Elisha and the Widow 2 Kings 4:1-7

Do You Ever Feel Trapped? James Dobson tells the story of a boy named Frankie. Have you ever felt trapped or at the end of your rope? What do you do when: Facing problems you cannot solve? Problems at work? You’ve lost someone to death? You’re walking through a spiritual wasteland with no end in sight? Today’s passage is one of hope. If you feel trapped by life, God is here to help!

2 Kings 4:1-7 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”  2 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.”  3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 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.”  5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”    But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.  7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

God knows our problems (vs. 1) There Was Despair In Her Family The word “cried” means “to moan; to weep uncontrollably; to shriek out of grief.” The woman comes to the man of God at the lowest moment of her life. There Was Death In Her Family She was married to one of the “sons of the prophets”. Sons of the prophets = Student of Elisha- training to be prophet There Was Debt In Her Family Since her husband is dead she cannot pay her bills. As a result her sons were about to be taken away from her to work off the debt Allowed under law (Leviticus 25:39) “If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.” There Was Devotion In Her Family In spite of all her problems, she still held firm in the grip of faith!

God knows our problems (vs. 1) At some point, every person in this room is going to arrive at that low point of life. There will come a day when you will reach the end of your rope. When you reach that point, the world, the flesh and the devil are all going to tell you that God doesn’t see and that He doesn’t care. The fact is: He does SEE Proverbs 15:3 – “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” He does CARE 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” These verses are designed to teach us that our problems, while they may appear to be insurmountable in our eyes, are really just God’s opportunities in disguise. He cares! He is able! He will work in your need!

God Releases Our Potential (vs. 2-5) It would have been easy for Elisha to have said, “Okay sister, you have suffered enough. The Lord is going to meet your need. Just go home and wait for Him to work.” Instead of taking that course, the Lord chose to involve this widow in her own miracle. He erased her faith by getting her to admit what she didn’t have. God expanded her faith by teaching her trust, humility How does God erase our faith? The Lord erased the widow’s faith through two questions asked by Elisha. What do you want? What do you have? She needed much, but she could not possibly meet her own needs. Often God will use the trials, heartaches and burdens of life to bring us to the place where we can honestly see our need and our own inability to meet it.

God Releases Our Potential (vs. 2-5) How does God expand our faith? He expands our faith personally The second question (What do you have?) was designed to prove that while it seemed the widow had nothing, God could, and would, still use the small things. She had oil. – probably a small flask filled with anointing oil. We look at the problem, and it seems so large… NOT TO GOD! “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19 He expands her faith publically The widow is told to go to all her neighbors and borrow all the empty vessels that she can get her hands on. What a witnessing opportunity, especially when the oil started to flow. He expands her faith privately Faith moved in that widow’s heart. When that day ended, there was a mother and some boys who had learned a valuable lesson. There in the privacy of that home, they learned that God was all-powerful and able to meet every need.

God Gives Our Provisions (vs.1-7) The woman and her sons filled one vessel after another until every vessel they had borrowed was full. She began that day with nothing, she ended it with everything! That is what our God can do. Lesson Of God’s Provision Elisha promised that the Lord would fill the vessels, v. 4, and He did! He will keep all of His promises to you too! “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” – Matt. 24:35 Limit of God’s Provision The oil flowed until the vessels ran out. His provision is limited by nothing but our faith. God stands ready to give all that you make room for in your life, no more and no less! Largeness of God’s Provision When the day was done, there was enough oil in those borrowed vessels to settle her debts, meet her desires and supply her dependents! He is able to do more than you can imagine, if you give Him the opportunity!

Conclusion Are you at the end of your rope today? I just want you to know that He cares for you! Bring your vessels; let Him amaze you with what He can do with your situation.