Note: For clarity the Kings of Israel are coded in Orange and Kings of Judah are coded in Blue.
2 Kings 2 – God Called Elijah Home
“When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind …” – 2 Kings 2:1. This is the first time we have an indication that Elijah would not die. We previously learned that God called Elisha to follow Elijah. Elijah and Elisha were on their way to Gilgal. Three times Elijah told Elisha to stay behind as he traveled through Israel, but Elisha refused and said he would not leave especially since he was aware that his master was about to leave him. So they continued together on the journey.
Why did Elijah ask Elisha three times to stay behind? He was testing Elisha’s commitment. He was giving him the opportunity to decline the difficult life and calling of a prophet. Elijah knew he would have to endure the same hardships he did. He had to be sure Elisha had the character to withstand the harsh challenges of being a prophet of the Lord in a hostile world.
It’s the same today for a true Christian. The Christian life is not easy. To follow in the footsteps of Jesus we must develop a strong character to push forward despite every distraction, discouragement, and resistance.
They came to the bank of the Jordan River along with a company of 50 other prophets. Elijah struck the water with his cloak and God parted the Jordan. They crossed over on dry ground. This reminds me of the parting of the Red Sea when the Israelites fled Egypt and God parted the Jordon for the Israelites enter Canaan.
Before Elijah is taken, Elisha asked him for a double portion of his spirit. Elijah told him that what he was asking was a hard thing, but when he saw him taken it will be his. Elijah knew nothing was too hard for God, but continuing the work God had given him was. Elijah’s life had been difficult. His life had been threatened and even though he had performed great works of God there had been no change or repentance in Israel. Then as they walked and talked a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and Elijah ascends into heaven in a whirlwind. Again God broke the power of death. He did it before in Genesis 5 when Enoch who walked with God and was not.
Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen and went back to the Jordan and struck the water with it. He asked where was the Lord. He wanted to know how this happened and was God still in Israel. The answer was yes as the waters divided and he crossed over. Elisha began his ministry with the same miracle that Elijah ended his with: He parted the Jordan river. This confirmed He was God’s representative and prophet. This was important because it gave Elisha confidence he would need to do God’s work.
God gives people what they need in order to do His will. This still applies today. God does not change! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. “I the Lord do not change.” – Malachi 3:6. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8. He still has incredible plans and he wants all people to enter His Kingdom. He wants to use you and me to tell others about Jesus and His salvation. He doesn’t expect us to do this in our own strength. He gives all believers His Holy Spirit and everything else we need to do His work.
Principle: God does not change.
The authority that God had given to Elijah now belonged to Elisha. The prophets who were watching came to Elisha and bowed before him to show they accepted his authority. They wanted to search for Elijah because they didn’t think he had scended into heaven. They persisted that they go and look for him so because of their persistence Elisha agreed even though he knew exactly where Elijah was. They searched for three days but couldn’t find him.
God continued to demonstrate His power through Elisha. The people in the city told Elisha that their water was bad and the land unproductive. Elisha had them bring a new bowl with salt in it. He threw the salt into the water and declared that the Lord had healed the water. The water would no longer cause death or make the land unproductive.
What is the lesson here? Salt is used to purify and preserve. It’s a lesson of newness, purity, and preservation. When we are made new in Christ, God gives us victory over all the things that have had a hold of us. The salt represents the Holy Spirit being poured into the water, which is us, renewing, purifying and making us it useful again.
From there Elisha went to Bethel, which was the center of false worship in Israel. A large group of boys had no respect for the man God had appointed and began to yell insults at him. They made fun of his baldness and his connection with Elijah. Elisha knew they were mocking his ministry, Elijah’s ministry, and the God they both faithfully served. He left any correction up to God by pronouncing a curse on them. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of boys. The boys were showing their true attitudes and disbelief toward God. They were telling Elisha to disappear like Elijah. They were scoffing at his authority just as Israel had rejected Elijah. They were mocking and dishonoring God himself. These were not innocent children. They were wicked young men who had no respect for authority, especially God’s authority. Such contempt for the Lord was punishable by death.
Nothing was going to persuade Elisha to stop following Elijah and God. Once he made his decision to follow, he was not going to turn back. This is the kind of disciple that Jesus is looking for in us. To truly follow Jesus means that nothing will stop you from serving, worshiping, loving, and seeking our Lord Jesus. Nothing.
Principle: God judges those who reject Him.
2 Kings 3 – War Against Moab
Remember after King Solomon died, God allowed Israel to be split into 2 nations: Israel in the North and Judah in the South. Ahab was the evil King of Israel who was married to the wicked Jezebel. They ruled while Elijah was the leading prophet. Now Elijah is gone; Ahab and Jezebel are dead. Ahab’s son, Joram was now king of Israel. He was evil, but not as much as his parents. Jehoshaphat king of Judah was a good king and trusted God.
Mesha king of Moab decided to rebel against Israel. King Joram asked King Jehoshaphat to unite and fight the Moab army. They would attack by way of the Desert of Edom. The king of Edom and Jehoshaphat agreed to fight this common enemy. After marching for seven days, they were out of water. They asked Elisha to help them. Elisha prophesied that God would provide water and deliver Moab in battle only in order to help Jehoshaphat. He told them to dig ditches all over the land and they would be filled with water. Then the Lord would hand Moab over to them. The soldiers believed God and dug the ditches and the ditches filled with water. The Moab army saw the water and thought it was blood. So the army came running down expecting all their enemies to be dead. Instead they were taken by surprise and the soldiers of Israel and Judah ran out to fight. They fought the Moabites until they fled. They destroyed the towns, stopped up all the springs, and cut down the trees.
When the king of Moab saw all this he tried to break through to the king of Edom with 700 men, but failed. He was so frustrated and desperate that he took his eldest son and offered him as sacrifice on the city wall. This was done to honor his pagan gods and to show his own people his determination to prevent defeat. Israel was so angered and sickened he would do such a thing to offer a human sacrifice that they left content with the near-complete victory.
Child sacrifice or any human sacrifice illustrates the results of ungodliness, idolatry, and what can happen when people turn away from God. When you turn away from God, you are turned over to depraved hearts and minds. This includes many rationalizations like resentment, criticism, hate, homosexuality and idolatry in various forms even leading to murder of children. Today babies are aborted and rationalized as a mother’s right to choose; it’s her body and it would relieve her of great deal of stress and responsibility. The principle is the same – wrong or indifference to God always leads to wrong relationship with people and many degrading sins. --- Sorry, I got on my soapbox and couldn’t stop.
Elisha helped the kings only because Jehoshaphat respected and trusted God. This is true today. God is with His children and He remembers those who trust in Him. Whenever God blesses you, be sure to give Him the credit and glory for it.
Principle: God blesses those who trust and believe in Him.
God again demonstrated His power and faithfulness to His people, despite their unfaithfulness. He saved the armies and gave them victory. Jehoshaphat experienced God’s mercy when he again joined an unwise alliance with the North and entered a battle he should have avoided. Joram’s rescue was underserved and gave this rebellious king and the Israelites another chance to repent of their idolatry.
Principle: God persistently extends grace to those who rebel.
This week’s attribute of God is He is Unchanging. Elijah and Elisha were powerful men of God, but they didn’t do it by their own strength but God’s. God empowered them to do miraculous works. He has not changed. He empowers His children to do His work today. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in accordingly to his good purpose.” – Philippians 2:13.
Next week we will continue our study of Kingdom Divided in 2 Kings 4-6. Hope to see you here. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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