and may you accomplish it. This is the widow's second wisdom: she called on the Lord Jehovah God. What is the widow's third wisdom? The third wisdom is that she made a calculation. If she did not give the small cake to Elijah, she could only live one day longer than her current situation.
I tell you, to be a wise person, never be a foolish person. A wise person thinks, What does it matter if I make a small cake? If I eat this small cake myself, I can only live one day longer. If I give this small cake to you, perhaps the words of the Lord God will be fulfilled in my house. If the jar of flour and the jug of oil do not run dry, how worthwhile it will be! I give a small cake to Elijah, and I can live until the Lord sends rain.
Even a fool can calculate that! But the wise people of this world will not calculate that! Do you know why? The wise people of this world do not believe. The wise people of the world will say, How is this scientific? Then they bring out science! You must know that only God wants people to live. So, when we read about this miracle, many people say, This is impossible. Such people will not receive anything; what they receive is destruction.
However, I like to be that kind of person. When I first believed in the Lord, I thought, Anyway, I only have a salary of over a thousand dollars, and that thing cannot make people rich, right? Calculate it, and you know that you will never be rich with over a thousand dollars. At that time, I didn't know that I could afford a house in Singapore, let alone buy several houses; I couldn't even afford one house! Because those numbers all sounded like astronomical figures. I guess many of you here agree with me in your heart. What you see are all astronomical figures.
But don't lose hope, because God is the God who provides for people, really too wonderful! I made a calculation: how much can I save if I save? But there is such a group of foolish people in this world. They want to save that one-tenth, saving it until they have no savings left. When I learned to tithe to God, the calculation in my heart was similar to the widow's calculation.
Anyway, this hundred-odd dollars will not make me rich! Just go for it! Since people teach me this way, I will believe it this way. As a result, I made a big profit. Therefore, you must learn from this wise widow. This wise widow has three points of wisdom: first, If I die, I die faith! Second, call on God! Third, make a very clear calculation! You must know how to calculate this! I encourage everyone, those who trust in God in everything will not be put to shame.
It is the Spirit Who Gives Life
What is the next point? A person's life or death depends on their spirit. After reading this story, you can begin to understand the composition of a person's body. What is the composition of the body? Inside a person's body is a spirit. Once this spirit leaves a person, they die. If this spirit is still inside, even if the body is dilapidated and many parts are broken, if that spirit is still inside, the person will not die! This is quite interesting.
You might say, What kind of theory is this? Is it scientific? I don't know if it's scientific or not, but I think it's quite practical. The widow's son, in fact, his spirit had left his body, and he died! As for how the spirit left, we don't know. However, we can speculate that there are two possibilities for a person's spirit leaving. One possibility is that God took his spirit away! The second possibility is that his spirit is going to enter hell! In any case, the flesh will eventually breathe its last. So, you know that when people die, their breath is always going out, have you seen it? Their breath is constantly going out; that is their spirit going out. When the spirit goes out, they will breathe their last. If they don't breathe that breath, they cannot die!
No matter what state their body is in, they cannot die. Therefore, the Bible says, It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life (John 6:63). Can you connect this with the words in the New Testament? The flesh is no help at all; it is the Spirit who gives life. As long as my spirit dwells in my body, my body is fine. Many things in the Bible are spoken of very interestingly, and many places write like this: My spirit prospers, and my body is healthy. Why? Because a prospering spirit can resist demons; if the spirit does not prosper, it cannot resist demons; and if you cannot resist demons, you become sick.
If you can resist demons, your body will be very healthy. Therefore, I encourage everyone to practice godliness in every way. What is practicing godliness? Exercising your spirit. Those children among us who are around ten years old, today prayed in tongues with us directly until 1:30 PM, from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, coming by themselves with their bags, truly adorable. Imagine, when she reaches my age, how much healthier she will be! And when she reaches my mother's age, she will be even healthier.
Don't ever think that you will suffer losses if you prosper in the spirit. Prospering in the spirit means that the whole person prospers in everything; your career prospers, and it is the foundation of your body's health. In other words: The flesh is no help at all; it is the Spirit who gives life. So, if the sisters among us want to lose weight and get sick and come to me for prayer, I will not pray for you! I can tell you that if you lose weight and develop stomach problems, I am not very responsible; I will not kneel there for several hours to fuss over you.
If you want to lose weight, then I will give you a method—fast and pray diligently. Fasting but not praying is harmful to the body. But fasting and praying should not cause problems. So, in the fifties and sixties, when there was a food shortage worldwide, some people who were starting churches had no food to eat and fasted and prayed there, and their bodies remained very strong. Those who didn't pray when they had no food got many illnesses.
So, don't misunderstand, It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. If you want to lose weight, you must pray. Go in and pray for several hours. But if you get tired, you must eat something; make it a habit. We see in this story that Elijah stretched himself out on the child, and the child's spirit returned to his body, and he lived. I will teach you a lesson that you can also practice. What to practice? When you see a child breathing his last, I believe that Peter and Paul and those people basically followed this method, lying on his body and then calling on God to put his spirit back into him. So, once a person's spirit returns, they live! After they live, the ailments of the body are also healed one by one.
Verse 24 speaks of the woman saying to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth. Everyone must understand that a person who performs miracles, including you and me, what do we do miracles for? It is to make people know the Lord God. Knowing the Lord God also means knowing that the words He speaks through our mouths are true. In fact, from the beginning to the end of the Bible, I cannot find any trace that proves that people can take the path of speculation. It is all miracles manifested through God's work through people; through miracles, you can know that the words you speak are from God.
A person with God's presence is certainly a person who performs miracles. But some people say, John the Baptist never performed a miracle, but this does not affect my belief in such words, right? Although John the Baptist was sent by God, the presence of God was still in Jesus. Those with God's presence, like Elijah and Elisha, are all such people. You can make a choice; you can be a person like John the Baptist. But I want to be a person like Elijah. The words of the Lord in your mouth are true because of what? Because this child rose from the dead! We must begin to have such a concept; after developing such a concept, you will be able to perform many miracles.