Isaiah 61:7 Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
The Promises of God operate on the Principles of God. The Bible is not only a book of promises and prophecies it is also a book of principles. There are unconditional promises and conditional promises. Unconditional promises are under God’s sovereign covenant with humanity. God’s love is unconditional. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We can never sin, displease or go too far for God’s love to reach us. Whereas, favour of God is conditional; favour follows the reverential fear of God and obedience to His Word. The LORD favours those who fear and worship Him (Psalm 147:11).
The ‘times two’ blessings or “double for your trouble” is a conditional promise. We are not always rewarded with twice as much as we have lost, all the time. Elisha prayed for twice the anointing of Elijah. Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” (2 Kings 2:9). The double portion anointing had a condition attached – “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” (vs 10). Twice the blessing was a familiar concept in the Judaic culture; the firstborn received a double share of the inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17). But a double portion of anointing was a ‘big ask’.
Most Bible Scholars believe that Elisha was trained under Elijah for nearly six years. There was no stipend or salary for his service. Elisha was the personal assistant of Elijah serving him tea and washing his dirty dishes (2 Kings 3:11), yet Elisha persisted patiently. Persistence was the key to the double portion blessing.
Times-Two:
1. Patience: Elijah was not an easy boss to work with. He is often described as a mighty man but a moody man with erratic emotional swings. Double portion blessing will require serving without sulking. Conditional promises take time to multiply; be prepared to wait patiently.
2. Persist: Elisha persisted to follow him in spite of being discouraged and disowned three times by Elijah. “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan” (vs 6b). Persistence is the multiplying factor of conditional promises.
3. Perk: Waiting for a promise to fulfill can be disheartening and discouraging with no signs of the promise coming to pass but the perquisites of perseverance and persistence will be rewarded with double portion blessings. Elisha performed 16 miracles which was twice as much as Elijah.
The Biblical principle of double for our trouble pivots on patience and perseverance.
Isaiah 60:17a Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones.
Prayer: Father Divine, you are a God who rewards double for the trouble and the toil. Teach me to be patient and persevere to receive the double portion blessing. Amen.
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