Receiving Help and Being God's Vessel

II Kings 4:8-37

Welcome! Today we continue our exploration into the life and ministry of the prophet Elisha. Last week we saw how Elisha was used by God to help out a desperately poor woman, a widow who was being hounded by creditors who threatened to take away her children to be slaves and whose slavery would serve to pay off her debt. Tim mentioned last week how hard it was to be a widow back then and how hard it is to be a widow even today, especially in poorer countries. All she had left was a jar of oil. God used Elisha to minister to her by having Elisha tell her what to do, in this case, to gather as many jars as she could find and then begin pouring the oil into these jars. The miracle here is that God multiplied the oil many times over, so much so that she could provide for her family.

I have continued to reflect on this passage from last week, and one thing really stood out to me: the genuine faith of the widow in God She did not go to a king or to a wealthy patron; perhaps they wouldn’t have done anything for her anyway. Instead she went to the prophet Elisha. Elisha was not rich; he had once had some wealth, as can be seen from the details of the events when Elijah had called him to be his servant or helper, but Elisha left everything behind to follow Elijah (that is, to follow God); he even burnt up his plow and ate his oxen! This reminds me of what Jesus said in Luke 9:62: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Elisha was “all in”; he wasn’t half prophet and half something else. As prophet, Elisha lived as one largely dependent on the kindness of others. Elisha lived a simple, even Spartan life. We will see this confirmed in today’s passage.

Responding to Needs

2 Kings 4:1-7 

In our study of the ministry of Elisha so far we have seen several very public miracles that he did. Do you recall what the very first one was, after he took over from Elijah? He struck the water of the Jordan with Elijah’s cloak, and the river divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. It says that the company of the prophets from Jericho were watching, and they said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” It was a public demonstration of God’s power, to establish Elisha’s authority as his prophet, reminiscent of Moses parting the Red Sea.

Then we have the healing of the water at Jericho, using salt, symbolizing the covenant faithfulness of God to His people, despite their disobedience. This miracle affected the drinking water supply for the entire town and made the land around it productive, so this was another highly-visible event, impacting many people. And last Sunday, Brian talked about the miracle of water suddenly flowing into the broad valley of the Arabah, allowing the thirsty armies to drink and appearing like blood to the Moabites, luring them into the confrontation with the Israelites that led to the destruction of Moab. This sign from the Lord via Elisha not only met an urgent, high-profile physical need for drinking water, but it seems to have given the Israelite armies courage to take on the Moabites and defeat them.

So we have God publicly establishing Elisha as His instrument to demonstrate His power and bring His word to His people. But now as we come to chapter 4 of 2 Kings we have a very different kind of miracle – God using Elisha in a very different way.

Delivering the Message

2 Kings 3 

I want to talk with you this morning about “Delivering the Message”.  We’re going to look at 2 Kings 3.  You don’t have to be perfect in order to deliver the message, you just need to be willing.  A couple months ago I was sharing the gospel with a student at Clemson.  His name is Justin.  After I shared the gospel with him he wanted to become a Christian.  Justin was very open.  I came at just the right time.  Before I left I prayed for him.  “Dear God.  Please help Justin to trust in you for his salvation.  Please help him to get to know you.”  It’s a great feeling when God uses you like that-to see someone leave the darkness and enter the light.  But before I left he said, “Um.  My name is Jordan, not Justin.”  So, I spent the whole time calling him Justin and even praying for “Justin”.  I’m glad that God knew his name.  You don’t have to be perfect in your delivery.  You just need to be willing.

Elisha was a great example of someone who was willing to deliver God’s message.  In 2 Kings 3:1-3 it says, 

“Jorama son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years.  He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.”