From the time the Israelites left Egypt, God protected them and even showed them signs of His goodness and power.From the time the Israelites left Egypt, God protected them and even showed them signs of His goodness and power.
Nevertheless they continually broke His commandments. They married pagans, people adoring false gods. Many times they themselves worshipped these false gods. Out of pity for them, God sent holy men to lead them back to Him. These men were the Prophets.
The Prophets not only taught the people how to serve God; they also foretold the coming of the Saviour, Who was to come to earth to save mankind from sin. The greatest of the Prophets were Elias, Isaias, and Jeremias.
The prophet Elias lived when King Achab was ruling Israel. This king had married a pagan wife, Jezabel, and had built a temple to her god, Baal. In that temple Achab also adored Baal.
Elias, being sent by God, said to Achab, "To punish you for worshipping idols, God will not send any rain for three years. There will be a famine."
Everything happened as Elias had foretold. When there was no more rain, God told Bias to go to a brook near the river Jordan. He went, and there morning and evening ravens brought him food. He drank from the brook and was not thirsty.
After a while the brook dried up. God then said to Bias, "Go to the town of Sarephta. There a widow will feed you." Elias obeyed, and went to Sarephta.
When he came to the gate of the city, Elias saw the widow gathering sticks. He called, "Please give me some water to drink," and added, "Bring also a piece of bread."
The widow told him that she had no bread. She only had a handful of meal and a little oil. "Make me a cake out of the meal and oil, for God will not let it be used up." said Elias. The widow did so. The oil and meal lasted till the famine was over. Every day there was enough for Elias, the widow and her son.
Sometime later the widow's son fell ill and died. Elias prayed to God, "O Lord, let the soul of this child return into his body." And the widow's son lived again.
- from My Bible History in Pictures, by Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, D.D., 1934; it has the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael J O'Doherty of Manila, Philippines