In Second Kings, chapter five, verse ten, Elisha instructed Naaman to wash himself in the muddy waters of the Jordan River as a simple demonstration of humility and obedience. Furthermore, by doing so, Naaman would find it impossible to ascribe the cure to humans or natural means. The Israelites and the Assyrians knew that the […]
In Second Kings, chapter five, verse one, the story of Naaman demonstrates the providence of God in verses one through fourteen, His saving power and grace in verses fifteen to nineteen, and His judgment upon sin in verses twenty through twenty-seven. Prominent in the narrative is that God’s grace and salvation are not limited to
In Second Kings, chapter four, verse thirty-nine, unlike the affluent lifestyle of the wealthy, the way of life for the “sons of the prophets” was simple, involving faithful service and self-denial. One of the sons of the prophets, probably, went out into the neighboring country and looked about for any wild fruits or vegetables that
In Second Kings, chapter four, verses thirty-eight to forty-four, these two narratives concerning the needs of the “sons of the prophets” illustrate the truth that “the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in
A dearth in the land Read More »
In Second Kings, chapter four, verse twenty-one, Elisha was known by people from all walks of life as “the man of God,” as in verses nine, sixteen, twenty-two, twenty-five, twenty-seven, and forty, respectively. Other examples are chapter five, verse eight: chapter six, verses six, nine to ten, chapter seven, verse eighteen, chapter eight, verses four,
In Second Kings, chapter four, verse eight, the narrative of this wealthy Shunammite woman contains three events. God blessed this faithful woman by giving her a son in verses eight through seventeen. Then, He caused her to experience a test by permitting the son to be taken from her, as in verses eighteen to twenty-one.
Shunem where there was a great woman Read More »
In Second Kings, chapter four, verse one, the miraculous acts of Elisha present spiritual truths in dramatic action. The narrative of the widow and her two children reveals that God cares for His faithful in need and distress. The widow and her children represent God’s forsaken and oppressed people. In the Old and New Testaments,
A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets Read More »
In Second Kings, chapter three, verse fifteen, the music of the harp helped seal off all outside distractions and the unbelief around him, bringing Elisha into a frame of mind and spirit to receive the Lord’s revelation. The effect of music in soothing the intelligence regarded in the East appears that the ancient prophets, before
The minstrel played Read More »
In Second Kings, chapter two, verse twenty-four, to avenge the honor of the Lord, Elisha pronounced upon them divine judgment expressed in the covenant law of blessing and cursing, as in Leviticus twenty-six, verses twenty-one through twenty-two, and Deuteronomy thirty, verse nineteen, respectively. God judged the depraved children by sending the two bears in Galatians
In Second Kings, chapter two, verse twenty-three, some believe that the youths who mocked Elisha were a gang organized to oppose his ministry. Older kids would undoubtedly have been out in the fields. But even today, this outsider coming to the village attracted a small group of boys. These children may have heard their parents
