A Study Of The Miraculous – Part XV
ws061902
2 Kings 4:1-7
1 ¶ Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.
3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.
4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.
6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.
7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
Recap of the Miraculous: verses 1-6:
* The Prophet knew he did not have what she needed, but God did.
* Elisha introduced her to 4 basic steps:
> Depend on God and not yourself or others
> Risk what you have …
“NOT WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE”
> Faith pledges are ok but not faith checks
> Not grudgingly or of necessity (2 Cor 9:7)
> God may have you risk what little you have but He is not known for having you give him what you do not have. (2 Cor 8:12)
> The widow was told to borrow empty vessels, not full vessels. She was being led to trust God with the little she had and not risk her neighbors substance.
* There is a difference between Faith, Foolishness & Presumption
* Miracles take faith
> Risk getting wet
> Risk trying on the other side of the boat
> Risk leaving security to follow Jesus
> Risk giving what you have to the poor
> Risk the fiery furnace
> Risk the lion’s den
* Risk your money if you want to, but don’t risk the banks, your neighbors, or your friends.
> Obey the rules
* God demands people participate in their miracle
> 1 Kings 17 -- the widow had to follow rules
> Naaman had to follow the rules
> Noah had to follow the rules
> Stay connected to God after the miracle
* There is a purpose for your miracle beyond what you think.
* There will be an after
* Miracles end and when they do our everyday, ordinary life begin again
> This was the children of Israel’s worst problem
> To be great in the ordinary prepares for the extraordinary
> Deuteronomy 8:10ff when you have eaten and are full … do not forget God … but bless Him for what He has given
* Elisha gave her instructions to:
> Go
> Borrow
> Empty Vessels
> Not A Few
> Shut The Door On Her And Her Sons
> Keep Her Hand On Her Miracle
* So she went from him:
> We talked about how:
* A break through may require a break with or break from.
* She learned that:
> Miracles Can Be Hard Work
* The difficulties you face may not be punishment for your past but positioning for your future.
> She Must Use What She Had To Get What She Needed
> She Must Start Where She Was To Get Where She Wanted To Be
> She Must Attempt What She Could Not Do To Accomplish What She Could
* Sometimes you have to do what you have never done before, to get what you have never gotten before.
* Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.
* We must begin something new if we ever expect to become something different (Genesis 26:13)
* We learned that:
> Miracles
* enable us
* equip us
* position us
> Miracles are often just the beginning of a work of God, not the end.
> Miracles Do Come To Pass … They End.
* When the miracle is over, the real work begins
> Sometimes Miracles End Prematurely
* When all available vessels are full
> The fact that they ran out of vessels will affect their future even though they may not realize it now.
* Locomotion verses
* Momentum
* As children of God we must learn to live in the shadow of miracles:
> A willingness to be spent again
* Broken bread & poured out wine.
7 Then she came and told the man of God.
* believe it or not this is not a common thing. Many times when people receive their miracle they do not come back and make contact with God. (Jesus and the 10 cleansed lepers … only one returned to Him: Luke 17:17)
* This very act can determine your future.
* This widow’s security was not in the deliverance or in the abundance but rather in her God and His continuing pleasure.
* And he said, Go,
* Again, two thirds of God is go!
* God continues encouraging us to participate in our miracles
* sell the oil,
> Work with what God gives you to work with.
* Occupy till I come: (Consider reading Luke 19:13-27)
> Luke 19:13 And <1161> he called <2564> (5660) his <1438> ten <1176> servants <1401>, and delivered <1325> (5656) them <846> ten <1176> pounds <3414>, and <2532> said <2036> (5627) unto <4314> them <846>, Occupy <4231> (5663) till <2193> I come <2064> (5736).
Strongs Concordance: Occupy
4231 pragmateuomai pragmateuomai prag-mat-yoo’-om-ahee
from 4229; TDNT-6:641,927; v
AV-occupy 1; 1
1) to be occupied in anything
2) to carry on a business
3) to carry on the business of a banker or a trader
> Means basically to be busy doing business
> God expects us to do business and trade in this world’s economy
> Proverbs 13:22 In fact the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
> Deuteronomy 8:18 God will give us the power (means) to get wealth.
> Proverbs 8:12 God finds out knowledge of witty inventions.
> Luke 12:15 Even though a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses, the things he possesses often determine how effective he is in kingdom advancement and making a real difference.
> How did Jesus manage to stay on the move preaching and caring for the needs of those He met; as well as those whom He called to be with Him and send to preach for Him?
> Luke 8:1-3
1 ¶ And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
* These women ministered to Jesus of their substance
* Why? Because it takes money to do business … even kingdom business.
* Money comes from the work and trade of this world
* Those free and blessed to labor for carnal wealth are admonished to not think it strange or unfair that their duty is to share their carnal wages with those who have labored for spiritual things and shared those spiritual things with them.
(Romans 15:27; 1 Corinthians 9:11)
> Matthew 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
* and pay thy debt,
* It is the will of God that we pay our bills
> don’t send the creditors away when you have it by you
* Proverbs 3:27-28
27 ¶ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
* and live thou and thy children of the rest.
* It is always God’s way to bless and make a blessing. God wanted this woman to understand that her miracle was given her for not only her desire, but also to bless her more than she asked for and also it demanded her be responsible for others as well.
* Your blessings should affect future generations as well as yourself.
* Proverbs 13:22 leave an inheritance to his children’s children.
> A four part process - four point sermon:
* Go
* Sell
* Pay
* Live & Care For
Miracles of Elisha and the double portion anointing.
As taken in part from Easton’s Revised Bible Dictionary
1. After Elijah’s departure, Elisha returned to Jericho, and there healed the spring of water by casting salt into it #2Ki 2:21
2. We next find him at Bethel #2Ki 2:23 where, with the sternness of his master, he cursed the youths who came out and scoffed at him as a prophet of God: "Go up, thou bald head." The judgment at once took effect, and God terribly visited the dishonour done to his prophet as dishonour done to himself.
3. We next read of his predicting a fall of rain when the army of Jehoram was faint from thirst #2Ki 3:9-20
4. Then of the multiplying of the poor widow’s cruse of oil #2Ki 4:1-7
5. The miracle of restoring to life the son of the woman of Shunem #2Ki 4:18-37
6. The multiplication of the twenty loaves of new barley into a sufficient supply for an hundred men #2Ki 4:42-44
7. The cure of Naaman the Syrian of his leprosy #2Ki 5:1-27
8. The punishment of Gehazi for his falsehood and his covetousness
9. The recovery of the axe lost in the waters of the Jordan #2Ki 6:1-7
10. The miracle at Dothan, half-way on the road between Samaria and Jezreel; of the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, and of the terrible sufferings of the people in connection with it, and Elisha’s prophecy as to the relief that would come #2Ki 6:24-33, 7:1-2
11. On his death-bed in his own house #2Ki 13:14-19 Joash, the grandson of Jehu, comes to mourn over his approaching departure, and utters the same words as those of Elisha when Elijah was taken away: "My father, my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof."
12. Afterwards when a dead body is laid in Elisha’s grave a year after his burial, no sooner does it touch the hallowed remains than the man "revived, and stood up on his feet" #2Ki 13:20-21
