“Have faith in his prophets and you will be successful,” 2 Chronicles 20:20.
In 2 Kings 4:1-38, there was an encounter between Elisha and a Widow’s jar of olive oil. A man’s wife from the prophets’ company cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know he served the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me what do you have in your house?” The widow replied, “Your servant has nothing there except a small jar of olive oil.” With this, Elisha told the widow what she should do with the jar. She must borrow as many vessels as possible from all her neighbors and then pour oil into each vessel until they are full. Then she was instructed to sell the oil. The widow obeyed and could pay off her debt, the excess amount of money remaining was used so that she and her children could live successfully. These successes are because the prophets always speak as the Lord led them to.
Furthermore, in 1 Kings 17:8 Elijah is told by the Lord to go to Zarephath in Sidon. The Lord says, “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” When Elijah arrives, a woman can be seen gathering sticks. He calls out to her and asks, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As the widow fetches him water, Elijah speaks again, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
The woman replies, “As surely as the Lord your God lives. I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat – and die.”
Elijah told her, “Don’t be afraid – go home and do as you have said. But first, make a small loaf of bread from what you have, bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Isreal says: The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.”
The widow went and did as Elijah had ordered her. So, Elijah, the woman, and her family had food every day. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry. (1 Kings 17:7-16) Prophets Elisha and Elijah are good examples of those whose prophecies made people successful. This was only possible because they listened to the Lord’s voice and followed his directions. We should take a cue from this and integrate it into our lives so that we may also be blessed.
Thank you for reading today’s blog. This is lthe ast part of the Faith in God series! The next post will be sent out on January 20th.
