Grace in the Old Testament
A Story of Grace in the Old Testament
In 2 Kings 4:1-7 (I hope you will read this short passage) we find the interesting account of Elisha helping a widow. The widow comes to Elisha and tells him that her husband, who was also a prophet, is dead. His creditor is coming to take the widow’s two sons as slaves because she cannot pay him. The situation is dire.
Elisha asks how he can help and what she has in her house.
She tells him she has nothing at all except a little oil.
Elisha tells her to go ask her neighbors for empty jars—and not just a few.
She is then instructed to pour oil from her small jar into all the jars, setting each jar aside as it is filled.
She did as Elisha asked. Her sons kept bringing jars, and she kept filling them until every jar she had been able to collect was full.
She told Elisha that all the jars were full, and he told her to sell the oil to pay her debts and live off what was left.
The Story of Grace
Oil is used for anointing in the Old Testament.
Messiah and Christ mean Anointed One (Jesus).
Here I see it as a picture of Jesus and the grace He has given.
She had nothing but the One Vessel in which all the fullness dwells.
“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9 NASB)
“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16 NASB)
The jars were empty. They contributed nothing. They were simply available.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8 NASB)
The jar supplying the oil was continually flowing as long as there was need.
So it is with us. “…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16 NASB)
The widow was totally dependent upon God.
His grace is completely sufficient and continues to be supplied until the need is fully met according to His riches.
All vessels were filled. No regard was paid to their shape, size, or color.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:28-29 NASB)
Paul summed the theme of this Old Testament shadow up nicely in Ephesians 1:22-23 (NASB)
“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
