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2 Kings 4 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Open containers. What a metaphor.
A widow comes to Elisha in a panic. Her husband has died and her creditor is breathing down her neck. In ancient times, this was a greater predicament because women did not have the rights they do today. Sadly, this woman would be cast aside and lose everything, including her children. The context may be different but the story is familiar. Tragedy strikes, and we panic. Suddenly, we are thrust into situations we have never before experienced.
The Husband
We don’t know a lot about this man who died. But we do know one thing, and it’s significant. Because her husband had been a man of God and left a legacy of following after Him, this widow knew who to contact. Consider the powerful nature of that point alone. This husband “feared the Lord,” so when he died, he left behind a mighty inheritance of trusting in God.
He didn’t leave behind money, power, or material possessions. In fact, God was really working in this widow’s life by allowing these circumstances to occur thus testing her faith. The greatest testimony for this husband is that he led his wife on a path toward God. There is no greater legacy than that.
She immediately contacted the prophet Elisha who directed her to find some open containers.
The Open Containers
What’s significant about this is that these containers would mean nothing without oil. If they remained empty, they were worthless. But Elisha commanded her to find as many as she could. The most glaring and obvious weakness of this plan was the question, “Where will the oil come from?” It seems like an insane request. But that wasn’t what Elisha worried about. He simply directed this woman and her sons to do what they were fully capable of doing – find the open containers.
Quite often in our lives, we focus on the wrong thing. We want to know how much oil will be supplied, but God wants empty vessels. We fear that the oil will not be supplied or that it will run out. God only requires us to come in faith with open hands. It is always less of a question of what God can do and always more of a question of what we will trust. His power is as far-reaching as our openness of heart and degree of faith.
This does not mean God will give us whatever we want. It means that in our deepest time of need, our brokenness will produce open containers that He longs to fill. Are you open? Do you have faith? Remember, the filling is His part. He promises that according to our faith, it will be done.