Elisha’s Ministry - The Passing Of The Great Man Of God – Elisha Dies, Now With His Lord 2 Kings 13: 14-21 Series

ELISHA’S MINISTRY - THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN OF GOD – ELISHA DIES, NOW WITH HIS LORD 2 Kings 13: 14-21

SERIES – MESSAGES ON ELISHA – HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY Number 21

[A]. THE LAST DAYS OF THE PROPHET. 2Kings 13 v 14 When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen.”

Before we examine this passage today, we note there are two characters in the story we will examine. This is the final account in the life of the prophet, the very last recorded act he did, and will close the series on Elisha. Elisha was a great prophet, maybe even greater than Elijah as he had a double portion of Elisha’s spirit. It is not man that makes greatness, but it is God. You don’t make yourself to be great; you make yourself a fool. The Lord empowered both prophets to stand out in their wicked generations for many decades, so that more is written about the lives of both prophets than of any other prophet in the biblical record, except for the great Prophet, the Messiah. Elisha had on him a double portion of Elisha’s spirit. Both men would have entered Paradise with the commendation of the Lord.

All of us should seek the Lord’s commendation. Mediocre lives, or selfish lives, or self-directed lives will not gain the Lord’s commendation. There is one word in the bible that occurs often and it is the word “faithful”, for it is faithfulness the Lord wants. Do you remember the parable the Lord spoke that contained, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matt 25 v 23). Running around doing your own thing, if it is not with the Lord, out in front leading, will not be considered faithful. I know all too well, that much of what we do, when analysed later on, was not faithful service. It was conforming to expectations and to impulses, and to our own desires even when at the time they seems good and maybe correct. We are all prone to that. The simple waiting on God and seeking His will, will result in “Well done you good and faithful servant.”

Elisha contracted an illness from which he died. My feeling is that Elisha was somewhere in old age, which in those days seemed to be about 60 upwards. Commentators tend to think he was in his eighties as his ministry extended over 60 years and he was at least 20 when it began. What we have to realise is that our lives are in the hands of the Lord, and He allows whatever it is, to come into our lives, even sickness, and even when that sickness leads to death. We must understand that. We all go “the way of the earth”. Our times are in His hands. Our map has been designed by God. Sometimes death seems a tragedy, especially when it happens to a younger person, even a son or daughter as the Shunammite woman learned.

It was faith that gained us salvation, and it is faith that must sustain us in every difficulty. Faith is the bridge that takes us from this earthly existence into a future, so glorious that words can not describe it. Listen to what Paul mentions of this, and I must stress that this was possibly Paradise where the saved were before the cross, and at the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, all were taken into heaven itself (if after the cross then heaven) - 2Corinthians 12 v 2 “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago - whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know - God knows - such a man was caught up to the third heaven, 2Cor 12:3 and I know how such a man - whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know - God knows - 2Cor 12:4 was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.” Paradise must have been wonderful, but heaven is much better, prepared by the all-encompassing sacrifice of Christ.

With Elisha’s passing in view, I have a poem here –

REFLECTIONS IN OLDER LIFE

Whatever you’ve allotted me in days or months or years;

Whatever life will weigh for me through many joys and fears,

I know my Lord has planned my way and through the darkness steers.

In God’s good time He’ll sit me where there are no bitter tears.

This hope we have with perfect peace derives from God alone -

This bountiful provision that He grants to all His own.