THE widow's oil INCREASED.
2 Kings iv. 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.
FROM every event recorded in the Old Testa- ment, there is much useful instruction to be derived. For instance, it is impossible to read with attention the account of the miracle before us, and not to see, that, in our deepest extremity, God is able and will- ing to relieve those who trust in him. But there are often minute incidents, which a superficial reader is apt to overlook, but which, to a considerate mind, suggest very important reflections. Of this kind is
362. J THE widow's oil INCREASED. 477
the incident mentioned in my text : the increase of oil continued as long as there was a vessel left to contain it ; but when there remained no more a vessel to receive the oil, the supply ceased. So re- markable a circumstance as this cannot have occurred without a special design on the part of God that we should make a suitable improvement of it : and, that we may draw from it the instruction which it is well calculated to convey, I shall mark,
I. The bounty of God towards this insolvent widow —
Certainly her distress was great —
[She was the widow of a pious minister. Her late hus- band was one of the sons of the prophets : and so decided had been his piety, that she could appeal to the prophet himself, "Thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord." He had died in debt ; not through any extravagance of his : for a man that will run into debt for the purpose of indulging his pride and vanity, has no pretensions to real piety. Piety would teach him to " owe no man any thing," and to deny himself any gratification rather than obtain it at the expense of com- mon honesty. But in the days of Ahab and Jezebel, when a hundred prophets were hid by fifties in a cave, and fed with bread and water, at the expense of a single individual, to pre- vent their falling into the hands of their blood-thirsty per- secutor, we wonder not that a pious minister should be involved in debt. And, indeed, at any time a man may be so oppressed with misfortunes or with sickness, as to preclude a possibility of avoiding debt, especially if he have, like tliis man, a wife and family to maintain.
But, to add to her affliction, she was warned by her cre- ditors, that they would take her two sons, and sell them for bond-men. This the law enabled them to do^: and this would exceedingly augment her trouble, since to her widow- hood and poverty would be added the loss of her sons, who were her only hope and support.
Under this heavy calamity she appHed to the Prophet Elisha; who, though not able to relieve her himself, might possibly obtain relief for her from God.]
The relief afforded her, through the instru- mentahty of Ehsha, was fully adequate to her neces- sities—
[The prophet interrogated her as to the means which were a Lev. XXV. 39, 40. Matt, xviii. 25.