Bible Commentary Character Study- Elisha

Psalm 12&14

Table of Contents

Few “replacements” in scripture were as effective as Elisha, who was Elijah’s replacement as God’s prophet to Israel. Elisha had a great example to follow in the prophet Elijah, remaining with him until the last moments of his life on earth. In 1 kings 19:21.

Elisha demonstrated his strong commitment to follow Elijah by slaughtering his oxen, with a clear understanding that without them, the temptation to return to his life as a wealthy farmer will be impossible. There was no looking back.

Elisha was willing to follow and learn in order to prepare to do the work to which God had called him. His request for a double portion of his master’s anointing when Elijah was going to be taken, was not motivated by a desire to be better or more powerful than his master, but purely to accomplish more for God.

Elisha’s life was filled with signs, proclamations, warnings, and miracles.
Both Elijah and Elisha concentrated their efforts on the particular needs of the people around them.

For Elijah, he saw to it that an atmosphere for people to worship God freely was created by confronting and exposing idolatry.

Elisha then moved in to demonstrate God’s powerful, yet caring nature to all who came to him for help. He spent less time in conflict with evil and more in compassionate care of people.

The miracles that were wrought through Elisha’s ministry put people in touch with the personal and all- powerful God.

A good example of this is showcased in today’s chapter- The story of the Floating Axe Head (2Kings 6:1-7). This story, beyond showing us God’s care and provision for those who trust Him, even in the smaller events of everyday life (like a lost tool), also shows us Elisha’s personal contact with the students in the group of prophets.

Although he had the respect of kings,(2kgs 6:21-23) Elisha never forgot to care for the faithful workers. He didn’t allow the
importance of his office crowd out his concern for human need.

The Bible records 18 encounters between Elisha and people in need. 2 kings chapter 4 alone records 5 of the notable miracles in this category:

1. Providing money for a poverty-stricken widow whose children were soon to become slaves to a creditor. (4:1-7)
2. Prophesying that a child would be born to a barren woman (4:14-17)
3. Raising a dead boy to life (4:32-37)
4. Purifying poisonous food (4:38-41)
5. Providing food for 100 men at a time of famine(4: 42-44)

Strengths and Accomplishments:

• Elijah’s successor as a Prophet of God
• Had a major impact on 4 nations- Israel, Judah, Moab, Syria
• A man of integrity who did not try to get rich at others’ expense
• did many miracles to help those in need.

Lessons from his life:
• In God’s eyes, one measure of greatness is the willingness to serve the poor as well as the powerful.
• Effective replacements not only learn from their masters but also build upon their master’s achievements.
• Sadly, as highly regarded as Elisha was for his prophetic powers and miracles, he could not transfer the anointing to a suitable replacement to succeed him. So much so that even after being dead and buried, his bones brought a dead man back to life. (2 Kings 13:20-21)

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