OVERVIEW:
Ahaziah sends 102 men to their death; Elijah is taken up; Elisha is established as a prophet; Moab revolts; the miracles of Elisha.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
The stubbornness and rebellion of man has no better example than Israel’s King Ahaziah. He has seen and heard Elijah and the condemnation of Baal. He knows of the fire falling from heaven in judgment of Baal. Now, when faced with a pressing need in his life, rather than turn to the God who clearly manifested Himself as the One true God on Mount Carmel, and countless other ways in Israel, Ahaziah still turns to Baal, the god of Ekron. Even when confronted with the truth from Elijah, he refuses to accept God’s word, and becomes guilty of sending two captains and their respective 50 men to their deaths. How could a man be so blind? Could we ever be so blind? The reality is, the same thing continues to happen right up to the present day! Many times, when people (even believers!) find themselves at a time of great need in their life, rather than turn to the holy and powerful God of the Bible who has proven Himself consistently and continuously for the past 6000 years, they turn rather to the “god of self” in its many forms (self-reliance, self-preservation, self-confidence, self-control, self-defense, self-determination, self-help, self-motivation, self-propulsion, self-sufficiency, and/or self-will) or they’ll turn to the “god of money” in an attempt to meet their need.
An interesting insight into the frailty of Elijah’s humanness is shown in verse 15. Even after being used of God to call down fire from heaven on three separate occasions (1st Kings 18:37-39; 2nd Kings 1;10, 12), the Lord still has to tell Elijah not to be afraid of the third captain sent by Ahaziah (1:15). The Lord is here revealing to us the reality explained by James, in James 5:16-18, that even though Elijah, the Prophet of Fire, tenaciously confronted kings and religious leaders with the word of the Lord, rather than being a superhero, he was actually a man who had to deal with the same types of fears and weaknesses of which we all face. God reveals to us through James, that Elijah’s greatness wasn’t the power of his PERSON, but simply the power of his PRAYERS! God’s point through James, is that if we will be righteous men and women of fervent prayer, God’s power will likewise be manifested through us!
In Chapter 2, Elisha follows and serves his leader to the end. Elisha had seen the FIRE, but what he wanted was the SPIRIT! He wasn’t interested in demonstrating what Elijah demonstrated on the OUTSIDE, he wanted what Elijah possessed on the INSIDE! He understood the reality of Zechariah 4:6, that the Lord’s work is “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
As we consider the practical application to us, recognize that the Lord Jesus Christ gave us the promise of the Holy Spirit LIVING and ABIDING in us in John chapters 14, 15, and 16. Paul writes, that we are SEALED with the Holy Spirit (2nd Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30), we have the potential to be FILLED with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) and to manifest the FRUIT of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), we are LED by the Spirit (Romans 8:14), TAUGHT by the Spirit (1st Corinthians 2:10) and STRENGTHENED by the Spirit. (Ephesians 3:16) Oh, may we never fail to realize that we already have in our possession what Elisha was passionately asking to receive! All we need on a daily, and even a moment by moment basis, is to surrender to the powerful Spirit of God that patiently waits to be released and manifested both IN and THROUGH us!
Elijah is taken into heaven. (2:11) Elijah’s mantle is left to Elisha and the Spirit of the Lord now works through him. The miracles and the work of the Lord will continue because Elisha will be doing the work of GOD, not the work of ELIJAH. God’s work continues as He brings another man into His place of service. In the last part of chapter 2, Elisha is confirmed by God in the sight of other men. Interestingly, Elisha had asked for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah to be poured out upon him (2:9) and, as you might would imagine, the number of his recorded miracles is double that of Elijah!
Chapter 3 details the deliverance of a good king (King Jehoshaphat of Judah) that gets involved with other evil kings. After the death of Ahaziah in chapter 1, his brother Jehoram begins to reign over Israel. He put away the image of Baal, but kept the golden calf of Jeroboam. (1st Kings 12:28) (He is a reminder of how few people there are in any generation who genuinely offer to the Lord the absolute and complete surrender for which He requires!) Moab revolts from the rule of Israel and Jehoram calls on Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom to help. Soon, the three kings are in a desert with no water and no hope. Jehoshaphat finds himself in the wrong place with the wrong people. Only then, does Jehoshaphat ask for counsel from the Lord. Elisha comes in and the Lord brings deliverance with the reflection of the sun upon the water. In a place of no water the Lord brings victory through water.
Elisha miraculously helps other various individuals in chapter 4. After Elisha gives a widow instruction, the Lord multiplies her only possession (a pot of oil) to pay her debts and meet her future needs. (4:1-7) A woman who takes care of Elisha, is given a son. When the son later dies in the field, the Lord brings him back to life through Elisha. (4:8-37) A poisonous meal is purified and given to hungry men. (4:38-41) Firstfruit offerings are multiplied to meet the needs of many people. (4:42-44)
As is demonstrated through the ministry of Elisha, the Spirit of God abiding in and controlling a person brings blessing, joy, and hope to men, and glory to God! For God’s glory’s sake, like Elisha, may the power of God’s Holy Spirit be manifest through us!
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
As JUDGE OF THE UNBELIEVERS –– 2nd Kings 1 (Revelation 19:11–20:15)
As GIVER OF THE SPIRIT –– 2nd Kings 2:9 (John 14:16–17)
As THE ASCENDED SAVIOUR –– 2nd Kings 2:11 (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9)
As THE GIVER OF LIFE –– 2nd Kings 4:17 (John 6:33, 10:28; 1st John 5:11)
As THE MULTIPLIER OF FOOD –– 2nd Kings 4:42–44 (Matthew 14:16–21; 15:32–38)