2 Kings 4:1 – 7 “Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
“How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”
She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow jars, even empty ones, from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.”
So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another.”
But he replied, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”
GOD TAKES CARE OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS! The widow Mariam was in despair. Mariam’s late husband Ebenezer was no money manager! While Ebenezer was alive, he had foolishly borrowed from Simon, the most vicious money lender in town, assuming he would easily be able to repay later. Then came the day when Ebenezer collapsed out in the field. By the time neighbors could reach Ebenezer, there was nothing they could do for him, except to carry his dead body back to his home. Now Simon the money lender was at Mariam’s door, demanding that she hand over Joshua, age 10, and Samuel, age 8, so that he could sell them as slaves and get his money. To Mariam, her sons were her hope and her future. Little wonder then, that Mariam was appealing to Elisha for assistance.
Notice how Elisha proceeded in this matter. First, Elisha asked Mariam what she had in her house. When Mariam replied that she had one jar of oil, Elisha advised her to borrow every container she possibly could from her neighbors. To get those containers must have been a challenge; how did Mariam explain things to her neighbors without appearing foolish? But Mariam was desperate; perhaps she simply told others that the prophet had ordered her to do this. Nobody messed with prophets! Next Mariam and her sons were to shut themselves up in their home and then begin pouring oil from the original container into all the borrowed ones. In a village where anyone’s business quickly became everyone’s business, Elisha didn’t want a crowd of onlookers to rush into Mariam’s home and possibly steal anything from Mariam. This miracle was to be a private one, not a public one.
Finally, Mariam and her sons had to keep pouring as long as they had containers, and Mariam did just that. What must Mariam have thought when she filled the first few containers and the oil was still flowing? All that we know is that Mariam kept calling for more containers and her sons kept bringing them to her until the whole room was full and there were no more containers left. That’s when the oil stopped flowing.
APPLICATION: What if Mariam had only borrowed a few containers? Would there have been enough oil to pay the debt and leave money for her sons and her to live on? Although the major emphasis in this passage is on Elisha and the power of God that flowed through him, we must never overlook the faith of this widow. Many times, God might want to do something through us or for us; however, He cannot because we don’t want to appear foolish. Had this widow not risked looking ridiculous, she would never have borrowed enough containers to accommodate the oil necessary for her and her sons to survive.
Does God really do this stuff? A few days ago, I told the story of the KFC miracle that happened to friends. But many years ago, something similar happened to me. While I was still in general surgery residency, I was interviewing for positions in pediatric surgery, using much of my income to travel to various training sites around America. At the same time, I was supporting an orphan through a charity and giving through my church as well. In August of that year, I re – stocked my dry supplies such as beans, flour, soy powder, etc. Normally, I would have to purchase these things once a month. But that fall, the levels of the supplies hit the half – way point and then stayed there. One night as I was cooking supper, I suddenly realized what was happening and that I had not bought new supplies in several months. Even though I had not specifically asked God to multiply these things, God had done so. Since then, there have been times during our missionary careers when God has multiplied finances and supplies.
God is faithful! Notice that God did not supply Mariam’s wants, but her needs. Mariam’s biggest need was for money to settle her late husband’s debts so that her sons would not be sold as slaves. God through Elisha made a way so that debt could be settled and Mariam and the boys would also have money to live on. Sometimes we ask God for things to satisfy our wants, rather than our needs.
Also notice that God worked with what Mariam had. Elisha did not order Mariam to go out and buy anything. If Mariam had had flour, God would have multiplied the flour.
What do you truly need today? Go somewhere quiet and then talk with God. Rest assured that the same God who saved this widow from having to sell her sons into slavery can still supply your needs. But be prepared! You might have to look as foolish as a poor lady running around a village borrowing jars from her neighbors.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to come to You with our needs and to trust that You will hear and answer. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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