Shortly after elijah had been taken away by god, elisha traveled to bethel to be confronted by little children who call him bald head. Shortly after elijah had been taken away by god, elisha traveled to bethel to be confronted by little children who call him bald. The story of elijah and elisha may be the most obvious mentorship story in the bible. In fact, we dont come across elishas name again until 2 kings 2.
He is patient and accommodates the failings of his people, and his will is ultimately accomplished without fail. Elisha traps blinded arameans now the king of aram was at war with israel. Naaman obeyed elishas instructions and was completely healed. Then elisha said to the king of israel, what have i to do with you. After conferring with his officers, he said, i will set up my camp in.
According to this story, he was a prophet and a wonderworker of the northern kingdom of israel who was active during the reign of joram, jehu, jehoahaz, and jehoash joash. At that time, israel was ruled by corrupted kings whose evil ways caused the. Elijah and elisha are two of the most wellknown prophets of israel. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Elijah says this is a tough one, but hell see what he can do. Discuss the relationship between elijah and elisha teacherdisciple. Dec 19, 2014 elisha is one of the disciples of elijah. And she said to her husband, look now, i know that this is a holy man of god, who passes by us regularly. First of all, these miracles served to accredit elisha as the successor of elijah. Sep 10, 20 no, elijah has plenty of ministry left in him. Afterwards, elisha discovers that he really has inherited the two scoops of spiritual power, confirming his authority as. God is salvation, israelite prophetic wonderworker of the ninth century b.
David guzik commentary on 2 kings 2 describes the ascension of elijah, and how elisha asks for a double portion of elijahs spirit. He appears on the biblical timeline with world history during the 8th century bc. What can we learn from the story of elijah and elisha. But elisha told him not to be afraid because those who are with us are more than those who are with them. And elisha prayed, open his eyes, lord, so that he may see. Elisha was first mentioned in the bible in 1 kings 19.
One could even find a reinforcement for this view in a subsequent story of elisha that appears a couple of chapters later, where the king of israel in 2 kings 8. In the second chapter of two kings, elisha asks elijah for a doubleshare of his spirit before he flies away in gods whirlwind. So elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. Elisha serves quietly under the leadership of elijah until his time comes. The faithful elisha was now with elijah as his servant, and he was to be prophet after him. He wants to be there when his elijah is taken away. Elisha was more about doing amazing miracles and advising kings, princes, and commoners alike. Elisha said, please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. He was known as the one who poured water on the hands of elijah. He now believed that there is no god in all the world except in israel. Elijahs main mission was to stand up for the god of israel against popular pagan gods such as baal and asherah.
This summary of the book of 1 kings provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 1 kings. Analysis elisha had experienced hospitality at shunem from this woman and favored her with two miracles, the birth of a son and his resuscitation following his mysterious death 4. They point out that jesus uses the plow of elisha in luke 9. God did not change his mind concerning the anointing of jehu. Elisha is one of a line of men whom god used to save his people. May 23, 2011 now including hgtv, food network, tlc, investigation discovery, and much more. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh.
Elishas story is related in the book of kings second scroll, chapters 214 in the hebrew bible in judaism, part of the neviim. Elishas profile in the book of kings keith bodner oxford. Told in a popular vein, it becomes a caricature in which neither elisha who would never do this, not the bear who not only does not normally attack people, it would never attack people en masse behave in character. Let us go to the jordan, where each of us can get a pole. Elisha was an important prophet that led the prophets of god during the turbulent time of the kings in israels history. Elisha was the son of shaphat, a wealthy landowner of abelmeholah. Explore the meaning of elishas request for a double portion of elijahs spirit. Elisha didnt ask for worldly honor or for a high place among men.
During the latter kings reign, the prophet elisha died. Beloved heavenly father, the miracles of your prophet elijah were surpassed by elisha, and the miracles of elisha were surpassed by your supreme prophet, jesus christ. And elisha the son of shaphat of abel meholah you shall anoint as. Elisha, son of shaphat, was from abel meholah, of the jordan valley 1 kings 19. Immediately prior to the time elijah was caught up to heaven in the whirlwind, his younger understudy. The cast of characters in 2 kings is pretty sprawling, and theres no real protagonist or one hero, butif you had to pick oneelisha would probably be the top guy, given the number of chapters he appears in. Elisha then assumed the mantle and presided over the. During a particularly dark and contested era where the corrupt northern kings hold sway, elisha enters the ideological battleground and boldly raises his voice and performs remarkable signs to stem the tide of injustice and religious inconstancy. The stories of the prophet elijah and his protege elisha are found at the end of first kings and the beginning of second kings 1 kings 172 kings. Elijah is first introduced in 1 kings 17 as the prophet who predicted a. An axhead floats the company of the prophets said to elisha, look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother. Elishah was the son of javan according to the book of genesis 10.
Sep 18, 2014 so elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. Elisha said that would all be fine, regular worship of rimmon and occasional respect to yahweh dirt. Discuss ways they learn from parents and teachers and pick up their mantles. The second book of kings has very largely to do with the life and ministry of elisha, the prophet. Elijah is initially presented in 1 kings 17 as the seer who foretold a threeyear drought in the land of israel.
This prophet actively performed miracles and prophesized through the reign of four kings. The call of elisha so elijah went from there and found elisha son of shaphat. Sep 07, 2012 elisha was an important prophet that led the prophets of god during the turbulent time of the kings in israels history. Accordingly, the reference to going down to bethel in 2 kgs 2. But the king of israel said to him, no, for the lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of moab.
What may i do for you, before i am taken away from you. Many years ago, i had an atheist question me on the passage in 2 kings 2. Elisha, prophet amazing bible timeline with world history. The greek septuagint of genesis 10 lists elisa not only as the son of javan, but also a grandson of japheth scholars have often identified elishah with cypriots, as in ancient times the island of cyprus or part of it was known as alashiya. Elisha then told one of his prophets to anoint jehu to king by destroying ahabs house. They both served in the northern kingdom of israel. Elisha had actually refused to be paid by naaman but one of the yahvists chased after the syrian leader and demanded some money and clothing from him for the leprosy miracle. Elisha and so it was, when they had crossed over, that elijah said to elisha, ask.
Immediately prior to the time elijah was caught up to heaven in the whirlwind, his younger understudy elisha requested a double portion of elijahs spirit 2ki 2. Elisha last half of the ninth century bce was a prophet of the northern kingdom of israel. Moses parted the red sea, and joshua the jordan river. The kings narrative also records twice as many miracles by elisha as by elijah 14 to 7. Elishas profile in the book of kings uses the tools of literary criticism to read the elisha narrative as an integral component of the deuteronomistic history compiled in the aftermath of the babylonian invasion and destruction of jerusalem in 586 bce. The company of the prophets said to elisha, look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. He would become known as the prophet of peace and healing. Ive sought answers to that one for a long time, and never could find a satisfactory response. Explore the meaning behind elijahs passing the mantle to elisha. In this study, we will begin in i kings 16 and go through ii kings. The spirit of elijah rested on elisha, and yet he is not conveyed to heaven in a fiery chariot as elijah was, but goes the common way of all flesh out of the world, and is visited with the visitation of all men. Elisha died, and they buried him in or near samaria. He wanted to give elisha his gifts of gold, silver and clothes but elisha refused them. Sep 04, 2010 elisha had previously made it very clear to jehoram that he wanted nothing to do with him 2 kings 3.
Elisha serves as an elected member of the firms policy committee and also serves on the board of the dla piper foundation. Why did god change his mind concerning the anointing of. From his investiture in 1 kings 19 to his final cameo in 2 kings, elisha the prophet has one of the most extensivelynarrated careers in. Though the deuteronomic historian says little about israels next king, jeroboam ii, he was a major monarch. Elijah was not the first prophet to be called upon by god to depose a reigning king. This is a series of expositions of most of the passages in the first and second books of kings which give the history of the two prophets, elijah and elisha. Elisha serves as an elected member of the firms policy committee and also serves on. Jan 02, 2020 but elisha told him not to be afraid because those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Then he went with elijah as his assistant 1 kings 19. Both of these prophets had to minister in times of terrible national decay, and we can see, in moving from the ministry of elijah to that of elisha, a transition that took place in the history of israel. Then the lord opened the servants eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around elisha 2 kings 6. They came during the reign of one of the most evil kings in israels history, a man named ahab hes almost as famous as his equally evil wife, jezebel o ahab and jezebel made life miserable for elisha because god used elisha to cry out against all the evil that ahab was doing in the northern kingdom. The bible story of elijah and elisha is found in both books of kings from the old testament. Elijah and elisha, arguably the two most prominent prophets of the old testament, embody gods spirit and live lives that loudly proclaim gods power over people, the elements, and situations.
Why did god change his mind concerning the anointing of jehu. Jehoram saw the siege and famine as being from god 2 kings 6. Now including hgtv, food network, tlc, investigation discovery, and much more. Though neither of them wrote a book, the accounts of their lives and service for the lord tell us much about gods holiness, justice, love, power, provision, and protection. We hear it from the lips of the servant of jehoram, as well as from the king of judahthe word of the lord is with elisha 2 kings 3. The miracles of elisha previous kings 2 lessons list next. Elisha s profile in the book of kings uses the tools of literary criticism to read the elisha narrative as an integral component of the deuteronomistic history compiled in the aftermath of the babylonian invasion and destruction of jerusalem in 586 bce. The job of prophet was being based from elijah to elisha. Finding the spirit of elijah in the story of elisha and the lost axe.
Elisha, little children, and the bears answers in genesis. Elisha had previously made it very clear to jehoram that he wanted nothing to do with him 2 kings 3. They are two of the most notable prophets from scripture helping to restore israel in a time of wicked rulers. Elijah is first introduced in 1 kings 17 as the prophet who predicted a threeyear drought in the land. It was through elisha that god spared jehoshaphat and the kings of israel and edom, along with their armies.
After a few years of training, elisha would become gods spokesman to the northern kingdom. On the one hand, elishas ministry superseded elijahs in certain ways. There was another occasion prior to this when a king wanted to deal harshly with elisha. Elisha has more than 20 years of experience at the firm, with a background in litigation and employment law, including jury and bench trials in federal and state courts. Biblical literature the significance of elisha britannica. The recognition of the literary pattern operative in 2 kings 2 not only clarifies this ostensible topographical oddity but also resolves. Elishas story is related in the book of kings in the hebrew bible in judaism, part of the neviim. Nov 12, 2010 many years ago, i had an atheist question me on the passage in 2 kings 2. So, too, both elijah and elisha parted the jordan river. Elishas ministry lasted about twice as long as elijahs 14 and prematurely terminated to almost 50 years.
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