Sermon Tone Analysis

The Faith of Elisha

1: Elisha enters his training

Elisha was not a man of status, he came from humble beginnings and almost certainly would have seemed very ordinary and unremarkable to most people.

But while man looks at the outward appearance, God looks upon the heart.

When God sent Samuel to anoint the young David, God said to Samuel:

1 Sam 16

These three verses in give us an insight as to why the Lord singled out Elisha and sent the prophet Elijah to him.

Question: Looking at , what insights to we get into Elisha’s relationship with God and why were these traits important to the Lord?

Answers:

Elisha was quick to seize the opportunity God had given him

By killing the oxon Elisha had nothing to remain for.

He demonstrated his faith in God by eliminating any possible back-up plan or route back home.

Elisha regarded the will of God as greater value than his own comfort.

He chose to abandon his possessions and livelihood to become a servant of God.

Elisha could have sold the oxon and his farming equipment.

But instead we are told that he lit a fire with the equipment then slaughtered and cooked the oxon on the fire he lit.

Then distributing the meat to the people in the town.

By doing this he was throwing himself entirely upon the mercy of God and showing generosity at the same time.

2: Elisha begins his ministry

After leaving his home and shadowing the prophet Elijah for some time, the Lord determined to take Elijah, and for Elisha to continue the work.

2 Kings 2:9

Firstly we should take note of how Elisha’s faith makes him quick to seize opportunity.

Jesus says to us in Matthew 7...

Elisha could have asked for anything, Elijah never stipulated what kind of thing he had to ask for.

But the primary desire of Elisha’s heart was to see the Lord glorified in his life.

Question: In we read that faith without works is dead.

In this passage () how do we see Elisha putting the principle of into practice?

Answer:

Elisha did not waste any time, as soon as he saw Elijah head off into the sky he tore his own clothes and put on the mantle that had fallen from Elijah.

Signifying how he was done with the old and stepping into the new things that God had for him.

Then he immediately went over to the Jordan river and struck the water, crying out “where is the God of Elijah”.

As he did this the waters parted and he crossed to the other side.

By swiftly going to the Jordan and performing this miracle Elisha was immediately putting his faith to work and demonstrating his assurance, that he had indeed received what had been promised to him.

Question: Can you think of a time when you had to step out in faith regarding something that you had asked God for?

Can you think of a time when you had to step out in faith regarding something that you had asked God for?

3: Elisha and the armies of heaven

Paul instructs us in 2 Corinthians to walk by faith

3: Elisha and the armies of heaven

Later in the book of 2 Kings we read about how Elisha was so steadfastly looking to God that he understood how it is better to trust in God even over our own understanding.

Brief summary: The king of Syria could not understand how Israel knew their strategic battle plans.

The king concluded that there must be a spy in their midst but the servant of the king assured him that there was no spy but that there was a prophet in Israel who was so in touch with God that the prophet was able to discern what the king was saying in private.

On learning this the king of Syria dispatched his armies to seize Elisha, knowing that until he stopped the man of God he could never prevail.

Hundreds of soldiers and chariots trapped Elisha and his servant.

As they saw this the servant went into despair but Elisha was not worried at all.

So Elisha prays that the servant’s eyes may be opened and as God answers his prayer the servant see’s that actually it is the Syrian army that is greatly outnumbered and that the angelic armies of heaven are protecting the two men.

Notice how Elisha did not pray that the situation change, only that the servant would perceive the reality of what was already there.

Question: How does this passage speak to you personally?

And if we could see beyond the physical realm like Elisha’s servant, how do think it would affect our attitudes to situations in our lives (would it cause us to view things differently, pray differently etc)?

Pray:

Maybe spend some time as a group praying about our perception of circumstances around us.

Pray that God would open our eyes to the spiritual reality of His power working both in our lives and also in our town.