God Provides In Difficult Times

God Provides in Difficult Times

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.”

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.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.

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.” 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.

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.

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.”

2 Kings 4:1-7

The brief account of the widow’s oil illustrates God’s blessing of those who are faithful to His word. God provides a means of income for the widow and her family, using things she has on hand, along with the charity of people around them.

In the miracle of the widow’s oil, we learn valuable lessons on how to receive God’s blessing of provision in times of need. We shall find out how to desire, expect, take hold of God’s supply in difficult times, and understand that God can use what little you have in providing you an enormous blessing.

The Severity of the Problem

The story begins with a cry for help from one of the wives of “the sons of the prophets”. Who were these sons of the prophets? They were not physical sons, but spiritual sons of the great prophets, Elijah and Elisha. They were male students of these men of God. They were junior prophets and future prophets. They are what we would call today, Bible college or seminary students who are preparing for ministry. They lived in small faith communities throughout the land—like seminaries of today.

Some of these sons of prophets were married. Like the Old Testament priests and Levites, they could marry. They could live with their wives. God does not require celibacy from His servants.

Do you know that many Bible college students struggle to pay for their tuition and meals? Maybe you assume that they are like you sufficient. No, they are not. Rather, they badly need your prayer and financial support, especially married students.

That is the situation in verse 1. A pastor’s wife is left with her husband’s debt. Unfortunately, he died before he could pay off his debt. It is now up to his grieving widow to pay it off. The problem is—she could not pay for it. Being a widow meant poverty in those days. She had no source of income. She could not pay her bills. She faced two overwhelming problems—death and debt.

Now the creditor is coming to get her two kids to become his servants, to pay off the debt. Such is the severity of the problem. You might think that this is a terrible way to pay a debt. In the Law of Moses, if you cannot pay your debt, your creditor has the right to claim payment by taking your children as servants. They will have to work for him until the year of Jubilee. But servanthood is not forever. In the year of Jubilee, the creditor is required to release them.

‘And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. As a hired servant and a sojourner he shall be with you, and shall serve you until the Year of Jubilee. And then he shall depart from you—he and his children with him—and shall return to his own family. He shall return to the possession of his fathers.

Leviticus 25:39-41

It is possible that the father pledged her two sons as a guarantee. It is also possible that economic oppression has caused this situation. The creditor now comes to collect by taking the two sons. You would think that being students of the prophets that this family would not come under suffering, but I must tell you that being a Christian brings on its own harshness. Through it all we do not blame God but thank Him and praise Him through it. Because it is a testing of our faith. Notice that the widow did not blame God for her troubles but turned to God amid her troubles.