ELISHA IN HIS EARLY MINISTRY – PART 1 - THE JUDGEMENT IS BAD
SERIES – MESSAGES ON ELISHA – HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY Number 3
[A]. THE UNDERSTANDING IS BAD
2Kings 2 v 15 [[Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha,” and they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him, 2Kings 2:16 and they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley,” and he said, “You shall not send,” 2Kings 2:17 but when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men and they searched three days, but did not find him. 2Kings 2:18 They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”]]
(1). God had taken up Elijah in a whirlwind and I believe he went to Paradise. Elisha testified to that fact. His word was not good enough for the sons of the prophets. They lacked discernment and understanding. Also from verse 15 they acted on appearance and were opportunistic. They followed Elisha only when they saw he had been anointed by God.
(2). In spite of God’s power in the parting of the Jordan, verse 16 reveals the sons of the prophets had no spiritual perspective here. They used a rational approach to try to answer God’s program. They did not look at this spiritually. Verse 16 ? 50 strong men is the use of the human might. Elijah did not need to be found, as the Spirit of God led him in all his ways. Beside, he went to Paradise. It also shows a very poor understanding of the Holy Spirit. The sons of the prophets used the expression “and cast him on some mountain or into some valley” which is an appalling understanding of the tender care of the Holy Spirit, as if He would drop off Elijah at some random place. Matthew Henry adds this – “Traversing hills and valleys will never bring us to Elijah, but following the example of his holy faith and zeal will, in due time, bring us to the place where Elijah is.”
Verse 17, and the latter part of 16, is plain and exact to Elisha. The sons of the prophets did not want to act alone, and sought Elisha’s support. They would not accept his truth as they thought they knew better. As a result, it was a worthless search. Their arrogance to argue with God’s anointed, and oppose him to the point of his giving permission, is like God in the end, allowing a Christian to go down the wrong way after the internal opposition of witness, from God, and the upbraiding of the bible. It is Israel all over again demanding a king of Samuel. The desire to control our own lives will always bring us to oppose God’s will, and if we persist, God says, “Go your own way.” In this case the sons of the prophets met failure. Our own will in our control, always brings failure. A nation that rejects God’s guidance, is allowed to go its own way and what a mess it makes of the situation.
Verse 18. The prophet is at Jericho (rest and faith) while the sons of the prophets were wasting their time in the wilderness. These were the same prophets, you remember, who did not go through Jordan. They did not take the step of death, of dying to oneself, but were the knowalls, the arrogant, with supposed head knowledge, but not the wisdom of walking with the Lord.
That brings us to a very important point today. There is a link between age and experience and wisdom. When I was young, and television first came to Australia, the presenters were strictly news readers with a few factual video clips introduced later on; they were not dramatists as we have been indoctrinated with today. All these presenters were men and women of maturity, most being in their 40s and 50s. This is when the news was properly and impartially given, not invented or slanted according to agendas as it is now. We don’t put down young people, but the younger must learn from the older. That is a biblical principle. Today you see only a young generation sitting and standing at the News desks. In many industries, once people get to a more mature age they get sacked. The older person is rejected in job interviews. In the New Testament, churches had elders, and through the bible, Israel had its elders. This is biblical, that the elder teaches the younger, and the younger learns from the older. Like so many of the ethics and standards in the bible, this generation has dismissed what God has given.
I personally find it totally unacceptable that a man can go straight from school to a theological or denominational college, then straight into an important pastoral role in a church. Some of these men are “leading” churches of hundreds and more and have not yet reached the age of 25, even 30. It is not correct. In my experience I have found the best pastoral work is done by mature men, especially those who have lived life in the world, have worked in the world, and learnt by experience. That also is a biblical principle. The reason is found in this passage - Hebrews 2 v 17 [[Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Heb 2:18 Since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.]] This is why it is a biblical principle. The person who ministers, does so from his own life experience. What experience does a young man of 24 have in marital conflicts and the difficult problems of life?
Well these sons of the prophets thought they knew it all, and could tell Elisha what to do. There is nothing wrong in having a suggestion; and a mix of suggestions from different generations is beneficial, but where they failed, was in refuting and disbelieving Elisha in the first place. They knew better. People know better than God. They will master their own destines, but look at the result of that in today’s world. Man needs God’s counsel. Young people need the counsel of the spiritually mature. That brings me to another point of sadness. Where are the spiritually mature today? Look at the multiplicity of churches where the efforts and testimony are continued by a handful of women. Where are the men? They have become followers, not leaders. In too many cases men have abrogated their positions through a bad Christian walk, through laziness; through a careless, unconcerned walk with the Lord; through a failure to be students of scripture. They have nothing that God can use, and they have left a spiritual vacuum for the next generation. Far too many Christian men have failed their duty to be spiritually mature, to be acceptable to God so they can be shepherds of His flock. It is yet one more matter in the western world where God’s commands and principles have been thrown on their heads.
In spite of admonition, these sons of the prophets set out on their quest, in their strength, for a fruitless search. How long did it last? Well, three days. Let us consider these few verses from Numbers - Numbers 10 v 33 [[Thus they set out from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD journeying in front of them for the three days, to seek out a resting place for them, Num 10:34 and the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, when they set out from the camp. Num 10:35 Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, “Rise up, O LORD and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You.” Num 10:36 When it came to rest, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the myriad thousands of Israel.”]] This is a remarkable contrast to the sons of the prophets. The ark of the covenant set out under the Lord’s command. The sons of the prophets set out under their own command. The ark of the covenant journeyed for 3 days then found rest, while the sons of the prophets found only failure and turmoil. When the ark set out the enemies were conquered, but when the sons of the prophets set out, they conquered themselves. The ark set out to find a resting place, whereas the sons of the prophets had no resting place. Of course, Moses listened to God’s commands while the sons of the prophets refused to listen to Elisha.
Before I leave this most interesting passage in Numbers, there is a great example here. The ark went for three days to find a resting place for the people, and it was successful. The Ark of the Covenant in the OT is a perfect type of Christ throughout its history. Christ journeyed for three days (Easter time) to find a resting place for His people as well. The three days counts the resurrection of course, for the resurrection is fundamental to the redemption of the human race so that people may enter into rest. That Ark is a perfect type and forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. We studied these things in depth when we considered the Tabernacle in a previous bible study.
These insufficient prophets were rebuked in verse 18 by Elisha and rightly so!
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
