Elisha had manifest his anointing and authority to the company of prophets, the Baal worshipping youth at Bethel, and kings (Israel, Judah, Edom). He will further demonstrate his position as a prophet of the powerful YHWH, the God of Israel, to many people including foreign kings and generals.

Elisha is also called upon by local people including a woman whose deceased husband was one of the prophets in the prophetic community. She and her sons were destitute and in debt. Indebtedness could result in the debtor losing property, home, land and even freedom. In the case of this woman, her sons could be confiscated as slaves to the man collecting the debt. The Law of Moses had laws to regulate this institution (Exodus 21:2-11; Deuteronomy 15:12-18), but as the culture in Israel became more corrupt and followed pagan philosophies this institution became very oppressive. The prophets often wrote against the social violence and oppression of the rich who abused the poor (Amos 2:6;
8:6; Isaiah 50:1; Nehemiah 5:4-5).

The woman knew to come to Elisha for advice and, hopefully, for help. Elisha, like Elijah before him, not only dealt with kingly matters and issues of national importance, but also ministered to and miraculously assisted the lowest of society and the common man with the common problem.

Elisha’s answer for the woman was to use what she had (the oil) and with the assistance of her neighbors (collect empty jars) God would multiply their provision to fill the number of jars they had collected. The multiplied oil could then be sold to pay the family’s debt and save the boys from the life of serving as debt-slaves.

“There are not two realities, but only one reality, and that is the reality of God, which has become manifest in Christ in the reality
of the world.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor.5:20; Eph.6:20)
Ambassadors do not appoint themselves. We are appointed by Christ.
Ambassadors do not support themselves. God supplies all our needs (Ep.1:3; Phil.4:19)
Ambassadors are not citizens of the country they serve. Our citizenship is in heaven (Phi.3:20)
Ambassadors have instructions in written form. We have the Bible (2 Tm.3:6)
Ambassadors cannot take insults personally, because we are merely representatives of the country and king being insulted. (Jn.15:19-21)
Ambassadors do not enter a country to profit themselves (2 Cor.5:15)
Ambassadors represent and reflect the one who sent
them by what they say
and what they do.
(Jn.13:35; 17:18-3; 20:21)
Ambassador’s perspective is service and their prospect is reward. (Mt.5:12:2 Jn.8; Rev.22:12)
Ambassadors is recalled when war is declared.
(2 Thes.2:1-12)