28 ELISHA HELPS TWO WOMEN

Elisha’s miracles were for use, not for show and the miracles recorded in these verses were both practical and useful acts of kindness. This is the kind of miracle Jesus also did. They were not only great wonders, but great favors to those for whom they were performed. God is both good and powerful and magnifies His goodness with His power.

Elisha readily receives a poor prophet’s widow’s cry for help. Her husband had been a student of Elisha and so to whom should she appeal for help, but to him who was a father of the prophets? Surely he would be concerned about the welfare of their families! Evidently prophets as well as priests had wives. Marriage is honorable in all and is not inconsistent with these sacred professions. Now, by the complaint of this poor woman we are led to understand that her husband, being one of the sons of the prophets, was well known to Elisha. Should we learn here that ministers of outstanding gifts and positions should make themselves as familiar as is practical with those that are in the crowd of those under their influence, know their character and living situation? To the degree this is possible and practical, yes, leaders need to be familiar with their followers and their circumstances.

Her deceased husband had had the reputation of a godly man. Elisha knew him to be one that feared the Lord, else he would have been unworthy of the honor and unfit for the work of a prophet. The unnamed prophet would have been one who maintained godliness in a time of general apostasy, one of the 7,000 that had not bowed the knee to Baal. We also know that he was dead, though a good man, a good minister. Prophets do not live forever. Those that were clothed with the Spirit of prophecy were not by that gift guaranteed against the stroke of death. Though godly and a prophet this man died poor and in debt owing more than the value of his possessions. He was not in debt because he had lived in luxury or riotous living. He was one that feared the Lord, and therefore dared not allow himself to be wasteful or selfish. The career of a minister obligates us not to live above what we have or to spend more than what God gives. The Bible tells us in Romans 13:8, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” We should be very careful not to go into debt.

Perhaps this prophet was impoverished by persecution. You will recall that when Jezebel ruled, prophets had a serious problem to live, and especially if they had families. And the creditors were very severe with her. She had two sons she had to support in her widowed condition. A lesson about financial stewardship fairly jumps off the pages as we read this story. This well-intentioned and godly student of Elijah’s then Elisha’s, died with a debt he left for his wife. Let every man learn not to leave their families under a load of debt disproportionate to the value of their possessions. Otherwise they cause great difficulties for those they love.  In this distress the poor widow goes to Elisha, in dependence on the promise that the seed of the righteous will not be forsaken. In some cases the only hope a helpless widow has is to ask for help from a kind Christian.

Elisha, we assume, used his faith and prayer gifts, to effectively relieve this poor widow’s distress, and through the miracle God gave to them set her up to (1) pay her debt and (2) to maintain herself and her family. He did not say, Be warmed, be filled, but gave her real help. He did not give her some small or temporary provision, but set her up in her community to sell oil by placing a store of it in her hand. This was done by a miracle, but it is an indication to us of what is the best method of charity; that it is the greatest kindness one can do for poor people, which is, if possible, to help them so they can help themselves. Each must learn to use their own industry and ingenuity. Christians who give a sewing machine to the poor and teach them how to use it are doing today something in the same spirit of Elisha’s help to this widow.

He considered her case, directed her what to do: What shall I do for you? The sons of the prophets were poor, and it would not help matters much to take up a collection for her among them. But the God of those prophets is able to supply all her need if she has something to get her started. Elisha therefore inquired what she had to make money with and learned she had nothing to sell but one pot of oil, as verse 2 says. “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.’” If she had had any dishes or furniture, he would possibly have had her part with them so she could pay off her debts.

Can we consider anything our own if its value does not equal or surpass the amount that we may owe at any one time? If she did not have this pot of oil, the divine power could have supplied her need some other way, but, having this, God will work with this and in so doing will teach us to make the best use possible of what we have. The prophet knows she had a good reputation with the other prophets and the families of those prophets so he tells her to borrow empty vessels from them. She may have already sold or used up the other vessels. Elisha will have her shut the door on herself and her sons, while she filled all the borrowed vessels out of that one vessel. The shut door will stop interruptions. Jesus told us to shut the door when we prayed. Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Jesus also once shut the door when He was about to perform a miracle. She must shut the door, to prevent interruptions from the creditors, and others while they were busy inside. They also could avoid proudly boasting of this miraculous supply, but rather could pray and praise God for this miracle. The oil was to be multiplied in the pouring, as the other widow’s meal was in the spending. The way to increase what we have is to use it. It is not the hoarding of talents, but the trading with them, that doubles them. Also, it must be poured out by herself, not by Elisha or any of the sons of the prophets. This was her project. She and God became a team. What we have will increase best in our own hand.

She did what Elisha said and did not tell the prophet he designed to make a fool of her. She firmly believed in the divine power and goodness of God, and so in pure obedience to the prophet, she borrowed vessels large and many of her neighbors and poured her oil into them. One of her sons was possibly to bring her empty vessels and the other carefully to set aside those that were full, while they were all three amazed to find their pot, like a fountain of living water, always flowing and yet always full. They could not with the natural eye see the spring that supplied it, but believed it to be the God of Job’s metaphor, “when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.”

The oil continued flowing as long as she had any empty vessels to receive it, then, when every vessel was full, the flow of oil stopped. This was not to be a wasteful project. When there was no more space in any jar, the oil stopped. It is the same with the Spirit of God. We are never short of something because of any lack in God, His power and bounty or the riches of His grace. Any lack is in our inability to contain all He has for us. It is our faith that fails, not His promise. He gives above what we ask. Were there more vessels, there is enough in God to fill them—enough for all, enough for each. This pot of oil was not exhausted until there were no more jars left to be filled. As long as there were any vessels to be filled, there was plenty of oil.

You and I need not fear lest the golden oil which flows from the very root and fatness of the good olive should fail. It is living olive trees that produce a continual flow in Zechariah’s metaphor, the living trees symboling a never-ending flow. That is what God makes available to us. Don’t you want to be one of those vessels in which He pours His oil; His Spirit? Zechariah 4:11-14 say, “11 Then I asked the angel, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?’ 12 Again I asked him, 'What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?’ 13 He replied, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ ‘No, my lord,' I said. 14 So he said, ‘These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.’” An endless supply!

As God supplied an endless supply for the prophet in Zechariah’s metaphor so God supplied an endless supply for this woman and her empty vessels as long as she had more. The prophet directed her what to do with the oil she now had. It had not been provided for her own use or to make her face shine. We can learn to be content with small amounts of provisions for ourselves and use what we have with careful stewardship and sense of responsibility. We must not think, when we get a little of something which is better than ordinary for us that we should suddenly feed our own luxury. She must sell the oil to those that were rich, and could afford to use it on themselves. We may suppose, being produced by a miracle, it was the best of its kind, like the wine Jesus created at Cana. So she might have both a good price and a good market for it.

Possibly some merchants bought it to export since oil was one of the commodities that Israel exported. Ezekiel 27:17 says, “Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith and confections, honey, olive oil and balm for your wares.” She must pay her debt with the money she received for her oil. Her first care, now that she has the ability to pay her debts, must be to pay them even before she makes any provision for her children. It is one of the fundamental rules of our Bible that we render to all their due, pay every just debt, give every one his own, though we leave little for ourselves. Even this should be done not out of constraint but willingly and without grudging. Those who possess an honest mind cannot with pleasure eat their daily bread, unless it be their own bread.

The remainder of the oil must not be laid up, but she and her children must live on it, not on the oil, but on the money received from it. We can assume that she did as the man of God directed. Let those who are poor and in distress be encouraged to trust God for supply as they fulfill their duties. We will be fed even if not feasted. Some believe we cannot expect miracles, yet we may expect mercies. Let widows particularly, and prophets’ widows in a special manner, depend on Him to preserve them and their fatherless children alive, for to them He will be a Husband, a Father. Let those whom God has blessed with plenty use it for the glory of God and under the direction of His word. Let them do correctly with it, as this widow did, and serve God cheerfully in the use of it, and as Elisha, be ready to do good to those that need them, become eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. Now let’s look at the help Elisha gives a Shunammite woman.

Verses 8 - 17  One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” 11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I have a home among my own people.” 14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!” 17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

The giving of a son to those who were old and had been long childless was a repeated demonstration of God’s power in Bible days. It happened for Abraham, Isaac, Manoah, Elkanah and we find it again here among the miracles done by Elisha. This time it was done in repayment for the kind entertainment which a good Shunammite woman gave him, as the promise of a son was given to Abraham when he entertained angels. Things are bad enough in Israel, yet not so bad but that God’s prophet finds friends, wherever he goes. Shunem was a city in the tribe of Issachar, on the road between Samaria and Carmel, a road that Elisha would have often travelled. A wealthy woman lived there who kept a good house and was very hospitable, her elderly husband having a good estate and his heart safely trusting in her, and in her discreet management. So famous a man as Elisha could not pass and repass unobserved. Probably he had been accustomed to take some private obscure lodgings in the town; but this godly woman, having noticed his being there, pressed him to dine with her. Elisha was modest, hesitant to be troublesome, humble and did not want or seek to associate with high society people.

Afterwards, however, whenever he went that way in his circuit, he stopped in there. So well-pleased was she with her guest and so happy in his company, that she would not only invite him to her table, but provided a lodging-room for him in her house. She spoke with her husband saying that the stranger was a holy man of God, who therefore would do good to their family, and God would repay the kindness done to him. Perhaps she had heard how well paid the widow of Zarephath was for entertaining Elijah. She said the kindness she intended to do would be no great expense to them that she would build him only a little chamber and the furniture would be plain. Thee would be no costly hangings, stands, couches, looking-glasses, but a bed, and a table, a stool, and a candlestick. He would have all that was needful for his convenience, not only for his rest, but for his study, reading and writing. Elisha seemed highly pleased with these accommodations for he turned in and rested there from time to time.

Elisha was grateful for this kindness and began to consider what kindness he could show her. Those who receive courtesies should think about how to return them. It is not good for men and women of God to be ungrateful or to sponge on the generous. As the liberal devises liberal things, so the grateful devises grateful things. “Now what can be done for you?” A good man can take as much pleasure in serving others as in caring for himself. But she says that she has no needs. “I have a home among my own people.” It is a happiness to dwell among our own people, that love and respect us, and to whom we are able to do good. It is a great happiness to be content to do so, to be easy, and to know when we are well off. Why should those who live comfortably among their own people covet or strive to live delicately in kings’ palaces? It would be well with many of us if we only knew when we are well off.

Some years after this we find this Shunammite will have a need to be spoken for to the king, though now she did not. “3 At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land. 4 The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, ‘Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.’ 5 Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, ‘This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.’ 6 The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, ‘Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.’” ]

That is another story in 2 Kings 8:3-6. Yet God is preparing Elisha now to be of value to her in her future time of need. For now she was safe, but, those who dwell among their own people must not think their mountain stands so strong that it cannot be moved; they may be driven, as this good woman was, to travel to and live among strangers. Our permanent city is above. The woman had money so she did not need anything, but when Elisha consulted with his servant what kindness he could do for her, Gehazi reminded him that she was childless, had a great estate, but no son to leave it to, and was past hopes of having any, her husband being old. If Elisha could obtain this favor from God for her, it would be the removal of her only grievance and sorrow. Elisha welcomed Gehazi’s counsel.

This too is a good thing for us to learn from Elisha. The most welcome kindnesses are those which are most uniquely fitted to our needs. He sent for her immediately and then he assured her that within a year she should have a child. God built up her house, in reward to her kindness in building the prophet a chamber. We may well imagine what joy this brought to the family.

Sing, O barren! You that did not bear. It seems that Elisha was blessing wherever he went. That too is a good model for us to follow.