Kings

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What if God has called me to something and I’m just plain afraid to follow?  What if the path He has put before me seems too frightening or overwhelming?

Background

Elisha is the disciple of and successor to the Old Testament prophet Elijah.  Both Elijah & Elisha were prophets to the northern kingdom during the dynasties of Omri & Jehu.

When Omri became king in the north (885-874 BC), he sought political alliances with Tyre to increase his access to the lucrative Mediterranean trade routes.  Omri sealed the alliance by arranging the marriage of his son Ahab (874-853 BC) with the Tyrian princess Jezebel.  She arrived in Israel intent on replacing the Hebrew God with her god. Much of Elijah’s work took place under the exceedingly evil reign of Ahab and Jezebel.

More: Simple overview of biblical history

More: Northern Kingdom Introduction

More: Southern Kingdom Introduction

More: Prophets Introduction

The Axe Head

¹Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. ²Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” ³Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” ⁴So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. ⁵But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” ⁶Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. ⁷And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it. – 2Kings 6:1-7

• Elisha and his disciples went from Samaria to the Jordan River to cut down some trees in order to build a new meeting hall. During the cutting, one of the men dropped a borrowed ax-head in the river. He cried out to Elisha in fear.
• Why does a lost axe head call for a miracle?
• The key to this passage is knowing the worth of the axe head. Iron implements were tremendously expensive to produce.
• The axe head was expensive and the disciple is now in tremendous debt. His most likely means for repayment is to indenture himself as a servant.
• Unlike pagan gods, the God of Israel controls creation. It does not control Him. He can draw the axe head from the river.
• This miracle anticipates the day when the Lord will redeem creation from the fall and creation will no longer frustrate our labor but will join it.
• God is a redeeming God. His willingness to deliver this disciple from slavery reflects His willingness to deliver His people from their slavery to sin.
• Like this disciple, you can meet God in the midst of your daily mundane chores. You don’t have to be in a church or participating in a religious holiday.

Horses & Chariots of war

⁸Once when the king of Syria [aka Aram] was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.”  ⁹But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.”  ¹⁰And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.  – 2Kings 6:8-10

• Approximately 852-841 BC, Joram (Jeroboam) I, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, was king of Israel, and Ben-Hadad II was the king of Aram/Syria.
• Ben-Hadad was sending his spies into Israel. Based on their information, he would then move his army to strike Israel.
• God revealed the Ben-Hadad’s plans to the prophet Elisha who warned King Joram who avoided each conflict.
• There was a spiritual remnant in the land, but the majority of Jews worshipped both Jehovah and Baal.
• In contrast to the previous story, we see God at work on an international level.

¹¹And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?”  ¹²And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”  ¹³And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”  ¹⁴So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. -2Kings 6:11-14

• Ben-Hadad demands to know who is spying for Israel.
• Amazingly, his men know the truth: None of them was disloyal or even a spy. God told His prophet Elisha every word the king spoke in his bedroom.
• Ben-Hadad served a idol with no eyes or ears. Now he meets a God who knows his innermost secrets.
• Instead of repenting, Ben-Hadad seeks to kill the prophet of God.

¹⁵When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”  ¹⁶He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  ¹⁷Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  ¹⁸And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. ¹⁹And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria. -2Kings 6:15-19

• Fear grips Elisha’s servant when he finds himself surrounded the next morning.
• Elisha prayed to the one and only living God of Israel, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord answered his prophet’s prayer and opened the servant’s eyes.
• The servant saw the powerful army of God positioned to protect His prophet and His people.
• Not only is God at work in our daily routines, He’s at work in global politics.
• Surprisingly, Elisha doesn’t ask God to wipe out his enemies, which is the objective in war.
• God shows the army mercy and makes them physically blind to reflect their spiritual blindness.

²⁰As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.  ²¹As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?”  ²²He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”  ²³So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel. -2Kings 6:20-23

• The humble prophet of God leads the blind army for 10 miles to the capital city, presenting them to the king of Israel.
• God again shows them mercy by preventing the King of Israel from harming them.
• By the end of their encounter, the Aram army is apparently no longer spiritually blind either. They stop their raiding parties into Israel presumably because they now know the God of Israel.
• Elisha brought the soldiers to Samaria as a witness to the people of Israel and also as witness to the people of Aram.
• God is acting to make His name known to all peoples.

Summary

• God’s solutions are bigger than our problems. Nothing is too small (like the axe head). Nothing is too big (like an invading army) and nothing is too personal (like the King’s pillow talk).
• God is intimately involved in our lives and our nations.
• God has a plan — even though we may not see or understand it.

When God calls, 5 ways to run your race well

1. Follow God’s call with humble faith and obedience (1 Kings 19:19-21).
2. Trust God to equip you for whatever the call He gives you (2 Kings 2).
3.  Seek greatness by doing only that which He calls you to — no more and no less (2 Kings 5).
4. Aim for self-sacrificing love, not impact (2 Kings 5).
5. When you’re afraid, remember nothing is too big or too small for God (2 Kings 6). 

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.

Previous: When God Calls: Rethink greatness

Series: When God Calls: 5 ways to run your race well

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How do you accomplish great things for the kingdom of God and quiet that inner voice that says whatever you’re doing, it’s not enough? In 2Kings 5, we see a series of contrasts between how the world measures greatness and God measures greatness.

Background

Elisha is the disciple of and successor to the Old Testament prophet Elijah.  Both Elijah & Elisha were prophets to the northern kingdom during the dynasties of Omri & Jehu.

When Omri became king in the north (885-874 BC), he sought political alliances with Tyre to increase his access to the lucrative Mediterranean trade routes.  Omri sealed the alliance by arranging the marriage of his son Ahab (874-853 BC) with the Tyrian princess Jezebel.  She arrived in Israel intent on replacing the Hebrew God with her god. Much of Elijah’s work took place under the exceedingly evil reign of Ahab and Jezebel.

More: Simple overview of biblical history

More: Northern Kingdom Introduction

More: Southern Kingdom Introduction

More: Prophets Introduction

Meet Naaman

¹Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. ²Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife.  ³She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”  ⁴So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.”  ⁵And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.  ⁶And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”  -2Kings 5:1-6

• Aram (Syria) was a small country situated at the northeastern corner of Israel. It later became modern Syria.
• During the reign of King Joram (Israel’s 9th king, who reigned 853-842 BC), Aram was ruled by King Ben-Hadad II, who kept growing stronger and bolder. He eventually became a thorn in the side of Israel, leading to a war between the two nations (approx. 841 BC; see 2Kings 6:8-7:20).
• Aram boldly sent raiding parties into Israel and stealing food and supplies, and enslaving men and women.
• Naaman was the commander of King Ben-Hadad’s army, held in high esteem, but he had leprosy.
• In the first of our contrasts, God intervenes through the least significant member of Naaman’s  household: a Jewish slave girl who served his wife and has heard of Elisha.
• In the world’s eyes, Naaman had everything: He was a free adult male who was rich and powerful and helds the king’s favor.
• In the world’s eyes, the Jewish slave girl had nothing: She was an young, female slave living in a foreign land at the bottom of the social ladder.
• This girl is not likely to be rewarded if her words prove true and she might pay with her life if her words prove false. Yet, she proves that God puts His people at the right place at the right time.
• Naaman is prepared to pay richly for his healing.

⁷And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”  ⁸But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.”  ⁹So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.  -2Kings 5:7-9

• In our second contrast, we see the King of Israel does not know God, like the prophet and the slave girl.
• Joram reacts in terror, realizing he has no power to cure such a powerful man.
• Only an act of God can cure this incurable disease and the king does not know God. 
• Elisha reacts with calm confidence. Elisha knows that our Lord is willing to heal us physically as a symbol of how willing and available He is to heal us spiritually from sin.
• Once again the rich and powerful lack spiritual wisdom.

⁹So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”  ¹¹But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.  ¹²Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. -2Kings 5:9-12

• Naaman expects Elisha to give him a great show and red-carpet treatment for his money and trouble. If Naaman doesn’t get a show, at least he could be send on a grand quest to prove his worthiness.
• Abana and Pharpar are rivers in Damascus that are fed by snow melt from Mt. Hebron. It’s the same snow melt that feeds the Seas of Galilee and the Jordan river. Abana and Pharpar ran clear most of the year.
• The Jordan could be a ranging torrent during the rainy season and then dwindle to a muddy mess during the dry season. Context suggests, Namaan is not risking his life to dip in the Jordan at this time of year, so it must be the dry “muddy water” season.
• Naaman wants “vending machine grace” (put in your money, take out your grace). But the God of Israel is not bought or manipulated.
• God’s grace is free. God’s prophet does not even have to answer the door.
• God doesn’t want gold, silver and a king’s fortune in clothing.  He wants humility and faith. 

¹³But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”  ¹⁴So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.  ¹⁵Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.”  ¹⁶But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.  ¹⁷Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD.  ¹⁸In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.”  ¹⁹He said to him, “Go in peace.” -2Kings 5:13-19

• Perhaps Naaman’s servants had been talking to his wife’s slave girl, because they seem to trust the God of Israel and His prophet.
• Naaman’s servants appeal to his reason: If the prophet had told you to accomplish some great quest, you would have done it. Why not obey when he says wash and be healed?
• Naaman humbled himself before God.
• Namaan washes in the river and comes out both physically and spiritually healed, knowing there is no other God than the God of Israel.
• Jesus used this story to rebuke the Jewish leaders in his home town of Nazareth who had rejected him as their Messiah (Luke 4:27).
• Naaman wanted to pay for the grace he received, but Elisha refuses.
• Naaman was a new believer, but he still had pagan responsibilities to fulfill with the king once he arrived home.
• Elisha assured Naaman that though he was involved in the rituals of his culture, God understood who he was now.

¹⁹He said to him, “Go in peace.” But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance,  ²⁰Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”  ²¹So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?”  ²²And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” ²³And Naaman said, “Be pleased to accept two talents.” And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi.  ²⁴And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.  ²⁵He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” ²⁶But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants?  ²⁷Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.  – 2Kings 5:19-27

• The general was healed of his leprosy by the power of God, because he placed his faith in the words of God spoken through the prophet of God.
• Gehazi used the same phrase Elisha had used when he refused the gift—as surely as the LORD lives—but in an ungodly context. Gehazi lies to Namman to secure the reward.
• Elisha may have seen everything from the large hill that overlooked the city of Samaria, the valley, and the main road that led out of town toward Damascus. Or, as a prophet of God, he may have been told directly by God what sin his servant had committed.
• Gehazi is punished for confusing the gospel message by putting a price on God’s grace.

Summary

• Beware of self-reliance getting in the way of the gospel you teach.
• Sometimes following God looks silly to the world.
• God chooses what the world would see as ridiculous to bring about His kingdom (e.g. unnamed slaves, misfits and outcasts, bathing in a muddy river, the cross of Christ).
• Being great is being faithful to the things that God has put before you. Do what God has asked you to do. If you’re doing that, you’re doing enough.
• We resist this understanding of greatness because we are addicted to impact. We care more about being the ones who are changing the world rather that the world is changed.
• Don’t aim for impact. Aim for self-sacrificing love.

When God calls, 5 ways to run your race well

1. Follow God’s call with humble faith and obedience (1 Kings 19:19-21).
2. Trust God to equip you for whatever the call He gives you (2 Kings 2).
3. Seek greatness by doing only that which He calls you to — no more and no less (2 Kings 5).
4. Aim for self-sacrificing love, not impact (2 Kings 5).

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.

Next: 03 When God calls: but I’m afraid

Previous: 01 When God Calls: Burn your ox

Series: When God Calls: 5 ways to run your race well

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When God called Elisha to be succeed the prophet Elijah, Elisha was a farmer with no apparent qualifications. Yet Elisha burned his ox and followed. Then Elisha refused to leave his mentor’s side, humbly asking that God equip him for the journey ahead.

Background

Elisha is the disciple of and successor to the Old Testament prophet Elijah.  Both Elijah & Elisha were prophets to the northern kingdom of Israel during the dynasties of Omri & Jehu.

When Omri became king in the north (885-874 BC), he sought a political alliance with Tyre to increase his access to the lucrative Mediterranean trade routes.  Omri sealed the alliance by arranging the marriage of his son Ahab (874-853 BC) with the Tyrian princess Jezebel.  She arrived in Israel intent on replacing the Hebrew God with her god. Much of Elijah’s work took place under the exceedingly evil reign of Ahab and Jezebel.

More: Simple overview of biblical history

More: Northern Kingdom Introduction

More: Southern Kingdom Introduction

More: Prophets Introduction

We pick up the story when Elijah is worn out.  He’s depressed and he asks God to take him home.  However, God has another plan.  He gives Elijah a disciple and successor.

Elisha’s call

¹⁹So he [Elijah] departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and he [Elijah] cast his cloak upon him [Elisha]. ²⁰And he [Elisha] left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he [Elijah] said to him [Elisha], “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”  ²¹And he [Elisha] returned from following him [Elijah] and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he [Elisha] arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.  – 1Kings 19:19-21

• Elisha was a farmer by trade and training. For him, this is another day at work.
• A farmer in ancient Israel needed an ox, a plow and land. Oxen and plows are essential tools of the trade.
• The 12 pairs of oxen may all belong to Elisha and his family, in which case he is a very rich man. Or one pair could be his and the rest could be loaned from neighbors for the plowing.
• Putting the cloak on Elisha is symbolically calling him to be the next prophet.
• One way the Old Testament describes those who have God’s Spirit was to say the Spirit “clothed” the prophet (1Chron 12:18-19; 2Chron 24:20; Judges 6:34).
• The question before Elisha is: God has called you to be a prophet. How will you respond?
• All of us face that choice eventually: Am I willing to follow God’s call in this particular situation? Am I willing to live God’s way no matter the cost?
• Elisha sacrifices his oxen and burns his plow, completely abandoning his old way of life.
• In addition to his public commitment to his new calling, Elisha celebrates with the whole village. Two oxen would feed a lot of people.
• Elijah’s great qualification for serving God at this moment in history was the same as the rest of us:  He was willing. 
• God is not looking for fame; He is looking for faith.
• God is not looking for wealth; He is looking for willingness.
• He is not looking for renown; He is looking for humble reliance.

Elisha’s graduation

¹Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.  ²And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.  ³And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”  ⁴Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.  ⁵The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”  ⁶Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.  -2Kings 2:1-6

• Apparently the Lord informed Elijah and the other prophets that this was Elijah’s last day on earth because everyone seems to know.
• Elijah and Elisha leave Samaria and walk some 17 miles to Gilgal. Elijah tells Elisha to stay in Gilgal while he goes on by himself. But Elisha refuses.
• They walk another 8 miles south to Bethel. Again, Elijah asks Elisha to stay. Again Elisha refuses.
• They walk another 15 miles to Jericho. For the third time, Elijah tried to convince Elisha that he should stay behind, but for the third time Elisha refused to leave his spiritual father.
• The two walk 5 more miles to the Jordan river. The text suggests no panic or anxiety or regret in Elijah.
• Why does Elijah ask Elisha to remain behind? There are 3 main theories: 1) Elijah could be testing Elisha’s faithfulness; 2) Elijah is trying to spare Elisha the long journey; or 3) Elijah wants his departure to be a personal event between himself and the Lord.

⁷Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.  ⁸Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.  ⁹When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”  ¹⁰And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.”  ¹¹And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.  ¹²And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.  ¹³And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.  ¹⁴Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. -2Kings 2:7-14

• The old prophet and his disciple approach the Jordan river with 50 others walking behind. Elijah strikes the water with his folded mantle and they part on dry ground.
• Elijah then asks Elisha want he can do for him in his final hours. Presumably, Elijah ask been asking all his disciples this question. As he has been traveling from place to place, Elijah has been giving his followers a prayer and a blessing.
• Elisha answered as a spiritual firstborn son to his spiritual father, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (Deuteronomy 21:17). This is why Elisha refused to leave the old prophets side.
• Just as Elisha needed the plow and ox to be a farmer, he needs God’s Spirit to be a prophet. Elisha is acknowledging he needs God to equip him.
• Elijah acknowledges that only God can give His Spirit. 
• Elijah says Elisha will know God has granted his request if he sees Elijah leave.
• When Elijah left, Elisha had no way to cross the Jordan except to risk a dangerous swim. 
• God confirms his call of Elisha by letting him see Elijah’s departure and by parting the waters of the Jordan for him.

¹⁵Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. ¹⁶And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. It may be that the Spirit of the LORD has caught him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.” ¹⁷But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men. And for three days they sought him but did not find him. ¹⁸And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”  – 2Kings 2:15-18

• Why doesn’t the story end with 2:14?
• The epilogue shows that Elijah is really gone.
• The epilogue shows Elisha sees with spiritual eyes what the others don’t see.

Summary

• God is faithful. He equips those He calls for the task He calls them to do.
• Credentials don’t make a “prophet.” God does. God is not limited by our gender, pedigree, social status, credentials, etc.

When God calls, 5 ways to run your race well:

1. Follow God’s call with humble faith and obedience (1 Kings 19:19-21).
2. Trust God to equip you for whatever the call He gives you (2 Kings 2).

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.

Next: When God Calls: Rethink greatness

Series: When God Calls: 5 ways to run your race well

Photo by Braden Collum on Unsplash