Questions for Thought
1. How did Elisha show his faithfulness?
2. When it looks like there is no hope in sight for us, to whom should we go?
3. After Ahab had been so evil, why did God give him success over Syria?
4. Does God do things like we think He should?
We ended the last blog with God telling Elijah to anoint Elisha as the prophet to take over Elijah’s place. In 1 Kings 19:19, Elijah found Elisha and threw his cape upon him to signify Elisha would be taking Elijah’s place. Elisha asked for permission to tell his parents goodbye and then after sacrificing his oxen and throwing a party for the people to eat, Elisha began following Elijah and ministered to him.
Before we get into the actual events in Elisha’s ministry we need to look at a couple more happenings in Israel while Elijah was prophesying. In 1 Kings 20, Benhadad, the king of Syria sent evil King Ahab, king of Israel, a message saying he was claiming all of the King Ahab’s gold and silver and his wives and children. At first Ahab agreed but then King Benhadad sent word his servants would be coming to Ahab to take from him and his servants whatever they chose. Ahab called the elders of Israel and asked what to do. They told him not to give in to Benhadad. God intervened and gave Ahab victory but sent him a warning that Benhadad would try again in the next year. Sure enough King Benhadad attacked again in the new year and Ahab had the opportunity to kill him, but he let him go. God was angry with Ahab and sent another prophet to tell him so. Ahab went home upset.
Sometime after this battle, Ahab decided he wanted a vineyard owned by Naboth who did not want to sell it. When Naboth refused, Ahab again became upset and his evil wife, Jezebel, said she would take care of it. She wrote letters signed with Ahab’s name and sealed with his seal in which she told the elders and nobles to have men lie about Naboth and have him killed. They did so and then Ahab was able to take the vineyard. God sent Elijah back to Ahab to tell him in the place the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, they would lick up Ahab’s. In addition, God would bring much evil upon Ahab’s family. Ahab was not happy to see Elijah and called him his enemy. Elijah then told him the Lord had said the dogs would also eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. When Ahab heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted and went about mourning. God told Elijah because of Ahab’s humbling himself, He would not bring the evil in Ahab’s days but in his son’s days. About three years later, Ahab did die in battle and the dogs licked the blood that flowed out when they washed the chariot in which he was carried.
When it was about time for Elisha to take over Elijah’s place as prophet, Elijah and Elisha were traveling together from Gilgal. Elijah told Elisha to stay at a certain place while he went to Bethel. Elisha refused and said he would not leave Elijah so they continued together. Then in 2 Kings 2, Elijah tried to get Elisha to stay in Bethel while he went on to Jericho, but Elisha refused so they went to Jericho together. At each place, the sons of the prophets told Elisha his master was going to be taken away. At Jericho, Elijah again tried to get Elisha to stay while he went on to Jordan. Again, Elisha refused. As they both stood by the Jordon, Elijah wrapped his mantle together and smote the waters and they went over on dry ground. Then Elijah asked Elisha what he could do for him before he was taken away and Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit to be upon him. Elijah told Elisha that was a hard thing, but if Elisha saw Elijah when he was taken away from him, it would be done to him. As they went on, a chariot of fire and horses of fire parted them and Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven and Elisha saw it. He picked up Elijah’s mantle which had fallen and immediately began to use the power of God.
Elisha used the mantle to smite the waters and they parted for him just like they had for Elijah. The men of Jericho told Elisha about the water being bad and the ground was barren. Elisha told them to bring him a new cruse with salt in it. They did and he put the salt in the spring of the waters and the water was healed. As Elisha left the city, 42 children came out and made fun of him because of his bald head. Elisha cursed them in the name of the Lord and two she bears came out and mauled the children. Elisha then went back to Samaria.
Jehoram, the son of wicked King Ahab was ruling at this time. He did evil just like his father, but not to the same extent. While he did away with the image of Baal that Ahab had made, he still continued in the sins Jeroboam had begun earlier in having the people worship golden calves and having them worship in places not authorized by God. The king of Moab went up against Jehoram, king of Israel, and Jehoram asked Jehoshaphat the king of Judah to help him in battle. Jehoshaphat, along with the king of Edom, went to help Jehoram in battle but after seven days, they had no water. King Jehoram said God had called the three of them together to deliver them to the king of Moab, but King Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of God nearby so they could enquire of God. King Jehoram’s servants said Elisha was there and Jehoshaphat said the word of the Lord was with him, so the three kings went down to Elisha to enquire of the Lord. When they got to Elisha, he told them to go to the prophets of their fathers and mothers. Jehoram spoke up and said no, for the Lord has called us three kings together to deliver us to Moab. Elisha told them if it was not for the fact he respected Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, he would not even look toward them. But out of respect for Jehoshaphat, Elisha called for some musicians and as they played, the hand of the Lord came upon him and he prophesied.
Elisha prophesied and told them to make the valley full of ditches and the valley would be full of water so all the people and their animals could drink even though they saw no wind nor rain. In addition, Elisha told them the Lord would deliver the Moabites into their hand and they were to smite every city, cut the trees, stop the wells, and mar every good piece of land with stones. The next day when they offered the meat offering, water came and the country was full. When the Moabites heard that the kings were coming to fight them, they gathered all the able bodied men to fight and as they stood on the border, they saw the sun shining on the water and they thought it was blood. They thought the king’s men had gotten into a fight and killed each other and they were going to go in and collect the loot. As they went into the camp, the three kings overtook them and ruined their country just as Elisha prophesied.
Next time we will begin with 2 Kings Chapter 4 and continue looking at the miracles of God performed through Elisha.
Christian Women's Responsibility in Sharing God's Word 