The Witness of God sustained in a Day of apostasy "Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee," 1 Kings 17:9. Some 65 years had passed since the division of the twelve tribes into two kingdoms following the death of Solomon. The division really was the result of Solomon's backsliding and sin. When his son Rehoboam ascended the throne he was requested to ease the heavy burdens that Solomon had imposed upon the people but he, arrogantly rejected the plea. As a result, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, led ten of the tribes out from under Rehoboam and formed the northern kingdom henceforth known as Israel. Only two tribes remained faithful to Rehoboam, Judah and Benjamin. This kingdom became known as the kingdom of Judah. Now, Ahab, the 7th king of the northern kingdom of Israel has come to the throne. His ascension marked the apex of apostasy. It must be noted for our encouragement that in the darkest hour of apostasy God calls forth His brightest mortal witness - Elijah, who is introduced to us in this chapter. It is also to be noted that in a day of apostasy God's witness is a disliked, a persecuted witness. Elijah was unwanted and unloved. We find him hiding in verses 3 and 9. However, God had His means of preserving and sustaining His witness in that dark hour. Though there 100 prophets of the Lord and some 7000 true believers in the land, none of these associated themselves with Elijah. Indeed, he was unaware of their existence, 19:10, 14, 18. God's ways are wonderful. He first of all used ravens to sustain Elijah, verse 4 and now it is a Gentile widow, verse 9.