Bible in one year 6/14/ 2022 2Kings Chapter 3-4 Elisha’s Ministry By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible in one year 6/14/ 2022  2Kings Chapter 3-4 Elisha’s Ministry

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries : Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

  

2 Kings Chapter 3 Jehoram’s expedition against Moab and inquire of the Lord

            Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father and mother had done. Now three kings, king of Israel, king of Judah and king of Edom agreed to fight against Moabites. After a round about march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. King of Israel got mad, impious Jehoram blamed God for his predicament (v.10). he said, “ Has the Lord called us three kings together only to hand us over to Moab?” but King of Judah, Jehoshaphat asked, “ Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord through him?” (v.11). So they asked Elisha to inquire of the Lord. The word of the Lord came to Elisha after a harpist who played a stringed instrument. Elisha said, “ For this is what the Lord says, “ You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also hand Moab over to you. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.” (vv.16-19). The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there is was water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.(v.20). And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites.(v.24).

2Kings Chapter 4 Elisha’s ministry

a)      Elisha aids a widow

            The wife of a man from company of the prophets cried out to Elisha that her husband is dead and he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take her two boys as slaves. (v.1). Obviously not unmarried monks. The sons would have had to work off their father’s debt (Lev.25:39). The widow has nothing there at all, except a little oil.(v.2). Elisha told her to “ go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few.”(v.3) So She did what Elisha had said and brough the jars and she kept pouring the oil one after one until there was not a jar left.(vv.3-6). Elisha told her “ go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”(v.7). This is a miracle that Elisha had done to a widow. God’s supply was as large as the woman’s faith and obedience.

b)     Elisha and Shunammite woman

            One day Elisha went to Shunem. Shunem(v.8) seven mile E. of Megiddo, overlooking the valley of Jezreel. A well to do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal and wanted her husband to build a small room, a weatherproof room on the flat roof of the house for Elisha to stay. Elisha seems accepted it, one day, he went up to his room and lay down and asked what can be done for her? Gehazi, his servant said, “she has no son and her husband is old.” (v.14).so Elisha said to her, “ about this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.”(v.15) She objected. “Don’t mislead your servant, O man of God!” but the woman became pregnant, and the next year about the same time she gave birth to a son. Just as Elisha had told her.

            The child grew, and one day he went out to his father who was with the reapers. He said to his father, “ My head! My head” perhaps he suffered a sunstroke. The boy sat on her lap until noon and then he died. (v.20). She reached the man of God and took hold of his feet and said, “ Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I tell you, Don’t raise my hopes?” Elisha didn’t know her son died. Elisha’s instruction to Gehaze was designed to teach the people that the power of work miracles was not magically inherent in Elisha’s staff.(v.31).

 Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. the he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out upon him, the boy’s body grew warm. Elisha truned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. (vv.32-35).This was not cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but a spectacular miracle of restoring life to one who had been dead for some hours.   

c)      Elisha at Gilgal and miracles of God’s provision  

 Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “put on the large pot and cook some stew for these men.”(v.38). One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine. He gathered some of its wild cucumbers and filled the fold of his cloak… When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew that they were. The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “ O man of God, there is death in the pot! And they could not eat it. Elisha said, “ Get some flour” He put it into the pot and said, “ serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.(v.41).  A man came for Baal Shalishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked form the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. Elisha said, “ Give it to the people to eat”. But his servant asked, “ How can I set this before a hundred men?” Elisha said, “ Give it to the people to eat, For this is what the Lord says, “ They will eat and have some left over.” (v.43). Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over according to the word of the Lord.(v.44).

             

Bibliography,

 Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986