Archives by: Gary Hoag

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” 1 Kings 17:13-14

“Elijah goes at the command of Yahweh to the very country of the baalists, Phoenicia, to beg for food from one of the Zarephath’s lowliest and poorest, a widow gathering sticks with which to prepare a last meal for herself and her family.

One who listens to this tale will say, no wonder she refused to give Elijah the food and water he requested. The marvel is that God gave her faith sufficient to believe his assurance and his prophecy — the God who can direct ravens to bring food in a desolate wadi surely can create faith in this widow’s heart.

To the miracle of faith Yahweh adds the miracle of a never-empty jar of meal and a never-failing cruse of oil. That the prophet with the widow and her sons are fed, while the heavens withhold rain and dew, foretells a great divine work to come — the giving of rain on the day that Yahweh has chosen.”

Simon DeVries in 1 Kings, Volume 12: Second Edition (Word Biblical Commentary; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004) 218.

Imagine God directing you to go into enemy territory and approach the least likely source to provide never-empty and never-failing resources. That’s what’s happening in this scene in the life of Elijah.

As I ponder this text today, I think of the faith of Elijah and ask God to give me this faith. The wadi or brook had dried up, and God wanted him to go from stretching situation to stretching situation.

Ever felt like the “Stretch Armstrong” toy? You feel can’t be stretched anymore. That’s the picture I get and how I feel sometimes. Maybe you can relate? Elijah never flinches. He depended on ravens by a brook, and now goes to Phoenicia.

We must not miss that the miracle happened after he went from a difficult place to an even more difficult place. The never-empty and never-failing results came in increasingly challenging circumstances.

God, give us the faith of Elijah by your Holy Spirit to believe that You can supply us with never-empty and never-failing resources to do whatever You call us to do. In your mercy hear my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. And it shall be that you will drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide food for you there.” So he went and did everything according to the word of the Lord, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. 1 Kings 17:2-6

“The living Lord is able to do the most surprising things.

Ravens were “unclean” in terms of God’s Law (Leviticus 11:15; Deuteronomy 14:14), but a raven played a role in the days of Noah (Genesis 8:6), and the Lord is the One who provides for the ravens (Psalm 147:9; Job 38:41). At the brook Cherith the Lord promised to provide sustenance for His prophet in the most unlikely way.

The proper response to the Lord’s command is obedience. That is what Elijah did… Elijah’s obedience was the obedience of faith. He obeyed the Lord’s command, believing the Lord’s promise. His faith and obedience were vindicated. The Lord did what He had promised.”

John Woodhouse in 1 Kings: Power, Politics, and the Hope of the World (Preaching the Word; Wheaton: Crossway, 2018) 469.

Since Elisha has inspired us recently, I have chosen to revert to the miracles in the ministry of Elijah for strengthening our generosity.

Today we discover that generous service of God’s servants sometimes relies on God’s provision from unclean and unlikely sources. Think about it.

The raven was unclean and the least likely friend from which the prophet would expect to find sustainance. Notice how following God requires trust and obedience.

I am spending time in my wife’s office these days in downtown Littleton. It’s pictured in the second floor of this historic corner building.

It could be viewed by many as obscure. But like the brook Cherith, God is using it as a place for me to study in solitude, to learn in silence, and to grow in obedience.

He has me here for blocks of time to hear His voice, to celebrate His supply, and while ravens are not feeding me daily, the Spirit nourishes me here.

Is it time for you to leave your comfort zone and go to an obscure place? How might God resource you from unclean and unlikely sources for higher purposes?

The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run; don’t delay!” 2 Kings 9:3

“When Elijah departed the earth, he left a few things undone that Elisha had to finish. In 1 Kings 19:15-17 the Lord tells Elijah to anoint Elisha to take his place (which he does in 1 Kings 19:19-21), to anoint Hazael king of Syria (which Elisha does in 2 Kings 8:7-15), and to anoint Jehu king over Israel (which has not yet been done).

Further, Elijah predicts Ahab and Jezebel will die in certain ways because of their part in the Naboth incident, and Ahab’s lineage will be obliterated (1 Kings 21:17-24). Ahab has indeed perished in the prescribed manner, but Jezebel is still alive, and Ahab’s lineage remains. Thus Jehu must still become king, Jezebel must die, and Ahab’s descendants must perish.

This section places Jehu in power, while a later account will complete the Jezebel story. Jehu’s rise to power begins with no warning beyond the Lord’s command to Elijah. Elisha summons one of the prophets and sends him on the rather difficult mission of anointing Jehu king over Israel. This mission appears to be dangerous, for Elisha instructs the prophet messenger to run as soon as he anoints Jehu. Just why Elisha does not go himself is left unstated, but perhaps his presence would be too conspicuous.”

Paul R. House in 1 & 2 Kings (NAC; Broadman Holman, 1995) 286.

This was a powerful text for me. I hope it hits you in similar fashion. As a CEO, I often (wrongly!) think I need to do everything. It’s great to know that generous service is for the people of God and not just the prophet.

Some tasks Elijah completed. Others were sorted by Elisha. This challenging task, by an unnamed prophet. What’s the point today related to generosity?

Sometimes the most important and dangerous tasks will not be performed by a prominent person, but by a willing and available person.

Are you willing and available to lay down your life in generous service to God to engage tasks yet undone?

Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go with your household, and live wherever you can live; for the Lord has called for a famine, and it will indeed come on the land for seven years.” So the woman arose and acted in accordance with the word of the man of God: she went with her household and resided in the land of the Philistines for seven years.Then at the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to appeal to the king for her house and for her field. Now the king was speaking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please report to me all the great things that Elisha has done.” And as he was reporting to the king how he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.” When the king asked the woman, she told everything to him. So the king appointed an officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now.” 2 Kings 8:1-6

“It is notable that in this case the action called for is an act of economic justice. The basic move of this story from problem to solution by means of an intervention is common to all these narratives. Here, however, the intervention is not by a miraculous deed or prophetic word. Here the intervention is really the oral tradition about the prophet. Here a problem of economic justice is solved by retelling the good news about one who raised the dead, an act referred to four times in six verses. This story moves into the situation of God’s people under the power of canonical traditions. Stories about past mighty deeds now produce the faith that those deeds themselves once created. For the church, the stories of Jesus, who raised the dead and was Himself raised, have power in themselves to solve life’s problems.”

Richard D. Nelson in First and Second Kings: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: WJKP, 1987) 192-193.

Imagine being told, “Arise and go with your household, and live wherever you can live.”

This arising and go, preserved her life through a time of difficulty. But when she returned, it’s as if she had lost everything.

But God did not forget about her, and in His grace, does not forget about us today.

Notice how the challenge of economic justice was solved by retelling the good news. There’s power in stories of restoration. When we tell and retell them, they bring hope, life, peace, and deliverance.

People find themselves in stories. Often, hearing them affects change in the hearts of listeners.

If you ask organizations that seek to spur generosity in the lives of others, they would talk about the power of stories and how they deliver information and inspire transformation.

How has God been generous to you? What stories can you tell to inspire others today?

I would tell of my gratitude to God for my wife, for my children, and for God’s provision for us, one day at a time supplying daily bread whilst inviting us to live, give, serve, and love generously. God is so generous.

Then Elisha said, “Listen to the word of the Lord; this is what the Lord says: ‘About this time tomorrow a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’” The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning responded to the man of God and said, “Even if the Lord were to make windows in heaven, could this thing happen?” Then he said, “Behold, you are going to see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.” 2 Kings 7:1-2

“The imagery is that of God handing out through the windows unexpected material blessings from His heavenly storehouse. It will need a miracle of great proportions — similar to God’s provision of manna in the wilderness — if economic conditions are to stabilize in the way Elisha describes, and Jehoram’s officer simply does not believe that it is possible. Ironically, the miracle does not come via “windows” in the heavens, but via four rather mundane lepers.”

Iain W. Provan in 1 & 2 Kings (Understanding the Bible Commentary Series; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1995) 203.

I could likely rename this post: “What a difference a day makes!”

One day the finest flour or barley was costly. The prophet proclaimed that the next day it would be a fraction of the cost, and added that the officer who expressed disbelief would not experience any of the unexpected material blessings.

What’s the lesson for us related to generosity today?

Even as God provided the manna, He can supply our needs, great and small. If we walk in disbelief, we will miss the blessing. If, alternatively, we trust, then we will see what can come from the windows of heaven.

Take a moment. Read all of 2 Kings 7. Where do you see yourself in the story?

One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” 2 Kings 4:8-10

“Elisha passed to Shunem–now Sulam, in the plain of Esdraelon, at the southwestern base of Little Hermon. The prophet, in his journey, was often entertained here by one of its pious and opulent inhabitants.

Let us make a little chamber–not build, but prepare it. She meant a room in the porch, or gateway), attached to the front of the house, leading into the court and inner apartments.

The front of the house, excepting the door, is a dead wall, and hence this room is called a chamber in the wall. It is usually appropriated to the use of strangers, or lodgers for a night, and, from its seclusion, convenient for study.”

Robert Jamison in The Second Book of Kings (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary).

If you are reading this and you rank among the pious rich then take note today. We see the wealthy woman makes a chamber for the man of God.

In this dedicated space he could sleep or study. When couple with the generous nourishment of food, it would restore him for another season of service.

How might you make a little chamber for a servant of God?

One of my many mistakes during Covid was working from home. Then a kind pious rich person supplied me office space. It’s been especially good for zooms at odd hours.

The lesson for the wealthy man or woman today is to inquire of the needs of prophets today, that is, those who travel a lot and proclaim God’s truth in an itinerant manner.

Use what you have, fashion it to serve them.

Though I just returned from an overseas trip, I am up in the Rocky Mountains today with Simon Rattray of Project 114. He’s an Epaphras to me, a helper, in global ministry.

He’s visiting from Australia so we did a mini-retreat in the mountains for a couple nights to refresh him for his next season of service. We had no idea we’d be covered with a blanket of snow (pictured above).

A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. 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.” 2 Kings 4:1-7

“Little is much when God is in it. Most of her neighbors would have unused empty vessels sitting around, so she wasn’t robbing anybody by borrowing them, and once she had sold the oil, she could return the vessels…

The amount of oil she received was limited by the number of vessels she had, and that was controlled by her faith. When she sold the oil, she had enough money to pay off the debt and maintain herself and her two sons. The Lord doesn’t always perform miracles of this kind to help us pay our debts, but He does meet our needs if we trust and obey.

If we give everything to Him, He can make a little go a long way. This miracle also reminds us of the greatest miracle of all, the gracious forgiveness of our debts to the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ.”

Warren W. Wiersbe in Be Distinct (2 Kings & 2 Chronicles): Standing Firmly Against the World’s Tides (The BE Series Commentary; Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2010) 41.

“Tell me, what do you have?”

This is a powerful question from the prophet. God often works miracles when we are willing to assess what we have and make it available to God. “A jar of oil,” she answered.

Next, notice in this scene, Elisha, instructed her to go borrow as many empty vessels as possible. “Do not just gather a few.” Imagine the work and the faith it required.

She could have easily assessed the situation in human terms and the labor expected of her. But no, she complied. She filled the room with vessels and God filled them with oil.

This is a powerful demonstration of what God can do for each of us.

Many reason, “I will start giving once I get out of debt.” Other say, “I need to look after myself with the little I have.” Don’t be guided by such thinking.

If you are in a hard place with unexpected challenges, here’s what I am learning in real-time: Give God what you have and go get empty vessels.

Give Him your time, your seemingly limited resources, or whatever you have. And get vessels, or in plain terms, get in a position to receive from Him what you need.

It may be the most faith-stretching work you have ever done, but you can do it. You’ve got this. God’s got you.

When this posts, I am still on my way back to Denver from Cape Town. If you want a copy of the South Africa trip report and the discerning direction documents we built, reply to this email. I will share them.

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17

“The Arameans have surrounded the city with horses and chariots but to the vision of the trusting eye, the hill on which the city stands is filled with horses and chariots of fire. The sense requires that the divine contingent is serving as a protective cordon around the city of Dothan. The mighty army of the Arameans surrounding the city is no match for one man of God surrounded by the chariots of Yahweh’s army.”

August H. Konkel in 1 and 2 Kings (NIVAC; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006) 449.

As I wrap up my time in Cape Town and head back to Johannesburg with Chris Maphosa today, I do so with a purpose that’s bigger than a long layover. I want to help Chris, as one of 12 GTP regional facilitators serving globally, to have a trusting eye.

Yesterday the prophet Elisha did a divine summons and today he senses the divine contingent. They key here is to focus not on that which is seen but that which is unseen. But how do we do this, practically speaking?

The first step in times of crisis is to remind yourself the words of the prophet: Don’t be afraid. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. The second is to pray. This gives you a trusting eye to see the divine contingent greater than the foes.

Pray for safe travel home, for God to grow in Chris and the other regional facilitators with hearts filled with courage (rather than fear), and for a trusting eye to discern the presence and power of the divine contingent that surrounds each of us in Christ.

The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.” And he said, “Go.” Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied. And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it. 2 Kings 6:1-7

“Their number increased so that they wanted room…When one of them, accidentally fetching too fierce a stroke (as those that work seldom are apt to be violent), threw off his axe-head into the water, he did not say, “It was a mischance, and who can help it? It was the fault of the helve, and the owner deserved to stand to the loss.” No, he cries out with deep concern, Alas, master! For it was borrowed.

Had the axe been his own, it would only have troubled him that he could not be further serviceable to his brethren; but now, besides that, it troubles him that he cannot be just to the owner, to whom he ought to be not only just but grateful.

Note: We ought to be as careful of that which is borrowed as of that which is our own, that it receives no damage, because we must love our neighbour as ourselves and do as we would be done by. It is likely this prophet was poor, and had not wherewithal to pay for the axe, which made the loss of it so much the greater trouble. To those that have an honest mind the sorest grievance of poverty is not so much their own want or disgrace as their being by it rendered unable to pay their just debts.

Concerning the father of the prophets, Elisha.

1. That he was a man of great condescension and compassion; he went with the sons of the prophets to the woods, when they desired his company, let no man, especially no minister, think himself to great to stoop to do good, but be tender to all.

2. That he was a man of great power; he could make iron to swim, contrary to its nature, for the God of nature is not tied up to its laws. He did not throw the helve after the hatchet, but cut down a new stick, and cast it into the river. We need not double the miracle by supposing that the stick sunk to fetch up the iron, it was enough that it was a signal of the divine summons to the iron to rise. God’s grace can thus raise the stony iron heart which has sunk into the mud of this world, and raise up affections naturally earthly, to things above.”

Matthew Henry (1843-1916) in his commentary on 2 Kings 6:1-7.

Sitting in Cape Town on my last day of meetings, God led me to read the miracle narratives of Elisha. These stories encourage me to remember to trust and depend on God’s power to do the impossible.

God often does not work unless we take a step or faith or do an action that demonstrates dependence on Him and trust that He will work in power. It’s a divine summons. That’s what Elisha did in tossing in the stick.

I feel we must do the same today. In Cape Town, we have mapped plans for GTP work in the EPSA region over the next year as well as plans for rolling out trainings across Africa. Each set of plans is a divine summons.

It’s seeing the challenges in countries crying out for help from places like Tanzania to Ethiopia and throwing a new stick in the water as a divine summons. We are seeing God work in response to acts of bold faith.

Reply if you want to read copies of our discerning direction documents (3D) and click here to give to support the work of training and empowering God’s servants to move from dependency to discipleship.

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37

“The man who will share his purse with you in the days of misfortune and distress, and like the good Samaritan, be surety for your support to the landlord, you may admit to your confidence, incorporate into the very core of your heart, and call him friend. Misfortunes cannot shake him from you; a prison will not conceal you from his sight.”

Joseph Bartlett (1763-1827) in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 308.

When we share mercifully, that is, showing sensitivity to the needs of those around us from our purse, we exhibit rich generosity and love, like the good Samaritan. We also build confidence and trust in our relationships. This makes friends who weather the storms of misfortune.

This support comes into view not as a handout but as a hand up that builds a strong bond. It also shows the one in need how to aid others with the same unmerited kindness. It’s love in action. Can you recall a time when someone lifted you up? How did that make you feel? What if you go and do likewise today for someone in need? 

The meetings in Cape Town are going well. Keep praying for us as we have discussions and do activities to build confidence in our work with each other. I’m also pausing to give thanks for my daughter, Sophie, whose generous sharing has made her an unshakeable and merciful friend to many. Today’s her birthday. Happy Birthday, Sophie.