The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 49

reduce them from affluence to poverty. It Is, however, a sad thing when the heao of a household dies, and leaves to his struggling family an inheritance of debt. This la a contingency to be by every legitimate means guarded aaainst. The Rev. C. H 0 Spurgeon, commenting on the text," Take no thought for the morrow," etc. (Matt. vi. 34), began by anno.uncing, "I insured my own life last week, and have thus been ablo to carry out the injunction of the text, and not to be over-anxious for the morrow, for much undue care and anxiety that I had is now laid aside, secure in the knowledge that my forethought bas provided for my loved ones." 3. Of bonda7e. The creditor to whom the debt was due showed himself merciless, and, as the law permitted, was about to take as slaves the two sons of the woman (Lev. xxv. 39). It mattered little to th,, hard-hearted creditor that his debtor had " feared the Lord," that the two sons wern the only remaining comforts of the widow, and that, with "patience," they mi~ht have u paid him all" (Matt. xviii. 29). Ile must have his own. It was forbidden to a creditor, to whom a fellow-Israelite was sold, to "compel him to serve as a bond- servant," and to "rule over him with rigour" (Lev. xxv. 39, 43). But an unscrupulous man would pay little heed to these injunctions. Altogether, the picture is a sad one. Happily, the poor woman knew where to come with her tale of grief. She remembered the "Father of the fatherless" and the" Judge of the widow" (Ps. lxviii. 5), and, when every earthly avenue of help was closed, poured her sorrows into the ear of God's prophet. II. THE DIBE0TIONS OF ELISHA. As the representative of One who had specially declared himself the Friend of "the fatherless and widow" (Dent. x. 18), Elisha could not turn a deaf ear to the widow's plaint. A sympathetic interest in the bereaved and distressed is at all times a duty of God's ministers. 1. He inquired as to her :possessions, "Tell me, what hast thou in the house?" God's help takes its starting- point from what we already have. The widow had but "one pot of oil "--oil for anointing; but this was made the basis of what was to be done. So Elijah founded his miracle on the widow or Zarcphath's "handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse" (1 Kings xvii. 12), and Christ bis on the lad's "five barley loaves, and two small fishes" (John vi. 9). The lesson is that what means of help we have a.re to be made use of to the utmost before supernatural aid is invoked. 2. He bade her prepare . for a liberal e:cperitrnce of Goers goodness. "Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; bo1Tow not a. few." She was to expect large things of the Lord. Her task in collecting the vessels was, like the digging of the trenches in the last chapter, emphatically a work of faith (eh. iii. 16, 17). God does not stint us in answer to our prayers, His word rather is, "Open thy mouth wide, 11nd I will fill it" (PI!. l.xxxi. 10). If our faith will but trust him, he will astonish ns with his liberality. 3. Be enjoined secrecy. "When thou art come in, thou shalt shut the ~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~a work to be made a. vulgar wonder. To receive the full benefit of the blessing, the inmates of the house were to be alone, in privacy, their thoughts and spirits undis- turbed. Jesus enjoins the cultivation of secrecy in religion (Matt. vi.1-18). He often forbade the blazoning abroad of bis miracles (Matt. viii. 4, etc.). The parading of religious experiences takes the bloom off them. III. THE MULTIPLYING OF THE OIL. 1. The oi"l multi'.plied. The widow and her sons did as directed, and, as they poured the oil into the boITowed vessels, it still increased till the vessels were full. The element of miracle here is very notable, but we are not entitled to expect such miracles at the present day. Ilut the pledge of Divine help in distress implied in such a miracle remains to us, a.nd God will honour every draft on his promises made by faith, basing itself on snch deeds as this. A singular incident in proof is recorded by Krummacher in his remarks on this miracle (' Elisha,' lect. v.). It might almost be so.id that there is a multiplying power in the Divine blessing, ape.rt from miracle (Ps. xxxvii. 16). 2. The oil stayed. When the vessels were full, the widow said to her son, •• Bring me yet a vessel," There was not, how- ever, a vessel more, Then the oil stayed. Had there been more vessels, it would have flowed on. The sole limit of the supply was the limit of their capacity to rl'ceive. We are not straitened in God; we are straitened only in ourselves. 3. The oil sold. The news being brought to Elisha, he ordered the grateful woruau-poor no more-to Bell the oil, and pay her debt, and Ii ve, ahe and her children, of the rest. The debt  88 THE SECOND BOOK OF 'l'HE KINGS. [on. 1v. 1-44-,