“Turning to God Amidst Family Tragedy”
1Kings 17:17-24 July 15, 2007 Play
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A Close Call
○ daughter’s medical condition prompts
emergency stop
○ found the only bathtub/phone around
Cry Out to God when Tragedy Strikes
○ Israel’s idolatry punished by famine -
though widow’s family spared (17:16; Deut 8:3)
○ widow questions cause when son dies (18)
○ common to associate hardship with judgment
(Gen 42:21f; Ezek 21:24; Rom 2:6; Heb 4:13)
○ prophet takes up widow’s question before God
(20)
○ Psalms, prophets examples of crying out to
God (Ps 85:5; 86:3; 88:13; Jer 12:1)
Appeal to God’s Sovereign Grace
○ simple appeal for God’s mercy in time of
need (21; Heb 4:16)
○ God big enough to bring about the impossible
(Rom 4:17; Deut 32:39; 1Sam 2:6f)
○ NT urges us to ask God with confidence, like
Elijah (Mt 21:22; Jas 5:15ff)
Acknowledge God’s Word Warrants Our Trust
○ Lord grants boy’s life back (21f; 2Kings
4:34; Heb 11:35)
○ Jesus, apostles raised dead to life multiple
times, yet didn’t guarantee saving faith in onlookers (Lk 7:15, 8:54;
Jn 11:43; Ac 9:40, 20:9; Lk 16:31)
○ object of miracles to undergird effect of
God’s word as trustworthy (24)
○ need God’s Word to change us inside, work in
us, not just amaze us (1Thess 2:13)
Isaiah’s Desperate Deliverance: God Saves
○ complications in baby’s delivery deadly,
spark dread
○ safe delivery by surgery brings relief,
praise for God’s saving help