A look at 2 Kings 4:1-7; The Widow’s Oil
Every time I read the story of the widow’s oil, I see one miracle after another. I see generations of faithfulness, both on the part of God and of mankind. Seven little verses in one little chapter of one book in the Old Testament shows us so much about God’s character! We’ll take a closer look at the widow in a bit, but first, let’s talk about what preceded this miracle… Elisha’s request for a double portion of Elijah’s anointing.
Before the widow’s oil or any other miraculous provision written about the prophet and his double-portion ministry, we read about Elijah’s ministry. He was unconditionally loyal to God and demanded that loyalty to God from Israel. Elisha witnessed this as he followed Elijah’s teachings. Under his leadership, Elisha witnessed many prophecies and miracles, and was with Elijah up until his final moments on earth. We read in 2 Kings 2:1-11, about their journey and last words before God took Elijah up into a whirlwind to heaven. In verse 9, it reads:
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
When Elisha asked for the double portion, he was asking for the spiritual gifts provided to Elijah by God to be passed on to him, so that he could continue Elijah’s ministry. Do we know who Elisha was before he was Elijah’s spiritual heir? Let’s go back even further…
Elisha came from the Northern kingdom of Israel, belonging to a wealthy family who owned a lot of land. Elisha was plowing his father’s field when he met the great prophet, Elijah. Positioned behind a team of oxen, minding his own business, farming the land…he was called into ministry! Picture with me what that may have looked like… Elisha, labored and sweaty, behind twelve yoke of large, filthy, smelly oxen, is plowing a field when Elijah walks past and lays his mantle upon him. He could’ve let Elisha walk on by and he could’ve kept on plowing that field, but he didn’t. He set aside the oxen and followed Elijah. Elisha did not mistake his prophetic summoning (1 Kings 19:19-21) but made a decision to follow the great prophet! It was that decision that precedes his double-portion anointing, which precedes the miracle of the widow’s oil.
Elijah was well known in Israel. He was fervently outspoken against paganism. This is the same prophet who slayed four hundred and fifty pagans with a prayer to the one true God (yeah, that prophet!) His obedience preceded obedience, which preceded obedience, and the result; olive oil. Now, it is about so much more than just olive oil! It was about a widow, a mother, and a great measure of faith in the SAME God who sent down fire upon the Baal prophets when Elijah prayed. Elijah had faith in the one true God, a faith witnessed by Elisha, whose faith was witnessed by Elisha’s servant (the widow’s husband), whose faith was witnessed by his widow.
Scripture tells us that the widow’s husband died but it doesn’t tell us how he died, only that he honored the Lord and left behind a widow, children, and an unspecified debt. In those days, family members could be enslaved to their family’s creditor to pay off a debt, which is exactly what is depicted here as the widow cries out to Elisha in 2 Kings 4:1-2…
“Your servant, my husband, is dead and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two sons as his slaves.”
Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
Why did the widow seek out Elisha? She needed God’s help to keep her children from being enslaved. She had already lost so much. First her husband dies, and now she may lose her sons! This woman was desperately seeking answers when she ran to Elisha. Her husband’s reverence for the Lord was at the heart of her request. By faith, she knew that she needed God to intervene, and that need took her straight to the prophet. Elisha asks “How can I help you? What do you have?” When he understood that she had nothing to repay her debt, but did possess a small amount of olive oil, Elisha knew exactly what to do! By faith, He trusted that God would take what little she had and use it to meet the needs of her family! (Can I get an AMEN here?!?)
Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
“Don’t ask for just a few!!!”
I love that Elisha wasn’t believing for just enough! He was expectant, asking God to provide in abundance! I also love that she didn’t question Elisha. She didn’t waste any time running home to tell her sons to collect every jar they could find, no questions asked! Just like Elisha – who stopped plowing the field when he was summoned to follow Elijah – she did not hesitate to act! She did exactly as Elisha had instructed her to do and God filled every single empty vessel with olive oil. It was so much oil that not only was there enough to sell and pay off the debt, but there was enough for her family to live on!
That WOWS me to my core.
How great is our God… who loves Israel and sends them a prophet who is unapologetically devoted to Him… Which leads him to a young man in a field…Who teaches a faithful servant of God’s love… Who witnesses to his wife… Who cries out for help to save her children…Whose debt was paid! Her family, intact. Her faith, his faith, their faith were all in a sovereign God who poured His love right back into them!
He has done that for us, too. Our sin creates a debt that we cannot pay and when we run to the Father and cry out for Him to intervene, He is faithful! God doesn’t want us separated from Him any more than the widow wanted to be separated from her children. Jesus chose the cross to pay for our sins. When we accept Him as our Savior, His spirit is poured into us, just like the oil that was poured into those empty vessels.
The beautiful thing about that??? Oh, friend…
Out of the abundance of God’s love for us, not only are our debts paid for in full, resulting in His gift of eternal life (as if that isn’t enough), He gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit which operates in an OVERFLOW of love for us! All we have to do is ask! We can go to Him as empty vessels and be filled with His Holy Spirit… and it can happen anywhere and at any time! You may be in church, at work, at home, or sitting right where you are now when His mantle (anointing,calling) is placed upon you….you may even be plowing a field or working in the garden when God moves! The question is, how will you respond when He calls?
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30…
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
You may feel as though you have nothing…maybe you feel more like an empty shell than a beating heart, but God can fill those empty places and your spirit will overflow with His love… Just like the widow with the empty jar that He filled with oil, one jar couldn’t contain it! Jar after jar was filled until there were no empty vessels to fill! In abundance, He met her needs and He is faithful to meet our needs… If your hands are empty, lift them in praise. If your heart is empty, offer it to Him. If you’re reading this, know that I’m praying for you to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that you’ll know the goodness of the Lord!
Dear Heavenly Father, there’s nothing in this life that surprises You. You see my struggles and promise to give me strength to endure. Pour your Holy Spirit into this dry vessel! Hear my cries, oh Lord! Help me to remember that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Renew my spirit, renew my mind, and renew my body as I abide in You…I give it all to you now, everything, in Jesus name. Amen.
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