The Gospel of Luke 4:24-26 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; but unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.” (Luke 4:24-26 KJV).

The Lord’s town folks in Nazareth just displayed a very fluidly swinging kind of attitude. After being impressed by the gracious words the Lord has spoken and marveling at His wisdom, their attitude quickly shifted. They begin to question the Lord’s authority, and wonder how such a seemingly ordinary person could possess such extraordinary abilities. This skepticism ultimately leads to their rejection of Him. Hence the Lord declares that, "a prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house" (Mark 6:4).

Prompted by such unbelieving posture, the Lord Jesus reminds them of a time hundreds of years past. In that time of Israel’s history there was a great famine. For over three years the heaven was shut and there was no sowing and reaping. The Lord references the story of the widow in Zarephath (also known as Sarepta) during the time of the prophet Elijah, which is found in 1 Kings 17. The passage states that during that time of great famine in the land of Israel, the Lord directed Elijah to go to Zarephath, where a widow would provide for him. When Elijah arrived, he encountered a widow gathering sticks and asked her for water and a small cake of bread. Despite her dire circumstances and having only a handful of flour and a little oil left, the widow followed Elijah's instructions and provided for him. Miraculously, her flour and oil did not run out until the famine was over. There were many widows in Israel, but God directed Elijah to a widow beyond Israel, to remind them that His blessings go beyond nationality and status.

Yes, this warns that God's blessings would be extended beyond His chosen people Israel, due to Israel’s momentary unbelief. A blessing to us ALL in the gentile world! And this, referring to Israel's stumble or unbelief, apostle Paul affirms: “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!” (Romans 11:11-12 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

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