Elijah and Elisha

Lesson 8: Elijah and Elisha

Passage: 2 Kings 2–3

Big Idea: God’s unrelenting grace

Doctrine: Grace

Attribute: Incomprehensible

Introduction

Several weeks ago we talked about God’s sustaining grace, and today we are going to talk about God’s unrelenting grace

…so before we dive in today I want to give a quick refresh on what grace is...

God graciously calls and equips his prophets, Elijah and Elisha, and uses them to show his grace to a rebellious people. The Kings and people of Israel continuously turned away from God…and God continued to graciously pursue them and offer them salvation.

The ultimate fulfillment of God’s grace to His people is found in Jesus..not in Elijah or Elisha..

But God uses Elijah and Elisha to point us straight to Jesus...

Today we are going to see the torch passed from Elijah onto Elisha as Elijah’s ministry comes to a close.

Elijah handing over his ministry to Elisha is similar to how John the Baptist handed over the ministry he had started to Jesus in the NT.

Elisha here is the Jesus figure in the OT and represents Christ.

This sort of symbolism in the Bible is known as Typology…basically, it means that we can look at a person or event in the OT and see how Jesus is represented through it.

So why do we care?

Because it reminds us that the Bible has 1 author…God.

and He is sovereign over every piece of history...

These representations of Jesus in the OT are no accident or coincidence…they are intentional...

and only a sovereign God who is completely in control over history could orchestrate it.

The whole Bible points to Jesus...

It shows us, through the nation of Israel, God’s plan of redemption and restoration.

People rebel. but God graciously and persisently pursues rebellious people.

We are going to see God’s persistent and unrelating grace in 2 sections:

1. Grace filled Transitions 2 Kings 2

2. Grace filled Victories 2 Kings 3

OPEN BIBLES

I. Division: Grace-filled Transitions- 2 Kings 2

Our scripture begins today in 2 Kings 2....Right away we are told in vs. 1 that the prophet Elijah is about to be taken up into heaven.

Back in 1 Kings 19, God tells Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor.

Elisha drops everything to follow Elijah.

They have now walked together for 18 years

and it is time for Elijah to pass the torch....for Elisha’s ministry to begin...

As we move into 2 Kings 2:2-6, it seems that Elijah, Elisha, and the other prophets were all aware that this was Elijah’s final days on earth.

Elijah and Elisha travel from Gilgal-> to Bethel-> and then finally, Jericho-

Each time Elijah tells Elisha to stay behind…and every time Elisha responds…

absolutely not..I am not leaving your side

Why does Elijah tell him this?

It seems Elijah is forcing Elisha to consider the call…

Does Elisha know what he is about to say “yes” to, is he willing to count the cost..

Elijah is almost giving him an out- saying…listen…God is calling…are you coming?

With each response of “As surely as the Lord lives, I will not leave you.”

We see Elisha continue to move forward in obedience to the Lord.

He knew his call. He knew the cost. and He knew God had anointed Him.

He had opportunity to run from the call, and yet he continued to step forward in obedience.

We also see the prophets approach Elisha, wanting to know if he knew that Elijah was about to be taken away?

It seems the prophets just see this as a transaction with little regard for what that meant personally for Elisha.

His mentor was about to be taken away- he had little time left with him and these prophets continue to remind Him of it.

I wonder if that sparked pain in his heart- knowing his time with Elijah was about to come to a close.

What a mix of emotions for Elisha…he had been mentored by Elijah for 18 years…and yet he knew he was to be God’s next prophet for Israel..

Was he feeling sadness, fear, excitement…all that the same time?

In vs. 2 Kings 2:7-8, Elijah and Elisha come to the Jordan river and Elijah parts the waters of the Jordan and they walk across on dry ground. Here we see Elijah duplicate a miracle performed by Moses.

God used Moses to part the Red Sea after leaving Egypt and the Israelites crossed on dry ground.

Here Elijah parts the Jordan- and Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan on dry ground.

This repetition of the same miracle is no accident- Elijah is emphasizing his authority as God’s prophet before he goes..

Nobody questioned the authority God had given to Moses and by performing this specific miracle it makes it clear to all watching that he too, like Moses, had been given authority by God.

Moses made it clear to the people that Joshua was to replace Him. God confirmed Joshua’s call to lead the people following Moses’ death...

Here God is going to make it clear that Elisha is to be Elijah’s successor.

In 2 Kings 2:9-10: Elisha asks Elijah to give him a double portion of his spirit.

On first read, this may feel like Elisha is asking for power or for more of the Holy Spirit, but..this request was based off of Deut. 21.

In Jewish culture, the 1st born son was given a double inheritance…it would have solidified his position and authority as the heir to a family after a patriarch died.

Elisha here is asking Elijah to bless him as his successor...

He is saying: I want your courage, faithfulness, faith and obedience to God’s will..

Notice Elijah’s response: “You have asked a difficult thing”

Elijah knew that the life Elisha was about to step into was one of hardship…of sacrifice…it was going to come at a cost.

Elijah recognizes that Elisha is aware of the the cost- Elisha has been with him for 18 years, he knows what he is stepping into...

Elijah tells him that if he sees him taken up into heaven, then he can rest assure that his request will be granted.

And then, in 2 Kings 2:11-12..it happens...

Fiery horses and a chariot arrive and Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind to heaven...

And Elisha cries out: “my Father, my Father...”

Do you hear the pain in his heart as he watches his mentor being taken...

He tears his garment in two- this was a sign of mourning

But…Elisha saw it happen- this meant that...he was now God’s prophet...

What a gracious gift for Elisha for God to so clearly confirm his call.

Elisha could be confident that God was going to equip him for continuing in Elijah’s footsteps.

Elisha was not a hero…he was just an average, ordinary guy who God called…he was willing to obey..he was willing to step into whatever God had…he gave up everything to follow God.

This call to follow in the footsteps was given to him by the grace of God..not because of anything special he had done.

The reality is, God could have called anyone…and yet, he chose Elisha.

Where has God uniquely called you to serve Him?

The call for each of God’s people looks different..but the fact that God chooses to use us is a gift of grace to us...

Any skills you have to carry out his call are apart of God’s gracious equipping...

At the end of the OT, in the book of Malachi, God promises that Elijah would come again before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

And in the new testament book of Matthew, chp. 3 we are told that John the Baptist is the promised Elijah…

John the Baptist was a firey prophet, similar to Elijah who comes in and, just like Elijah- he boldly calls out peoples sin and calls them to repent.

John the Baptist even goes as far as to dress just like Elijah

One day, John the Baptist was baptizing people at the Jordan- the same river that Elijah and Elisha are at…and in comes Jesus.

And in that moment...just like the torch is passed from Elijah to Elisha…here the torch is passed from John the Baptist to Jesus.

Elisha’s request for a double portion of the spirit was granted because he saw Elijah being taken into heaven.

At the start of Jesus’ ministry, at the passing of the torch...he also received the Spirit of God on Him as a dove.

Do you see the connection of Elisha to Jesus here as this batton is passed?

As Elijah’s ministry closes..Elisha’s begins.

As John the Baptists ministry closes....Jesus’ begins...

As Elisha steps into his role as prophet, the rest of the chapter emphasis Elisha as Elijah’s successor:

In 2:13-18: Elisha repeats the miracle Elijah did right before being taken up into heaven and the Jordan river again parts…and Elisha walks across on dry ground.

vs 15 tells us that all the company of the prophets was watching-

this is important because they had not seen Elijah taken to heaven, but they had seen Elijah perform the same miracle.

This would have shown the transfer of authority by God from Elijah to Elisha- only God could have given Elisha the power to perform that miracle.

Joshua also took a similar step during his transition into leadership over Israel in Joshua 3…Moses’ most famous act was when he stretched his staff out over the Red see and the waters parted…Joshua parted the Jordan- the same place Elisha and Elijah are-as the people crossed over the Jordan and entered the promised land near Jericho...

What a gracious gift to Elisha- to publicly confirm his authority as leader to the company of prophets. He didn’t need to say anything or convince them of anything..they saw it with their own eyes.

True spiritual leaders demonstrate their divine call in their lives by the fruit they bear…that fruit is a gracious gift of God- not something they conjure up on their own.

Mat. 7:20 tells us that you will know God’s leaders by their fruit…by the way you see God working in and through them.

in 15-18 we see that the 50 students are still skeptical, so they beg Elisha to go and search for Elijah...

Elijah gets annoyed by their requests and finally says, you know what- have at it…go on your search if that will make you feel better, and when they return he has nothing to say except: “I told you so..”

in 2:19-22 we see the another confirmation of Elisha as God’s prophet..

If we go back to 1 Kings 19 when God tells Elijah to call Elisha, God specifically tells Elijah that Elisha is going to bring judgement.

So let’s see what Elijah does in his 2nd act as prophet...

So remember, Elisha is still in Jericho…

the water was so polluted that it was making people sick and killing their crops

so Elijah, asks for a jar of salt...

this seems like an odd request, wouldn’t salt make matters worse, not better...

but salt was a sign of the covenant…in Lev. 2:13 it says:

13 Season all your grain offerings with salt.

Elijah knew God’s word…and here he adds salt to the water..

The salt didn’t purify the water…God did..

But wait…Elisha doesn’t bring judgement on the wicked people of Jericho..instead..he saves them.

Do you see God’s grace to the people here poured out through Elisha.

There is no judgement..only grace.

In 2 Kings 2:23-25

Elisha is called a “baldy” by some youths-> he then calls down a curse and the boys are mauled by a bear

the word translated here is youth, which could also mean a member of a guild, a servant or in a military context- soldiers…these are not 1st and 2nd grade boys running around

Some scholars believe that they were most likely servants at the shrine to the golden calf that Jeroboam had made.

Regardless, it is important to remember

That these boys were not just making a side comment as they walked by…they were blatantly disrespecting a prophet of the Lord which in turn was to disrespect God himself.

We have to remember that God is always just and his judgement is always executed perfectly, even when it feels harsh or undeserved.

Elisha did not have the power to act outside of God’s judgement…God deemed this response to be just and acted accordingly.

Also- this served as a warning to the nation- If they persisted in rejecting and mocking God- this would be their fate…

We don’t know if the boys were killed because the word was mauled, not killed, but regardless

this was a gracious warning to the people to turn back to God.

If we look at the miracle of the water being purified and the boys being mauled by a bear together we again see another reminder that: those who seek God will receive grace and be restored- just like the water was purified and restored.

And those who continue to reject God will suffer judgement, just like the boys who rejected God’s prophet, rejected God himself.

We should not be surprised by Elisha calling down judgement here- that was what we should have been expecting Him to do.

We should be more surprised at the grace that was offered to the people of Jericho.

Many times we spend more time being surprised by God’s judgement than by His grace?

Judgement is what we deserve…it should be what we expect because of our actions...

God’s grace to us should always surprise and humble us!!

As Elisha stepped into this ministry following Elijah, God graciously established him as Elijah’s successor.

Through his reliance on God, he walked into his role through God’s power alone- trusting God to equip Him for the task at hand.

Elijah knew that serving God in this way would come at great cost, but yet, he faithfully stepped into the call- walking in obedience- and trusting in God to go before Him

Principle: God graciously calls and equips His people.

Where might God be calling you to serve Him today?

Are you willing, like Elisha to step forward, in obedience and faith, into that call?

Sometimes the call to serve feels scary…we don’t feel ready or equipped..

Whenever God calls..he always equips.

Those moments where you feel unequipped to answer the call are a gracious gift from God- a reminder that we desperately need Him- a reminder to call out to Him when we don’t know what to do…

II. Division: Grace-filled Victories- 2 Kings 3

Moving into chapter 3, we have Joram, the son of Ahab as king over Israel.

This is a different Jehoram who was King in Judah around roughly the same time.

Depending on what version you are using, these names are spelled differently, but in the Hebrew language they are the same.

In 3: 1-3: We are told that Joram was not as wicked as his parents Ahab and Jezebel but still did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

He did not rid the land of Baal worship, it just tells us that he himself didnt participate.

Pointing out that Joram was better than his parents doesn’t mean he was more righteous or Holy or in some way more deserving.

It’s easy to compare ourselves to others…to think that we are somehow more deserving of God’s grace or favor than others around us.

The reality is- all of us are sinners in need of God’s grace..

none of us can ever measure up to God’s perfect standard of holiness.

Joram gets himself into a situation where he needs a savior.

in 3:4-12: Moab rebels against Joram

Mesha, the king of Moab, was a sheep breeder who was required to pay Israel tribute.

but he decides after Ahab dies that he isn’t going to do it anymore- so in 2 Kings 1:1, we are told that Moab rebells against Israel.

Joram is responding to the rebellion and plans to go attack.

and here we have good old loyal King Jehoshaphat again, making another alliance with a wicked King and promising to back him up without consulting of God 1st.

So off they go to war, Edom joins them and then they run out of water…lets look at Joram’s response in vs. 10

3:10 “What! exclaimed the King of Israel. “Has the Lord called us 3 kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab.”

Now wait a second- at what point did God call any of them to go and attack Moab.

They went out, without asking God, get themselves into a bind and then here Joram BLAMES God for the predicament in the first place.

Joram did not follow God. He didn’t ask God what he should do. And yet he is quick to blame God for his problem.

Are you quick to blame God for the problems in your life when you never consulted Him in the first place?

We can be so quick to make decisions based off of what we want or what the world tells us is best…

we buy the house, without ever asking God’s will- then we ask Him to bless it and get mad at Him when he doesn’t.

Seek God daily. in everything. the big and the small…

in vs 11, Jehoshaphat pipes in suggesting that maybe they should seek the Lord’s counsel...

So Joram agrees and they bring in Elisha..

3:13-19 Elisha comes and immediately calls our Joram..he says

Listen buddy- you got yourself into this mess all by yourself and now you want rescued?

By telling him to go to the prophets of his mother and father he is essentially pointing out that he didn’t follow Yahweh...

He wanted the rescue but not the lifelong commitment- his heart was not wholeheartedly devoted to God.

Now…remember, Elisha is expected to bring judgement…but instead..he offers a way out of the mess..

in 15-19, Elisha tells them that God would rescue them by turning a dry wadi into pools of water and by bringing them victory..

and in vs. 20-27…

the Moabites saw the sun shining on the water and thought it was blood

They charged into the valley, expecting to plunder what was left and instead were crushed by the Israelites.

Why would God save Joram..

Joram got himself into this situation all by himself- he didn’t follow or love God…shouldn’t he reap the consequences of his actions?

God promised Joram and the people salvation even when they did not deserve it…

The salvation that they received came by God’s grace through the prophet Elisha.

The OT so often points to the coming savior as the one who would come to judge the sins of the world.

In the NT, Israel is expecting Jesus to come in and judge the wicked Romans who were oppressing them at the time.

Jesus is the ultimate judge- he will judge all of creation, but before he judges, he first comes as a savior.

Elisha points out that Joram is with the Davidic King- Jehoshaphat..God had promised that the future savior would come through the line of King David...

Jehoshaphat was in the line of David and because of Joram’s alliance with Him- he is saved.

But Jehoshaphat could not bring lasting salvation…Elisha cannot bring lasting salvation

Only Jesus can bring lasting salvation.

God graciously sent his son Jesus to die a death he did not deserve to save sinners from eternal judgment.

Because of his grace- for those that believe and have submitted to Jesus as the savior and King- we can walk in restored relationship with God.

The salvation is by grace alone..through Christ alone…we do nothing to deserve his grace. That is what makes it grace to begin with.

The land was destroyed and in vs. 27, recognizing the hopelessness of the situation, the Moabites call out to Chemosh- the god of the Moabites and to try to gain his favor, he sacrifices his son- the heir to the throw on the walls of Kir Hareseth.

It’s unclear what happens next exactly…but it appears that the action of sacrificing his son caused Moab to fight more fiercly OR it caused Israel such indignation and sickness of heart they they backed off.

But, regardless- the ending is the same…Israel backs off…there isn’t further disaster..God kept his promise....they were saved from total destruction.

Principle: God unexpectedly

Conclusion