The Story Of Elisha
The successor to Elijah, Elisha served as a prophet and miracle worker during a tumultuous time in Israel’s history. Though he performed many miracles, he remained humble and faithful to God, denying monetary gain as he served the Lord.
Elijah Commissions Elisha
Elisha is first introduced in 1 Kings 19The Lord appeared to Elijah and told him that Elisha would succeed him as prophet. Elijah then approached Elisha, who was plowing in the field. Elijah threw his cloak on him, and Elisha asked to kiss his mother and father goodbye before coming with him. He burned his plow and used the fire to cook his oxen, leaving his past life behind.
Elisha is first introduced in 1 Kings 19
The Lord appeared to Elijah and told him that Elisha would succeed him as prophet. Elijah then approached Elisha, who was plowing in the field. Elijah threw his cloak on him, and Elisha asked to kiss his mother and father goodbye before coming with him. He burned his plow and used the fire to cook his oxen, leaving his past life behind.
Elisha means, “My God is salvation.”
This prophet’s ministry called the people back to a saving faith, in which knowledge of God allows us to see through a different perspective. “Elisha’s call gives us the idiom ‘take up the mantle,’which means to pass an office from mentor to student. True saving faith allows us to know God beyond head knowledge, by connecting with Him in our heart …our souls …and allowing Him to take precedence over all else in our lives. Saving faith realises our purpose is to bring glory to God. “One of the themes of Elisha’s ministry was that of the kindness and compassion of God,” Elisha had directed the people again and again to the covenants of the Lord.” This prophet’s ministry called the people back to a saving faith, in which knowledge of God allows us to see through a different perspective. “Elisha’s call gives us the idiom ‘take up the mantle,’which means to pass an office from mentor to student. True saving faith allows us to know God beyond head knowledge, by connecting with Him in our heart …our souls …and allowing Him to take precedence over all else in our lives. Saving faith realises our purpose is to bring glory to God. “One of the themes of Elisha’s ministry was that of the kindness and compassion of God,” Elisha had directed the people again and again to the covenants of the Lord.” This prophet’s ministry called the people back to a saving faith, in which knowledge of God allows us to see through a different perspective. “Elisha’s call gives us the idiom ‘take up the mantle,’which means to pass an office from mentor to student. True saving faith allows us to know God beyond head knowledge, by connecting with Him in our heart …our souls …and allowing Him to take precedence over all else in our lives. Saving faith realises our purpose is to bring glory to God. “One of the themes of Elisha’s ministry was that of the kindness and compassion of God,” Elisha had directed the people again and again to the covenants of the Lord.”
Miracles performed by Elisha can be found in these passages:2 Kings 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
Miracles performed by Elisha can be found in these passages:
2 Kings 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
2 Kings 2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
2 Kings 2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
2 Kings 3:17 For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
2 Kings 3:22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood.
2 Kings 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
2 Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
2 Kings 4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
2 Kings 4:41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
2 Kings 4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
2 Kings 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
2 Kings 5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
2 Kings 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
2 Kings 6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
2 Kings 6:9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
2 Kings 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
2 Kings 6:20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
2 Kings 7:1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 Kings 7:2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
2 Kings 7:6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
2 Kings 8:1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
2 Kings 8:10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die.
2 Kings 8:12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
2 Kings 9:7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.
2 Kings 13:17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
2 Kings 13:19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
2 Kings 13:21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
Elisha Performed Double the Miracles of Elijah
“When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ ‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied. ‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours otherwise, it will not.
2 Kings 2:9-10
Scripture tells us God has plans for our lives which are bigger than we can ask for or imagine. Elisha’s life is a visual reminder of this Scriptural truth. “When Elisha saw that these faithful people of God could not meet their ordinary financial needs or feed themselves, his miracles met those needs. Especially after walking with Elijah as his mentor for many years, Elisha could have turned back. After all, Elijah told him too. Instead, he chose to stay, follow, and ask for a double portion of his mentor’s spirit. Elisha's Life and Death Pointed to God as the Source of Life and Power.
“Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. ‘My father! My father!’ he cried. ‘The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’”
2 Kings 13:14 The king relied substantially on Elisha for military advice, and in the prophet’s final moments came to him for advice. Elisha used his final moments, recorded in verses 15-19, to illustrate the importance of saving faith to the king. “The king was looking for military help,” but the prophet realised that help ultimately comes from God.” As he did throughout his ministry, Elisha pointed to the true source of life and power, the One True God.
“Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were boring a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elishas’ bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.” 2 Kings 13:20-21
Though Elisha did not leave the earth in the same way Elijah did, taken up in a whirlwind with the horses and chariot of fire appearing, this miracle is recorded in 2 Kings after his death. Though his earthy body was buried in the ground, the miraculous raising of the man mentioned above represents the life-giving power of God. Though Alisha's bones had no more life in them here on earth, the power of God on and through his life remained.The miracle at Elisha’s grave was an immediate reminder of this man of God and the miracles which were worked through his life, and a reminder for us to keep firm faith in every part of God’s word.
2 Kings 2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
2 Kings 3:17 For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
2 Kings 3:22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood.
2 Kings 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
2 Kings 4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
2 Kings 4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
2 Kings 4:41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.
2 Kings 4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
2 Kings 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
2 Kings 5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
2 Kings 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
2 Kings 6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
2 Kings 6:9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
2 Kings 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
2 Kings 6:20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
2 Kings 7:1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 Kings 7:2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
2 Kings 7:6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
2 Kings 8:1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.
2 Kings 8:10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die.
2 Kings 8:12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
2 Kings 9:7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.
2 Kings 13:17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
2 Kings 13:19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
2 Kings 13:21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
Elisha Performed Double the Miracles of Elijah
“When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ ‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,’ Elisha replied. ‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours otherwise, it will not.
2 Kings 2:9-10
Scripture tells us God has plans for our lives which are bigger than we can ask for or imagine. Elisha’s life is a visual reminder of this Scriptural truth. “When Elisha saw that these faithful people of God could not meet their ordinary financial needs or feed themselves, his miracles met those needs. Especially after walking with Elijah as his mentor for many years, Elisha could have turned back. After all, Elijah told him too. Instead, he chose to stay, follow, and ask for a double portion of his mentor’s spirit. Elisha's Life and Death Pointed to God as the Source of Life and Power.
“Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. ‘My father! My father!’ he cried. ‘The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’”
2 Kings 13:14 The king relied substantially on Elisha for military advice, and in the prophet’s final moments came to him for advice. Elisha used his final moments, recorded in verses 15-19, to illustrate the importance of saving faith to the king. “The king was looking for military help,” but the prophet realised that help ultimately comes from God.” As he did throughout his ministry, Elisha pointed to the true source of life and power, the One True God.
“Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were boring a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elishas’ bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.” 2 Kings 13:20-21
Though Elisha did not leave the earth in the same way Elijah did, taken up in a whirlwind with the horses and chariot of fire appearing, this miracle is recorded in 2 Kings after his death. Though his earthy body was buried in the ground, the miraculous raising of the man mentioned above represents the life-giving power of God. Though Alisha's bones had no more life in them here on earth, the power of God on and through his life remained.The miracle at Elisha’s grave was an immediate reminder of this man of God and the miracles which were worked through his life, and a reminder for us to keep firm faith in every part of God’s word.
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