In First Kings, chapter seventeen, verse seventeen, we confront here one of the perplexing mysteries of life. At the time, God miraculously provided flour and oil, and trouble and sorrow occurred. No soul of life in the son is the expression. However, here only means that he died, as manifested in the following verses. The situation was a terrible and unexpected stroke to this widow and, no doubt, sent for the further trial of her faith and patience.
She had received a great prophet into her house, was employed to sustain him, and had reason to think that surely the Lord would do her good, yet now she loses her son. Sometimes adversity comes to those who are doing God’s will and are actively involved in working for the kingdom. We must not think it strange if we meet with very sharp afflictions, even when we are in the way of duty and of eminent service to God. When we have the apparent manifestations of God’s favor and good-will toward us, even then, we should prepare for the rebukes of his providence. Our mountain never stands solid but moves. Therefore, in this world, we ought always to rejoice with trembling.
Neither faith nor obedience shut out afflictions and death. The child being dead, the mother spake to the prophet instead of venting her sorrow than relief. When God removes our comforts from us, he remembers our sins against us, perhaps sins of our youth, though long since past. When God remembers our sins against us, he designs to teach us to remember them against ourselves and to repent of them. Elijah’s prayer most likely directed by the Holy Spirit. The child revived.
See the power of prayer and the power of Him who hears prayer. Our approach in dependence on God is important: it is not that a believer knows how to pray but believing and trusting that He will bring it to pass.