The call of Elisha
1 Kings 19:15-16 “And the Lord said unto him (Elijah), Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.”
Elijah had failed and run away (1 KIngs 19:3)….”he arose and went for his life..”.
But God had not deserted him….but spoke to him while he was hiding in a cave: “What doest thou here, Elijah?”
And Elijah had been honest with the Lord….telling the truth of the threat against him (Jezebel was not only a wicked queen, but was the power behind the throne. She gave no empty threats)
….and about his fear concerning it!
But the Lord told Elijah to come and stand before Him again,….when he heard His Voice.
And Elijah did….it was not in the great things of wind, earthquake and fire…..but in a still small Voice, which called Elijah to come and hear again what he was to do.
If you read again those verses of Elijah’s tasks to perform….they were pretty amazing.
Anoint a foreign king….Hazael to be king in Syria.
Anoint a man, Jehu, to be king in Israel (the ten tribes in the north of Judah).
And anoint a man to take over as prophet in Elijah’s place.
(It would be ten years before Elisha would take over the job of prophet….preacher and teacher to those who believe. To be a man of God to help all who would come to him….including kings, and widows. But he was to be called….now.)
1 Kings 19:19-21 “So he (Elijah) departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.
And he (Elisha) left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he(Elijah) said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
And he (Elisha) returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he (Elisha) arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”
Three short verses to describe a complete surrender of heart and life to the call of God!
Here Elisha….though obviously rich, with twelve yoke of oxen….was not slack or lazy in helping run the farm….or work for his parents.
He was at the tail end, seeing to everything and every servant before him….and plowing was real work then.
And Elijah came by and simply took his outer cloak off….and threw it over Elisha’s shoulders.
Instantly, Elisha knew what it meant….that he was being called to follow Elijah into a work for God.
And he “ran after Elijah”!
The call was answered….he would follow into whatever work the Lord had!
But then he asked permission to go back and kiss his father and mother. He wasn’t demanding….but like a servant, already….he sought the blessing of Elijah, God’s prophet, to do this.
When Elijah gave permission…..”Go back again”…..then added: “for what have I done to thee?”
Elijah wasn’t being snippy….but stressing to Elisha that God called him…..and so everything was to be done…”as unto the Lord.”
That settled everything for Elisha.
He returned only long enough to take his yoke of oxen….kill them….and take the plow and use it for the wood of the fire….and cook the yoke of oxen on it.
Then, he gave the meat of it to the workers….he did not eat it….but showed that he was done with any work….but for the Lord.
There was nothing of his to come back to.
(When I was first born again, there used to be a saying for a Christian who was considering Christian work:
“Burn your bridges behind you….so that you can’t try and cross back to your old life.”
It came from a general, who saw his army deserting the battle,… running back across a bridge they had just crossed to engage the enemy….
…..who said to his aid….get the men across and burn those bridges behind them….then they will have to go forward and fight.
Elisha did this, himself. For he wasn’t coming back to his old life.)
“Then he (Elisha) arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”
Elisha “ministered” unto him (Elijah). This “ministered” here is menial work, with the suggestion of doing it in worship to the Lord.
He walked with him, and learned from him….but also ran and got things for him….and cooked his meals.
For ten years….Elisha helped Elijah finish what God had called him to….to awaken the people of Israel to God’s claim on them.
Elijah formed a preaching circle in Israel….going from place to place (Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho)….where the “sons of the prophets”….a dedicated group of men would meet for prayer and teaching from God.
It was Elijah’s work….but learned by Elisha….and continued and grown, by him.
For the most part….you hear nothing more of Elisha during these ten years….till Elijah was taken away in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11-14).
Then there is the test of devotion: Elijah kept asking Elisha to stay behind, for he was called of God to go further…..but Elisha would not leave him.
(Let me say here, that if there was a time to think of going back to the luxury and comfort of home….having seen the opposition to God and His people….now would be the time. Elisha could have left the service of God….and sought out his fields and vineyards again.
But he had not looked back….and didn’t for a minute think of leaving God’s prophet, till the Lord HImself took him.)
As they crossed the last obstacle before Elijah’s departure….
Elijah said:
“Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee”
And Elisha asked….not for advice…
….but for the very power that Elisha knew had kept Elijah….by the Spirit of God.
Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit….for he knew he would need it, to finish the work.
(Sometimes it is hard to start a work….and sometimes it is harder to see it finished, faithfully. This was Elisha’s ministry.)
Then, as he saw Elijah go….Elijah dropped his mantle….the same mantle that he had thrown over Elisha’s shoulders at his calling.
Elisha went over to where it was….and tore his garment in two….leaving behind in the dust his life, again….and picking up Elijah’s mantle, being completely given the work as prophet in Israel.
2 KIngs 2:12b-14 “…and he (Elisha) took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.”
In fact, Elisha did finish the work. He maintained and grew places for the sons of the prophets…and went about preaching and teaching all through Israel.
He was more of a prophet to the people, but ministered to kings, and even to foreigners sent to him (Naaman the leper).
Elisha was faithful….to God, to Elijah, to the people of Israel.
There would be no fiery chariot for Elisha….no, he fell sick when he was old, and would die from it.
But, even then, God would show to Israel, His power by HIs Spirit….through a life that was given over to Him….completely….and faithfully:
2 Kings 13:14,20-21 “Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died….
And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
And it came to pass, as they (Israelites) were burying a man, that, behold they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.”
Let me say here….that life is what we are to manifest….real life in God, through HIs Son, Jesus Christ.
And we manifest it most, by being completely devoted to God….to serve the Lord in joy…and minister to His people….in temperance, longsuffering, and love.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 