When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed. He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. (2 Kings 4:32-33)

It’s amazing to see how the ministry of Elisha the prophet was, in many ways, similar to the ministry of his mentor, the prophet Elijah. For example, God used Elijah to bring miraculous provision to an unlikely woman and her son, and then God used Elijah to raise that son from the dead. A similar thing happened for the prophet Elisha.

The woman who had received the miraculous provision of oil had a son, and tragically her son died. Elisha first sent his servant, but nothing happened. When Elisha himself came, he prayed for the widow’s son. As he prayed, he did something unusual, as if he could transfer his life to the boy. Strictly speaking, the ceremonial law commanded that no one could touch a dead body without becoming unclean. But the boy’s death did not transfer to Elisha; God brought life to the previously-dead boy.

As Elisha prayed to the LORD, he did so with the confidence that God did a similar work through the prophet who was his mentor. When we see God do a work in one situation, it gives us faith to know He could do it again.

When life came to the one who was dead, we see both a similarity and a contrast with the work of Jesus. The contrast is seen in the stretched-out supplication of Elijah and Elisha, comparing it to the authoritative command of Jesus in raising the dead (as in John 11:43). Elijah and Elisha rightly begged God to raise the dead. Jesus commanded the dead to be raised – because Jesus was more than a man.

The similarity is seen in what happened when Elisha (and Elijah before him) came into contact with the dead. Death did not transfer to the prophet; life came to the dead. In the same way when we were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13), Jesus came and touched our life. Our sin and death did not “infect” Jesus; instead, His life came into us.

The boy given new life wasn’t supposed to continue laying there, motionless, as if he were still dead. He had been given new life; now he was supposed to live it.

What are you doing with the new life Jesus gave you?

Click here for David’s commentary on 2 Kings 4

And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’” (2 Kings 3:16)

This was an unusual word from God in an unusual situation. The armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom were stuck in the hot desert and dying of thirst. The three kings went to the prophet Elisha and asked for a word from God. This was the start of God’s answer: “Go dig many ditches in the desert.”

That was strange advice to soldiers dying of thirst in the desert. It seemed that all the hot, hard, seemingly useless work of digging in the desert would make the problem worse. But God gave more than this command. God also promised they would conquer their enemy (2 Kings 3:17-19).

It happened just as God said it would. They dug ditches, a flash flood wept across the desert, the water was saved in the ditches, and they were saved from thirst. Then their enemies saw the light reflected off the water and for some reason they thought it was blood of the three armies fighting each other. Thinking the battle was over, the Moabites walked right into the camp of the three kings and the Moabites were destroyed.

The armies of the three kings were delivered from death in the desert. They won a miraculous victory over their enemy. All because they obeyed the strange command to dig ditches in the desert.

Serving God and His people is sometimes a lot like digging ditches.

Like digging ditches, Christian service is often hard work.
Like digging ditches, Christian service must be guided by God’s revelation.
Like digging ditches, Christian service might seem crazy to some people.
Like digging ditches, Christian service is done in faith.
Like digging ditches, Christian service is blessed beyond expectation.
Like digging ditches, Christian service needs God’s miracle to do any good.
Like digging ditches, Christian service often feels like work without reward.

If living for God and serving His people seems as dry and meaningless as digging a ditch, don’t despair. Keep aligned with God’s word, and see what great things God will do.

Click here for David’s commentary on 2 Kings 3

But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat ishere, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” (2 Kings 3:11)

Three kings gathered in war against the Moabites. As the rulers of Israel, Judah, and Edom crossed the barren desert for a surprise attack upon Moab, they became trapped in the desert with no water for their soldiers or their animals.

Two of three kings had no use for Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. The Moabite and Israelite kings did not honor the LORD. Yet, Jehoshaphat king of Judah gave some honor to the LORD. With death in the desert near, Jehoshaphat suggested to the other kings that they find a prophet of the LORD. He was wise enough to know that they needed help from the true God, the living God, the LORD.

The answer to Jehoshaphat came from one of the servants of the king of Israel. His answer was something like this: “Yes, there is a prophet of the LORD near here. His name is Elisha the son of Shaphat, and he is the one who poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

I’m fascinated by that phrase: who poured water on the hands of Elijah. The idea is that long before he was recognized as a great and mighty prophet, Elisha served Elijah in simple and humble ways.

I suppose there were times when Elisha literally helped Elijah wash his hands. Perhaps it was time to eat, and Elijah needed to clean his hands. The younger prophet Elisha held the pitcher of water and poured it out over the hands of his mentor. This probably literally happened, but we also understand that this was a phrase used to describe the humble and simple way Elisha served his spiritual father.

In this case, Elisha was not known by the great words he spoke or the mighty deeds God did through him. He was known by his humble service. Zechariah 4:10 asks, “Who has despised the day of small things?” Elisha certainly did not. Before Jesus ever spoke the words, Elisha knew something of the truth that the greatest in God’s kingdom are the servants of all (Mark 9:35).

I have a feeling that when we meet Elisha in heaven, he may introduce himself by saying with a smile, “I’m the one who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” If we will be known for anything, it’s wonderful to be known for our humble, simple service in the name of Jesus.

Click here for David’s commentary on 2 Kings 3

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” (2 Kings 2:9)

At this point in 2 Kings, the time soon approached when the older prophet Elijah would be taken to heaven and leave the younger prophet Elisha behind. Before he left, Elijah tested Elisha in a few different ways and then asked this amazing question: Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?

This was an open invitation for Elisha to ask for whatever he wanted. It was like the invitation that God gave to Solomon (1 Kings 3:5), and the invitation Jesus gave to all who seek Him (Matthew 7:7). This great invitation was given after Elisha had demonstrated his loyalty and commitment by refusing to leave his mentor. That dedicated, seeking-God’s-best attitude of Elisha was rewarded.

What did Elisha ask for? Elisha said, please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. Elisha asked for a big thing – a double portion of the mighty spirit of Elijah. Elisha saw how greatly the Spirit of God worked through Elijah, and he wanted the same for himself.

The idea of a double portion was not to ask for twice as much as Elijah had, but to ask for the portion that went to the firstborn son, as in Deuteronomy 21:17. Elisha asked for the right to be regarded as the successor of Elijah, as his firstborn son in regard to ministry. Yet Elisha had already been designated as Elijah’s successor (1 Kings 19:19). This was a request for the spiritual power to fulfill the calling he already received.

It is worthwhile to consider if this was generally a good or a bad thing. Normally we don’t think of one person inheriting the ministry of another. The relation between Elijah and Elisha – and God’s apparent blessing on their ministries – shows that at least sometimes God intends one person to inherit the ministry of another.

More than anything, consider this: Elisha could have asked for anything, but he asked for this. When offered everything, he didn’t seek wealth, worldly power, or status. He wanted all he might need to fulfill God’s purpose and call on his life.

What do you think is missing in your life? What would you ask God for if He offered you anything? Asking God for all you need to fulfill His highest purpose for your life is a great thing to ask for. Get a double portion of that.

Click here for David’s commentary on 2 Kings 2

And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt. (Leviticus 2:13)

Under the Old Covenant, not every sacrifice was of an animal and with blood. God also accepted the grain offering. Like every one of the offerings made by ancient Israel, the grain offering had to be made with salt. Why did God command this?

Salt Speaks of Purity
As a chemical compound, salt can’t change. It has an inherent purity. God wanted every sacrifice brought before Him to come from a pure heart. Some of what we do for God is from impure motives. We should ask God to give us the purest of motives: to show our gratitude and to honor His glory. I’ve also heard that salt itself cannot change, but it can be corrupted by what it added to it. When our motives are impure, it is often because we add concern about our own glory and prestige. Ask God to build in you the purity of salt.

Salt Speaks of Preservation
As a preservative, salt stops the normal operations of flesh. It is the nature of flesh to spoil, but salt-cured meat will stay good. Long before we used refrigeration and freezing to keep things, people preserved meats by salting them. When we come before God, we don’t come in our own “spoiled flesh.” We come in the name of Jesus, on the basis of His merits, not ours. We can only be “preserved” by the constant work of God in us.

Salt Speaks of Preciousness
Salt was an expensive, valued commodity in the ancient world. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt. Adding salt to every sacrifice was a way to make each offering to God a little more costly, a little more precious. We need to put our best into everything, and give everything unto God.

If you go to the market you can see some foods that are “salt free” or “reduced salt.” That might be just what someone needs in their diet, but when we think of what salt symbolized for ancient Israel, we understand that we should never life a “salt free” or “reduced salt” life.

Every day is a gift we can and should give to God. It’s proper that we “season” or “sprinkle” our day with the understanding of:

– The purity God wants us to live out: Jesus is our purity
– The preserving work God wants to do in us: Jesus preserves us to the end
– The precious nature of each moment we give to God: Everything given to Jesus is precious

Even a small sacrifice can be precious before God if it is seasoned with salt!

 

Click here for David’s commentary on Leviticus 2