15. The Crisis of Elijah (1 Kings 19:4-14)
Introduction
As brought out in the last lesson, the contrasts between 1 Kings 18 and 1 Kings 19 are sharp and startling. They are as different as night and day. In one Elijah is bold and courageous, victoriously facing all kinds of odds with the chapter concluding, “the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.” Elijah experienced God’s supernatural strength to do the extraordinary. But in chapter 19, we find Elijah fearful, running scared, exhausted, depressed, and wanting to die.
In the section before us we see the cause of the change in Elijah. King Ahab tells the notorious Jezebel what Elijah had done. She reacts with vengeance and threatens Elijah’s life. Elijah runs for his life down to Beersheba in the desert in the southern most part of Judah. Leaving his servant, he continues another day’s journey further into the desert, crawls under a scrubby tree and, in deep depression, asks God to let him die.
Have you ever been there, in the gloom of despair and defeat when all your expectations exploded in your face? I don’t know what Elijah was expecting. With the power of God so clearly manifested perhaps Elijah thought there would be some change in Ahab, some positive response with the result there were going to be changes in the kingdom of Israel. We aren’t told. We can only guess. But something really shattered Elijah’s focus and his faith. Let’s look at the text and see what we can learn.
Ahab Recounts the Events to Jezebel
(19:1)
King Ahab had been privileged to see the mighty power of God displayed, the name of Yahweh vindicated, and the prophets of Baal severely defeated and destroyed. But for Ahab all of this was futile. The futility of these mighty acts on this callused and vile king should be a warning to all of us as well because Scripture shows the same laws of hardening which affect unbelievers, can affect believers as well. There are those going around today claiming that things like this can’t happen to believers, that our new life in Christ immunizes us. But we can be around the Word, hear it taught, and even experience the work of God in our lives and still grow lukewarm or callused (cf. Heb. 3:7f; Mark 6:52; 8:17-18; Rev. 3:15-16).
We read “Now Ahab told Jezebel all . . .” The Hebrew text has the descriptive imperfect of past continuous action from the verb nagad, “to be conspicuous, apparent,” and then, “to expound, declare, make clearly known.” Undoubtedly Ahab declared in detail the events of the day, point by point. As the media so often does today, he distorted the issues and failed to present the truth because his pride and unbelief had hardened him against the truth. As a result, he brought great trouble and pain to Elijah, to himself, and to his nation.
Note the declaration of the text. “. . . all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets . . .” How like human nature. Note again the emphasis, “all that Elijah had done.” He failed to see God in what had happened and Elijah as but God’s instrument. Like so many today he was completely absorbed with a man and as a result misrepresented the truth of what had actually happened. Motivated by his hurt pride, his anger and resentment against Elijah blinded him to the work of God and the revelation of the event.
When we proudly protect our own turf, when we get our eyes on people and what they have done or said, we fail to see God at work. When our eyes are on people, whether in admiration of a person’s life or in resentment as with Ahab, we miss the truth. Indeed, we distort the truth, we blow it all out of shape, or hide it completely. We become blind to the work of God. All we see are the conditions. When this happens, we are unable to respond with the right kind of action--with ministry, endurance, and faith.
Becoming personality-oriented nearly always leads to another consequence. In place of bold faith and love, we cause pain and misery for all concerned (cf. Heb. 12:1-15). When people focus on people, one of two things happen: (a) either they brag about the person they admire, which may bring temptation to that person and encourage others to glory in man, or (b) they attack and criticize bringing persecution and heartache. When God is not the focus, we lose.
I wonder what would have happened if Ahab had seen God in the events on Mount Carmel and then reported them as such to Jezebel. I wonder what would have happened if he had said, “I saw God, Yahweh of Israel, at work today. I saw Him prove to be the true God. He brought down fire from heaven and did that which the impotent Baal prophets could not do. He is God and the Baal prophets are false. Therefore, this house is going to follow Him.” Instead, he ignored the facts about the Lord, and called attention to the acts of Elijah--how he had mocked the Baal priests, confused them, and eventually had the people help kill them. King Ahab’s response took glory away from Yahweh, focused attention on the instrument, and fanned the flames of jealousy, revenge, and hatred. As a result, his focus precluded any chance for repentance.
Jezebel Reacts with Vengeance
(19:2)
Unable to hurt the Lord, Jezebel did what Satan and people always do. She attacked the instrument and gave vent to her hatred and malice. She sent a messenger with her threat. Now I ask you. If she knew where he was, why didn’t she send a platoon of soldiers to kill Elijah? Why send a messenger to warn him so he would have time to flee? This shows the sovereign overruling hand of God and how God uses the wrath of man to praise Him. Perhaps it was also because she was afraid of the people who had helped kill the Baal priests and were now on Elijah’s side. So she attacked Elijah with a threat. Also note she was still trusting in her gods that had been thoroughly exposed as impotent and futile.
How this manifests the blindness and stubbornness of the human heart. People stubbornly cling to their self-made gods be it humanism, materialism, power, or whatever. Jezebel’s actions were in keeping with her character. It’s what we would expect, but not so with Elijah. Elijah’s action is totally out of character, but it serves to remind us again of everyone’s vulnerability--that we must each take heed lest we fall. The potential of a fall is always only one step away.
Elijah Runs For His Life
(19:3-4)
The text says, “and he was afraid.” There is a slight problem here. The consonants for the Hebrew word “afraid” and those of the imperfect of “saw” are the same. Thus, the KJV and the ASV have, “and he saw.” The difference in the translation is in the vowel pointing. But nearly all other versions, NASB, RSV, NIV, Amplified, etc., have “and he was afraid.”
Some have suggested the Massoretes repointed the vowels because they did not want to attribute fear to the great prophet. A number of commentaries have followed the same line of reasoning saying this would be too out of character for Elijah. They say his flight down to Beersheba and beyond was not a flight for his life, but a trip to get alone with God since he saw conditions were not going to change. I believe this interpretation is wrong for the following reasons: (a) “Ran” is halak which means “to go, walk, proceed, move,” but it can be a synonym for running if the contexts suggest this. The words that follow it, “his life,” are what suggest the idea of running for his life. (b) The immediate context of Jezebel’s actions supports the view that Elijah was running for his life. (c) James’ statement that Elijah was a man of like nature with us undoubtedly came from Elijah’s actions in this chapter.
If “saw” is the correct translation it still does not remove the element of his fear that led to his flight out of the area. Though it would highlight several ideas: (a) our expectations, (b) our focus, (c) our strategies, and (d) the consequences, it would show how our focus (how we see a situation) can empower and encourage us, or neutralize and turn us into whimpering complainers or discouraged discontents.
The Problem of Our Expectations
Perhaps the first lesson we can learn from Elijah’s response concerns our expectations and their impact on us. As already mentioned, he was expecting something different--something more positive. He was looking for a real turnaround in the spiritual conditions of the kingdom and his expectations may have moved into the realm of a sense of demandingness.
Life is full of disappointments and if we are not extremely careful, those expectations will derail us as they become demands of our heart. It is not wrong for us to hope for the best and to look to the Lord for that. First Corinthians 13:7 says “love . . . believes all things, hopes all things.” The same is true for faith according to Heb. 11:1. But 1 Corinthians 13:7 also says, “love bears all things, . . . endures all things.” Please note, believing and hoping is sandwiched between bearing and enduring.
God holds us responsible for trusting in Him, for obedience, for love, for endurance, and for faithfulness to do what He has called us to do. He does not hold us responsible for the results. The results are in His hands, not ours. We can’t change people, and we often can’t change our circumstances, only God can. Further, our expectations can easily slip into a sense of a demandingness--demanding that things work out the way we think they should. When that happens we are usurping God’s sovereignty and acting as though we the creature were the all wise Creator (cf. Job. 40:1-9). When we focus on our expectations and make the results we want the source of our happiness, security, or significance, we end up in the Elijah syndrome--fearful, ready to run away, and engulfed in feelings of failure and depression or fear and frustration.
The Problem of Our Focus
If “saw” is the correct reading, then this is even more emphatic. Either way, the issue of our focus remains a significant matter. Elijah knew Jezebel’s reputation and character. Now, disappointed over the turn of events and with his expectations shattered, he focused his eyes on the conditions--the wicked and irate queen, the military men at her disposal, the belief she would be persistent in her intentions, and the spineless condition of King Ahab who could not and would not control his wife.
Some principles we can glean from this negative focus and response of the prophet:
(1) We should never walk by sight--as things appear to us. We are to walk by faith in the sovereign control and providence of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:7; Ps. 103:19; 115:3). Does this mean we are to be ignorant of the problems or ignore them so that we stick our heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich--if they really do that? I think not! Only a weak faith seeks to ignore the problems (cf. Num. 13:1-2; Rom. 4:19).
(2) Rather, it means we are to stay focused on the Lord and seek to look beyond the problems through the eyes of faith. By faith we are to see the very real, though invisible realities about God’s person and the faithfulness of His promises and principles for life as revealed in Scripture (Ps. 19:7-9; 93:5; Rom. 4:17-21). In Romans 4:16, Abraham is called the father of faith. With Abraham as our father of faith, we can glean four things about the kind of faith God wants us to have:
- He was Confident in God’s Person (verses 17, 21), “even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist,” “. . . He was able also to perform.” Faith knows God is the One who brings dead things to life and calls into being even the things which are not. The focus here is on God’s person.
- He was Cognizant of the Problem (vs. 19), “And without becoming weak in faith, he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead . . .” In other words, he did not act as though there was no problem. He faced it, but saw beyond it to the Lord.
- He was Conversant with and Convinced of God’s Promises (verses 17, 18, and 21). In other words, he both knew and claimed the promises of God. He stood on the faithfulness of God to keep His promises.
- He was Constant against All Odds (verses 18a and 20), “in hope against hope he believed,” and “he did not waver in unbelief.” Regardless of the difficulty, he endured and believed God was in charge and would be faithful to what He had promised, even if it meant resurrection (Heb. 11:17-19).
(3) Therefore, by faith, we are to continue to do the things God has called us to do like pray, trust, work, serve, go to a doctor or get counsel, etc. God forbid, however, that we should run ahead of the Lord with our escape and defense strategies through which we seek to change, manipulate or control the situation.
(4) Whenever we walk by sight, we forfeit a great deal of God’s blessing and provision. This does not mean He forsakes us. God did not forsake Elijah. Indeed, He sought him out and ministered to him. During our times of unbelief, however, we forfeit God’s best. Note the following examples: (a) Lot chose according to sight, not faith, and ended up losing everything (Gen. 13:1-13). (b) At Kadesh Barnea, the people walked by sight and forfeited the privilege of entering the land. For forty years they wandered in the wilderness (Num. 13:33 and Heb. 3:18-4:2).
(5) Finally, it is helpful to remember we cannot truly remain occupied with the Lord and our problems at the same time. Obviously we will be aware of them, but our focus needs to be on the Savior. “Looking unto Jesus . . .” in Hebrews 12:2 is the Greek aphorao from apo, “from,” and horao, “to see” followed by the preposition eis, “unto.” The basic meaning is “to look away from and unto Jesus.”
There is a song that was popular in the 1950’s with the words, “O what a beautiful morning, O what a beautiful day, I’ve got a wonderful feeling, everything’s going my way.” This song expresses the typical attitude of the world. This is the way we would like it, but it’s simply not the way things are in a fallen world. Wanting everything to go our way is not only unrealistic, it is self-centered. It also suggests we are seeking our security and happiness in good times rather than in the Sovereign Lord. It’s living according to sight, not faith.
By contrast, the Apostle said, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). But where did he say that? While everything was going his way? NO! He said it while he was chained daily to a Roman soldier awaiting trial, which could have meant his head. He said it while others were seeking to do him harm, even within the Christian community. Instead, Paul might have sung, “O what a beautiful morning, O what a beautiful day, though things aren’t going my way, the Lord sits on the throne every day.”
The Problem of Our Strategies
The text tells us Elijah fled to Beersheba which is way to the south. Beersheba was a desert place, but even that was not enough. Elijah left his servant there and went another full day’s journey into the wilderness where he sought shelter, not in the Almighty, but in a scrubby bush. The juniper was a broom tree that grew from 10 to 12 feet high and provided some shelter, but not much.
Nowhere in this chapter do we find Elijah calling on the Lord or seeking His direction. The problem was not that he arose and ran, or went down to the desert to hide. It was that he did so without God’s direction and without God as his primary shelter. Let’s not forget how God had earlier directed Elijah to a lonely place (1 Kings 17:2-5), but not here.
For some things we don’t need God’s intervening direction. If we are in the way of an 18-wheeler, we move if at all possible. If we get a headache, we take medicine. Asa’s sin in 2 Chronicles 16:12 was not that he sought help from the physicians, but that he excluded God. Elijah’s situation was different. He reacted rather than responding to God. And so it can be with us. We so often react rather than respond by faith in what God is doing.
What about our expectations? Have they become demands God must meet for our happiness and security? What about our focus? Is it on the Lord, on His person, His sovereignty, wisdom, etc.? What about our strategies? Are we trying to meet our needs and wants by our own solutions according to our own timing rather than by God’s?
The Problem of The Consequences
In the next scene, we find Elijah discouraged, depressed, hiding, and failing to minister to his people. This is what some call burnout. Elijah’s actions were not the actions of faith or fellowship, but desperation and the results demonstrate this in the verses that follow. The consequences, which we will cover next, are in stark contrast to chapters 17 and 18.
Elijah in Depression
(19:4, 10, 14)
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. Just like the rest of us, he experienced the problem of depression--that mental and emotional condition marked by feelings of discouragement, worthlessness, dejection, guilt, apprehension, and failure. Life is much like a roller coaster--full of ups and downs. The tendency is for us to experience happiness, joy, significance, and security according to where we are on that mean machine. We all have to ride it, but we do not have to be dominated by it. We can learn to ride it with a great deal more spiritual, mental, and emotional stability regardless of whether we are in the valleys, on the level places, or on one of the peaks. Spiritual stability is one of the blessings of our salvation in Christ. We experience it only as we learn to keep our focus on the Lord and His purposes, and as we rest by faith in God’s person, principles, and promises (Phil. 4:11-13; 2 Cor. 4:8-18; Heb. 4:1-11).
But alas, we all have feet of clay. Keeping our focus on the Lord and our minds relating to God in the midst of a fallen and evil world that says, happiness, security, significance, (i.e., your needs), are found in the details of life, is not easy. We are bombarded with a general attitude that is illustrated in slogans like “life is short, so play hard. You only go around once, so get all the gusto you can.” Even when we are not affected by that kind of thinking--and Elijah was not--it is still difficult to maintain our spiritual equilibrium or orientation to God. It is easy to get lost in the fog, the dense clouds that sometimes envelop us. We try to fly by the seat of our pants rather than by our biblical instrument panel. As a result, we get lost or we crash and burn emotionally.
In this chapter, Elijah becomes a classic illustration of a depressed person. We find in his thinking, words, and actions many classic symptoms of depression--withdrawal or escape, moodiness, apprehension or fear, self-pity, feelings of worthlessness, loss of hope or confidence, anger, irritability, painful and wrong thinking, and physical exhaustion to name some of the symptoms.
According to Doctors Minirth and Meier, the number one problem in America is depression. They say:
As psychiatrists we see more people suffering from depression than from all other emotional problems put together . . . At the present time, one American in 20 is medically diagnosed as suffering from depression . . . of course, many, many more are depressed but never receive help. According to one estimate about 20 million persons in America between the ages of eighteen and 74 are currently depressed . . . Depression occurs two times more often in females, than males, and it occurs three times more often in higher socio-economic groups. Money definitely does not buy happiness. Depression occurs most often in the fourth and fifth decades of life, but may occur during any stressful period from infancy to old age.29
These statistics are interesting and important because we live in a day and in a country where the average person has a higher level of prosperity than probably any other time in history. People have more of the details of life, more potentials for pleasure, travel, fun and games, and luxury than ever before. Yet, depression is a major problem in this country. Paul Meier says:
I have had millionaire businessmen come into my office and tell me they have big houses, yachts, condominiums in Colorado, nice children, a beautiful mistress, an unsuspecting wife, secure corporate positions--and suicidal tendencies.30
We might expect depression in this kind of person. But, as I am sure you know, and as the above statistics support, depression is just as big a problem among believers and even those in full-time ministry. The problem of burnout in the ministry among missionaries and pastors is huge. Why mention all of this in connection with Elijah? Because it stresses our vulnerability as Bible-believing Christians. Depression is a devastating, debilitating malady that affects our total person--spirit, soul, and body. And it negatively impacts us spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
Note some facts about depression:
(1) It is universal. It is no respecter of persons. It touches the poor and the rich, the weak and the mighty, the educated and the uneducated. It hits everyone because, ultimately, it is not caused by circumstances, possessions, or position, but rather by the way one handles life.
(2) No profession is exempt from it. It reaches out and grabs doctors, lawyers, businessmen, cab drivers, construction workers, pastors, missionaries, nurses, secretaries, housewives, moms and dads, farmers, truck drivers, athletes, etc.
(3) Depression has nothing to do with one’s IQ. If anything, people with higher IQs are more susceptible.
(4) Age is not a defense against it. It attacks the young and old alike. Each decade of age has its own special susceptibility to depression. This is often referred to as the cycles of depression.
(5) Depression ranges from mild mood swings (which we all face) to deep psychosis.
(6) It may of course have physical causes. A lack of sleep, improper diet, vitamin deficiency, exhaustion are among the more simple causes. It may also be caused by such things as drugs, low blood sugar, glandular disorders, allergies, brain tumors, and chemical imbalances.
(7) One of the most common causes, however, is in the area of the spiritual, mental, and emotional. This can also affect the physical (Prov. 14:30; 17:22). In other words, while there are physical causes, and these should be checked out, the most common causes are spiritual. Some of these causes are:
- Disappointment or failure. We tend to become depressed when our expectations are not met. Timothy LaHaye says, “of the hundreds of depressed cases I have examined, without exception they began with a disappointment or an experience in which the individual was displeased.”31 People tend to become depressed when they become disappointed in their performance, in another’s performance, or when something they were expecting did not materialize.
- An Unbiblical Self-concept. Thinking wrongly about ourselves can be a terrible downer. This involves disappointment in ourselves, which may be the result of a wrong self-image of who we are in Christ. It also may be the result of false and unrealistic expectations or unresolved guilt, real or unreal. In other words, seeking happiness, security, and significance from our success or performance rather than from the Lord is a real downer--a big cause of discouragement or depression.
- Covetousness. This is the strong desire for things--position, power, prestige, possessions, privileges, etc., in the belief that they will meet our needs, that they will give us happiness or security. When these things don’t meet our needs (and they won’t) depression sets in.
- Rejection by Others. We all have a basic need for the ABC tripod of stability--acceptance, belongingness, and competence. When any one of these suffer, it can cause depression. Again, however, the root cause is our failure to find this tripod of emotional and mental stability in God’s evaluation and declarations regarding our lives. In Christ, we have acceptance. As God’s children, we belong to the family of God and we have the capacity He gives us to live the Christian life.
Elijah had experienced a great victory on Mount Carmel with a long-time goal accomplished. Yahweh was proven to be the true God, the people had worshipped the Lord as the true God, and the Baal prophets had been put to death. But this was also a very vulnerable time; a time where anyone could easily let down. Elijah had expended a great deal of energy--both physical and spiritual. It was truly a mountain-top experience, but now he needed to watch for the valleys that always follow.
As soon as Jezebel heard of the victory of Elijah, she sent her threat and his expectations for revival and reformation were dashed into pieces like a china cup on a concrete floor. Being disappointed, Elijah got his eyes off the Lord, became fearful, and ran for his life down to Beersheba and then beyond into the desert. He was alone, having left his servant behind. He was tired, exhausted, and in the wilderness by himself without food and water. Of course, he was not alone because the Lord was there, but he felt totally alone, helpless, fearful, hurt, a failure, and he wasn’t thinking with the viewpoint of the Word.
In such a state, what do we do? We become apathetic and faithless. We seek escape, feel sorry for ourselves and think irrationally (biblically speaking). We lose our perspective. The situation becomes a mountain and the Lord becomes in our sight like a mole hill. We stop enjoying life, we forget our goals, lose ground, and withdraw from God and people--the very ones we need the most. With this in mind, let’s note some of the causes for Elijah’s discouragement or depression:
Psychological Reason: There is generally a natural let down after victory and the accomplishment of a goal or a large task. Sunday nights and Mondays used to be terrible for me because of the let down following the emotional high of Sunday.
Physical Reason: Have you ever noticed how quickly discouragement, irritability and depression can come when you are exhausted? Elijah was physically and emotionally drained from the whole experience of Mount Carmel, the run to Jezreel, and, added to all that, the flight into the desert. I get exhausted just thinking about it! When our bodies are tired, we can’t think and respond to pressure as well as we normally can. In Elijah’s exhausted state, he prayed, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life.” Instead, the Lord lovingly and graciously sent an angel to feed and nourish him. There is a principle here: proper rest, diet, and exercise are essential to coping with depression.
Spiritual Reasons:
(1) Disappointment, or failing to rest his expectations on the Lord. Elijah was expecting revival and reformation, but instead he experienced rejection and a threat against his life. He failed to realize that God was at work regardless of how things appeared to him. Later in the chapter, God illustrates that to the Prophet.
(2) Anger and hurt that quickly led to self-pity. He was angry at everyone including himself and the Lord. People didn’t care. He had failed. God had let him down, and no one would stand with him in the fight. He was all alone. But when our hurts fester into anger and replace love and endurance, we quickly lose our perspective and begin to imagine things that only reinforce our bad feelings and increase our depression.
(3) Wrong thinking about himself. This is seen as we examine 19:4, 10, and 14. There was the thinking that he was indispensable and poor God, He was left alone with just Elijah. So, suddenly, all became hopeless. Note three things: (a) He became occupied with his own importance, as seen in his words, “I am very zealous for the Lord, . . . for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant . . .” This was basically true, but focusing on this caused him to forget or ignore some other important principles of the Word. (b) He began to think of himself and his ministry as indispensable to the Lord’s cause. We see this in his words, “the son’s of Israel have forsaken . . . and I alone am left,” i.e., there is no one else to maintain your cause, God. He was ignoring God’s independent sovereignty and the doctrine of the remnant. God always has a remnant (Isa. 1:9). Though the Lord uses individuals as his instruments, He is dependent on no one. (c) Finally, he saw himself as an absolute failure, as worthless, as no better than his fathers who had allowed the nation to fall into this condition. In other words, he was seeking his significance, his value on his life, from his success in terms of outward results.
All of this “stinking thinking” blinded him to the Lord and the principles of Scripture. He lost sight of these principles: (a) Though we are soldiers in God’s army, the battle is the Lord’s (1 Sam. 17:14). (b) While we are fellow workers with the Lord with one sowing and another watering, the Lord alone gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:5-9), and He does so in different degrees (Matt. 13:24), and according to His timing (Eccl. 3:1; Gal. 6:9). (c) The Lord prospers His Word as He sees fit, and sometimes it becomes the basis of His judgment rather than blessing (Isa. 55:11; 6:9-11).
One of the great causes of discouragement is the lack of apparent progress, yet progress is not always obvious especially in spiritual matters, at least not to us.
The Chinese bamboo tree does absolutely nothing--or so it seems--for the first four years. Then suddenly, sometime during the fifth year, it shoots up ninety feet in sixty days. Would you say the bamboo tree grows in six weeks or in five years? Well, our lives and ministry are often like the bamboo tree. Sometimes we put forth effort, put forth effort, and put forth effort . . . and nothing seems to happen. But if you do the right things long enough, you’ll receive the rewards of your efforts.32
Compare 1 Corinthians 15:58 and Galatians 6:9, “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” We are all to find our significance, our value in the Lord and His grace. We need to know we are complete in Christ and have been given gifts of grace to serve Him (Col. 2:10; Rom. 12:3f).
Elijah, of course, was not alone. The Lord was there and even sent His angel to minister to him. Not only is the Lord omnipresent, but how comforting to know He has promised to never leave nor forsake believers no matter what we face (Ps. 139; Heb. 13:5-6). He was also not alone from the human standpoint. God had 7,000 that had not bowed the knee to Baal.
Note how the Lord handles Elijah’s depression:
(1) Before He dealt with Elijah’s spiritual condition, He rejuvenated Elijah physically with rest and nourishment.
(2) He then got Elijah to face his true condition, the real problem. Taking the position of a counselor, the Lord twice asked Elijah “why are you here?” In other words, take stock, think about what you have been doing (vss. 9 and 13).
(3) God spoke to him personally in verses 9, 12, 13, and 15. This illustrates the need to be in the Word where we listen to the Lord (hear His still small voice), focus on Him, and apply truth. We will study this in more detail later.
(4) He got Elijah active and involved in ministry again. Note the “Go, return on your way . . .” in verse 15. When feeling down, depressed, apart from getting needed rest, do not give in to the temptation to mope about and do nothing. Doing nothing only reinforces the depression. By the same token, never use activity to narcotize the pain. Give it to the Lord. Rest, relaxation, and solitude with the Lord needs the balance of involvement in work and ministry, but always out of a spirit of faith, never just activity.
(5) God provided Elijah with a companion. He commanded him to find Elisha. Elijah was trying to do too much himself. He had to learn to share the work load and burden with others. Eventually, others must be able to share our load and even take our place.
Conclusion
Depression, as we have been discussing it here, is not something we catch like a virus, something that is unavoidable. We bring it on ourselves by wrong thinking and wrong choices, and for some reason we unconsciously choose to get depressed. It is a choice we do not want to make, but we make it anyway. Why do we choose it? Because it is one of our strategies for coping with our disappointments. Depression is simply a man-made and temporary solution to our pain. The world offers many solutions for relief, but they are not only temporary and shallow, but they invariably lead us away from God’s solutions. This makes them part of Satan’s program of deception. People want to feel better and to be comfortable. Some of our ways of coping may be legitimate, but if they do not ultimately lead us to find and know God’s sufficiency, they become a part of the problem rather than the solution. As Proverbs teaches us, “there is a way that seems right unto man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12).
We must count the costs of depression. Depression costs us tremendously in terms of our productivity, our effectiveness, and our happiness physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. Depression affects us in every sphere--at home, on the job, in the community, and in our church and in the Lord’s work.
This lesson has dealt more with the subject of depression. In the next lesson, we will look in more detail at verses 5-19.
29 Frank B. Minirth and Paul D. Meier, Happiness Is A Choice, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 1978, p. 20.
31 Tim LaHaye, How to Win Over Depression, p. 49.
32 S. Truett Cathy, quoted in Secrets of Staying Power by Kevin A. Miller, Word Books, Waco, TX, 1988, p. 51.
Related Topics: Character Study
16. The Restoration of Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-18)
Introduction
Of all the chapters on the life and ministry of Elijah, 1 Kings 19 is, in my opinion, the most instructive and, in many ways, the most encouraging because we can all so easily identify with the prophet and his failure. Just when the Lord needed him the most, this divinely trained prophet proved to be a notable failure and ended up running away from his post in a terribly depressed condition.
Elijah had demonstrated courage before Ahab in the king’s palace and on Mount Carmel. He had also witnessed God’s supply by the brook, in the home of the widow, in the years of famine, in the fire from heaven that consumed the sacrifice, in the coming of the rain, and in the ability to outrun Ahab back to Jezreel. However, when faced with the threat of Jezebel and the obvious fact there would be no immediate revival in the land, he suddenly became fearful and discouraged. He then deserted his post and ran for his life. If Jezebel had really wanted him dead, she would have tried to seize him without warning, but, cunning as she was, she wanted rather to discredit him before his new converts and she was successful.
We have asked the question, how could this have happened to such a man of God? We saw that part of the reason undoubtedly lies in the problem of his expectations, in the problem of his lost focus, and in the problem of turning to his own strategies (with the last two problems being the result of the first). It is right to expect the Lord to work, but our expectations must never be the source of our happiness or our confidence in the work of God. We must learn to rest our expectations in God’s sovereignty, trusting Him for the timing and the means.
But the Lord wasn’t through with Elijah and failure doesn’t mean defeat or an end to our ministry. This is also one of the encouraging elements of this chapter. Before God could use Elijah, however, there were some things Elijah had to learn. Elijah’s failure and discouragement (because of his expectations) were due in part to two things. First there was his view of what it would take to change the nation. His God-given successes had made him take his own importance too seriously (19:4, 9, 14). Furthermore, he thought the primary means of reaching the people was the display of God’s power in dramatic and spectacular ways. He thought if they didn’t respond to that, there was no hope. So, when he failed to see the results he expected, he was shattered. Oh, how we often set ourselves up for discouragement by our pride and our expectations which we fail to rest on the foundation of God’s wisdom.
Now as we move into this section, note that five times the word “behold” is used to highlight an important fact or truth of God’s dealings with the prophet (19:5, 6, 9, 11, 13). Against the backdrop of Elijah’s failure, this little demonstrative particle highlights God’s gracious work to restore the prophet back to his ministry regardless of what he had done. Let’s look at how the Lord worked to restore the prophet.
God’s Provision for Elijah
(19: 5-18)
The Provision of Sleep (vs. 5a)
The juniper tree is not the coniferous tree of the genus juniperous. The Hebrew word for this tree or bush is rothem. This was a shrub found in abundance in southern Palestine. It had long slender branches with small leaves and provided very poor shade or protection from the sun. And so it goes with our man-made solutions from which we seek shelter, refuge or solutions to our pain. Out of exhaustion, Elijah fell asleep. God has ordained sleep and rest as necessary for our survival and ability to function, so the Lord allowed a time of sleep before He brought on the next phase of His provision for Elijah. How interesting. God remembers that we are frail. He knows our frame, that we are but dust. He is mindful that we possess material bodies that must be cared for, often, before the spiritual part can function (Ps. 103:14).
Before we expect too much from ourselves or from others, whom we are seeking to encourage with the Word, let’s remember this principle of the need of rest and that sometimes the physical needs to be cared for before the spiritual.
The Provision of an Angel (vs. 5b)
The Time and Place of God’s Provision
With the word “behold” the Hebrew text has the word zeh, an adverb of place or perhaps time that means, “here” or “now.” Literally, the Heb. text reads, “behold here” or “behold now.” This highlights the place and time when God’s angel, His messenger of mercy, comes on the scene. What’s the Lord pointing out to us in this picture? This special work of God’s grace did not occur on the summit of Mount Carmel, nor when in conflict with the prophets of Baal, nor by the brook where the Lord had sent Elijah, nor when he was in prayer and intimate fellowship. It occurred when he was in the wilderness, when Elijah was out of fellowship. It was when he was depressed and a deserter with the best his own strategies could supply--a scrubby desert bush.
The Nature of God’s Provision
Verse 5 tells us an angel was touching him, awakening him to eat. But in verse 7 this angel is identified as “the angel of the LORD,” a description always used in the Old Testament of a special manifestation of God Himself. This was no ordinary angel. It was a Theophany or better yet, a Christophany--a manifestation of the second person of the Trinity. This was no less than the Savior who came personally to minister to the prophet. God sent not the ravens as before, nor a widow, nor some other natural means, but the preincarnate Christ. Why?
(1) To show the prophet His love and grace and perhaps to remind us that it was when we were sinners and alienated from God that He sent His Son for us. It is also a reminder that the Savior never leaves us no matter how far we drift away. He is personally involved in seeking to restore us. The Lord was not condoning what Elijah had done or overlooking it, but rather (a) He was assuring Elijah he was still the object of His love, and (b) that He still had a plan and purpose for the prophet just as He does for us when we get out of His plan. Compare John 21.
(2) This also affirmed the power of God. Though the means may be completely lacking to us and all may appear lost and without hope, there is never an end to the degree of God’s love and care, nor to the capacity and power at God’s disposal to supply any need at any time.
The Provision of Food (vs. 6)
Elijah needed some special instruction from the Lord, but again, he first needed physical strength through nourishment. He was in no condition to listen or take in the Word of God. Twice he is told to eat and drink, and twice he is allowed to sleep. Again we are reminded that as human beings, we were designed to function in all aspects of our being--body, soul, and spirit. Though the spiritual is the foundation and vital for our overall well being and effectiveness as the Lord’s servants, still, all aspects of our makeup need care and each part is affected by the other parts (cf. Matt. 6:33; 1 Tim. 4:8; Pro. 14:30; 17:22).
Let’s note Elijah’s response in verse 6: “So he ate and drank and lay down again.” What does this tell us? When we are depressed and out of fellowship with the Lord, we tend to be as insensitive and ungrateful as the unbelieving world. Elijah seemed to be neither surprised nor overwhelmed by this supply of grace. There is no record of any response, not even a “thank you.” It appears he simply took God for granted.
What would you have done if you had been the Lord? Probably made it rain on him all night or send a swarm of mosquitoes or fire ants. But God is merciful, loving, and gracious. Further, He knew Elijah was not yet able to respond and God didn’t even expect it. His capacity for response and appreciation would come later. For now, God was patient and seeking to physically restore and strengthen.
The Trip to Horeb, The Mountain of God (vs. 8)
Verse 8 tells us “he arose and ate and drank, and went . . . to Horeb, the mountain of God.” Because of the history of this mountain and the last statement of verse 7, we might be tempted to think he went there to find the Lord or he went there at God’s orders. I do not believe the text supports that idea. Notice twice Elijah is asked what he is doing there on the mountain (vss. 9 and 13). This was God as the Great Counselor working to get Elijah to evaluate where he was, why he was there, and what he was doing. He was there because he was still running away.
Furthermore, the text tells us “he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb.” From where Elijah began, a day’s journey south of Beersheba, he was no forty days and nights from Horeb. A straight trip from the broom tree would have required little more than seven, maybe eight days. It seems clear that he was simply wandering about much like the children of Israel had done for forty years
Furthermore, the forty days and forty nights is not without symbolical significance. (a) As the children of Israel had a significant spiritual failure (at Kadesh Barnea) and wandered forty years in the wilderness, so a defeated Elijah was to spend forty days in the desert (cf. Num. 14:26-35). (b) As Moses had spent forty days on the mountain without bread and water, sustained only by God while he awaited a new phase of service (Ex. 34:28), so Elijah was to spend forty days thrown upon God’s divine enablement as he was being prepared for a recommissioning by God (cf. Matt. 4:1-2). (c) As Moses was to see the presence of God (Ex. 33:12-23), so Elijah was to find God, though in a different way than he could ever imagine.33
By God’s divine grace and providence, he was sustained as Israel was through the forty years, and he was drawn to Horeb, to Sinai, the special place of God’s divine revelation of Himself.
By way of application, isn’t this really another indication of the grace of God that even when we are out of fellowship, with our hearts devising our own way, the Lord still works on behalf of His children’s needs to lead them back to Himself? Isn’t this also an illustration of how we are so prone to prolong our trek in the wilderness in the pursuit of our own solutions to our pain and misery rather than quickly turn to the Lord. Why? Because we tend to believe so strongly in our solutions. Because of our pride or our sensitive egos. We just do not like to admit we are wrong and pursuing a wrong course.
Elijah in the Cave (vs. 9a)
His physical circumstances had now improved. This cave was a much better source of refuge than a broom tree, but his spiritual condition was still in shambles. In other words, the cave represents just another human strategy for refuge which, of course, was a substitute for God as his refuge. He may have felt better, but he was not where the Lord wanted him spiritually speaking. Now, because of his improved physical condition, he is in a better place to learn and listen. In fact, some believe that since this cave was somewhere on Mount Horeb, it could very well have been “the cleft of the rock” where the Lord had placed Moses when God’s glory passed by (Ex. 33:21-33).
The Word of the Lord Comes to Elijah (vs. 9b)
Again we have a section highlighted by the word “behold.” This calls our attention to what the Lord has been doing with Elijah--preparing him to hear the Word. Like all of us, he desperately needed to hear the Word. He needed further instruction and insight that he might see himself and God, and in the process learn a very important truth that is also very, very crucial for our day as well.
Please note God’s question: “Why are you here Elijah?” This was designed, I believe, to be a soul searching question. Did he understand why he was there from his standpoint and from God’s standpoint? Did he grasp what was happening? In this question, we have an illustration of the concept of the Word reproving and exposing us to our failures, our false belief systems, and to God’s grace. Did he understand he was there because of his faulty thinking and his wrong focus? Did he understand that though he had been running from the Lord, it was God who had led him to this very special place to instruct and restore him?
Elijah’s Response (vs. 10)
His answer shows us he had not grasped the issues. He was still smarting over his failure as expressed in verse 4. He was filled with his own importance, and angry over the lack of response and help from others including the Lord. He was somewhat bitter because he had served the Lord so earnestly and spectacularly and still, he had experienced only rejection and exile. Jeremiah had a similar experience (cf. Jer. 20:7-9).
The Lord’s Response and Directions (vss. 11-13)
The Lord simply ignored Elijah’s self-justification and reason for being on the mountain. Instead, He offers him instruction that would result in special revelation about the Lord and God’s method of operation. Elijah is told to come out of the cave and stand before the Lord. Remember, this cave represented Elijah’s human strategy for refuge--the product of his wrong focus and thinking. I believe the Lord was rejecting Elijah’s solution and was showing him that He alone is to be Elijah’s refuge.
It was to be as David said in Psalm 11:1, “In the Lord I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, ‘Flee as a bird to your mountain.’” Or as David counseled himself in Ps. 62:5-6, “My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.”
In verse 11, we have another “behold” section designed to highlight another important event--the Lord passing by the cave on the mountain. Why was the Lord passing by? To reveal Himself and an important truth in the spiritual maturity of the prophet. But suddenly, before Elijah comes out of the cave, four events occur, three of them spectacular.
(1) A rock-shattering wind smote the mountain around Elijah with rocks breaking in pieces. Surely such a spectacular event such as this would announce the presence of the Lord and illustrate how He would work in the future. But no, the Lord was not in the wind.
(2) A dreadful earthquake occurred shaking even the foundations under his feet, but again, the Lord was not in the earthquake.
(3) A sudden fire followed, but this too did not announce the presence nor the activity of the Lord. Still, the Lord was not there. “All of these physical phenomena were known to be precursors of God’s coming or presence” (Ex. 19:16, 18; Jud. 4:4-5; 2 Sam. 22:8-16; Ps. 18:7-15; 68:8; Heb. 12:18).34 But the fact God was not in any of them was tremendously significant.
(4) After the fire, Elijah heard a gentle blowing, a faint whisper, a quiet voice, hushed and low. “Elijah knew it instantly (vs. 13a). It was God! What a lesson for Elijah! Even God did not always operate in the realm of the spectacular!”35
In fact, the miraculous and the spectacular are the exception, even in the Bible. I believe the still small voice portrays the work and power of God in His inspired Word, the Scripture which is itself alive and powerful, a spectacular and miraculous book in that it is God breathed and infallible. And would you note that it is this that aroused Elijah and brought him out of the cave where he could have fellowship with the Lord, hear His voice, and be restored. Out of reverence for God’s presence, Elijah pulled his mantel over his face and went out of the cave.
What was Elijah to learn from this? What’s the lesson of God’s absence in the spectacular, but His presence in the small, low voice? God’s primary vehicle for changing people and bringing reformation and revival is not the miraculous, the sensational, and spectacular like Israel experienced on Mount Carmel. It is God’s voice speaking to people as He did in olden days through the prophets and the Old Testament and now to us in the complete inspired Word through the ministry of the Spirit of God (cf. Luke 16:27-31; 2 Pet. 1:1-21; Heb. 1:1-3). The Bible is called the Word of God because it is His voice, not in audible sounds, but in the words of the pages of Scripture. And when we hear it preached and taught (so far as what is preached and taught is true to the text of the Bible) we are hearing the voice of God that effectually works in those who believe (1 Thess. 2:13).
If people will not respond to the Word that is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, they are not going to respond even if someone comes back from the grave and tells them about hell (Luke 16:31). Certainly, many people are impressed by the miraculous and seek the sensational and the spectacular, but generally, that’s not what changes lives.
This four-fold manifestation of God was given with these four-fold phenomena to show God honors and works through the message of His Word, that He cares for his people who share His Word, and that it will not return to Him void. Either, it will bring judgment on those who spurn it, or it will result in positive spiritual fruit for those who believe and respond to it. The following sequel of events clearly demonstrate this fact of Scripture.
Again in verse 13, Elijah is faced with the divine question, a voice comes to him asking, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” But again in verse 14 his reply was the same. How slow we are to learn and how deep seated our feelings of rejection and hurt become established. We keep clinging to them as our way of escape and defense. Remember, depression that is not caused by physical problems, is one of our methods of escape. It is a human strategy for dealing with pain and disappointment. The irony is we seem to be more willing to depend on it as a solution than we are to trust the Lord.
The Recommissioning of the Prophet (vss. 15-18)
Here the Lord, in the low, still, small voice of divine revelation to the prophet, explains and reveals the truth of the power of the Word that brings judgment on those who reject it, and blessing to those who believe it. Elijah is told to anoint three people and each one acts as an agent of divine judgment or blessing.
(1) The strong wind may be a figure of the work of judgment which Hazael of Syria would perform in Israel (2 Kgs. 8:12 and 10:32-36).
(2) The earthquake may be a figure of judgment and revolution under Jehu that would destroy the house of Ahab (2 Kgs. 9:1-10).
(3) The fire may be a picture of the work of judgment completed by Elisha, Elijah’s successor (1 Kgs. 19:17).
The call of Elisha, a young man available and positive to the Word and the Lord, and the 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal illustrate the other side of the coin. It showed Elijah that his ministry had not been in vain and that God’s Word does not return void no matter how things may look to us. The nation would not be totally exterminated and there were those who would carry on the work of the Lord.
33 Expositors Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, general editor, Vol. 4, 1991, p. 149, electronic media.
Related Topics: Character Study
17. Taking Up Your Mantle (1 Kings 19:19-21)
Introduction
The books of 1 and 2 Kings record the history of the nation of Israel from the time of Solomon through the division of the kingdom, the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 with the Assyrian captivity, and then the fall of the southern kingdom in 586 BC with the Babylonian captivity. The kingdom divided into the southern kingdom of Judah, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the northern kingdom of Israel that consisted of the remaining ten tribes.
During this time there were some good kings who reigned in the southern kingdom and who brought about spiritual reforms. But in the northern kingdom (where Elijah and Elisha served) all the kings were evil and there were no true revivals. All the kings of Israel (the northern kingdom) did evil in the sight of the Lord.
In the midst of this degenerate and idolatrous kingdom ruled by vicious, cruel, and degenerate kings, the Lord called two men, one the successor of the other. These two prophets stood as the heralds of God and His Word. They were also leaders for a school of prophets who actually served in both the northern and southern kingdoms.
Elijah’s ministry does not end with the call of Elisha who became Elijah’s attendant and student. Instead, it continued for several years as the mentor of Elisha. After his renewal by the Lord on Mount Horeb, Elijah began a ministry of mentoring or discipling Elisha. Mentoring others is one of the most important ministries any of us can have, especially leaders, but one that should not be limited to leaders.
Actually, the ministry here was dual. Not only did Elijah minister to Elisha, but undoubtedly, Elisha became a great comfort and encouragement to Elijah. At one time, Elijah thought he alone was left to carry on the work of God, but he was informed this was not the case at all. In fact, there were 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Among these were several schools of the prophets. Until this time, they were hiding in caves, afraid to come out and speak for the Lord. But after Elijah’s experience and renewal on Mount Horeb, he began traveling over the country teaching in these schools with Elisha as his attendant and disciple.
The Call of Elisha
(19:19)
In verse 19, we find Elijah now moving out of the place of loneliness and discouragement. The Lord had sought him while he was in that condition and revitalized and restored him to his ministry through the spiritual insight he received from the Angel of the Lord. Restored with new understanding about the way God works, the prophet left the mountain and found Elisha. The anointing of the kings mentioned in 19:15-16 would come later. The first priority was to find Elisha.
This illustrates how God’s Word works to restore and renew our lives. Graciously, He works to put us either on track or back on track to make us fruitful. Like Elijah, we too can easily find ourselves down, lonely, and discouraged, but the Lord is the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3) and He has committed Himself to our renewal and restoration. What a loving and gracious Lord, but we need to make ourselves available to God’s resources for renewal: (a) The Word (Rom. 15:4), and (b) other believers encouraging one another (2 Cor. 1:4; 1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13). Thus, Elijah first went to find Elisha who became an encouragement to the prophet.
Elijah found Elisha “while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth.” This seems to indicate that Elisha belonged to a family of considerable wealth. To obey the prophetic call would mean doing so at a considerable personal loss, financially speaking. It would mean counting the costs. It meant counting his financial security as loss and becoming a soldier of the Lord in the trenches of a tremendous spiritual conflict. But Elisha’s responses in verses 20 and 21 show us he was a man of faith who was willing to do just that.
Elisha had developed biblical values, priorities and eternal perspectives that had captured his heart which then controlled what he did with his life. As a result, he acted on his faith by following God’s call. He was willing to be uprooted from his quiet, peaceful, and rural life with its financial security to follow the Lord. Obviously he knew what his nation needed was the Word of the Lord. Like the sons of Issachar, he understood the times and knew what he must do (1 Chr. 12:32).
But I think it is also important to note where Elisha was when Elijah found him. Though he belonged to a prominent family, he was at work in the field with the rest of the field hands. Though wealthy, he was not irresponsible or lazy. This didn’t make him a leader, but it certainly demonstrated he had already developed the kind of character needed for leadership. Not only did hard work build character, it gave him a testimony to those around him.
I think it is interesting to note how many great men of the Bible were called into some special ministry after they had already demonstrated an ability and a willingness to work and where they had also shown faithfulness and loyalty? Note the following illustrations:
- Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law.
- David was tending sheep for his father.
- Peter was a fisherman.
- Paul had a trade making tents.
- The Lord Himself was a carpenter by trade who was trained by Joseph.
Many young people go through college or Bible school and then on to seminary. Upon graduation they seek a full-time ministry without the beneficial experience of having worked in the work place, been in the military or learned a trade. Then we wonder why they have problems in the ministry when faced with its rigid demands. Well, this can be one of the causes. Unless they worked their way through school, many do not really know what it is like to face the trials of the work place, nor have they developed the discipline of work. Furthermore, if, for whatever reason they must leave full-time ministry and work in a secular job, they have difficulty in supporting themselves and their families because they never learned a trade. When support for his ministry was lacking, the apostle Paul always turned to his trade as a tent maker.
As parents, we need to teach our children to work, first at home around the house and then encourage learning a trade as a part of their education. Learning to work helps to develop character, faithfulness, resourcefulness, and responsibility.
“And Elijah passed over to him (Elisha) and threw his mantle on him” (vs. 19). Let’s notice three things:
(1) This mantle was the official garment of a prophet. There were three types of mantles worn in biblical times. This is the `adderet, a cloak that could be made of animal hair and was a garment of distinction worn by kings and especially by prophets (1 Kgs. 19:13, 19; 2 Kgs. 2:8, 13-14; Zech. 13:4). The mantle automatically marked a man as a prophet, a spokesman of God. It was also a symbol of sacrifice and commitment. The life of a prophet was not a life of luxury. The mantle represented a man’s gift, the call of God, and the purpose for which God had called him.
(2) Throwing it over the shoulders of Elisha was a symbolic act denoting his summons to the office of prophet, but it was also a sure sign of God’s gift that enabled him to fulfill the prophetic office and ministry. This act by Elijah was a prophetic announcement that the gift of prophecy had been given (or would come) to Elisha. It was immediately understood by Elisha even without words.
(3) While some will disagree, I do not believe God calls believers in the same way today. Today, every believer is a priest of God (1 Pet. 2:5, 9) and is in some sense called to full-time service to represent the Lord even if their occupation is secular. As believers in Christ, we are God’s representatives and called to ministry according to the gifts God gives us. Part of this occurs in the work place, part in the home, part may occur in the church, and part may occur with a neighbor, etc. Every believer has a spiritual gift (or gifts) and this represents at least a portion of the mantle of God’s call on one’s life.
What God has gifted you to do, He has called you to do. What He has called you to do, He has gifted you to do. How do you know God’s call? By knowing your gift(s).
Understanding that all believers have been given a spiritual gift(s), we should seek to recognize our gift(s), develop them, and through God’s leading, put them to work. Knowing what our gifts are automatically determines a great portion of God’s will and direction for our lives from the standpoint of priorities, commitments, goals, and training. For instance, if a person does not have one of the speaking gifts (teaching, exhortation, etc.), God has not called him to preach or be a pastor. While we are all to do the work of evangelism and should look for opportunities to disciple and mentor others on a one-to-one basis, we should do people a favor by staying out of the pulpit or classroom as a teacher unless we are so gifted. One’s gift may be helps, or showing mercy. If so, that is where God wants to use us. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” A good steward is one who employs his gifts (accepts his mantle) by faithful development (training and use).
This concept is true regardless of one’s occupation. Our occupation may be anything from an engineer to a doctor, from a housewife to an executive secretary, a nurse or doctor. But our vocation, our calling, is to serve the Lord according to the way He has gifted us. Perhaps you know, as I do, of some who have found ways to reduce their workload and time in their business or profession in order to increase their capacity for other kinds of ministry. In some cases it meant reduced income, but they did so to invest more time with their families and in ministry. In some cases, God even blessed their occupation more. Their giving was not their lack. This, however, is not to suggest one’s secular work is not a form of ministry. I believe it is and not just as a platform for the gospel. For an excellent book on this, may I suggest: Your Work Matters to God, by Sherman and Hendricks.
The Response of Elisha
(19:20-21)
His Immediate Response (vs. 20a)
Elisha’s response was immediate. There was no hesitation or riding the fence. As we will see, his request regarding his father and mother was not an act of hesitation. Rather, Elisha was decisive, which undoubtedly indicated the previous work of God in his life and the perfect timing of this event. For Elisha (and so it should be for all of us), there was no decision to make. The fact of God’s call automatically made that decision for him. Any other decision would only lead to futility, unhappiness and a lack of purpose in life, a chasing after the wind.
Let’s say, for the sake of illustration, someone has the gift of teaching or showing mercy. God’s mantle or call on their life is to get involved to some degree and in some manner with the development and use that gift. They do not have to ask, “Lord, should I develop this gift and seek a place of ministry to use it?” To think and pray like that is equivalent to asking the Lord if they should use their feet and legs for walking. Of course, there are other factors involved for which we should seek wisdom and pray such as: what are my gifts and what training do I need to prepare for the opportunity and the specific place where the Lord wants me to serve? But we do not have to ask, should I use my gift(s)?
There are special commands concerning spiritual gifts: (a) we are to know our gift(s)--Romans 12:3; (b) we should never neglect our gift(s)--1 Timothy 4:14; (c) we are to stir up, be zealous for our gift(s)--2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20; and (d) we are to use our gift(s) in love, serving others by the strength which God supplies and for the glory of God--1 Peter 4:10-11; Romans 12:4f.
His Request to Honor His Parents (vs. 20b)
Elisha requested that he might go back to “kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you” (19:20). This was not an attempt to put off the call nor an act of hesitation. Some have wrongly related this to Luke 9:57-62. The Lord knew the heart of the men in Luke 9 and saw that for what it was, a lack of commitment and an attempt to avoid His call. It was a failure to deny themselves, etc.
But with Elisha, the case was entirely different. Elisha’s request was prompted by two things: (a) It was an act of genuine respect and honor for his parents, and (b) it was prompted by a desire to celebrate his entrance into this ministry and to declare and confirm his commitment to follow the Lord before friends and family. We will see this in 1 Kings 19:21.
Elijah’s Answer (vs. 20c)
Elijah allowed Elisha’s request. He said, “Go back again . . .” Then he added a word of caution and said, “for what have I done to you?” This statement seems to be an idiom that sounds rather abrupt or even meaningless to us. According to the idiom, we might translate it something like, “go back and bid farewell, for I have done something very important to you, but think carefully on what I have done to you, for your call is not from me, but from God!” The idea is that Elisha was accountable to God for what he did, not to Elijah. What Elijah had done was to express God’s call. Elijah would become Elisha’s spiritual leader and mentor, but Elisha must understand that ultimately, he was accountable to God, not to a man.
As the servants of God, we must ever remember that we are ultimately accountable to the Lord for what we do with our lives. God uses men and women in our lives to reach us, to train us, to challenge us, etc., but they are only instruments God uses to point or guide us in the right direction. We are accountable to one another to some degree, but our ultimate or primary accountability is to the Lord (Rom. 14:11-12). It seems to me there is an important principle here. One of the goals of leadership, as with parenthood, is to help people learn to become accountable to God (Heb. 13:17).
The Celebration of
Elijah’s Call and Commitment
(19:21a)
The oxen and the implements, the wooden plow with the yokes, represented the tools of his trade and the means and basis of his past life. Verse 21, then, is basically Elisha’s declaration of his commitment to follow the Lord. In essence, he was burning his bridges and counting his past as loss for the Lord that he might gain and attain the new life and ministry that God had for him as a prophet (Phil. 3). Elisha was showing family and friends that he had new goals, aims, aspirations, new commitments, values, and priorities. It showed his determination to never look back, seek to go back, or leave the calling of God no matter how tough it might get. This is a must for believers and especially spiritual leaders. Romans 12:1-2 forms the foundation for the emphasis that follows. Romans 12:3-21 exhorts us to know and use our gifts in ministry.
Through the actions of Elisha, God is showing us we need to develop an unwillingness to throw in the towel, to never say “I quit.” Life and service to the Lord are like a cross country race--not a hundred yard dash! One of the greatest needs in the Christian life as fathers or mothers, as husbands or wives, or as servants in any area is endurance with the commitment. We need to be problem-solvers, to work through our problems rather than quit. Elisha was burning his bridges on his past life.
The Preparation of Elisha
(19:21b)
Elisha became the attendant, the servant of Elijah (2 Kgs 3:11). His time with Elijah was not only an education in theology and in practical ministry to others, but in humility, submission to authority, loyalty, faithfulness, and obedience in being a servant. All of this was vital to his training and preparation for ministry. In order to lead, one must first learn how to be led. In order to give directions, one must first learn how to receive and follow directions. In order to be faithful, one must first learn faithfulness. This seems to be one of the lessons of Luke 16:10, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” Elisha’s preparation reminds me of Christ’s comment in Mark 10:43-45, “but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son man did not come to be served, but to serve.”
Conclusion
God has placed a mantle, a call, upon every believer in Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 4:10-11). As believer priests, this mantle is our God-given spiritual gift(s). As gifted ones, we are each to be good stewards of the stewardship He has entrusted to us regarding our time, talents (including our spiritual gifts), treasures, and His truth. This requires Elisha’s kind of commitment. When commitment is not there, we will be tottering on the fence and we will be unable to make the tough decisions needed to follow the Lord. This is undoubtedly what Jesus Christ meant in Luke 14:26, 27 and 33. The three conditions mentioned in Luke 14 deal with the necessity of total surrender. Without total surrender, we cannot be His disciples; we simply will not be able to make the sacrificial decisions that following Him will require. This means a reevaluation of our values, priorities, attitudes, and pursuits, but above all, answering the question, who and what is the source of my faith? Is it the Lord? Do I truly believe He will be all I need? Or is my faith in reality anchored in the details of life--pleasure, position, power, prestige, possession? Elisha, like Elijah, was an ordinary man, but he became extra-ordinary because he was available to the Lord, because he turned his life over to the Lord, lock, stock, and barrel, and God was able to use him in tremendous ways.
Related Topics: Character Study
18. The Translation of Elijah--Part 1 (2 Kings 2:1-11)
Introduction
In 2 Kings 2 we are given a glimpse of the mighty works of God through Elijah and Elisha. This in itself teaches us again about the might and power of our God. It also demonstrates a God who is loving and gracious and who cares for us as His people. As we study this passage, we must also remember that normally God does not work today as he did in the Old Testament or even in the New Testament. Even in the Bible, miracles were the exception not the norm or the rule. This is not to say that God does not have the ability to perform such miracles today or that He does not, on occasions, work in miraculous ways for He does. I am only saying that this is the exception. Today we do not have miraculous gifts as did Elijah and Elisha, and the Disciples of the first century. Remember, from a careful study of the New Testament, the disciples apparently lost their miraculous gifts even before the New Testament was completed (cf. Heb. 2:1-4; 2 Tim. 4:20; 1 Tim. 5:23).
Regardless of this fact, this chapter reminds and teaches us that our God is a mighty God and is both transcendent and immanent. By transcendent we mean that God is exalted above and is distinct from the universe. God is the source of all the immense power of the universe. There is no law, power, or fate that transcends Him since He alone is the absolute sovereign. By immanent we mean God is very much involved with our lives and our being. He pervades, sustains, and controls the universe. In His infinite and divine nature He is even concerned with our personal lives and needs no matter how small (e.g. Elisha and the ax head). This means that God did not simply create the universe and then withdraw, but He is personally involved with all of creation in a most intimate way.
God is above the creation and never bound by its laws which He Himself established. At the same time, He is personally involved with all our ways. These miracles both demonstrate and declare God’s transcendence and His immanence.
As we study this passage, we want to be alert to the fact there is much to be seen in the personal working of God in the lives of these men to change and use them in His purposes. There are lessons to be learned which are not so obvious as in the parting of the waters of the Jordan. They are, nevertheless, still the mighty providential works of an intimate, personal and immanent God working in the normal events of life just as He is also doing today in our lives.
The Test of Elisha’s Commitment
(2:1-6)
Verse 1 calls our attention to the fact that the events of this chapter all occurred shortly before the translation of Elijah, who was one of the key voices for the Word of God. The Lord wanted a replacement for Elijah and Elisha was to become that person. He would take over the ministry of Elijah, but this would mean a great deal of responsibility for this young prophet. Would he be equal to the challenge? Would he have what was needed?
The power that Elisha would need was not a problem. His power would come from God, but he would also need spiritual character to face the trials and pressures in these decadent times. He would need courage, endurance, loyalty, and biblical longings and priorities. I believe the story and events that follow in verses 2-6 were designed to test these character qualities in Elisha and demonstrate his preparedness for the task before him.
After months of training and following Elijah, would Elisha be willing to continue? Would he be as good in the mile as he was in the hundred-yard dash? Was he determined to follow through and stay with Elijah to the very end that he might take on the tremendous responsibility that would follow Elijah’s departure? Or could he be persuaded to throw in the towel?
Please note that three times in verses 2, 4 and 6 Elijah asks Elisha to stay where they were while he journeyed on as commanded by the Lord: first from Gilgal to Bethel, then from Bethel to Jericho, and finally from Jericho to Jordan. At both Bethel and Jericho there were schools for the training of prophets, virtual seminaries for training young men to teach the Word and use their gifts for the Lord. Elijah was evidently the head of these schools and God was undoubtedly sending him to bid them farewell and to encourage them in their work before he was taken (cf. 2 Pet. 1:12f).
Our text does not tell us why Elijah requested Elisha to stay behind. Some believe it was because of humility. Perhaps he did not want anyone to see the glorious thing that was about to happen to him, but God wanted a witness. I also believe he was testing Elisha. Perhaps the Lord was using Elijah’s humility and reluctance to have anyone see him taken to test the depth of Elisha’s commitment.
God often uses the personalities and lives of others to work in our own lives in various ways. We need to recognize this and respond in faith to what He is doing. Is there someone whose life motivates or encourages you? Or perhaps the opposite exists. Is there someone who irritates you, tries your patience, or who challenges your viewpoints or opinions? Proverbs teaches, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17).
Each time, Elisha refused to stay behind. He even used a double oath to show his “bulldog tenacity” to stay with his teacher to the very last. He said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” Please note that Elijah consents each time. He was not dead set against allowing Elisha to follow and this would suggest this was a test to prove the metal of Elisha. What does this teach us about Elisha and about the kind of character God wants in leaders and all believers since we are all leaders to some degree?
(1) It demonstrates a teachable spirit, a desire to learn and know more about the Lord and ministry. Certainly by this time, as Elijah’s servant and student, Elisha knew a great deal. He also knew he had really only begun. Isn’t that the case with all of us? No one has a corner on knowing God. Elisha was a man eager to learn and experience more of knowing the Lord.
(2) He was loyal, loving and committed to ministry. Elijah could certainly use his help and companionship over these journeys. This demonstrated Elisha’s commitment to others as a servant, the most fundamental requirement of leadership.
Are you an elder? God has put you there to serve, not just sit on a board and make a few decisions once in a while in an occasional elders’ meeting. Are you a spouse, a parent, a Sunday School teacher, a neighbor? God has called you and me to serve and minister to others. This means a willingness to go the extra mile.
This shows us Elisha really cared for his teacher. How we need loyal Christians who are not just looking out for themselves and what they can get out of a church or their leaders. We need servants who are genuinely concerned for others and determined to find ways to serve. By contrast, we are too often quick to criticize and cut others down when we ought to be looking for ways to help.
(3) He was devoted to God’s calling. This means God’s priorities and goals directed and controlled his life. The Lord had gifted him with the gift of a prophet. He was called to the work of a prophet. He was not ruled by other desires that could turn him off course and make him unavailable to God and others. In New Testament terms, he was a Spirit-controlled man. His attitude was like what the Apostle Paul expressed in Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”
As a prophet, he undoubtedly knew that Elijah would be taken. Elisha somehow sensed that being there at that time was vital to his calling and the fulfillment of the work God had called him to do. He was determined, by God’s grace, that nothing was going to keep him from being the person and the man God wanted.
Lesson for Elisha in Crossing the Jordan
(2:7-8)
With verse 7 we have the third mention of the sons of the prophets (the school of the prophets). Evidently the prophets also knew Elijah was about to be taken and they too were interested in what was about to take place. Elisha had been Elijah’s personal attendant and it was perhaps assumed that he would become the new leader of the prophets. Yet the prophets were not even sure Elijah’s departure would be permanent (cf. 2:16f).
Still, there was the need to authenticate Elisha’s ministry to show he was qualified to succeed Elijah. So we find the students from the school of the prophets, at least part of them, standing at a distance observing what was going on. There was undoubtedly an air of excitement and expectation. Note that at Bethel and at Jericho Elisha was asked, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” We aren’t told why this question was asked, but perhaps part of the reason was to see what Elisha was going to do? Would he stay by his master to the end?
God calls all believers and especially leaders to be models of Christlikeness. Our profession needs to be backed up with authentic Christian living, not to give us assurance of salvation but to demonstrate the life-changing power of the gospel and to give people confidence in the message of Jesus Christ.
This also reminds us that people are watching to see evidence of the blessing of God’s work in our lives. People want to see the authenticity of changed lives, lives of integrity, love, courage, commitment, faithfulness, and ministry. Only God can see our hearts. People must be able to see our works, the fruit of the Spirit, if it is going to have an impact on believers and non-believers alike (1 Tim. 4:12; James 2:14; Heb. 13:7).
So, Elijah and Elisha were standing by the Jordan as the prophets were looking on. Why the Jordan? Because in Scripture, the Jordan has a certain symbolic meaning. It represents barriers to the plan of God. It speaks of that which stands in the way of entering into God’s blessing, service, and will. On the other hand, crossing the Jordan represents moving out under the power of God. It speaks of faith in God’s power that removes the barriers and allows us to move on to fulfill God’s call and work (1 Thess. 2:18; 3:10-11; 2 Thess. 3:1-2). What follows becomes an object lesson and an encouragement to Elisha. Later it would become a means of authenticating his ministry to the other prophets and to people in Israel.
Are there any Jordan rivers in our lives right now that need to be removed by faith and prayer so we can move on for the Lord. Such barriers would include things like wrong values and goals, laziness, preoccupation with the wrong things, or any form of some life-dominating pattern? Their removal becomes an opportunity for God to display His power, an encouragement to you and me, and a testimony to others.
Note the process: Elijah ministers to Elisha which in turn prepares him for ministry to others, and so on and so on. We see in this the principle and need for biblical multiplication (cf. Matt. 28:19, 20 and 2 Tim. 2:1-2).
Are we involved sufficiently in this process? Do we see ourselves first as a disciple, a learner, one teachable and willing to learn from others like Elisha? And do we see ourselves as disciplers, available and involved in helping others to grow? Or do we see ourselves simply as one called to be ministered to? In other words, do we believe in a professional clergy paid to minister to us and do the work of ministry while we sit in the bleachers as spectators.
In verse 8, Elijah took his mantle, folded it together and struck the waters of the Jordan. The waters divided and the two prophets crossed over on dry ground, just as at the Red Sea and at the Jordan when Joshua led the people into the Land. This was an overt act by Elijah, but it was a visible display of an inward and invisible faith in the power of God.
It was also a lesson for Elisha. As God had parted the waters of the Jordan, so He would enable Elisha to both be and do all that was needed for his work and life as Elijah’s successor. Elisha was filling a large pair of shoes and he needed confidence in the Lord. I am sure this event stood as a reminder and a constant source of strength and faith not only to Elisha, but to all those who witnessed it.
The same God who worked for Elijah and Elisha is ever present today and available to our needs, working intimately and personally. No matter what our problem or needs are, God cares and will work to enable us to do what He has called us to do (1 Pet. 5:7; Phil. 4:13, 19). We must remind ourselves, however, that God does not work to meet needs indiscriminately or for selfish purposes. He cares and loves us and He meets needs because of that. But He must also often engineer failure and pain in order to conform us to His Son and to carry out His sovereign plan and purposes for our lives (Rom. 8:28-29; James 1:2f).
In this instance, God worked miraculously to remove an obstacle in order to teach, comfort, encourage, demonstrate His power, motivate, and bear testimony to a life. Therefore, a question we must regularly ask ourselves is, what is God doing in my life through this problem, circumstance, person, or condition? Remember, God is immanent! Too often we accept things as merely the product of natural forces or as accidental happenings and fail to see that it is God who has put the bend in the road (Eccl. 7:13-14).
Conclusion
We cannot all be an Elijah or an Elisha. As mentioned earlier, God does not generally work through miraculous events--not even in Old Testament or New Testament times. Today we have the completed canon of Scripture, the Holy Bible which is an even greater miracle. It is God’s final revelation that records the mighty historical acts of God from creation through the early church and anticipates His miraculous acts in the last days.
While God is generally not working directly by such miracles like we will see Him performing in the following chapters and events in the life of Elisha. Nevertheless, He is still working providentially in a multitude of ways--through His Word, through people, through circumstances of trials and blessings, and through His precious Spirit.
Here are some questions we should ask ourselves:
(1) Am I like Elijah, seeking to be a blessing to others and used of God throughout my life right up to the end? Or have I placed myself on the shelf with a horde of excuses?
(2) Am I like Elisha, truly committed to the Lord’s calling no matter what that calling may be according to my gifts and the needs in my family, in my church, in my community?
(3) Am I loyal and committed under all circumstances like Elisha--as a servant, as a disciple, as one behind the scenes learning to trust, serve and obey? Am I also willing, if gifted for it, to step out to be a leader, to step out into the thick of battle or into the spotlight, and to take on responsibilities?
(4) Am I willing to accept God’s assignment whether it means latrine duty or duty in the front office? Whatever the assignment, Elisha was available--and not just on his terms.
This is not a direct quote, but I think it was Howard Hendrix who said: “the acid test is a person’s response to the uninspired moments of the more behind-the-scenes ministries, the ministries which are less glorious, more trivial, and sometimes the more thankless jobs, the situations which may not necessarily turn you on, but which are still needed.”
This scene, along with what has preceded it, reminds me of Luke 16:10-13:
He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Ultimately, mammon is any false god that gains the allegiance that only the true God deserves. It is any false god we depend on for our security, satisfaction, and significance that only the true God can provide.
Related Topics: Character Study
19. The Translation of Elijah--Part 2 (2 Kings 2:1-11)
Introduction
Second Kings 2:1-11 is the story of the translation of Elijah which brings to a close his ministry on earth. Elijah’s translation and the events that surrounded it became a means of testing for Elisha whom God had called to step into the shoes of the older prophet. So also God works providentially in our lives through the events and lives of others.
In verses 1-6, there was a test of Elisha’s commitment. When asked to stay behind while Elijah went on, Elisha each time responded with a double oath to show his “bulldog tenacity” to stay with his teacher to the very last, knowing his master was about to be taken. This demonstrated several things about his character--a teachable spirit, loyalty, and a commitment to God’s calling to the very last.
Then, in verses 7-8, Elisha learned a lesson in the miracle of the parting of the waters of the Jordan. As God had parted the waters of the Jordan, so God would enable Elisha to both be and do all that was needed for his work and life as Elijah’s successor.
Now, another test follows--perhaps the most critical of all. It was the test of his longings, a test to see where his heart was (Ps. 26:2; 139:23; Jer. 17:10; Matt. 6:21; 13:46; Phil. 3:8).
A Test for Elisha
(2:9-10)
In verse 9 we are told that immediately following the crossing of the Jordan, Elijah poses a very simple question. It is a question with tremendous ramifications on the life of any believer in Christ. He said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” Please note the timing of this. Elijah waited until after they had crossed over the Jordan, after this great display of the power and provision of God. Why? What can we learn from this?
(1) I think it teaches us the principle of timing and discernment. We need to discern the right time to witness, confront, challenge, or even to encourage. Sometimes it is just not the right time and our tendency is to speak when we should be quiet, and to be silent when we should speak. “A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7). “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances” (Prov. 25:11). “A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word” (Prov. 11:23).
(2) This also teaches us that a great time to challenge believers to action is when they have just witnessed the blessing of God and are encouraged by the Lord through His Word or through what He has been doing in their lives.
The question put to Elisha was, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” The reference to being taken also teaches us several things:
(1) None of us are indispensable to God. Sooner or later God is going to remove us or someone whose ministry we are depending on. No matter how important we may think we are or others may think we are to a work, a church, a family, or a nation, the only one who is truly indispensable is the Lord.
(2) God always has someone else, or some other way to accomplish His purposes, or He may have a different purpose or purposes. Our need is to rest in God’s will and then carefully consider our responsibility in view of the removal of that one on whom we have been depending. When it was time for Elijah to go, there was an Elisha. When it was time for Moses to go, there was a Joshua.
(3) Elijah’s question shows us we should seek to be a blessing to others as long as we are here. Always we must recognize that we are only an instrument of God’s grace, a sower, a waterer, or a reaper--but it is God who is the indispensable and ultimate cause.
Primarily, this question was a test. The Lord, if you recall, asked Solomon a similar question at the beginning of his ministry and work as king.
Why ask such a question? Because our desires and requests show the condition of our hearts. It shows just how ready we are for ministry, responsibility, and sacrifice. It shows if our treasure is primarily here on earth or in heaven. It shows if we really see heaven as home or whether we are trying to make this fallen world our heavenly home. It shows if we are ready to be a servant or still want to be served.
Christians who are prosperous and comfortable on earth may give money generously to Christian work, but usually find it hard to think of heaven as home. It is one thing to speak piously about dying as “going home,” but quite another to “put our money where our mouth is.” Tragically, many who talk piously about “home” display little evidence of longing to be there. Home in Florida is more attractive. Tension exists between home on earth and home in heaven, there are practical ways to discover where our real interest lies.36
Our desires and requests reveal where our true treasures are. This in turn shows where our hearts are, which will in turn determine our priorities and pursuits and willingness to make the necessary sacrifices to fulfill God’s will. Ultimately then, the real issue is the motive behind the request, the deep down longings of the soul. Our requests may be good, but our motive may be evil. It may be an attempt to make this world our home. The request may be born of greed, or lust for praise, power, position, applause, prestige, or ease and comfort at the expense of God’s purposes. In other words, it becomes an attempt to find happiness apart from the Lord.
Elisha’s Reply (vs. 9)
In verse 9 we also see Elisha’s reply. “Please, let a double portion of your Spirit be upon me.” Let’s note several things about this reply:
(1) Elisha was respectful and courteous. A person who says “please” is usually one who will also say “thank you.” He is one who is genuinely appreciative of the loving acts of others. He is usually a person who doesn’t take people for granted. Oh, how we need to cultivate the art and heart of appreciation, thankfulness, courteousness, and respectfulness.
(2) The words “double portion” do not mean two portions or twice as much of something. It especially does not mean twice as much of the Holy Spirit. Remember that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a substance that you can pour in by measure. John 3:34 tells us that God does not give His Spirit by measure. The words “unto Him” in the KJV are not in the original text. In the New Testament the command to be filled with the Spirit is a command to be controlled by the Spirit who indwells, not a command to get more of the Spirit. It means we are to allow the Spirit who indwells us to control more and more of our lives. It’s not that we get more of the Spirit but that the Spirit gets control of more of us.
(3) The expression “double portion” was used in connection with the firstborn son, who by law inherited two parts of his father’s property. He also became the one responsible to be the spiritual head of the family and responsible to perpetuate God’s covenant promises.
So Elisha was not asking for more power or more of the Holy Spirit, but simply that he might be the successor of Elijah to carry on Elijah’s important ministry. From what we know about Elisha’s life and ministry that follows, this clearly was not a request of pride, for personal glory, or selfish gain of any kind. Instead, it was the request of a man responding to the challenge and needs of the day. It was a man wanting to be used of God for God’s glory. And it was a man showing his willingness by faith to accept the responsibility of God’s will for his life. Elisha wanted to be the spiritual firstborn son of Elijah and serve the Lord as God had called him to do. Above all, it was the request of a man with longings that were anchored in eternity. He “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10). He knew God had provided something far better than what we have in this fallen world (Heb. 11:40). He was willing to make sacrifices and live as an alien and sojourner (Heb. 11:9; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11).
Are we likewise living as sojourners? Where are our treasures? What drives us? What do we want out of this life--from our family, from our jobs, from our pleasures, etc.? Scripture teaches us that “God has given us all things to enjoy.” If we are trying to use things to make this world our heavenly home and our basic source of satisfaction instead of the Lord, it will never work. We live in a fallen and evil world, not heaven. The ravages of sin are all around us and still in us even as believers (cf. Gal. 5:17). We will end up selling our birthright for a bowl of pottage. We will fail to be good stewards of God’s resources--our talents, treasures, time, and God’s truth.
Scripture has a lot to say about man’s longings, though the word used in our translations is usually the word “lust.” Basically, lust is the strong desire for something caused by longing for satisfaction, security, significance, etc., apart from dependence on God and His righteous plan for one’s life.
Elijah’s Response (vs. 10)
Elijah’s answer is given in verse 10. Knowing that he was only an instrument and that such things are in God’s sovereign control, he said, “You have asked a hard thing.” This could mean “this isn’t mine to give. Only God can give it.” Elijah, however, knew Elisha was to be his replacement (1 Kings 19:16). That’s what he had been grooming him for over these several years. It is possible that Elijah is saying “that which you have asked will mean a hard life,” a life with trials, persecution, and great responsibility.
Whatever the case, a condition was attached which would manifest God’s will regarding such a request--the condition of seeing Elijah translated. This would manifest the will of God, demonstrate Elisha’s determination, and show that Elisha, as the witness of this dramatic event, would also be the prophet’s successor.
The Translation of Elijah
(2:11)
Our text says, “Then it came about as they were going along and talking, that behold . . .” The Hebrew text is more like, “And it came to pass, they were going along, walking and talking, and behold . . .” The text highlights the fact that this glorious event occurred in the midst of their conversation and fellowship. They were no doubt talking about the things of God, about the nation and its condition, about ministry and the teaching of the Word.
Can we learn anything from this? I think so. Let me suggest a couple of applications.
(1) We see Elijah’s continued commitment to minister to his young student. We also see Elisha learning all he could while he could--soaking up truth and the fellowship of his dear friend. This scene gives us a beautiful example of the importance of discipling among believers.
(2) We see Elijah involved in ministry right up to the moment the Lord took him. Isn’t this the way we should all want to go--in fellowship and serving the Lord, redeeming the time for eternity. This doesn’t mean we don’t take time out for fishing, golf or gardening, or other leisurely activity, but such is never to be our reason for living. We should never retire from ministry!
Next we read, “that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire . . .” I am sure Elijah had more he wanted to say to Elisha and certainly Elisha was not ready to lose Elijah. The implication here is that, suddenly, in the middle of their conversation, this manifestation of the Lord’s presence appeared, separated the two, and took Elijah away.
This is the way the Lord works; it’s the way life is. We are never ready to lose a loved one, a good friend or teacher. There is always more to say, more to teach and learn, more times we would like to enjoy together. But God, who alone is the indispensable one, suddenly breaks into our lives and takes our friend or loved one home to be with Him or moves them somewhere else. This hurts and causes pain for us, but it should never neutralize us. Rather, it should thrust us in another direction or into a new responsibility while trusting in the Lord and moving out for God. Life must go on. We must pick up the baton and keep moving toward the goal. Often it is a new goal God has set before us.
Please note that the prophet was not taken to heaven in a fiery chariot. He was taken up in a whirlwind. The chariot and horses of fire were manifestations of God’s divine presence or a manifestation of His angelic forces who came to get Elijah and accompany Him to heaven. The same is undoubtedly true for us in death. Elijah, like Enoch, was translated without seeing death. He was taken up into heaven which represents the paradise of God. He was removed from the pain of this fallen world into the bliss and joy of paradise.
Moses, the great prophet and giver of the Law, died and was buried. Elijah was translated without seeing death. So today, because of the imminent hope of the coming of the Lord, we too have the prospect of not seeing death, but suddenly being changed into glorified bodies and caught up into heaven to ever be with the Lord. This is the blessed hope of the body of Christ. Should it not occur in our lifetime, we still have the confidence that death means to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Either way, all believers have the hope of being with the Lord--the hope of reward and of being with our Rewarder.
It is right here that we have one of the most important principles of the Christian life. It is a principle that was surely a dominating, driving, life-changing force in the lives of these two prophets--the hope of heaven and eternity and all that it holds. Our ability to live godly lives, to serve God rather than self, to forgive and love others, and find real peace and stability is directly proportionate to the degree that the glories of heaven grip our souls and become the motive and anchor of our lives.
What gave these two prophets the courage to do what they did? What gives us the courage to be the people God has called us to be and make the necessary sacrifices in order to love and serve God and others. One man has defined courage as “the willingness to sacrifice for a better day.”37 Until the refrain in the old hymn, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through” becomes real to us, we will not be truly free from those forces that dominate us and keep us from being more available to God and able to love and serve people.
Abraham never saw his vision turn into reality. Though he found the country he was looking for, he never possessed it. His descendants did. But hundreds of years were to pass before even they inherited the promise. Meanwhile Abraham remained a wandering stranger in the country he had intended to settle. He is described variously as “pilgrim,” “sojourner,” “stranger.” Were he a child of the twentieth century, we might call him a “displaced person.”
Abraham is thus the prototype of the follower of Jesus. We do not live in tents as Abraham the sojourner did. We may not even be called to “live out of a suitcase” as some of our modern brothers and sisters. Yet if we are serious about following Christ we share Abraham’s outlook.
We do not “belong.” We are temporary residents only. Our real home is not immediately available, but we refuse to settle permanently anywhere else. We are “pilgrims and strangers.”
We have not chosen impermanence as a preferred lifestyle. We are not nomadic. A nomad thinks only of the next temporary pasture. Deep within us, however, is a longing for our true home. It is this longing that characterizes the people of God. They do not belong to this world because they do belong somewhere else.38
Allender and Longman in Bold Love say:
It seems that most of my life is sacrificed protecting and enhancing a home that is supposedly not my home. I still read self-help books on parenting, hoping someone will finally tell me how to parent correctly so that my children and I can avoid the sorrow of life. I often listen to sermons with the same energy (“tell me how to make this life work better”). The root desire behind our propensity to find concrete, manageable steps for living the Christian life often boils down to a demand to find order, predictability, and consistency in a world where there is little to none. How would you answer the questions, “Do I live for heaven?” or “Do I live demanding that life be like heaven?” Your answers will determine what you will spend your life fighting for.39
36 John White, The Cost of Commitment, InterVarsity, Downers Grove, 1976, p. 67.
37 Dan B. Allender and Tremper Longman III, Bold Love, NavPress, Colorado Springs, 1992, p. 139.
Related Topics: Character Study
20. The Doctrine of Suffering
Introduction
Why me? Why now? What is God doing? Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources.
Suffering is not in itself virtuous, nor is it a sign of holiness. It is also not a means of gaining points with God, nor of subduing the flesh (as in asceticism). When possible, suffering is to be avoided. Christ avoided suffering unless it meant acting in disobedience to the Father’s will.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider--God has made the one as well as the other so that man may not discover anything that will be after him.
The following questions are designed to help us “consider” in the day of adversity:
(1) How am I responding to it?
(2) How should I respond to it?
(3) Am I learning from it?
(4) Does my response demonstrate faith, love for God and for others, Christ-like character, values, commitment, priorities, etc.?
(5) How can God use it in my life?
Suffering Defined
What is suffering? What are these bends in the road that God puts in the path of life that we are to carefully consider? Simply stated, suffering is anything which hurts or irritates. In the design of God, it is also something to make us think. It is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives in a way that would never occur without the trial or irritation.
Illustrations of Suffering
“It may be cancer or a sore throat. It may be the illness or loss of someone close to you. It may be a personal failure or disappointment in your job or school work. It may be a rumor that is circulating in your office or your church, damaging your reputation, bringing you grief and anxiety.”40 It can be anything that ranges from something as small and irritating as the bite of a mosquito or the nagging of a gnat to the charge of an elephant or having to face a lion in the lions’ den as with Daniel (Dan. 6).
General Causes of Suffering
(1) We suffer because we live in a fallen world where sin reigns in the hearts of men.
(2) We suffer because of our own foolishness. We reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-9).
(3) We sometimes suffer because it is God’s discipline. “For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son He receives.” (Heb. 12:6).
(4) We may suffer persecution because of our faith--especially when we take a stand on biblical issues, i.e., suffering for righteousness sake (2 Tim. 3:12).
Of course, all of these do not apply at the same time. All suffering is not, for instance, a product of our own foolishness, self-induced misery, or sin. It is true, however, that rarely does suffering not reveal areas of need, weaknesses, and wrong attitudes that need to be removed like dross in the gold refining process (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6-7).
The Nature of Suffering
Suffering is Painful
Suffering is hard. It is never easy. Regardless of what we know and how hard we apply the principles, it is going to hurt (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6--“distressed” is lupeo meaning “to cause pain, sorrow, grief”).
Suffering is Perplexing
Suffering is somewhat mysterious. We may know some of the theological reasons for suffering from Scripture, yet when it hits, there is still a certain mystery. Why now? What is God doing? In this, it is designed to build our trust in the Almighty.
Suffering is Purposeful
Suffering is not without meaning in spite of its mystery. It has as its chief purpose the formation of Christ-like character (Rom. 8:28-29).
Suffering Proves, Tests Us
“Trials” in James 1:2 is the Greek peirasmos and refers to that which examines, tests, and proves the character or integrity of something. “Testing” in this same verse is dokimion which has a similar idea. It refers to a test designed to prove or approve. Suffering is that which proves one’s character and integrity along with both the object and quality of one’s faith. Compare 1 Pet. 1:6-7 where the same Greek words are used along with the verb dokimazo which means, “put to the test,” “prove by testing as with gold.”
Suffering is a Process
“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, proven character; and . . .” (Rom. 5:3-4). “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jam. 1:3-4). As a process, it takes time. The results God seeks to accomplish with the trials of life requires time and thus also, endurance.
Suffering is a Purifier
No matter the reason, even if it is not God’s discipline for blatant carnality, it is a purifier for none of us will ever be perfect in this life (Phil. 3:12-14).
Suffering Provides Opportunity
Suffering provides opportunity for God’s glory, our transformation, testimony, and ministry, etc. (See reasons for suffering given below.)
Suffering Requires Our Cooperation
Suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. “We all want the product, character; but we don’t want the process, suffering.”41 Because of our make up as human beings, we can’t have one without the other.
Suffering is Predetermined and Inevitable
1 Thessalonians 3:3 so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.
1 Peter 4:19 Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
The question we must each face is not, “if” we are going to have trials in life, but how will we respond to them.
Suffering is a Struggle
It’s going to be a battle all the way. That’s why they are called “trials” and “testings.” Even when we understand the purposes and principles of suffering, and we know the promises of God’s love and concern given in the Word of God for handling suffering, dealing with the trials of life is never easy because suffering hurts. Trials simply give us the capacity to cooperate with the process (Jam. 1:4). They allow the process to work and allow us to experience inner peace and joy in the midst of the trials.
In order to handle suffering with inner joy and tranquillity, we must be able to look ahead to God’s purposes and reasons for suffering. This requires faith in the eternal verities of God.
Compare the blessings of affliction as seen in the testimony of the Psalmist in Ps. 119:
|
Before affliction: |
Straying and ignoring (vs. 67a) |
|
During and in affliction: |
Learning and turning (vs. 71, cf. vs. 59) |
|
When under affliction we need to: |
Determine Causes if we can (Is it because of something I have done?) Determine Objectives (What is God wanting to do in my life or in others?) Determine Solutions (How does God want me to handle this?) |
|
After affliction: |
Knowing and changing (vss. 67b, 97-102) Resting and valuing (vss. 65,72) |
We must understand God’s chief purpose for our lives is to be conformed to the image of Christ and He has determined in His plan to use suffering for our spiritual development. If we are going to endure suffering and the trials of life, however, we must also understand and believe in the other purposes and reasons for suffering as they are related to the chief purpose.
Purposes and Reasons for Suffering
(1) We suffer as a testimony, as a witness (2 Tim 2:8-10; 2 Cor. 4:12-13; 1 Pet. 3:13-17). When believers handle suffering joyfully and with stability, it becomes a marvelous testimony to the power and life of Christ that we claim and name. Suffering provides key opportunities to manifest and magnify the power of God through His servants in order to verify and confirm the messenger and his message. It provides opportunities to reveal our credentials as ambassadors of Christ (1 Kings. 17:17-24; John 11:1-45). This includes the following areas:
- To glorify God before the angelic world (Job 1-2; 1 Pet. 4:16).
- To manifest the power of God to others (2 Cor. 12:9, 10; John 9:3).
- To manifest the character of Christ in the midst of suffering as a testimony to win others to Christ (2 Cor. 4:8-12; 1 Pet. 3:14-17).
(2) We suffer to develop our capacity and sympathy in comforting others (2 Cor. 1:3-5)
(3) We suffer to keep down pride (2 Cor. 12:7). The Apostle Paul saw his thorn in the flesh as an instrument allowed by God to help him maintain a spirit of humility and dependence on the Lord because of the special revelations he had seen as one who had been caught up to the third heaven.
(4) We suffer because it is a training tool. God lovingly and faithfully uses suffering to develop personal righteousness, maturity, and our walk with Him (Heb. 12:5f; 1 Pet. 1:6; Jam. 1:2-4). In this sense, suffering is designed:
- As discipline for sin to bring us back to fellowship through genuine confession (Ps. 32:3-5; 119:67).
- As a pruning tool to remove dead wood from our lives (weaknesses, sins of ignorance, immature attitudes and values, etc.). The desired goal is increased fruitfulness (John 15:1-7). Trials may become mirrors of reproof to reveal hidden areas of sin and weakness (Ps. 16:7; 119:67, 71).
- As a tool for growth designed to cause us to rely on the Lord and His Word. Trials test our faith and cause us to use the promises and principles of the Word (Ps. 119:71, 92; 1 Pet. 1:6; Jam. 1:2-4; Ps. 4:1 [The Hebrew of this passage can mean, “You have enlarged, made me grow wide by my distress]). Suffering or trials teach us the truth of Psalm 62:1-8, the truth of learning to “wait on the Lord only.”
- As a means of learning what obedience really means. It becomes a test of our loyalty (Heb. 5:8). Illustration: If a father tells his son to do something he likes to do (i.e., eat a bowl of ice cream) and he does it, the child has obeyed, but he hasn’t really learned anything about obedience. If his dad, however, asks him to mow the lawn, that becomes a test and teaches something about the meaning of obedience. The point is, obedience often costs us something and is hard. It can require sacrifice, courage, discipline, and faith in the belief that God is good and has our best interests at heart regardless of how things might appear to us. Regardless of the reason God allows suffering into our lives, rarely does it not reveal areas of need, weaknesses, wrong attitudes, etc., as it did in Job.
Suffering itself is not the thing that produces faith or maturity. It is only a tool that God uses to bring us to Himself so we will respond to Him and His Word. It forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources. It causes us to put first things first. Ultimately, it is the Word and the Spirit of God that produces faith and mature Christ-like character (Ps. 119:67, 71).
In James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 the key word is “proof.” “Proof” is the word dokimion which looks at both the concept of testing which purifies, and the results, the proof that is left after the test. The Lord uses trials to test our faith in the sense of purifying it, to bring it to the surface, so we are forced to put our faith to work.
(5) We suffer to bring about continued dependence on the grace and power of God. Suffering is designed to cause us to walk by God’s ability, power and provision rather than by our own (2 Cor. 11:24-32; 12:7-10; Eph. 6:10f; Ex. 17:8f). It causes us to turn from our resources to His resources.
(6) We suffer to manifest the life and character of Christ (The Fruit of the Spirit) (2 Cor.4:8-11; Phil. 1:19f). This is similar to point (4) above with more emphasis on the process and defining the objective, the production of the character of Christ. This has both a negative and a positive aspect:
- Negative: Suffering helps to remove impurities from our lives such as indifference, self trust, false motives, self-centeredness, wrong values and priorities, and human defense and escape mechanisms by which we seek to handle our problems (man-made solutions). Suffering in itself does not remove the impurities, but is a tool God uses to cause us to exercise faith in the provisions of God’s grace. It is God’s grace in Christ (our new identity in Christ, the Word and the Holy Spirit) that changes us. This negative aspect is accomplished in two ways:
(a) When out of fellowship with the Lord: Suffering becomes discipline from our heavenly Father (Heb. 5:5-11; 1 Cor. 11:28-32; 5:1-5). This involves known sin, rebellion and indifference to God.
(b) When in fellowship with the Lord: Suffering becomes the loving and skillful handy work of the Vine Dresser to make us more productive. It involves unknown sin, areas we may not be aware of, but that are nevertheless hindering our growth and fruitfulness. In this case, suffering often constitutes mirrors of reproof (John 15:1-7). - Positive: When believers live under suffering joyfully (i.e., they endure and keep on applying the promises and principles of the faith), Christ’s life or character will be more and more manifested as they grow through the suffering (2 Cor. 4:9-10; 3:18). This means trust, peace, joy, stability, biblical values, faithfulness and obedience in contrast to sinful mental attitudes, blaming, running, complaining, and reactions against God and people.
(7) We suffer to manifest the evil nature of evil men and the righteousness of the justice of God when it falls in judgment (1 Thess. 2:14-16). Suffering at the hands of people (persecution, violent treatments) is used of God to “fill up the measure of their sins.” It shows the evil character of those who persecute others and the justice of God’s judgment when it falls.
(8) We suffer to broaden our ministries (cf. Philippians 1:12-14 with 4:5-9). In the process of producing Christian character and enhancing our testimony to others, suffering often opens up doors for ministry we could never have imagined. Paul’s imprisonment (chained daily to Roman soldiers in his own house) resulted in the spread of the gospel within the elite imperial praetorian guard. The Apostle was undoubtedly continuing to rejoice in the Lord, but if he had been complaining, sulking, and bitter, his witness would have been zero.
40 Ron Lee Davis with James Lee Denney, Gold in the Making, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 1983, p. 17-18.
Related Topics: Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Character Study
3. The Waters of Jericho Purified (2 Kings 2:18-22)
Introduction
Writing against Jerusalem and Judah, Isaiah described the nation in terms that graphically portray the sick conditions of our nation and the world today. He wrote:
Isaiah 1:4-6 Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him. Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick, And the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it, Only bruises, welts, and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil.
We too live in a sick society and a curse-ridden world. The barrenness caused by the streams of spiritual death and the blindness of man’s mind flowing throughout society are everywhere evident in the political, religious, and moral atmosphere of our times. Yet, this condition is not always as apparent as it might seem. For there is much that is deceptively pleasant and appealing to our society and our world, especially in our country. Materialistically there is a great deal of prosperity. There are majestic landscapes, magnificent buildings, gigantic malls of consumerism, educational facilities, electronic gadgets designed to make life easier, huge and wealthy religious organizations and structures, and on the list goes.
Still in the midst of all this the misery level is at an all-time high. Spiritual barrenness, like a giant shadow falls over our land. No matter how hard men try, by-in-large, they are turning to the wrong sources for happiness--the land remains barren. The streams that water the land are poisonous. The land is cursed.
Jerry Falwell in Fundamental Journal (July/Aug), wrote that the Secretary of the Interior, James Watt stated recently that our National Anthem is the only one in the world that ends with a question: “Does that star-spangled Banner yet wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” Falwell went on to say, it reminds us of the fragile nature of freedom and serves as a warning that the freedom that has been won at great cost can be easily lost. The great lesson is that nations, no matter how blessed, can easily degenerate and come under the divine discipline of God. The Scripture says “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psa. 33:12). But it is equally true that cursed is the nation whose god is not the Lord (i.e., whose god is materialism, or consumerism, or humanism, or communism, or any other idolatrous god).
Our passage for this lesson reminds us of this truth, but, thankfully, it also points us to God’s solution and to our responsibilities as believers who are left here as ambassadors to represent the Lord, the Sovereign Creator and God of the earth.
This historic passage illustrates spiritual truth found everywhere in Scripture. It employs symbolism which is ultimately the key to its meaning and application for us today. The symbolism is found in the following:
(1) The city which is Jericho (2:18-19). This city had been cursed (cf. Josh 6:26)
(2) The bad water which caused the land to be unfruitful (2:19).
(3) A new jar with salt which purified the water (2:20-21).
Historical Background
18 And they returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” 19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 And he went out to the spring of water, and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
The story is short and simple, yet its truth is profound and far reaching. This was a city controlled by Israel and in which there was a small seminary (a school of the Prophets), but the water of the city was bad and caused unfruitfulness in the land. If you will notice, in 2:19 the men of the city of Jericho (cf. 2:15) reported, “the situation in the city is pleasant.” At first glance things looked prosperous in the city. There were beautiful buildings, trees, gardens, and much activity--but no actual fruitfulness. Literally the Hebrew says “the land causes barrenness.” This may indicate the water contained mineral deposits which hindered growth or fruitfulness. Things grew, but before they produced fruit, the fruit would drop off or the plants would wither.
Another suggestion is that the problem may have been related to human life. McNeely tells us John Gray reports that a recent study of the region showed that certain springs in the area have contacted radioactive strata. Combining these substances with water has polluted the water in such a way to cause sterility.18 This then produced barrenness and the barrenness related not to plant life as much as to human life.
The men recognized the authenticity of Elisha as a prophet of God who had walked across the Jordan, an evident token of the power of God in his life. So they came to Elisha and requested help for their problem. Elisha then requested a new jar filled with salt, casts it into the spring, and by a miracle of God the water was purified with permanent results. Evidently, the spring to this day is okay. Please note in 2:21, Elisha gives God the credit. It was not Elisha and it was not the salt--it was God. Elisha was only a representative agent of God and the salt a symbol.
The Symbols Used
The City
Jericho had originally stood as a fortified city against the occupation of the land of Canaan by the people of God (see the book of Joshua). Jericho is very prominent in Joshua. The destruction of Jericho stood as a kind of firstfruits of promise for the occupation of the rest of the land. However, the city was cursed in the sense that anyone attempting to rebuild the city, especially as a fortified city, would lose their sons (Josh 6:26). It could be the problem of barrenness was a continuation of this curse generation after generation.
Jericho portrays the world which is under the curse of God. This is a curse which only God can lift by His plan of salvation as revealed in the Word of God. The world stands as a hindrance, indeed, as a satanic fortification against men occupying God’s plan of salvation and deliverance in Christ.
Mankind and the world system of Satan offers substitutes--human philosophies, religious systems, and materialistic solutions. These substitutes may be pleasant, but the world solutions always result in barrenness and are vain in fulfilling their promises. They may sound good, they may look appealing and they may satisfy the flesh for awhile, but the ills of man just continue to grow worse. Only God can remove the curse.
The Bad Water
Water in Scripture is often a symbol of the Word, of the Spirit who cleanses and refreshes, and even of life. Water which is bad naturally portrays the opposite. (a) In place of God’s Word, we have man’s futile viewpoint, humanism, idolatrous systems, and ideologies. (b) In place of the Holy Spirit, there are evil spirits who promote these doctrines (doctrines of demons) (1 Tim. 4; 1 John 4). (c) In place of cleansing, refreshment, and life there is pollution, weariness and death.
The New Jar
In Scripture, believers are portrayed as mere earthen vessels containing the treasure of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ so that the power of salvation might be clearly seen to be of God and not of man (2 Cor. 4:6-7). Note also that Elisha requested not just a jar, but a new jar (vs. 20), which perhaps portrays the believer, a regenerated, new person, a new creation of God, who is to represent the Lord in the world as an ambassador and priest of God who is to declare the excellencies of God and His salvation in Jesus Christ to a lost and cursed world (cf. 2 Cor 4:4-7; 5:20, 21; 1 Pet 2:9).
The Salt
The salt is the most significant of the symbols here. To see this let’s take a look at the actions of salt and its uses in Scripture.
The Actions of Salt
(1) It is preservative. It retards spoilage and putrefaction.
(2) It seasons, gives flavor and makes food more palatable and enjoyable.
(3) It causes thirst. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Right? Not necessarily, you can feed him salt and then he will drink.
(4) It irritates. Did you ever get salt in a wound?
(5) It is a healing and purifying agent. It purifies.
Historical Background
(1) Salt was one of the most important staples and commodities of ancient times. It was viewed right along with wine and oil as a sign of prosperity.
(2) Because of the lack of refrigeration, meat would spoil almost immediately without salt.
(3) It was taken from the Dead Sea and dug up from marsh areas. This meant that sometimes it was impure and mingled with vegetable and earth substances. Salt from the Dead Sea was often mixed with gypsum and if in sufficient quantities, the salt would become alkaline and lose its salty character.
Uses of Salt in Scripture
(1) Leviticus 2:13 teaches us that under no circumstances were any offerings to be brought without salt. Without salt they were unacceptable no matter how sincerely offered, no matter what the sacrifice or the cost or how pure the motive (cf. Ezek. 43:24). It was the salt that made the offering or sacrifice acceptable because the salt spoke of God’s covenant to save us through the person and work of Christ. Covenants in ancient times were ratified with salt. God’s covenant is to save us from our sins and to bring us into fellowship with Himself. The salt speaks of the person and work of Jesus Christ poured out for us who then, as the resurrected Lord, provides the ministry of the Holy Spirit, springs of living water (John 7:37-29). So no sacrifice we make counts unless it is a product of Jesus Christ in us and the control of the Spirit and His love at work in our lives (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1f).
(2) In Matthew 5:13a, Christ told His disciples, “you are the salt of the earth.” Here the salt analogy portrays the impact that believers are to have in the world as the representatives of Christ. The emphasis of Scripture is not that the believer himself is salt, but that the believer, as a new jar full of salt (the character of Christ), is to have the effect of salt upon the earth.
(3) But Matthew 5:13b warns us that salt can become tasteless, i.e., lose its saltiness. Remember, historically speaking, because of the way salt was often procured, it was sometimes impure and full of gypsum, or adulterated with earthen substances. The picture should be obvious. If a believer, even as a new jar, becomes adulterated with the world and its substitutes, he becomes useless to the Lord. He loses his sense of purpose.
(4) Mark 9:50 teaches us that salt in a believer’s life is good; it’s what makes us useful and profitable vessels or servants for the Lord. So we must be salty, not an old salty dog, but salty in the biblical sense of manifesting the character of the Savior.
So, what does the salt in 2 Kings 2:19-20 refer to? Salt in this passage refers to two things:
(1) Because of its Old Testament usage, it may speak of the salt of the covenant, the person of Christ in the life of the believer who gives the Holy Spirit as a spring of living water (Lev 2:13; Ezek. 43:24; 1 Kings 2:20, 21; John 7:37-39).
(2) The Word of God (Col. 4:6) which seasons and gives flavor to the believer’s life with the character and purpose of God (cf. Col. 3:16). In essence, as believers in Christ, our lives must be filled with both the Spirit and the Word.
We should conclude with a look at Luke 14:34-35 which adds to the emphasis in Matthew 5:13b:
Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? 35 It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Again we see this important warning: without its saltiness, salt becomes perfectly useless. It was good for nothing, not even for the soil as fertilizer or for the manure pile. The point is, as long as our lives are filled with and adulterated by the substitutes of the world (like the love of money or possessions) we are useless to the Lord as disciples or as vessels of the Lord (cf. Luke 14:33 in its context).
The Effects of Salt-Filled Jars
If we are correct in analogy, and it certainly fits with the earthen vessel concept of 2 Corinthians 4:7, it illustrates the principle of purpose. As instruments of God, we are to live with God’s purposes always in mind and as the goal of our lives. We are not simply here to please ourselves or to live for ourselves (cf. Phil 1:27 with 2:4-5). When believers live purposefully, with salt in their lives, they have the following effects in fulfilling their purposes.
(1) A preservative and healing force in society. This has both a negative and positive emphasis.
Negative: It shows us what the world is like and will become without the salt effect of believers. Scripture teaches us that without the salt effect of believers with their moral absolutes and through the indwelling ministry of the Spirit, the world will become morally and spiritually putrid because of the condition of man’s sin, his human viewpoint, and Satan’s constant activity.
Positive: We must realize our responsibility to be seasoned with the savor of Christ’s life through Word-filled, Spirit-filled lives that we might have a preservative and healing effect upon society. This means at least five things:
- Sacrificial Living: Poured out and sold out to Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:17; 2 Tim. 4:6).
- Evangelism: Seasoned with salt that we might win the lost to Jesus Christ (Col. 4:5-6).
- Edification or Sanctification: Growing ourselves and helping others to do the same. This heals and preserves. Too often believers are an opposite force and cause sickness, rather than healing. The church at Corinth is a sad example.
- Unity or harmony with one another: Remember Christ said “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another” (Mark 9:50).
- Civil obedience and social involvement (Rom. 13:1-10; Tit. 3:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:13-17)
(2) An Irritating Force. Salt not only seasons, purifies, and preserves, it also irritates. Living the Christian life and fulfilling the will of God will always rub some people the wrong way (John 15:19). Godly living is a rebuke to many and they will criticize and hate believers for it. Remember the only salt that will not irritate is salt that has “lost its saltiness.” Unfortunately, this is what characterizes much of the church in America today. It has lost its distinctiveness. Most of us have heard about the polls taken in our country which reveal how the values and priorities of the typical Christian is very similar if not the same as those who make no claim to being Christian.
Conclusion
God worked a miracle in the life of Elisha to teach us the kind of effect and the purpose believers are to have in this world. Men came to Elisha from Jericho because of the authenticity of his life and ministry. Elisha demonstrated that God was real, that God alone had the answers to the barrenness of life, and that God alone could give meaning and fruitfulness to life.
Applicational Questions:
(1) Are we living authentic Christianity, seasoned with the life of Christ, living purposefully, sacrificially, revealing the person and love of Christ to a sick and lost world?
(2) Are we involved in our society for good, or are we part of the problem?
(3) Are we a force for unity and harmony within the flock of God, or are we a force for disunity, a sower of discord among the brethren?
One of the greatest hindrances to evangelism is disharmony. So let’s be new vessels, full of salt, seasoned and poured out for a sick and dying world.
18 Richard I. McNeely, First and Second Kings, Moody Press, Chicago, 1978, pp. 96-97).
Related Topics: Character Study
1. Casting Shadows
Introduction
This series on the life of Elisha forms a sequel to the series, Studies in the Life of Elijah. Our study of Elisha actually begins at the conclusion of Elijah’s ministry. First Kings 19 describes the call of Elisha as the mantle of Elijah is cast upon his young student who will become his successor. Second Kings 2:1-11 describes the translation of Elijah with Elisha faithfully at his side. For a complete study on the life of Elisha, please see lessons 17-19 in the Elijah series.
Before moving into the story of Elisha and his ministry in Israel, it will be helpful to set the historical context and the stage onto which this man of God stepped because of the ramifications of this historical material to both the study of Elisha and its application, for none of us live and minister in a vacuum. We live in real-world conditions that call for faith and Christ-like character in the midst of those conditions if we are going to be used as servants of the God of history.
The last chapters of 1 Kings deal with the final days and death of degenerate King Ahab and the ascension of his son Ahaziah to the throne of his father. The book ends with this sad note:
1 Kings 22:51-53 Ahaziah the Son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. So he served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger according to all that his father had done.
The first chapter of 2 Kings takes up the story of the reign of Ahaziah, but it includes some important details of the last days in the life and ministry of Elijah, who also ministered to Ahab’s degenerate son, Ahaziah. Like his father, Ahaziah was engrossed in the cult of Baal-Melqart who was believed to be the god of storm and good crops, a falsity exposed by the prophet Elijah through the famine and the contest on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:20-40). Baal-Melqart was the cult promoted by Jezebel, that despicable woman whose very name has become synonymous with apostasy and evil (cf. Rev. 2:20).
Wood writes:
Elijah’s main impact on Israel lay, as intended, in his vigorous opposition to the cult of Baal-Melqart promoted by Jezebel. His total effect is hard to assess, but certainly was considerable. As noted, it would have been much greater had he not run when Jezebel threatened him; but still the overall influence of the famine, the contest on Mt. Carmel, and the later faithful ministry conducted with Elisha must have left lasting results. The entrenchment of Baal worship in Israelite life would have become far deeper had not Elijah lived and worked as he did.1
It is into this arena that Elisha walked. What was it like? The very first chapter reveals the atmosphere and horrible condition of the nation. It was a time when men and even the leadership of the nation, as we see so often in our day, were turning to the empty hopes of the idolatrous and demonic religious cult of Baal worship.2 In Elisha’s day it was the cult of Baal. The word “baal,” which can mean “lord” or “husband,” corresponds with the analogy of idolatry as spiritual adultery.
Baal was the Canaanite name for the Syrian god Hadad, considered the god of storms and wars. The symbol for this cult was often that of a bull which stood for strength and fertility. This cult was marked by a number of features, three of which have some interesting parallels to our society since we have moved away from our biblical and Christian heritage. These three prominent features were: (a) child sacrifice (cf. 2 Kings 16:1-4; 23:10; Jer. 32:33-35; Lev. 18:21), which compares significantly to abortion in America today; (b) homosexuality with effeminate priests (this clearly parallels the gay agenda in the U.S.); and (c) finally, there was a strong ecological emphasis with their dependence on Baal as the god of good crops and prosperity--much like America depends on man-made solutions for its health and prosperity. Baal was even credited with healing powers. But rather than turning to the God of Israel who had marvelously revealed Himself in the Word and through the ministry of Elijah, they were turning to the likes of Baal-zebub (the “Lord of the flies”; this probably represents an intended spelling change as a mocking alteration from Baal-zebul, which means “Baal the prince” or “exalted lord” [2 Kings 2:1]).
In this very first chapter, we see Ahaziah, which surely represented the people as a whole, seeking help and solutions to the problems and needs of life from Baal instead of turning to the Word of the Lord through the mouth of His prophets or to the Law of Moses (cf. 2 Kings 2:1-18). I am reminded of Isaiah’s word to the people of Judah who were turning to the occult spiritists of his day:
Isaiah 8:16-20. Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. 17 And I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. 19 And when they say to you, “Consult the mediums and the spiritists who whisper and mutter,” should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
This is always one of the main issues for heralds of the Word of God and for the people of a nation. Are we going to proclaim the Word of God and listen to its message, or are we going to listen to the many man-made and demonic messages of the world? This was the vital issue that faced both Elijah and Elisha as prophets of God. Second Kings 2:3 makes this clear by the message the Angel of the Lord instructed Elijah to give to Ahaziah, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?”
I pray that we do not miss this opening context that is part of the conclusion to Elijah’s ministry and the beginning of Elisha’s. This is one of the great issues if not the great issue in the church today and as well as our nation. We are so prone to listen to every voice other than God’s voice as it is found for us in His completed canon of Scripture, the Holy Bible. As it was when our Lord came on the scene and during the ministry of Paul, we live in a day when people are putting more stock in human experiences and exciting phenomena (as seen in the charismatic movement) than in the Word of God and its solid exposition.
One of my great concerns is that even when the Word is preached, it is often abused by preachers so that people aren’t truly getting the Word from God. Far too often I hear well-meaning men do eisegesis rather than exegesis in order to promote their own agendas.3 The church has had far too many messages that are little more than meditations or topical sermons which are more or less vaguely connected with a biblical phrase, clause, sentence, verse, or scattered assortment thereof. As someone has put it, these are ‘sermonettes’ which produce ‘Christianettes.’
Clearly, the need is for sound exegetical messages that move from the text of Scripture in context to an exposition of that text without losing sight of either the message of the text or the compelling needs of men and women who need to hear God’s principles and promises as they are carefully related verse-by-verse to the passage under study. This is what brings God’s authority into the message and gives it veracity.
As Walter Kaiser warns in his book, Toward an Exegetical Theology, we must guard against, “. . . mixing the Word with such foreign elements as civil religion, current philosophies, schools of psychology, political affiliations, and personal predilection.”4 To do so, as Kaiser goes on to point out, “is to take the powerful Word of God and to make it ineffective, weak, and despised in the eyes of our contemporaries.”5
In 1742 John Albert Bengel observed: “Scripture is the foundation of the church: the Church is the guardian of Scripture. When the Church is in strong health, the light of Scripture shines bright; when the Church is sick, Scripture is corroded by neglect; and thus it happens, that the outward form of Scripture and that of the Church, usually seem to exhibit simultaneously either health or else sickness; and as a general rule the way in which Scripture is being treated is in exact correspondence with the condition of the Church.”6
Whenever any society turns away from the absolute standards of the Word, as did Israel under the dismal leadership of the kings of the northern tribes of Israel, you begin to hear the word “crisis.” Such a society begins to face one crisis after another.
In a world that has been treated almost daily to one crisis after another in almost every aspect of its life, it will come as no shock to have another crisis announced: a crisis in exegetical theology. Already we have been warned about crises in systematic theology and Biblical theology, and about ignorance of the contents of Scripture.7
So, obviously the same thing is being said and exists in the realm of leadership and the influence we should each have as believers. In his book, The Making of a Christian Leader, Ted Engstrom writes:
Our nation and world today are faced with problems that appear insurmountable. Security and defense problems are staggering. For the most part, our youth, our future leaders, are confused, alienated, and demoralized. Morals are at an all-time low. Moral standards are almost nonexistent. The growing national debt, bankrupt nations, financially troubled cities, and economic instability create more alarm each passing day. Amid these grave circumstances, our generation is facing an equally serious problem: a leadership crisis.8
There is that word “crisis” again and in connection with leadership which was the problem in Elisha’s day. The quality of our leadership and thus its effectiveness is dying; we need a reinvestment in the pursuit of the qualities that form the foundation of biblical leadership. Note I said, foundation and that foundation can be nothing less that the solid exposition of the Bible so that men and women are hearing God’s message and are seeing how that message is unfolded from the Word. In a day when Judah, the southern kingdom, had abandoned the Lord and turned away from Him (Isa. 1:4), Isaiah the prophet spoke directly to the leaders of the nation and said:
Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah.
What was the issue and need? To hear to Word of the Lord! Notice how he later described what happens to the leadership of a nation and to its people when they fail to hear and apply God’s Word. He describes them as “mere lads” and as “capricious children” (Isa. 3:4). If this is not a commentary on our leadership today, I don’t know what is.
Next, in 2 Kings 2, we have story of the translation of Elijah which also begins the ministry of Elisha. In fact, the predominant subject of the first ten chapters of 2 Kings deal with the ministry of Elisha, Elijah’s successor. But both of these prophets had to minister in times of terrible national decay, a day very much like ours spiritually, morally, and politically.
As we can see, in moving from the ministry of Elijah to that of Elisha, we witness a transition that took place in the history of Israel.
(1) There is a change in prophets, we move from Elijah to Elisha.
(2) There is a change in books, we move from 1 Kings to 2 Kings.
(3) There is a change in kings, we go from Ahab to Ahaziah, his son.
First and Second Kings give us a history of the kings of Israel. It is a story of transition, but unfortunately, it was a transition of continuous decline from one level down to another with the exception of a few revivals that took place in the southern kingdom.
Before we go on with our study of the life and ministry of Elisha, and because these and other prophets of the day were ministering in days of moral and spiritual decline, I would like to focus on a couple of issues and to some lessons we can learn just by observing some major features in the historical mural God has painted for us in the history of the nation of Israel.
The Tragic Story
Note that 2 Kings opens with the translation of Elijah, but it closes with the deportation of captive Jews from the southern kingdom to Babylon. This deportation is preceded by the deportation of captive Jews of the northern kingdom by Assyria. This is a tremendously tragic story, not just because of the fall of a nation, but because this nation was the elect people of God who were called, by the grace of God, to bring regeneration and spiritual enlightenment to the nations (cf. Ex. 19:4-6; Deut. 4:4-10). Instead, however, Israel was influenced by the nations; they became so steeped in spiritual infidelity and moral decadence the Lord had to act in judgment against His own people as He had warned them in Deuteronomy 28-30.
Let’s review a moment to get the big picture:
I Samuel is the Book of Transition--from the theocracy to the monarchy. From Samuel, the last judge, to Saul, the first king, and then to the anointing of David and his reign.
II Samuel is the Book of David’s Reign--it gives us the story of David’s triumphs and troubles.
I Kings is the Book of Disruption--after the death of David’s son, Solomon, the kingdom was divided into two, the ten tribes that made up the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom of Judah and Benjamin.
II Kings is the Book of Dispersion--it is always to be remembered as the book where we see God’s people removed from their land and, though a remnant would return seventy years after the Babylonian captivity, 2 Kings is a story of tragedy and failure. When we read it we should be reminded of Proverbs 13:15, “the way of the treacherous (unfaithful) is hard,” or Proverbs 14:12, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
J. Sidlow Baxter draws our attention to a number of maxims: “Inexcusable wrong brings inescapable wrath. Abused privilege incurs increased penalty. The deeper the guilt, the heavier the stroke. Correction may be resisted, but retribution cannot be evaded.”9
In this, we see the law of sowing and reaping, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man (or nation) sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
In many ways, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings is a story of kings and the influence they had on their people and the kingdoms they ruled. It is a story of leadership or, in most cases, failed leadership and failed parenthood. In the southern kingdom of Judah there were a few good kings who brought forth revival like Josiah and Hezekiah, but in the northern kingdom it is said of each of them that they did evil--with the exception of one, Shallum who only reigned one month. In fact, 23 times in 1 and 2 Kings we read these word, “he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” And in nearly every case this is in some way related to the fathers that had preceded them with words like “according to all that his fathers had done,” or “in the way of his father,” or “more than their fathers had done.”
Two Kings Contrasted
It is interesting and enlightening that in the history of the kings of the two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, two men repeatedly stand out as standards of influence and significance.
David--a Positive Standard
It is significant that in the case of Judah’s kings, David is the standard according to which their character is estimated. Each king is estimated by the example of David. Again and again we read words such as:
1 Kings 11:4 His heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the heart of David his father (cf also verses 6, 33, 38).
1 Kings 14:8 You have not been as My servant David; . . .
1 Kings 15:11 Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.
This is a great tribute to David. Regardless of the sins that marred his life, Scripture reminds us he was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:22; Acts 13:22). He is held up as a model. Why? Because of his trust in the Lord, because of his integrity (generally speaking), because of his jealousy for God’s honor, because of his understanding of God’s grace, but also because of His love and reverence for God’s Word (Ps. 138:2; 19:7-14).
Jeroboam--a Negative Standard
But it is also important to note that in the case of Israel’s kings, we have a negative standard of comparison. As David was the standard or model of good, Jeroboam, the first to occupy the throne of the northern kingdom, became the standard or model of evil which cast its shadow across all the kings of the southern kingdom. The tragic epitaph of Jeroboam might be these words found in 1 Kings at the close of his life:
1 Kings 14:16 And He (God) will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin.
So, again and again in the record of the kings of the northern kingdom, Jeroboam is pointed to as an evil influence and as a model of evil which kings followed. In fact, certain words become a constant refrain in 1 and 2 Kings, such as: 1 Kings 15:34, “And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.” Of fifteen of the eighteen kings that followed Jeroboam, it is stated that they did evil after the example of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. The references are: Nadab (1 Kings 15:26), Baasha (15:34), Zimri (16:19); Omri (16:25-26), Ahab (21:31), Ahaziah (22:52); Jehoram (2 Ki. 3:2-3), Jehu (10:31), Jehoahaz (13:2), Jehoash (13:11), Jeroboam II (14:24), Zechariah (15:9), Menahem (15:18), Pekahiah 15:24), Pehak (15:28).
Thus, each of these two kings, David and Jeroboam, cast their shadows over those who followed them, one for good and one for evil.
Two Prophets Compared
Elijah and Elisha cast a long shadow of influence that announced to others the reality, power, holiness, love, grace, and mercy of the God of Israel as the only true God. However, though Elisha was the understudy of Elijah, these two prophets were very different in their ministries and in the way God used them. Both were men of godly character and faith who stood firmly on the Word of God. In this sense, Elisha was like his teacher (Luke 6:40), but as his tutor, respecting the individuality God has created in all of us, Elijah did not seek to create another Elijah in temperament and personality. Let’s compare them briefly and as we do, let’s remember the following truth:
1 Corinthians 3:4-9 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Their Miracles Compared10
The Miracles of Elijah
(1) Declares a long drought (1 Kings 17:1)
(2) Multiplies widow’s flour and oil (1 Kings 17:7-16)
(3) Resurrects widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17-24)
(4) Calls down fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:1-40)
(5) Sends a rainstorm (1 Kings 18:41-45)
(6) Outruns a chariot (1 Kings 18:46)
(7) Predicts Ahaziah’s death (2 Kings 1:1-2)
(8) Ahaziah’s men killed by fire from heaven (2 Kings 1:9-17)
(9) Parts the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:1-8)
The Miracles of Elisha
(1) Parts the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:13-14)
(2) Makes Jericho spring drinkable (2 Kings 2:19-22)
(3) Sends bears to punish irreverent youths (2 Kings 2:23-25)
(4) Floods ditches to confuse Moabites (2 Kings 3:1-27)
(5) Multiplies widow’s oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)
(6) Shunammite woman bears a son (2 Kings 4:8-17)
(7) Resurrects Shunammite’s son (2 Kings 4:18-37)
(8) Purifies poisoned stew (2 Kings 4:38-44)
(9) Heals Naaman’s leprosy (2 Kings 5:1-14)
(10) Gehazi struck with leprosy (2 Kings 5:15-27)
(11) Floats lost axhead (2 Kings 6:1-7)
(12) Gives special sight to the king’s messenger (2 Kings 6:16-17)
(13) Blinds the Aramean army (2 Kings 6:8-23)
(14) His bones resurrect a dead man (2 Kings 13:20-21)
Elisha performed more miracles, but they were less public than some Elijah performed.
Their Ministries Compared
Both prophets were similar in their overall purpose to resist the cult of Baal and to demonstrate by their miracles and ministry that the only true God is the God of Israel. Irving Jensen has a good summary of the differences in their ministries. He writes:
Elijah is noted for great public acts, while Elisha is distinguished by the large number of miracles he performed, many of them for individual needs. Elijah’s ministry emphasized God’s law, judgment, and severity. Elisha supplemented this by demonstrating God’s grace, love and tenderness. Elijah was like John the Baptist, thundering the message of repentance for sin. Elisha followed this up by going about, as Christ did, doing deeds of kindness, and by doing miracles attesting that the words of the prophets were from God.11
In comparing the ministries of the two prophets, Leon Wood adds some similar and insightful thoughts:
. . . Elisha may have come from a wealthy family, for when he was first called by Elijah (I Kings 19:19) he was plowing with a team of oxen in a field where twelve other teams also worked, presumably all owned by his father. If so, he contrasted sharply on this count with his master, Elijah, who had been raised in the poor area of Gilead near the desert. But Elisha’s decision to follow Elijah had been final and decisive. He killed his own oxen to prepare a farewell feast for relatives and friends, and he used the wood from his tools as fuel for the fire (I Kings 19:21).
Elisha’s period of ministry lasted much longer than Elijah’s. He began in Jehoram’s early years, continued through the reigns of Jehu and Jehoahaz, and died sometime while Jehoash ruled (II Kings 13:20), a period of about fifty years (c. 850-800). Though having the same objectives in his ministry as Elijah, his manner in reaching them was somewhat different. In keeping with his contrasting background, Elisha was more at home in cities and even at the palace and was often in the company of kings. Also, Elijah had been more a man of moods, either strongly courageous or despairing to the point of death; but Elisha was self-controlled and even-tempered, found neither in dramatic staged contests nor sulking in a desert. It may be, too, that Elisha was more interested in the needs of people; for many of his miracles, again in contrast to Elijah, were to aid, heal, and give relief to persons he encountered.12
One came from a poor and rugged background and the other from a rather wealthy one, yet God used them both and in different ways. That which made both of them effective in their own unique ministry, however, was their faith and confidence in the person and power of God. Elijah was not hindered nor ashamed of his poor background and Elisha was not dependent on nor spoiled by his former wealth. Furthermore, it appears this difference in their backgrounds did not affect their relationship with each other as mentor and student because their fellowship was based on their relationship with and commitment to the Lord, His calling and purposes for each, and His Word.
Application
There are some important lessons in this for each of us.
Lesson 1: “All of us are casting shadows as we go through this present life. Just as our bodies cast their shadows quite involuntarily, so we are continually and quite involuntarily casting the shadow of our moral and spiritual influence upon other lives.”13
Lesson 2: “We can no more detach ourselves from this involuntary and often unconscious influence upon others than our bodies can rid themselves of their own shadows.”14 We simply cannot avoid the principle of influence. We have no choice in the matter of having an influence as a parent, as an elder, deacon, Sunday school teacher, as a neighbor, or as a friend. Our only choice is the kind of influence we have.
Lesson 3: “What we can determine is the kind of shadow which we cast. Our influence, quite apart from any speech of the lips, may contribute either to the eternal salvation or the eternal damnation of other souls”15 or to the edification or spiritual hurt of others.
Scripture and life teach us we reap what we sow. One of the things we sow is an influence, and nowhere is this more dynamic than in the home. And where do our leaders ultimately come from? They come from our homes and from living under our influence.
Though no longer living, do not the shadows of unbelievers like Voltaire, Dewey, and Huxley still linger over our lives in the philosophy of the humanistic world all around us? Their shadows still stalk the earth in our schools, in the media, and in our government. Of course the same also applies to men like Luther, Calvin, George Washington, George Whitefield, Moody, and Spurgeon.
Some may think this applies more to the outstanding men of society and all those mentioned above are in that category. We may think our influence is very small and the same doesn’t necessarily apply to us. But that viewpoint is totally false. Consider, for instance, Adolph Hitler’s vile shadow. We need to remember that Hitler’s shadow includes the shadows of other men whose names will never be published but who influenced Hitler in his earlier years. Think also about those who influenced the Wesley’s, like their mother, Susanna. You see, we never know when the person we are influencing (a son, a daughter, a neighbor, a disciple) will turn out to be a Moody or a Hitler. A lot depends on the kind of shadow of influence we cast.
Lesson 4: Other than casting a shadow of influence to promote Christ-like character in others, we must learn to respect the godly differences or individuality of others and not attempt to pour them into our mold or expect other leaders to be like someone who has meant a great deal to us, i.e., become entangled in the carnal game of comparing one leader against another as did the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 3:1-9; 4:1-16; 2 Cor. 10:1-10) and as we see happening so often today.
1 Leon Wood, A Survey of Israel's History, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1970, p. 315.
2 For the truth that idolatry and false doctrine has demonic sources cf. 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 Cor. 10:19-21.
3 Eisegesis (to lead into) is when we read our own ideas into the text to promote some preconceived notion or try to use the text to promote some personal agenda. Exegesis (to lead out) is when we explain the message of the text based on the context, grammar, meaning of words, historical background, cultural conditions, etc. As an illustration, not too many months ago, I was sitting in a conservative Bible teaching ministry where the Word is God is honored and believed. The preacher, who was filling in for the pastor, preached on Phil. 3:4-14. As a staff member of the church, he was concerned about getting the congregation to be willing to change and accept some less traditional ideas. This passage was used to promote forgetting the past, your old ideas, and pressing forward to the future, accepting the change that was needed. Folks, that's agenda preaching and it abuses the Bible.
4 Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward an Exegetical Theology, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1981, p. 243.
6 Ibid., p. 7 quoting John Albert Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament, ed. Andrew R. Fausset, 5 Vols., Clark, Edinburg, 1857.
8 Ted W. Engstrom, The Making of a Christian Leader, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, p. 1.
9 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book: A Basic and Broadly Interpretative Course of Bible Study from Genesis to Revelation, Vol. 2, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1960, p. 117-118.
10 These two charts are taken from the Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, by Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Moody Press, Chicago, 1995, p. 564 and p. 586.
11 Irving L. Jensen, II Kings with Chronicles, A Self-Study Guide, Moody Press, Chicago, 1968, p. 20.
12 Leon Wood, A Survey of Israel's History, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1970, p. 319.
Related Topics: Character Study
2. Elisha’s Response to Elijah’s Translation (2 Kings 2:12-15)
Introduction
For a study on 2 Kings 2:1-11, please see the Elijah series, lessons 18-19.
How we respond to the situations of life, whether pleasant or painful, is tremendously illuminating. Our responses expose our true spiritual condition. How we respond reveals something about our beliefs, values, priorities, and our spiritual condition and focus at any particular moment. And even if our beliefs, values, and priorities may be right or biblical, if our focus is wrong or if we have been walking by our own abilities (really weaknesses) then we will surely act in ways that contradict our basic beliefs.
I think this is why Peter describes the variegated trials of life as “the proof of your faith” (1 Peter 1:7). “Proof” is the Greek dokimion, a word used of the smelting process for refining and testing precious metals to either remove the impurities or prove the quality of the metal. Dokimion comes from a word group that was used of the test or trial itself, or of the results, the proof, the pure gold that was left.
Because we live in a fallen world, every day is filled with trials, obstacles, and irritations--things that test us. As with the smelting process, they not only expose our true spiritual metal at any given moment, but, by God’s design, they are designed to purify us. Someone once said, “talent is formed in solitude, but character in the storms of life.”
Phillips Brooks is quoted as saying, “O, do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger men! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle.”
The translation of Elijah was a test designed to reveal the character and qualification of Elisha to be the successor to Elijah. In 2 Kings 2:12-14 we see Elisha’s response to the painful loss of his mentor and teacher. It is a response that tells us even more about the spiritual character of the prophet Elisha.
Exposition
2 Kings 2:12-15 And Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
The Cry of Elisha (vs. 12)
“And Elisha saw it.” This focuses our attention on the fact he met the condition given by Elijah in verse 10. This is perhaps not as easy as it might appear. If he had looked off for just a moment he could have missed the departure and the blessing, but Elisha had been faithful to stay with Elijah and to faithfully watch for the translation. He would be the one to take on the responsibility of his mentor. How many times do believers miss God’s will because they become preoccupied with their problems, or people, or success, or, well, you name it. Elisha could have become occupied with himself and the new position of authority and responsibility that he was about to receive, but his response as seen in the words he cried out as he saw Elijah pass from the scene demonstrates a different heart, one that exposes the young prophet’s heart and perspective about life itself.
Notice how, as an apprentice and student, Elisha called Elijah “my father,” which was a term of endearment, respect, and submission. This stands out in stark contrast to the independent spirit of self-willed rebellion so often found today in our society. Ours is a day when all the accepted authorities (parents, school, university, state, church, Bible, pope, God) are being challenged and resisted. The prevailing mentality is, “I am going to do my own thing in my way. Nobody has the right to tell me what to do.” Now, I am not for a minute promoting blind submission to authority. There is certainly a need for responsible, mature, and wise evaluation of those to whom we submit and why. But clearly a vital element of any strong society is careful discipling or mentoring that promotes spiritual maturity and ministry in others.
By the words that followed along with the tearing of his clothes, itself a sign of mourning, we get a glimpse of the pain he felt at the loss of this warrior in Israel and his faithful mentor. It truly demonstrated Elisha’s love and respect for his teacher. It demonstrated Elisha’s attitude regarding the importance of such a man as the prophet Elijah to the nation.
But what about the strange statement that he made at Elijah’s departure, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”? What does this mean and what does it say to us today?
The chariot and horsemen represented one of the strongest military instruments of ancient times. It stood for military power at its greatest. If you recall, God’s power and presence are pictured by horses and chariots encircling Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:15. There it portrays God’s power and His ability to protect and deliver Elijah and His servant.
Here, however, Elisha was speaking of Elijah and declaring that the real strength and the ultimate protection and defense of Israel lay in the ministry of this great prophet. Why? Because he was a herald of the Word of the Lord. He was also the head of the schools of the prophets, the place where other teachers of the Word were trained and prepared to minister the Word to others.
Not only did this demonstrate Elisha’s perspective and faith in God’s Word, but it demonstrates a vital principle, one echoed over and over again throughout the Old Testament: On the one hand knowing, believing, and obeying the righteous principles of God’s Word produces wisdom and justice and brings blessing and the prosperity of God to a nation. On the other hand, ignorance, unbelief, and disobedience to God’s Word leads to foolishness, unrighteousness, injustice, and moral collapse. This in turn eventually brings God’s discipline and the fall of a nation unless there is repentance and a return to God.
Hosea warned: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hos. 4:6).
Isaiah likewise warned Judah: “Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst” (Isaiah 5:13).
The ultimate defense or source of blessing for any nation is never its military or economic policies. Its ultimate defense always lies in a godliness based on biblical absolutes. I am reminded of a statement made by Francis DeToqueville, a French philosopher, at about the turn of the century. He had just returned from touring America to discover for himself what had made America great. When asked what he found, he replied that the secret to America was its pulpits ablaze with righteousness. In other words, it was the preaching of the Word of God and its impact on the lives of people.
Proverbs 14:34 reads, “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.”
Psalm 33:12-19 says:
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; From His dwelling place He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth. He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works. The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His loving kindness, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 127:1-2 echoes a similar principle.
Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.
Certainly nations need to be strong militarily and they need wise and just social and economic policies, but for that to be effective, they must know the righteous principles of the Word; they need the absolutes of God’s Word as a foundation for morality. More importantly, if this is going to take place, people must be prepared spiritually to know, believe, and obey the principles of God’s eternal Word. For that to happen, people need men who are trained and skilled in the proclamation of the Word, men who are adept at wielding the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
Our nation has fallen to its present state in part because many of our seminaries departed from the Bible as their primary focus and trust, and put their trust in the philosophies and ideas of man. And surely this was aided by the fact the church sat back and did nothing about it. We let down our guard and allowed men in our pulpits who were not sound in the faith. My grandfather (who died in 1940) was a conservative, Bible-believing pastor in the Methodist denomination. In fact, I came to know the Savior in an old-time camp meeting where he was one of the preachers. But even back in the 1930’s, a liberal theology that was denying many of the truths of Scripture had a strong hold on his denomination and was a cause of great heartache to my grandfather.
Obviously, if we are going to have a nation of godly leaders, men and women of integrity instead of capricious politicians (cf. Isa. 2:22-3:5), and a constituency of people who know the Lord and are sound in Scripture, we need schools and churches that are committed, not to a social gospel or some watered-down version of what God has called the church to believe and be, but to the faithful proclamation of the truth of the Bible (cf. Acts 20:28f; 2 Tim. 4:1-5; Jude 1:3-4).
So, with Elijah gone, how would Elisha respond? Would he go back to farming? Would he complain and question God’s timing in removing Elijah. After all, was not the nation still in a degenerate condition; and who could truly replace the great prophet?
The Actions of Elisha (vss. 13-14)
Please note the very first words of verse 13 are, “He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him . . .” What can we learn from this?
The mantle of Elijah spoke of the prophetic office and gift, and of God’s call of Elisha to this ministry and responsibility. For Elisha this meant responding to God’s call on his life. It meant carrying on and taking Elijah’s place as the head of the schools of the prophets, a daunting task to say the least.
Note that the text says, “He also took up . . .” The word I want us to focus on is “also.” Though he had experienced pain at the loss of his good friend and teacher, this did not neutralize him or make him bitter or feel that all was hopeless. Rather, Elisha saw this as a call to move forward and carry on the work that Elijah had been engaged in. I’m sure you can see the obvious application here. (Compare Phil. 1:12-14.)
This is not only a challenge to church leaders--to elders and deacons--but to all of us for we are all called to be ambassadors and ministers in the service of the Savior.
Now let’s not miss the picture here. Looming before Elisha was the River Jordan, which stood as a barrier to his entrance back into the land where the other prophets were also waiting for his leadership. Isn’t this interesting? Before he could begin, God put Elisha on the other side of the Jordan. Historically and biblically, the Jordan River was representative of the barriers and problems of life which would stand in the way of Elisha’s ministry, and which likewise stand in the way of our ministries today. So Elisha’s actions, striking the water as Elijah had done previously, demonstrated Elisha’s faith in the power and provision of God and his willingness and determination to fulfill the calling and ministry to which God had called him (cf. 2 Tim 4:1-5).
Now let’s recap and note the movement of the events of these verses.
(1) Elijah is taken away leaving a vacancy and a need. Note that though Elijah was taken, his mantle was not. His mantle was left which meant God was calling Elisha to pick up where Elijah left off. So today, God takes men and women who have ministered to us, but not their mantles or the need of others to step into their places of ministry. This is why it is so important that we each be not only involved in ministry, but in building and multiplying ourselves in others.
(2) Elisha cried out and tore his clothes in mourning indicating he recognized the value and importance of men like Elijah to the nation. His parting was painful, but not fatal to God’s work and purpose.
(3) In faith, Elisha picked up the mantle, which represented his calling and gift, moved to the Jordan, which represented the barriers he would face in ministry, and then cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” By this question he was not questioning God’s presence or actions, but demonstrating three things: (a) his faith and dependence on the Lord, (b) that, regardless of his gifts, Elisha knew he was totally insufficient in himself to be and do what lay ahead of him, but also (c) that, as God had been with Elijah, so God would be with him. He knew that power and sufficiency for ministry always belongs to God (2 Cor. 2:16; 3:5).
(4) The waters parted and he walked across on dry ground. This demonstrated that the Lord was truly with Elisha as He had been with Elijah.
(5) The sons of the prophets saw this and became convinced of Elisha’s character and qualifications to lead them and they bowed in respect to demonstrate they recognized him as Elijah’s successor.
Elisha was a gifted and capable man. In addition, he had excellent training as the apprentice of Elijah. He may have had many other exceptional qualities mentally and physically, but being blessed, gifted, and well trained in the best schools or churches is simply not enough--essential as that is. So what does this mean?
(1) It means we must each be faithful to draw upon our resources in the Lord so we can develop true, honest, godly and faithful character (Heb. 12:15; Phil 4:13).
(2) It means we must be genuine in our walk with God and be willing to deal honestly with those things in our lives, which if unchecked, ignored or rationalized, will hurt our walk with the Lord and our ability to serve.
(3) It means we must each look for the Jordan Rivers in our lives--our fears, our excuses, our lack of involvement, or whatever, and become willing to trust God to remove them so we can take on the ministries He has called us to.
The Response of the Prophets (vs. 15)
Here we see the effect of reality in a man’s life. The prophets recognized he was Elijah’s successor and truly qualified to become their leader. Elisha had proven the reality of his walk with the Lord and demonstrated he was qualified for the ministry he was called on to do.
It is never enough for us to make claims to giftedness or qualifications for ministry. People need to see the reality in our daily walk over a period of time which tests us in the ups and downs of life. It’s far too easy to fake it and play the game of religion, but if we are authentic in our walk with the Savior, in time, the reality of our walk with God will show through as we are faced with the tests of life. This is why Scripture warns us against laying hands suddenly on someone without prior knowledge of their faithfulness or without the time needed to test their qualifications and the quality of their walk with the Lord. How do we do this? Through appointment via the recommendations of others or prior knowledge through those who know (Acts 16:1-3) and through appointment via observation over time (Acts 6:3; 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; note especially vs. 10).
Conclusion
It is hard to determine if a person is qualified for ministry when they are sitting on the sidelines. Elisha was a man who was involved and his involvement provided opportunity for both his growth in the Lord and for the manifestation of his gifts and his godliness.
One of the most harmful and debilitating diseases in the church today is what some have called spectatoritis. Sometimes people are afraid to get involved because they are afraid of making mistakes or they are afraid of failure. But we all make mistakes and we all fail. Often failure to get involved is the product of a wrong view of the church, of ministry, and of the pastorate, or what people expect of a pastor.
In his book, Outgrowing the Ingrown Church, John Miller quotes Richard Lovelace who writes,
. . . Pastors gradually settle down and lose interest in being change agents in the church. An unconscious conspiracy arises between their flesh and that of their congregations. It becomes tacitly understood that the laity will give pastors special honor in the exercise of their gifts, if the pastors will agree to leave their congregations’ pre-Christian lifestyles undisturbed and do not call for mobilization of lay gifts for the work of the kingdom. Pastors are permitted to become ministerial superstars. Their pride is fed and their congregations are permitted to remain herds of sheep in which each has cheerfully turned to his own way.16
Miller also speaks about what he calls the religious cushioning:
The local church was intended by Jesus to be a gathering of people full of faith--strong in their confidence in Him--not a gathering of religious folk who desperately need reassurance. Perhaps seeking personal comfort is not wrong in itself. But it is desperately wrong when it becomes the primary reason for the existence of the local church. When that happens, the local church is no living fellowship at all, but a retreat center where anxious people draw resources that enable them merely to cope with the pains of life. The church then becomes a religious cushion.
This religious cushioning may take a number of forms. In its liberal variety, its primary concern is to comfort suburbanites with a vision of a God who is too decent to send nice people like them to hell. In its sacerdotal form, its purpose is to tranquilize the guilt-ridden person with religious warmth of its liturgy. Among conservatives and evangelicals, its primary mission all too often is to function as a preaching station where Christians gather to hear the gospel preached to the unconverted, to be reassured that liberals are mistaken about God and hell, and to renew one’s sense of well being without having a serious encounter with the living God.17
Elijah and Elisha form good examples for what God wants in each of our lives. Depending on where we are in our Christian walk and growth, there are a couple of obvious applications here:
(1) The Lord wants us to be mentoring others and preparing them to take up our mantle, i.e., to become reproducing believers. Are you mentoring others? Are you available to teach, train, or disciple others in their walk with Christ?
(2) He wants us to pick up the mantle that has been dropped in front of us, to face the Jordan-like barriers that may stand in the way of ministry (our fears, ignorance, indifference, lack of training, finances, etc.) and cross over by the power of God to serve the king.
16 C. John Miller, Outgrowing the Ingrown Church, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1986, p.19, quoting Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal, InterVarsity, Downers Grove, 1979.
Related Topics: Character Study
4. Elisha and the Two Bears (2 Kings 2:23-25)
Introduction
23 Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 25 And he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
The event described in these verses may seem repulsive to many and totally out of character with the personality of Elisha, a man who was more peaceful and personal than Elijah. As Krummacher remarks, “A deadly burst of vengeance upon a troop of wanton youths; a curse pronounced upon them in the name of the Lord! How characteristic of the legal dispensation! But how opposite to all we have said of the character and call of Elisha, as a messenger of the kindness and love of God our Saviour!”19
We must remember, however, that the Word of God, which is alive and active, is also the mighty channel the Spirit of God uses to bring men out of darkness to faith in Jesus Christ and to change them by making them like His Son. As a light that shines in the darkness of this world it exposes man’s sin, but man loves the darkness because it hides his evil deeds. He hates the light for that very reason; it exposes his evil deeds (cf. John 3:19-21). These may be deeds of ignorance, of apathy, or of out-and-out rebellion or a combination, but regardless, it often results in hatred of the light that is manifest in one form or another.
The gospel, which is contained in the Word of God, is the power of God unto salvation. Satan, of course, who holds people in bondage to death, neither wants people saved nor experiencing the power of a Christ-changed life by the power of the Spirit. For this reason, as the adversary, Satan never gets more busy than when the Word of God begins to be proclaimed and taught. He hates the Word and people of the Word, especially those engaged in its proclamation. They become the target for his attacks in whatever form he can muster.
Therefore, Bible teaching ministries, pastors, teacher, and other believers involved in the ministry of the Word can expect opposition. It simply goes with the territory. This is clearly evident in this short passage before us. In fact, this is one of the key lessons of these few verses. This was true with Moses, Elijah, and with all the prophets. We can expect attack from the world which lies under the control of Satan. But isn’t it sad when attack comes from the people of God themselves? Unfortunately, Satan is able to use God’s own people to hinder the Word, as he did with the children of Israel on many occasions.
Our Lord said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her” (Matt. 23:37). Not all Israel was true spiritual Israel, but the fact still remains true. Satan is often able to establish a beachhead among the saints.
Elisha Heads for Bethel
(2:23a)
“Then” or “thereupon.” Following the ministry in Jericho (which portrayed a kind of firstfruits of the land) Elisha, as a man of God under the direction of God and with the Word of God moves on into the land to minister to the people. They were a people living in idolatry and badly in need of the Word.
“Bethel” means “house of God” or “place of God.” This name spoke of worship and fellowship with God. There was also a school of the prophets in Bethel, but in spite of this the city was now idolatrous and anything but a center of worship. Hosea, who ministered after Elisha, called this city Bethaven “house of wickedness” a name of shame (cf. Hos. 4:15; 5:8; 10:5). It was so called by Hosea because of the idolatrous worship Jeroboam had established in order to effect a complete separation between Israel and Judah. Out of his greed for power and his fear that if Israel went back to Jerusalem to worship, he established two new places of worship in the north with golden calves as the symbol of worship: one at Bethel and the other at Dan. This was of course in complete disobedience to the directives of the Old Testament Scripture.
“Beth” means “house and “el” means God. Aven is the Hebrew awen which means “trouble, sorrow, idolatry, wickedness and emptiness.” The word awen seems to have two primary facets to its meaning: (a) it portrays an iniquity which causes sorrow, calamity and failure (Prov. 22:8). (b) But it also portrays an emptiness which moves on to idolatry as a human means of filling the emptiness. The point is when men are empty of God and His Word, they will fill their lives with vain things whether material or philosophic. This leads to idolatry, which leads to iniquity, which leads to calamity.
Bethel needed the Word to show them their sin and to bring them back to the Lord. This was their only hope and Satan was active to stop it. Elisha was undoubtedly able to minister to the needs of certain ones there (the remnant), but the city as a whole never really turned to the Lord and His Word. Satan was well entrenched there. This is another fact we sometimes have to face. And when this is the case we may need to simply move on as Elisha did and as Paul and others did.
“And as he was going . . .” calls our attention to the time of the attack. It occurred simply in the normal process of his travels to the city. We never know (though the Lord does) when Satan or others under his control or influence, are going to attack. Just about the time we might think pressures are easing up, and things are getting better--the attack increases. This is why we must always, in spite of how things appear, take heed lest we fall (1 Cor 10:12); why we must look to ourselves lest we be tempted (Gal 6:1); and why we must be careful how we are walking (Eph 5:15) because we live in an evil world and Satan is on the prowl. He is warring against the saints.
Elisha is Mocked
(2:23b)
“Young lads.” The KJV has “little children” which really misses the meaning here. These were not children, but young men. The word “lads” is the Hebrew naar and was used of servants, of soldiers and of Isaac when he was 28 years old. This was a crowd of young men, perhaps students of the false prophets, who were here as antagonists to Elisha’s prophetic ministry and authority. If not students, they were sent by the false prophets or idolatrous priests of Bethel to stop Elisha from entering the city. In Elisha Satan had an enemy and he was acting to protect his territory. Remember, however, Elisha was going to Bethel not to curse, but to bless.
“Came out of the city and mocked him . . . Go up, you baldhead.” “Mocked” is the Hebrew galas and denotes a scornful belittling of something or someone, but it issues from an attitude which counts as valueless that which is really of great value.
Leaders have always had to deal with disrespect. It is seen throughout the Old Testament and it is found in the New Testament as well. But the greatest disrespect here is in relation to God. These young men, undoubtedly under Satan’s influence, were attacking not just Elisha, the man, but they were also attacking his message. But the issue was, regardless of the personality of the man, his physical appearance, or even his short comings, Elisha was God’s man with God’s message. As a result, in the final analysis they were mocking or rejecting God and what He was attempting to do through Elisha as God’s spokesman. Elisha was simply an instrument of God (cf. 2 Thess. 5:12, 13 “on account of the work”). The work referred to in 1 Thessalonians is God’s work--the work of building men in the Word and in Christ through these men. And there is a certain sense in which this applies to all believers.
The attack of these young men is twofold:
(1) “Go up”… “go up.” That is, ascend up as you claim Elijah did. The translation of Elijah was a miracle of God and portrayed the biblical truth and hope of the translation of the saints. Though Old Testament saints did not understand this, it was still a type of this truth. Elisha was a prophet of God and by doing this these young men were denying the work of God, denying the Word of God and God’s actions in history.
(2) The second aspect of the attack is seen in the words: “you baldhead.” Whether Elisha was actually bald, or whether he had a different hairstyle, i.e., cropped short on top, they were ridiculing the prophet and telling him to get lost like Elijah. Krummacher writes:
Baldness was regarded by the lower orders as a kind of disgrace; for as it was one of the usual consequences of leprosy, so it was accounted a sign of personal and mental degradation. Hence, in using this opprobrious epithet, the young profligates had a most malicious intention. Their expressions are not to be viewed as a mere burst of youthful wantonness; but as poisoned arrows, pointed and directed by refined and satanic malignity. It is as if they had said, “Thou effeminate leper! Thou would-be prophet! We fear thee not! Go up! Go up!” as if they mean, “Imitate thy master!” . . . It seems to have been a scoffing allusion to the ascent of Elijah; partly sceptical, and partly in derision of Elisha . . . 20
These attacks are typical of the schemes and methods by which Satan seeks to nullify the ministry of God’s saints and the work of God. He attacks the message (the Word) and the messenger or both. He seeks to discourage or discredit the teacher or he attacks those hearing the message. Regarding the messenger, Satan may seek to call attention to petty issues, circumstances, misunderstandings, or focus on personalities, or physical appearance. It can be almost anything, but whatever, it is a means to a beachhead from whence he seeks to launch one attack after another to get people’s eyes off the Lord and their ears closed to His Word. We must be careful that we do not cooperate with Satan and throw fuel on his fires.
The important thing here is Elisha’s reaction to this and God’s action in response. This is designed to emphasize to us the seriousness of the issues here.
Elisha Curses the Young Men
(2:24a)
This seems harsh, but God and His leaders have, on occasion, acted harshly in order to impress upon man the seriousness of life and the Word of God. Ananias and Saphira are an illustration of this in the New Testament.
(1) What Elisha did not do: Before looking at what Elisha did, let’s consider for a moment what he did not do! (a) He did not turn and run. (b) He did not argue with them or run after them (Matt 7:6). (c) He did not compromise his message. (d) He was not acting or reacting out of self love or anxiety or self-defense from the standpoint of his ego or pride. (e) He did not complain to the Lord or want to throw in the towel. (f) He simply ignored their words, actions, and attitudes. God’s response proves this.
What does this teach us? When trouble strikes, we should never resort to the solutions of the world, i.e., to human viewpoint escape or defense tactics (cf. Ps. 143:11-12; 147:10-11).
(2) What Elisha did: Elisha took up his armor, “He cursed them in the name of the Lord.” This is not cursing for cursing or reviling for reviling (1 Pet. 2:23). He was trusting in the Lord and leaving it in God’s hands. The key here is in the word “curse.” It does not mean to swear with vile words. This is the Hebrew word galal meaning “be swift, slight, trifling, or of little account.” The primary meaning is “to be light or slight.” Both verb and noun forms seem to represent a formula which expresses a removal or lowering from the place of blessing.
Cursing stands in contrast to the word blessing or favor (cf. Gen. 27:11, 12). The emphasis is on the absence, reversal, or removal of a blessed state or rightful position which brings God’s protection, provision and blessing. The principle is very simple: without God’s blessed salvation and protection we all stand cursed. The moment God removed His wall of protection from Job, Satan attacked him and wrecked havoc in Job’s life.
So Elisha, as a prophet, saw their hardened and rebellious condition, unresponsive to correction. In the name of the Lord (i.e. by His authority) Elisha simply turned them over to the Lord and to their own devises, which had the effect of removing them from even the common protection of God. He probably said something like, “may God deal with you according to what you deserve,” or “may you be cursed for your sins of rebellion.” This would demonstrate to the city and to people all around a vital truth: without the Lord there is no protection and that blasphemy of God’s servants and His Word in order to hinder God’s message is serious business. Note that Elisha did not call out the bears, God did. Two female bears (not three bears--papa bear, mamma bear, and baby bear) came out and tore up forty-two young men.
You would think this would strike the fear of God into the hearts of the entire area for years to come. But no--the heart of man is such that they either ignore it, reject it, or soon forget it.
Conclusion
God does not take it lightly when we ignore His Word or hinder its propagation in the world among His people. This is serious business (cf. 1 Cor 3:16-17 with 10; 11:30).
As believers, we should expect opposition. The more we move out for the Lord, the more attacks we may have to face from our adversary through his various schemes (cf. 1 Pet 4:10-12). As Paul stated it in 2 Timothy 3:12, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (NIV).
We need more Elishas, those who will stand fast and act in biblical ways leaving the results to the Lord. This is precisely what Paul did in connection with the strong criticism often leveled at him by some of the Corinthians (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1f). As with Elisha and Paul, we need to move forward in our ministries while always trusting God to make a way and remove the obstacles.
19 F. W. Krummacher, Elisha, A Prophet For Our Times, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1976, p. 13.
Related Topics: Character Study