1

Elijah Raised a Dead Child by Prayer

2

(I Kings 17:22-23)

The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"

3

The great Prophet Elijah once lived in a house in Zarephath.
In that house, there was a widow mother who raised her only son.

4

Elijah prophesied that it would not rain in that land because King Ahab left God and served idols. The prophesy of Elijah was fulfilled and a huge famine came to Israel. Because of this, King Ahab searched the whole country and tried to kill Elijah.

5

King Ahab tried to kill Elijah. To protect Elijah, God sent him to Zarephath and God preformed a miracle there. Everyday, flour and oil did not run out in that house.

6

That woman had nothing to eat. She was going to bake bread out of the last of her flour and oil that she had and eat it and die but afterwards she met Elijah and lived a miraculous life. This woman spent a very happy time with her son.

7

But one day, a very big event happened. Her son suddenly got sick. The sickness became more serious and at last her son died. This happened in a very short time.

8

When her son died, the woman got very shocked. Then, she blamed Elijah.
"Why did you let my son die and make me think it is because of my sins? Or is the death of my son a will of God?"

9

Elijah said to the woman,"Give me your son."
Elijah brought her son up to the upper room.

10

Elijah laid on the child and started to pray to God.
"O LORD, my God! This woman is a thankful person who has let me stay at her house. Why did you let her son die?"

11

Elijah prayed to God like this and stretched himself out on the child.
He did this three times.

12

After that, Elijah sincerely prayed to God again.
"God, please let this child live again."
Elijah believed that God is the owner of life and prayer.

13

God answered the prayer of Elijah. The dead child started to breath again.
The child became alive.

14

Elijah picked up the child and came down.
Then he showed the child to his mother and said, "Look, your son is alive!"

15

When the woman saw that her dead child was alive again, she confessed to Elijah.
"You really are a man of God. Now I know that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth." This woman made a very great confession of faith.

16

God answered the prayer of Elijah.
God made the dead child alive.
God is the owner of our lives, so our living and dying is in His hands.

17

God is also the owner of our spirit. God gives eternal life only to those who believe Jesus. If you believe that Jesus died for us on the cross, your dead soul will live again and have eternal life. If we don't believe Jesus, our souls are dead. So remember this. If we pray for our nonbeliever friends like how Elijah did, we can fulfill the miracle of our friends believing in Jesus and receiving eternal life. So let us become faithful servants who can pray for other people's lives.