Elisha’s Miracles – 4: A God Who Sustains
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The last two miracles in this chapter are both about food.
Elisha was teaching the “sons of the prophets”; his attendant (perhaps Gehazi? the passage doesn’t say) prepared some lunch for them all using non-specific “wild” vegetables – it was a time of famine and I guess they had to use whatever they could find. They turned out to be poisonous. Elisha through some flour into the pot and it became safe to eat.
Out of desperation, the attendant had made a unwitting mistake but God was able to undo the damage and the “sons of the prophets” could eat.
God can even use our mistakes to demonstrate His glory and achieve His purposes. We should always be diligent and careful in our work for God, but if we make a mistake, pray that God will use it to achieve something miraculous.
Then a little later a man brought them some bread – “the first bread of the harvest”, presumably the first bread after the famine was lifted. Elisha asked for the 20 small loaves to be shared out – there were 100 men and the attendant (was this Gehazi again? if so he’s not having a good time of it) says it’s not enough.
“But Elisha answered, ‘Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: “They will eat and have some left over.” ’ Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.”
Now does that sound familiar? When Jesus did it he fed thousands but it’s the same miracle. God can take the little there is and provide for many from it.
A little boy gave Jesus a small amount of bread and fish – faithful, selfless generosity.
The farmer here brought the first of the bread from the harvest as a gift to God, this was his offering – faithful, selfless generosity.
God used these offerings to satisfy the needs of those around them.
Whatever you bring to God and freely give to Him, he can use to meet the needs of those He wishes to bless.