Pastor Elisha - A Man Of God
I've said that Elisha is a pastor since he has several parallelism with a pastor's office ministry. I got 27 of them.
1. Elisha as a man of God is above reproach, respectable and hospitable.
The meeting of the prophets was held where he was staying and he instructed his servant to feed the prophets not knowing that the food served was poisonous, he removed the harm from the served food.
Elisha is above reproach. His life is an open book, he never complained about them eating in his house, and even visiting him in his house. The company of the prophets can see clearly what is his lifestyle at home.
Elisha is respectable. The company of the prophets knew Elisha and is respected, if not they could have met some place else instead of the house of Elisha.
Elisha is hospitable. The prophets care less if they have food to eat, they know that Elisha will prepare everything for their need.
2 Kings 4:38-41
38 Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, "Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these men."
39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine. He gathered some of its gourds and filled the fold of his cloak. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.
40 The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it.
41 Elisha said, "Get some flour." He put it into the pot and said, "Serve it to the people to eat." And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
1 Timothy 3:2
Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,
2. Elisha gives proper recognition to a genuine widow.
Elisha is mindful to take care the widow of one of the prophets.
2 Kings 4:1-7
1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves."
2 Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?"
"Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."
3 Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."
5 She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one."
But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left."
1 Timothy 5:3-6
3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.
3. Elisha shows no favoritism.
He prays for healing even for a person who's not of Israel, commander of Syrian army and a leprosy.
2 Kings 5:1-13
Healing of leprosy of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army.
Luke 4:27
27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed — only Naaman the Syrian."
1 Timothy 5:21
21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
4. Elisha is not a lover of money.
He never asked anything from a Syrian commander after getting healed of leprosy, but his servant Gehazi asked this commander money, fooling Naaman, that his master Elisha needed the money. As a punishment, Elisha informed leprosy will cling to Gehazi and his descendants forever.
2 Kings 5:26-27
26 But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money, or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, flocks, herds, or menservants and maidservants? 27 Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow.
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
5. Elisha lived a godly life in front of Elijah and vice versa
Elisha is prepared to follow or imitate the way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance of Elijah. He even wanted double portion of it. Because he know how Elijah lived before him as well. What's Timothy and Titus to Paul is like Elisha is to Elijah. They fully know the life of the leader because nothing is hidden in the dark. Pastors excel in these: way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions and sufferings.
1 Kings 19:21
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
2 Timothy 3:10-12
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings — what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
6. Elisha is not a newbie.
The bible never mentioned how long or how many years, but he underwent training with Elijah because he will be the one to succeed Elijah. He learned everything about lifestyle, works, attitudes and ministries of Elijah. This is not just an errand or some short-term task to do for Elijah (for the Lord) but after Elijah, Elisha is to succeed him as a prophet, this I'm sure is a long-term training from Elijah because (1) Elijah would not want someone to succeed him as a prophet without proper long training from him, (2) This is going to be a life's work for Elijah to train Elisha as his successor, (3) Elisha's life and ministry will be based on double portion of what Elijah have, (4) time of writing of 1Kings and 2Kings - 561-538 B.C. (5) at the least, Elijah spent more or less 3 years training Elisha.
became his Attendant:
1 Kings 19:21
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
NIV
Exodus 24:13 - Joshua is the attendant or aide of Moses (long term)
Start: Elisha's training in the ministry under Elijah - 1 Kings 19:21 - Elisha became Elijah's attendant/aide/ministered unto him.
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
End: Elisha's training in the ministry under Elijah - 2 Kings 2:9
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?"
"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.
1 Timothy 3:6
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
1 Kings 19:16
16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.
1 Kings 19:19
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.
7. Elisha will never leave the person training him. (2 Kings 2:2)
8. Elisha is a man of great energy and hard working. (1 Kings 19:19; 2 Timothy 2:1; 2 Timothy 2:3,6; 1 Timothy 4:8)
He's enduring hardships.
9. Complete surrender and obedient to the call of God. (1 Kings 19:20-21; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:1)
10. Valued spiritual method rather than the physical. (2 Kings 2:9; 1 Timothy 4:15-16; 1 Timothy 6:6-8)
11. Spoke with authority. (2 Kings 3:16-17; 1 Timothy 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; 1 Timothy 4:14; Titus 2:15)
12. Puts his entire self into the work. (2 Kings 4:34-35; 1 Timothy 4:15)
13. Has incorruptible integrity. (2 Kings 5:16; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 6:10)
1 Timothy 3:2 - above reproach
1 Timothy 6:10 - not lover of money
14. Lived in the spirit of victory. (2 Kings 16:15-16;
15. Man of spiritual vision (2 Kings 6:17; 2 Timothy 2:7)
16. Died a victorious death (2 Kings 13:14-19; 2 Timothy 4:6-8)
17. Will never leave the person assigned to train him; a good aid, assistant or attendant to Elijah. (2 Kings 2:2; 1 Timothy 6:20)
He cares for Elijah. He carefully guards what has been entrusted to him.
18. He treated Elijah as his father. (2 Kings 2:12; 1 Timothy 5:1)
19. He is an honest prophet. (2 Kings 13:11-12; 1 Timothy 6:13-14)
20. Judgment starts from him, judgment starts from the house of God. (2 Kings 7:1-2; 1 Timothy 5:21)
No partiality in judgment. Though Naaman is an officer of the king of Syria, he has no partiality and no favoritism.
21. Feeds his enemies. (2 Kings 6:21-22)
22. Knows his boundaries/limits of ministry. (2 Kings 3:13)
- he does not want to share in the sin (1 Timothy 5:22)
- he knows king of Israel is not godly so he avoids godless chatter with him (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16)
23. Eager to help and bless widow. (2 Kings 4:2; 1 Timothy 5:3,16)
24. Encourages the wealthy to lay up treasure for the coming age (2 Kings 4:8; 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
25. hospitable (2 Kings 4:38; 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8)
26. Discharges all the duties of his ministry. (2 Kings 4:32-35; 2 Timothy 4:5)
- he's doing the work of an evangelist; miracles and healing is part of Elisha's ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5)
- healed Naaman, the Syrian (2 Kings 5:8-15)
27. Preached the Word in and out of season. (2 Kings 7:1; 2 Timothy 4:2) - he proclaimed the Word of abundance in time of famine.
- with great patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy 4:2; 2 Kings 8:1)
- instructed Shunammite woman to move to another location to avoid famine (2 Kings 9:1)
