Elisha Succeeds Elijah

Topic: Respect
Passage: 2 Kings 2:15–25

January 14, 2022

Commentary

 

 

Following his return across the Jordan, Elisha was faced with three situations that confirmed his call.  The first situation established his authority. The 50 prophets from Jordan did not realize that Elijah had permanently been ushered into the presence of God. Therefore they searched futilely for three days to see where God might have dropped him. Elisha reminded them that he had told them they would not find him. No doubt this experience marked Elisha as a man of leadership.

 

The second situation distinguished his power. The citizens of Jericho were faced with a problem.  This ancient city had trouble with its water supply. The leading men of the city came to Elisha asking if he could help them. Taking salt, a cleansing and preserving agent, he sprinkled it on the contaminated spring and the waters were made good. This was clearly miraculous.

 

The third situation established him as a person of great respect. The older men were always to be treated with respect. As Elisha left Jericho and was traveling to Bethel (a distance of 20 miles) he was met by a band of rowdy teenagers. This gang mocked and made fun of Elisha and implied that if he was such a great prophet of the Lord, he should go up to heaven as Elijah had reportedly done. As a result Elisha called down a curse on the villains and all 42 were mauled by two bears. This miracle identified him as a person of great respect and a representative of the living God.

 

Application

 

 

Making fun of God’s messengers has been a popular sport for many years. The young men who failed to respect Elisha and mocked and made fun of him in this passage paid for it with their lives. I need to be very careful about criticizing God’s messengers.

 

2 Kings 2:15– 25 (NET)

15 When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance, saw him do this, they said, “The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the Lord may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied, “Don’t send them out.” 17 But they were so insistent that he became embarrassed. So he said, “Send them out.” They sent the fifty men out, and they looked for three days, but could not find Elijah. 18 When they came back, Elisha was staying in Jericho. He said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go’?”

19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, the city has a good location, as our master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn’t produce crops.” 20 Elisha said, “Get me a new jar and put some salt in it.” So they got it. 21 He went out to the spring and threw the salt in. Then he said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or fail to produce crops.’” 22 The water has been pure to this very day, just as Elisha prophesied.

23 He went up from there to Bethel. As he was traveling up the road, some young boys came out of the city and made fun of him, saying, “Go on up, baldy! Go on up, baldy!” 24 When he turned around and saw them, he called God’s judgment down on them. Two female bears came out of the woods and ripped forty-two of the boys to pieces. 25 From there he traveled to Mount Carmel and then back to Samaria.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

Topic: Respect
Passage: 2 Kings 2:15–25

November 27, 2019

Commentary

 

 

Following his return across the Jordan, Elisha was faced with three situations that confirmed his call.  The first situation established his authority. The 50 prophets from Jordan did not realize that Elijah had permanently been ushered into the presence of God. Therefore they searched futilely for three days to see where God might have dropped him. Elisha reminded them that he had told them they would not find him. No doubt this experience marked Elisha as a man of leadership.

 

The second situation distinguished his power. The citizens of Jericho were faced with a problem.  This ancient city had trouble with its water supply. The leading men of the city came to Elisha asking if he could help them. Taking salt, a cleansing and preserving agent, he sprinkled it on the contaminated spring and the waters were made good. This was clearly miraculous.

 

The third situation established him as a person of great respect. The older men were always to be treated with respect. As Elisha left Jericho and was traveling to Bethel (a distance of 20 miles) he was met by a band of rowdy teenagers. This gang mocked and made fun of Elisha and implied that if he was such a great prophet of the Lord, he should go up to heaven as Elijah had reportedly done. As a result Elisha called down a curse on the villains and all 42 were mauled by two bears. This miracle identified him as a person of great respect and a representative of the living God.

 

Application

 

 

Making fun of God’s messengers has been a popular sport for many years. The young men who failed to respect Elisha and mocked and made fun of him in this passage paid for it with their lives. I need to be very careful about criticizing God’s messengers.

 

2 Kings 2:15– 25 (NET)

15 When the members of the prophetic guild in Jericho, who were standing at a distance, saw him do this, they said, “The spirit that energized Elijah rests upon Elisha.” They went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “Look, there are fifty capable men with your servants. Let them go and look for your master, for the wind sent from the Lord may have carried him away and dropped him on one of the hills or in one of the valleys.” But Elisha replied, “Don’t send them out.” 17 But they were so insistent that he became embarrassed. So he said, “Send them out.” They sent the fifty men out, and they looked for three days, but could not find Elijah. 18 When they came back, Elisha was staying in Jericho. He said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go’?”

19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, the city has a good location, as our master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn’t produce crops.” 20 Elisha said, “Get me a new jar and put some salt in it.” So they got it. 21 He went out to the spring and threw the salt in. Then he said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or fail to produce crops.’” 22 The water has been pure to this very day, just as Elisha prophesied.

23 He went up from there to Bethel. As he was traveling up the road, some young boys came out of the city and made fun of him, saying, “Go on up, baldy! Go on up, baldy!” 24 When he turned around and saw them, he called God’s judgment down on them. Two female bears came out of the woods and ripped forty-two of the boys to pieces. 25 From there he traveled to Mount Carmel and then back to Samaria.