THE
VESSEL THROUGH WHICH GOD TAKES GLORY
2Ki 4:1-6 NOW THE wife of a son of the
prophets cried to Elisha, Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that
your servant feared the Lord. But the creditor has come to take my two sons to
be his slaves. Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me, what have
you [of sale value] in the house? She
said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a jar of oil. Then he said,
Go around and borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels--and not a
few. And when you come in, shut the door upon you and your sons. Then pour out
[the oil you have] into all those
vessels, setting aside each one when it is full. So she went from him and shut
the door upon herself and her sons, who brought to her the vessels as she
poured the oil. When the vessels were all full, she said to her son, Bring me
another vessel. And he said to her, There is not a one left. Then the oil
stopped multiplying. Then she came and told the man of God. He said, Go, sell
the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons live on the rest.
Here
a woman came to Elisha to present her case concerning her two sons that a
creditor wants to take as bondmen as a result of the debt her husband could not
pay before he die. As we can see, here is a critical problem that needs urgent
attention. We were told that the husband of this woman feared God. This makes
it a matter that must be addressed for the name of the lord of God to be
glorified. As we can see in our world today there are many instances where the
devil the ancient enemy wants to take glory so also the king of Glory .i.e. the
one who owns all glory want to take all available glory without leaving any.
That’s why he is ever ready to rise up to any challenges that can bring glory
to his name.
After
Elisha heard what she said; He asked her “What shall I do for you? Tell me,
what have you in the house? God always
have the interest of man despite the
fact that he knew what a particular man
need for his name to be glorified; He still work base on what is written in the
book of Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find;
knock, and the door will be opened to you”
The second question he asked
tells us that the one who bears the lord’s glory is someone who has something;
it is a person without a thing. That’s why God cannot take glory over the life
of a sinner no matter how good his/her life may appear to be good because such
person is empty and cannot be used of God; i.e. such does not have the affinity
to declare the glory of God.
The
woman replied she does not have anything but a pot of oil. The way she replied
shows that she does not see the pot of oil as something that can solve her
problem. This also happen to many children of God; when God asked them what
they have the say “Nothing” Yet they can pray, sing, act the word, fast,
preach, counsel and do many different thing. Therefore your own pot of oil may
be any of these things listed above which can be a platform through which God
can declare his glory; it may be so small in your eye but with God it will grow
big to give him the glory.
When
Elisha saw that she have something the next thing he told her is that she
should borrow vessel from all her neighbours and not few. What does this
signifies? When the lord what to take glory he does this through vessels; in
this context vessel here represent our life and the neighbours’ vessels
signifies those aspect of our lives that surround the purpose of God for our
life. Examples of such are academics, social life, financial life, career,
ministry, marital life etc. Take note the instruction of Elisha is that borrow
not few; which means many or all vessels. God expect every of his children irrespective
of what they use their life to do his name must be glorified through it and not
in part but all of it. Elisha told the woman that after she might have gotten
the vessels that she should shut the door upon herself and her son and begin to
pour the oil into the vessel from the pot. This is the way it should be done
because empty vessel cannot give glory to God. A career, ministry, finance,
academic and marriage without the oil-the word of God cannot glorify the name
of our KING; the weight each vessel carries is the oil in it and it is not
generated in the public but in close doors. The close door here is when you are
alone with God and you dig dip in his word.
This is not done in the open place but in close doors. When he will reveal
secret that make you to excel in life and the time he will give you guidance and
perspectives for your life. If the Lord will take glory over you life you must
develop how to be alone with him for guidance, leading and for secret that make
you journey on earth smooth and prosperous.
The
woman did exactly as the man of God commands and she fill the vessels until
there was no more vessels to be filled; we discovered that the pot of oil
continue to fill the vessels when they are available. It is just the case that
the pot of oil never says it is enough when there is still more vessels to be
filled.
When
a man does not provide vessels for the lord to fill the grace of God stops over
such life. It may appear as if such a man is still active but the issue is that
he cannot be up to date. I can see the lord pleading with many lives so that he
may fill but many refuse saying there is no space some gave him few when he requires not few.
The neighbours( marital, academics, career, finances) take much preference than
the primary purpose of God over a man – which is to give glory to God. In 2cor 12:9
Paul said “And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. The oil
which the lord provides never dry; It is an everlasting source that never says
it is enough until thee is nothing to fill. Friend the lord wants to fill you
life but the question is that do you give him a space?
The
woman after filling the vessels went back to Elisha to ask for what for what to
do with the oil and he told her that she should go and sell the oil. After God have deposited great things in your
life it is not for you to hide it, store it or keep it under a bushel it is for
you to sell it. If God should deposit such in close doors it mustn’t remain in
close doors but in the open place. Jesus said in the book of Matthew 5:14-15 “Ye
are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men
light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth
unto all that are in the house.” "Here's another way to put it: You're
here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret
to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I
make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket,
do you? I'm putting you on a light stand.” The word of God here tells us that
no man will light a candle and put it under a bushel if no man will do this God
will not do either. The lord is filling your life so that you may show his
Glory to the world.
Therefore, God Expect you to Go and Sell the oil the sell here does
not mean that you should use what God deposit in your life for selfish interest
or to make money or to bring glory to yourself ; the sell here means that you
should present the oil in an open place where people will see you good works by
the virtue of the life you live and glorified your father which is in heaven.
Take note of this Not you; we are talking about people seeing the lord working
in you; knowing that if the lord does not help you there is nothing you can do.
The next thing Elisha tells the woman is that she should pay her debt. The debt her signifies the
purpose to which you are created. The problem the lord sees which compelled him
to fill you life; need for our existence in life. Paying the debt here simply
means after the lord might have filled your life and you begin to shine for the
lord you are expected to see your self as paying debt not as someone who is
able or better than other that are not given the grace. It should not be an
Occasion to glory in self thereby leading to pride or self praise but knowing
the fact that you are a debtor.
Finally Elisha said to her
live thou and thy children of the rest. After you have paid your debt God has
design his ways in such a way that the life through which he takes glory will
also have something to live with. It is a must that your life must continue to
reflect his glory all the time. The amount at which you live with depends on
how much you open you heart to God for him to fill. The space you create for
the lord to fill because the pot of oil i.e. the source never says it is
enough. The lord taking Glory over you life is actually for own good this now
makes it compulsory for you to make available your life to God for him to fill
so that you will not be like a snake that walk upon the rock. Be available,
open up to him for he is ever ready to fill you; He never says It is enough!
