How did Elisha help the poor widow?

Answer 1

A:For his widowed friend, Elisha made a pot of oil into one that never emptied, no matter how much was poured from it (2 Kings 4:3-7) and, in contrived circumstances, resuscitated her apparently dead son. The magic pot of oil ensured that the children of Elisha's friend would not become slaves to pay her debts.

The Second book of Kings says that Elisha was the disciple and successor to the prophet Elijah, who had performed remarkably similar miracles. For his friend, he converted an ordinary cake into one that never grew smaller as it was eaten and, in similarly contrived circumstances, resuscitated her apparently dead son.

Neither Elijah nor Elisha thought to use these skills to alleviate poverty throughout Israel or for all time.

Answer:

As God's Prophet, He empowered Elisha to perform miracles according to His will and not that of any man. A poor widow, believing that God would do what Elisha had announced, received supernaturally so much oil that she could sell it and pay off all her debts with the money and still live off the rest (verses 1-7).

Because the woman's husband was a servant of the Lord and because she too believed and trusted in God, she told Elisha how her two sons were to soon be taken by her creditor to repay her debts. Faith in God is rewarded as He wills. But mankind has chosen to go his way and therefore reaps the good and the bad of his choices.

2 Kings 4:7New King James Version (NKJV)

7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."