Elisha, the Prophet's Widow, and the Oil (P2) : Elisha's words and the oil

Ailèhoh wife of Christ ! God morgen gift of Christ !

Neither did Elijah force or beg the widow of Zarephath to give him her bread (1 Kings 17:8–16). She gave it to him willingly because she knew that God would provide. Before leaving, Elijah made sure that she had enough food. Elisha asked nothing of the prophet’s widow (2 Kings 4:1–7). He refused Naaman’s money (2 Kings 5:1–16). Do not eat the widow’s bread if you do not care what she will eat tomorrow. Do not ask for an offering every time you prophesy. God is not a beggar. Do not accept every gift.

❖ (Psalms 68:6, NKJV) : A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation.

❖ (Deuteronomy 15:6, NKJV) : For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.

❖ (2 Kings 4: 1-7, NKJV) : " 1 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” 2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. 6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

3. Elisha's words and the oil (2 Kings 4:2-7)

In the first verse of our text, it says that the widow spoke to Elisha. He, on the other hand, did not shout. He was kind. This is worth noting, given his temperament. It leads me to believe that the prophet Elisha truly held this widow’s husband in high regard. I think he was truly a good person. You don’t address Elisha by shouting unless you have a covenant with him.

Elisha had cursed some young men who were mocking his baldness (2 Kings 2:23-24). After his words, two bears came out of the forest and tore the 42 young men to pieces. Forty-two teenagers died after mocking Elisha. He certainly wasn't the kind of prophet you could talk to carelessly. What were their parents doing? Did these young men usually make fun of their elders? I'm not condoning Elisha's reaction. I just want to make sure you learn lessons from this story, not just get emotional.

According to some rabbis and the historian Flavius Josephus, this woman was the widow of Obadiah (1 Kings 18:7–15), the steward of King Ahab’s palace (Jezebel’s husband). He hid 100 prophets in two caves and fed them during the time when Jezebel was having the prophets of the Lord killed. Elijah had spared his life when he was sent by Ahab to bring him to the palace. According to the Targum (Aramaic Bible), Obadiah had borrowed money to feed the prophets.

So this woman was the widow of a national hero. Her husband wasn’t in debt because he mismanaged his finances. He borrowed money to save lives. Surely, before the incident with the 100 prophets, she lived in material comfort. She may have already sold her jewelry and personal belongings. I wonder if the 100 prophets ever thought to help her financially in return. I wonder if they were aware of her financial difficulties. I understand why she cried out to Elisha. Her husband had fed 100 prophets who were now serving Elisha. Elisha certainly knew her husband.

Let’s remember that not everyone who gives to others and for others is necessarily well-off. Just because someone doesn’t complain and gives whenever asked doesn’t mean they don’t have needs of their own. We must not take advantage of others’ generosity. We shouldn’t wait for them to speak of their problems before showing gratitude or repaying the money we owe them. If the person to whom you owe money has died, repay your debt to their heirs. It is written, “Cursed be anyone who deprives the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow of justice!... ” (Deuteronomy 27:19) 🙂 By extension, blessed is the one who upholds the law, administers justice, and acts with integrity toward the widow and the orphan.

Elisha asks her what she expects from him. He takes the time to listen to her. He doesn’t act as if he knows everything. He assesses the situation before proposing a solution. He waits for God to speak to him before he speaks. The widow, knowing that Elisha was very busy, got straight to the point of her problem. She didn’t start with a lot of small talk. She didn’t tell Elisha that he was the greatest prophet, and so on. 🙂 I don’t understand those who want us to sing their praises before they listen, speak, or do anything at all. Those who want us to say “Amen” a hundred times! These people who crave flattery. These people who want us to tell them, “Prophesy, great man of God!” I’ll never understand these people.

Elisha, in turn, is very direct. First, he asks her what she has in her house. Here is a wealthy prophet, asking a poor widow what she has in her house. Not only is Elisha wealthy, but he is also a prophet. Moreover, GOD works miracles through him. Elisha is a man respected and honored by many. He could have called the king and asked for a reduction in the debt. He could have asked the prophets to chip in to pay off the debt. For many people, when you go to a prophet like Elisha with a money problem, you’re sure not to come away empty-handed. In Elisha’s place, another prophet, annoyed, might have said, “Another money problems! I’m not a bank!”

Elisha isn't that other prophet. He wasn't known for being a great teacher. He wasn't like Moses, who wrote a lot. Even if he had been, perhaps that widow had neither the time nor the means to attend business school. 🙂 I’d like to take this opportunity to tell someone that just because a man of God performs miracles doesn’t mean he’s achieved everything in his life through miracles.

Elisha asked her what she had at home. God will always start with what we have—with what is within us. Oil is what you have—something that can be amplified, multiplied, cultivated, refined, and marketed. The oil is the gift, the talent, the experience, the skill, your know-how, and the ability that others recognize in you. It is the solution within you to the problems of others. It is what can be easily and quickly marketed in your situation and context. Make your inventory, and you will find oil.

The vase is the channel through which the oil is distributed. You may know how to write blog posts, lessons, books, reports, manuals, recipes, and scripts for movies and cartoons. But if you don’t write, if you don’t publish, if you don’t submit your work for review and correction, no one will know. Are you deep in debt or a student looking for some extra income to make ends meet? If so, what can you do? Do you know how to cut hair, cook, code, write, translate, decorate, drive, wash, iron, babysit, look after children, walk dogs, draw, proofread, advise, serve, repair, deliver, sell, sew, help with moves, film, grow crops, or host?

Elisha then gives her some instructions: ask for jars on the street and from neighbors, close the door behind you, pour the oil into the jars, set some aside, go sell it, pay off your debts, and live on what’s left. What is your interpretation of these instructions?

• Asking for vases on the street and from neighbors:

  You don’t ask neighbors for vases if you have a bad reputation or if you’re in conflict with them. Asking for vases forced her to step outside her comfort zone. The vases represent the resources that others are willing to invest in your project. Normally, you go to your neighbors before going out onto the street. But Elisha told her to go out into the street before going to her neighbors. In other words, he told her to start today, right now, on her way home. He told her to start with the neighborhood, the camp of the prophets. Among the families her husband had saved, there were some who would lend her jars. God would incline their hearts in her favor. The other prophets were listening to the conversation. Indirectly, Elisha was saying to those present, “If you have empty jars, tell your wives to lend them to this woman.” Even if they didn’t, God would guide her steps toward others. Those who lend her jars are potential future clients or partners. The Lord will guide her steps.

  
  

• Close the door behind you:

  Closing the door shows wisdom and discretion. You shouldn’t advertise before it’s time (before you have the product). You don’t advertise a product you don’t know, haven’t tested, or verified. If you don’t yet have the product, the packaging, or the point of sale, keep quiet. She should have started with her sons, not with her neighbors or the crowd. She borrowed the jars, not the houses. Closing the door means maintaining communion with God. It means avoiding the noise made by those who have neither contributions, nor suggestions, nor intercessions.

• Pouring the oil into containers:

  Pouring the oil into containers means making good use of what one has and avoiding waste. She poured the oil into containers that could hold it properly in terms of both quality and quantity. She did not pour the oil into baskets. She had a high-quality product to preserve. It was neither cheap oil nor unrefined oil.

  
  

• Set aside:

  To set aside is to pause for a moment and reflect. It is to be patient. It is to say to God, “I will not move forward until You speak. I started with You, and I’ll finish with You.” It’s asking God what the next step is. Where will she go to sell her oil? At what price? Given the quality of her oil or the type of oil, what’s the market rate? Will she offer discounts to those who lent her jars? Exactly how much does she need? Will she invest part of the money to buy a field, seeds, or oil from a wholesaler? Will she sell to individuals or to bakers? In her town or in neighboring towns? Will there be taxes to pay? Will she pay off her debt in installments or all at once?

  
  

• Go sell it:

  Oil doesn’t pay off debts. It’s what you do with the oil that pays off the debts. God has done His part; now it’s up to her to do hers. It’s up to her to present her oil. It’s up to her to open a store or go from place to place to sell her product. It took just one day for the miracle to happen.  I don’t think the sale was completed in a single day. Elisha didn’t ask for anything in return for himself. He was capable of doing good without expecting anything in return. You don’t eat a widow’s bread if you’re not able to multiply it, if you don’t care about what she’ll eat tomorrow. Elisha didn’t go to her house. He didn’t go to sell it for her. It was up to her to exercise her faith.

  
  

• Paying off debts:

  Paying off debts and returning borrowed vases demonstrates honesty, integrity, and respect for priorities. It’s about maintaining good relationships. Today it’s vases. Tomorrow, perhaps it will be cans, then barrels, trucks, and containers. She will be judged by the same standard by which she judges others. Paying off debts means not misappropriating income. What would have happened if, instead of paying off her debts and returning the vases, she had bought luxury handbags? Paying off debts means enabling another widow to borrow or have the capital to get started. Paying off debts means serving your community and honoring God.

  
  

• Living with what's left :

  GOD performs miracles, but He won't always perform miracles. That's why He asks us to manage our money wisely. We must not tempt GOD. This widow had two sons. 🙂 Living on what’s left means teaching your sons so that, from generation to generation, your descendants will know how to manage, give, invest, and teach. It’s about learning lessons. It’s about understanding that those we helped (yesterday) won’t necessarily be the ones who help us (tomorrow).

🙂 This widow’s husband managed his resources well. He wasn’t irresponsible. He didn’t count on Elisha to pay off his debts. He had fed the prophets because God had convinced him to do so. Perhaps God did not want him to borrow money. Perhaps if he had asked God for provision while he was still alive, he would not have died in debt. Perhaps the 100 prophets whom her husband had saved were poor and in debt. Perhaps God allowed things to unfold this way so that we might all learn from them.

Faith isn't about the oil multiplying. That's the miracle. Faith is demonstrated the moment you borrow the jars. Borrowing the jars is an act of faith. Pouring the oil is an act of obedience. Your faith is demonstrated in the way you take care of your jars. Having faith means believing what GOD says and preparing yourself accordingly for what He will do. Do you want to get out of debt and manage your finances better? Show me what you’re giving toward the expansion of the Kingdom. Show me the teachings and interviews you listen to, the books you read. Show me your inventory. GOD may have already answered your prayer.

It is written " For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you." (Deuteronomy 15:6, NKJV)

Il est écrit " L'ÉTERNEL, ton DIEU, te bénira comme il te l'a dit. Tu prêteras à beaucoup de nations et tu ne feras pas d'emprunt, tu domineras sur beaucoup de nations et elles ne domineront pas sur toi." (Deutéronome 15:6, Segond 21) God may perform miracles from time to time for our personal finances. But we will not lend to nations by performing miracles.

I want to speak to someone who has made sacrifices for the Kingdom and/or for others. You have given without receiving anything in return. You have paid for others’ education, bills, and medical care. You’d like to do this and that, but people are constantly asking you for money. You do what you can, but it’s never enough. Here is the message I have for you: “God has not forgotten you. He isn’t asking you to do more than you’re capable of. He’s asking you to listen to Him and to offer Him something He can multiply. He’s asking you to take notes when He speaks to you. You have more than Elisha—you have the Holy Spirit.”

It's tempting to rush through this story and focus on the miracle. After all, who doesn't love miracles? But let's take the time to reflect on the bigger picture. What do you think? If you were in this widow's situation, how would you pray?

** Ailèhoh = Good morning in Ehotilé (Ivory Coast)

** God morgen = Good morning in Norwegian