Elisha
“God is salvation”
Summary
The son of Shaphat who became the attendant, disciple, and successor of Elijah, serving as prophet in Israel for over fifty years and performing numerous miracles of grace and provision.
☩Call and Preparation
Elisha's name first appears when God commanded Elijah at Horeb to anoint him as his successor. Elijah found Elisha at Abel-meholah in the Jordan valley, plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. Without a word, Elijah threw his rough mantle over Elisha's shoulders—a token of investiture and adoption. Elisha made a farewell feast for his people, slaughtering his oxen and burning the wooden plow as fuel, then followed Elijah and ministered to him. For years he served as Elijah's attendant, 'who poured water on the hands of Elijah.'
☩Receiving Elijah's Spirit
When Elijah was about to be taken up, Elisha refused to leave his side, following him from Gilgal to Bethel to Jericho to the Jordan. When asked what he wanted, Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah's spirit—the inheritance of the firstborn son. After Elijah ascended in the chariot of fire, Elisha took up his fallen mantle and struck the Jordan, which parted before him. The sons of the prophets recognized that 'the spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.'
☩Ministry of Miracles
Elisha's ministry was marked by miracles of grace and provision. He healed the poisonous waters at Jericho with salt in a new vessel. He multiplied a widow's oil to pay her debts. He promised a son to the Shunammite woman, then later raised that son from the dead. He purified poisonous stew and multiplied twenty loaves to feed a hundred men. He cured Naaman the Syrian general of leprosy, demonstrating God's grace to Gentiles—the incident Jesus cited in Nazareth to illustrate Israel's unbelief. He struck Gehazi with Naaman's leprosy for his greed. He made an iron axe head float. He revealed enemy movements to Israel's king and struck Syrian armies with blindness.
☩Contrast with Elijah
Elisha presented a complete contrast to his master in almost every respect. Elijah was a true child of the desert, appearing suddenly to deliver fiery messages and disappearing again. Elisha was a civilized man, an inhabitant of cities. Elijah wore rough garments; Elisha dressed in ordinary Israelite clothing with trimmed hair and carried a walking staff. Elijah's ministry was one of judgment and confrontation; Elisha's was characterized by healing, provision, and grace. Both were God's prophets, but with different temperaments suited to different aspects of the prophetic ministry.
Related Verses64 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Elisha," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Elisha," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 3.George Morrish, "Elisha," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.James Hastings (ed.), "Elisha," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).