~ A Man of God: Interactions With God
~
The Book of 2
Kings provides three differing views in three successive chapters regarding
Elisha—a “man of God”—and his relationships with others.
In Chapter 4 we see Elisha’s
interaction with the Savior.
In Chapter 5 we see Elisha’s interaction
with the sinners.
In Chapter 6 we see Elisha’s interaction
with the saints.
Elisha Was A “Man of God”
~ “Now
it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable
woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would
turn in there to eat some food. And she
said to her husband, ‘Look now, I know that
this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly’” (2 Kings 4:8-9). There are also clear statements in this
chapter that Elisha was a “man of God” (2 Kings 4:7, 9, 16, 21, 22, 25 [2x], 27
[2x], 40, 42).
Elisha’s Interactions With God On Behalf of a Widow ~ “A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets
cried out to Elisha, saying, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know
that your servant feared the Lord’”
(2 Kings 4:4a). In this miracle (4:1-7)
of the widow and the oil we see that Elisha was successfully interceding with
God on behalf of this widow.
Elisha’s Interactions
With God On Behalf of the Woman from Shunem ~ “So Elisha said, ‘Call her.’ When he had called her, she stood in the
doorway. Then he said, ‘About this time next
year you shall embrace a son.’ And she
said, ‘No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!’ But the woman conceived, and bore a son when
the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her” (2 Kings
4:15-17). In these miracles (4:8-37) we
find Elisha interceding with God on behalf of the Shunammite’s son.
additional comment ~ “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.
And
he went up and lay on the child, and put
his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands;
and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became
warm. He
returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and
stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child
opened his eyes” (2 Kings 4:32-35). Was
this a divine case of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before it was a known
process?
Elisha’s Interactions
With God On Behalf of the Sons of the Prophets ~ “So Elisha said, ‘Then bring some flour.’ And he put it into the pot, and said, ‘Serve
it to the people, that they may eat.’
And there was nothing harmful in the pot” (2 Kings 4:41). In this miracle (4:38-41) Elisha intercedes
with God on behalf of the sons of the prophets
Elisha’s Interactions
With God On Behalf of the Man from Baal Shalisha ~ “Elisha said again, ‘Give it to the people, that they may
eat; for thus says the Lord: “They
shall eat and have some left over.”’ So
he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the
word of the Lord” (2 Kings
4:43b-44). In this miracle (4:42-44)
we find Elisha interceding with God on behalf of the man from Baal
Shalisha.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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