Elisha: His Background and His Emergence 2 Kings 2

At the time of the ministry of Elisha, and his predecessor Elijah, Israel had turned from God and was following after Baal. It was through her husband, Ahab, that Jezebel had established the worship of Baal, 1 Kgs. 16. 30-33.

Elijah had commenced the work of turning Israel back from Baal to God and the mantle was handed over to Elisha. Elisha’s ministry continued through six Israelite kings and the extent of that ministry was about fifty years. We need to note that he was not serving amongst Judah, where there was the mix of both good and bad kings; he served in the Ten Tribes who took their lead from Jeroboam the son of Nebat, ‘who made Israel to sin’, 14. 16.

Judah had the temple and the priesthood. Israel had introduced counterfeit temples or places of offering, one at Bethel and one at Dan. A counterfeit priesthood had been established; these individuals were of the lowest of the people. Also, alarmingly, two golden calves had been created for the worship of the people. What was of God had become desecrated, and what was forbidden had been introduced. What God had condemned had been rebuilt, that is, Jericho. These were the times in which this man, Elisha, served. We can see in 1 Kings chapter 16 verse 30 that Ahab did evil ‘above all that were before him’.

A lesson that we learn here, and throughout the scriptures, is that succession is important. Elisha took up the mantle that Elijah left and continued the work of God. Interestingly, Elisha was the only prophet who was in the succession plan; on previous occasions God raised up prophets. Elijah was also told who would succeed him. We see this in 1 Kings chapter 19 verse 16, where ‘Elisha … shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room’. Elisha was not appointed the successor because he was of the same family; they were of different families. Elisha was not appointed because he was of the same spirit; he received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.

These two men were vastly different. Elisha was not anointed that he might pursue the same ministry. Indeed, that Elisha was anointed is an exception. He is the only prophet to receive this. It is set in contrast to the anointing of two extremely wicked kings, for God will never be without His man no matter how evil and dark the days might be. God will never abandon the interests of His people. So, whilst these two wicked and evil kings were anointed, we can see that a man was raised up and anointed of God to continue His work.

When we think of our own assemblies, a question that we might ask here is, ‘what does our “succession plan” look like?’ If the Lord allows the testimony to continue, what will the assembly look like in the future? Are we encouraging others of gift to get involved?

From his call, Elisha showed a willingness to succeed Elijah. In 1 Kings chapter 19 verses 19 to 21, we see that he left all and followed after Elijah. More than that, he slew the oxen and destroyed the instruments that he had been using to plough with. We can also note that there is nothing heard of Elisha until we come to 2 Kings chapter 2 so it would appear that he served a kind of apprenticeship with Elijah, before he was taken and Elisha was left to continue the work. In our own day, it is good for men of experience to train up those who are younger that they may be able to carry on the work of the Lord.

As a man, Elijah was stern and ascetic. He was ascetic in his conduct, described in 2 Kings chapter 1 as a hairy man with a girdle of leather, and stern in calling down fire upon the captains and their fifties. Elisha was different. He was quiet and amenable. When we read Elijah’s ministry, it was mainly negative. It was a bold testimony against evil that brought upon him continual suffering at the hands of the king and the nation. His first message was that there would be no dew or rain - a word of judgement, and this characterized his ministry.

Elisha’s ministry was different; it was a ministry of power and a ministry in grace. It was a ministry that brought benefit to others. Elisha provided water for kings, food for prophets, and oil for the widow. He saw that there was food for a beleaguered city.

Elisha’s ministry was in the latter days of the nation, before the Ten Tribes were taken into captivity in Assyria. These were days of rebellion and deceit, according to the prophets.¹ In such dark days, Elisha stands for God. Seventy-six times in the Old Testament we have the expression ‘man of God’. On over twenty occasions, it is used of Elisha. The Shunamite described him as being ‘a holy man of God’. Do people of the world see us as men and women of God? Elisha was taken from the obscurity of a farm to become a figure known and respected by both high and low. On one end of the scale, we have the captive maid, and on the other end the captain of the host, great and honourable, 2 Kgs. 5.

He was an instrument to deliver a poor widow and her sons from the creditor, 2 Kgs. 4. 1. Three kings came to his home for help and he provided water for the kings and their armies and cattle. He predicted food for a starving city, 2 Kgs. 7. He is a picture of what God can do for any man despite their poor upbringing, if they only respond to His call.

He dealt with famine, disease, and death. He cast salt into a spring of bad water, and it was healed, 2 Kgs. 2. He cast meal into poisoned food and there was no harm in the pot, ch. 4. He cast a stick into water and iron swam, ch. 6.

We can see that the lesson that Elisha learnt was that, even though Elijah had gone, the power of the Lord remained with him, 2 Kgs. 2. 14. He encountered different types of people. In Jericho, he encountered the sons of the prophets and the men of the city. These sons of the prophets are like individuals who profess faith but who are earthly minded; the men of the city were the infidels of that city. Later, Elisha reaches Bethel, and he encounters those that mocked.

Bethel is the only occasion where he exacts judgement upon these individuals. It is surprising to think of a man of God whose ministry was one of grace, and yet judgement was exacted. God must judge mockery in a special way as we see here. In the very place of the state chapel and the calf of gold, verse 23 refers to them as ‘little children’. The expression indicates that they were young men. What was the mockery of these young men? They said, ‘go up, thou bald head’. In their mockery, they did two things: they mocked Elijah having gone to heaven; and they mocked Elisha’s bald head.

To be an infidel is bad enough but to be a mocker, a scoffer, is worse. Mockery incurs the displeasure and judgement of God. They mock the thought of Elijah having been taken up. We can recall that one of the evidences of last days, as recorded for us in 2 Peter chapter 3, is that ‘scoffers will come’. They come and they ask, ‘Where is the promise of his coming?’ Peter says of them that they are ‘ignorant’, and their ignorance is self-imposed - it is their will to be ignorant.

In the context of Elisha, they refer to him as ‘bald head’. This is not a reference to his old age, or simple lack of hair, but that Elisha had shaved his head in a vow, and they mocked his bald head. The mockery is levelled against the holiness of the man of God. What ungodly men cannot imitate they will mock. Mockery continues today, especially if piety and holiness characterize us as Christians.

Two she bears came out of the wood and tore these forty-two young men. Although scripture does not state that they were killed, they may have been, but the tearing of these young men does indicate divine displeasure on those who mock.

The miracles that Elijah performed had the character of judgement. The miracles performed by Elisha were miracles of mercy, with this one exception. The end of Elijah’s life was one of sorrow, but he was translated to the heavens by a whirlwind. Elisha’s life and service terminated in a different way. It ended with his vigorous disapproval and reproof of King Joash for his lack of trust in God, 2 Kgs. 13. It is interesting that a man who had commenced his ministry, called from ploughing with oxen, should conclude it giving instruction to a king. It is also a testimony to his triumphant end that when a dead body touched the bones of Elisha he was revived ‘and stood up on his feet’, v. 21.

As we have thought of the days in which Elisha served, dark days, and the days in which we serve, may it draw us closer to the Lord and enable us to pick up the mantle of succession. Equally, thinking of the way in which Elisha’s ministry ended, may it encourage us, like Elisha, to continue in our work for the Lord.