DON'T ASK FOR JUST A FEW!

Passage: 2 Kings 4:1-7

Key verse: 3b

NIV

The Widow’s Olive Oil

4 The wife of a man from the company(A) 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(B) 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.”(C)

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,(D) and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Elisha and the Widow's Oil

4 Now the wife of one of the (A)sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, (B)but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the (C)man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. What do you have in your house? (1,2)

Elisha not only counselled kings, he also shepherded the poor widow of a prophet. Her husband had left her with a debt. Her creditor harassed her by threatening to make her two boys slaves if she didn't pay off the debt. So Elisha asked her, 'What do you have in your house?' Her total resources consisted of a little oil in a jar. God starts with what we have.

2. Don't ask for just a few (3-7)

Elisha told her to borrow empty jars--as many as she could--from her neighbors. The number she borrowed was the measure of her faith. Then he told her to go in her house, shut the door, and fill the jars with oil from her one small jar. When she began to fill the jars with oil, God worked a miracle and there was enough oil to fill as many jars as she had prepared. She sold the oil and paid off her debts. God's power and blessing was only limited by her faith and obedience.

Prayer: Lord, give me faith to ask great things of you. Make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

One Word: Don't ask for just a few