This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 1 Kings 17:7-24, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, there was a man named Elijah. One day, the brook that he had been drinking from dried up because there was no rain in the land. But God had a plan for Elijah, and He told him to go to a town called Zarephath where a widow would feed him.
So Elijah went to Zarephath and saw a widow gathering sticks. He asked her for a little water to drink, and while she was getting it, he also asked her for some bread. But the widow told him that she only had a handful of flour and a little oil left, and she was going to use it to make one last meal for herself and her son before they died.
But Elijah said, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” So the widow did what Elijah said, and she, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. Just as God had promised, the jar of flour and the jug of oil never ran out.
Later, the widow’s son became very sick, and he stopped breathing. The widow was very upset and thought that Elijah had come to her to punish her for her sins by causing the death of her son. But Elijah took her son and went to his room. He cried out to God, asking Him to bring the boy back to life. He laid on the boy three times and prayed to God. God listened to Elijah’s prayers, and the boy came back to life!
The widow was amazed and knew that Elijah was a man of God. She knew that God’s word was true and that He had sent Elijah to help her and her son.
Biblical Lessons
- God is always with us, even in our darkest moments, and He can provide for us when we trust in Him.
- God can use anyone, even a poor widow, to carry out His plans and do amazing things.
- Sometimes, God asks us to do something that may seem impossible, but if we have faith, He will provide for us and bless us.
- We can trust in God’s promises because He always keeps His word.
Related Stories
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son
Must-Read Christian Books
The Knowledge of the Holy
Short, powerful meditations on the attributes of God that lift the reader into a bigger, more biblical view of who He is.
View on Amazon
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God
Shows how God's sovereignty in salvation fuels, rather than hinders, faithful evangelism.
View on Amazon
A Call to Spiritual Reformation
Walks through Paul's prayers to teach believers how to pray biblically and God-centeredly.
View on Amazon
Finally Alive
A biblical exploration of the new birth and why regeneration is at the heart of the Christian life.
View on Amazon
Just Do Something
A wise, biblical approach to knowing God's will without paralysis or mysticism.
View on Amazon
The Sovereignty of God
A strong, Scripture-based defense of God's absolute rule over all things.
View on Amazon
Spurgeon on the Christian Life
A portrait of Charles Spurgeon's Christ-centered theology and joyful piety.
View on Amazon
The Gospel According to Jesus
Defends a biblical understanding of faith and repentance against easy-believism.
View on Amazon
The Westminster Confession of Faith
A historic confession that systematically sets forth Reformed theology from Scripture.
View on Amazon
Preaching and Preachers
Classic lectures on the nature and power of biblical preaching.
View on Amazon
The Hospitality Commands
Shows from Scripture how vital hospitality is to Christian obedience and fellowship.
View on Amazon
Christ of the Covenants
Explains the biblical covenants and how they reveal Christ and God's plan of redemption.
View on Amazon
God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment
Argues that God's glory in salvation through judgment is the central theme of Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Whole Christ
Deals with legalism, antinomianism, and the grace of God in union with Christ.
View on Amazon
The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment
Teaches believers how to distinguish truth from error using Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Hiding Place
The story of Corrie ten Boom's faith and forgiveness in the midst of Nazi persecution.
View on Amazon