He fulfilled it in his deatha miraculous source of wealth to pay off the widows debts and to satisfy the law. Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth, then went up and stretched himself out on him. They fell on hard times. . You say Elijah did 17 miracles, whereas Elisha did 34. Jehoram, king of Israel, concludes that the Lord has given them into the hands of Moab. Then he said, Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. The oil sold. Three Harms that Come from Redefining Marriage, The Scandal of the American Evangelical Intellectual, A Simple Way to Help One Million Christians in the Global South Get a Copy of Their Own Bible. Then a man came fromBaal Shalisha,and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. Did I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi,Getyourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. 19:16-21; 2 Kgs. He says to his disciples, If you are willing to accept it, John is Elijah who is to come.. (All miracles in order), 16 Miracles of Elijah in Chronological Order: helpful overview. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. I don't think the OP is looking for an analogy with one-to-one analogs, Dick. So it is not coincidental but rather all in accord with God's plan. Christianity Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for committed Christians, experts in Christianity and those interested in learning more. The raising of the son of the widow of Nain (or Naim) is an account of a miracle by Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of Luke chapter 7.Jesus arrived at the village of Nain during the burial ceremony of the son of a widow, and raised the young man from the dead. Why are physically impossible and logically impossible concepts considered separate in terms of probability? And there is enough oil to pay the loan and then to live off of! This only adds to the uniqueness of this miracle, since typically prophetic help forgives sin, erases debt, and corrects abusive oppression. The incident reminds us of other incidents where God has acted miraculously with water. Elijah made a miraculous appearance on Mount Transfiguration with Moses and Jesus while Elisha commanded an axe head to float on the Jordan River. Browse other questions tagged, Like any library, Christianity Stack Exchange offers great information, but, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of thesemen,that they may see. And theLordopened their eyes, and they saw; and therethey were,inside Samaria! Elisha performed many of the same miracles that had accompanied Elijah's ministry. Then she came and told the man of God. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The word for vessels here is the most general term for containers. Answered! Elisha provided the miracle of oil, so that the widow would pay off her loan and not lose her children. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. ordained minister, husband, and father who equips Christians to become fruit-bearing disciples. We are lost and unable to save ourselves. And then Elisha responds, and with such words of refreshment! Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. 5/29/20 The Elijah anointing the Elisha Church In the previous post I discussed the spirit of Elijah the old testament prophet referenced in Luke 1.17 by This will teach you the importance of budgeting, of financial stewardship. And, when we read the Old Testament stories about Elisha, we see many similarities between Jesus and Elisha. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones. So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who broughtthe vesselsto her; and she poureditout. Elisha prayed when they arrived in Samaria, and their eyes were opened. Such a miracle could not be wasted on earthly dollars and cents. Thentake the flask of oil, and pouriton his head, and say, Thus says theLord: I have anointed you king over Israel. Then open the door and flee, and do not delay. So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. In this lesson we will consider 7 miracles that Elisha performed and observe what each implies about the power of God. He purified lepers and a bleeding woman. Elisha did a bit . 8:5-13). Tim Keller has an awesome sermon series on the similarities. 1. The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics helps Christians show unbelievers the truth, goodness, and beauty of the gospel as the only hope that fulfills our deepest longings. Why didthis madman come to you? And he said to them, You know the man and his babble. And they said, A lie! She reminds Elisha of his duty and then pulls at his heart strings. On the cross. Because he was miraculously healed from cancer he now shares about healing, deliverance, discipleship, evangelism, and spiritual warfare on this website, on Youtube, on his podcast, and in his newsletter. They were taught them from an early age, and they would have been apt to see those similarities. . 7. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyedit! Tell me what you have learned from your mistakes. 3. We remember that Jesus twice fed multitudes with a few loaves and fish ( Matthew 14:13-21 and 15:32-39 ). But the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soulisin deep distress, and theLordhas hiddenitfrom me, and has not told me. So she said, Did I ask a son of my lord? February 1, 2021. The king asked, Am I God, to kill and make alive?. -Purifies the waters of Jericho by pouring salt in the spring (2 Kings 2:21). Here, though, the widows family feared the Lord. Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves. Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? This is a miracle that Jesus didn't really imitate. There is no water for the army or the cattle (food supply). Well, it is true that Jesus did not fulfill this miracle in his life. Then he said, Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. She fills it, and then it is pulled to the side and replaced with an empty one. Nevertheless, Elisha takes the object of her destitution and turns it into the source of her relief. He was a great man, highly respected, valiant warrior, but he was a leper. Yet, Jesus didnt produce wealth for anyone. He preached that people should sell their possessions and give to the poor. The passage in 2 Kings 4:32-35 arguably has more in common with Acts 12:10, in which Paul is said to have resuscitated a boy, since both Elisha and Paul are reported to have lain on the child in order to resurrect her or him (and both were followed by talk of food): And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. Now theking of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, My campwill bein such and such a place. And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.Then the king of Israel sentsomeoneto the place of which the man of God had told him. They rather seem to be wondrous events while the prophets were present or God-inspired proclamations. C. Elisha came to her house lay on the body of her dead son and raised him from the dead. Elijah raised the dead; so did Jesus. Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. Loved ones will die. B. Naaman went to the king of Israel for a cure. In todays terms, it would include anything from a 5-gallon bucket or a Tupperware bowl to a wine bottle or a perfume jar. When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. He touched the dead to make them alive. The historical accounts are based on the viewpoints and biases of the monarchy, nobility, and military leaders. Attendant and disciple of Elijah, and afterwards his successor ( 1 Kgs. So he said, Go and see where heis,that I may send and get him. And it was told him, saying, Surelyhe isinDothan. Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. The armies of the three kings had witnessed the miracles Elisha had worked to prepare their way to victory, but in the end they lacked the faith and trust to complete the victory. We just need to reach out, ask and truly trust that G-d can help us and He surely will. Her first two words say it all: your servant, my husband. The widow and Elisha have a pre-existing relationship. . 2. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, Bring me another vessel. And he said to her, There is not one vessel more. And the oil stopped. Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. Disclosure:In order to provide this website free of charge to our wonderful readers,Beautiful Christian Life LLC uses advertisements and affiliate marketing links to generate revenue. And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hidthem;then they came back and entered another tent, and carriedsomefrom therealso,and went and hidit.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'yeshuahboyton_com-portrait-1','ezslot_19',679,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-yeshuahboyton_com-portrait-1-0'); Then Elisha spoke to the womanwhose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for theLordhas called for afamine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years. from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup, Acceptable comments policy for Christianity Stack Exchange. And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, AmIGod, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? However the slingers surrounded and attacked it. Next, she underscores the piety of her husband. Certain persons, it does not matter who, were burying a man, i.e. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player. In Jesus Christ, we get no more bills in the mail from justice. C. Only by the power of the God who gives life could Naaman be healed. a. Elisha raises the son of the 'Shunaammite woman' from the dead. Nevertheless, +1 for pointing out that events in the Scriptures need not serve as analogies with a slavishly wooden and literal interpretation which searches for one-to-one analogs where they do not necessarily exist. And he said, Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and youandyour sons live on the rest.. But they left the stones ofKir Harasethintact. And when the man touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet. 3. 1. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from amonghis associates, and take him to an inner room. 1. For he would heal him of his leprosy.AndNaamanwent in and told his master, saying, Thus and thus said the girl whoisfrom the land of Israel. Then the king of Syria said, Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. So he departed andtook with him ten talents of silver, six thousandshekelsof gold, and ten changes of clothing. Loving Jesus with a Living and Undying Love, For Those Who Do, and Do Not, Celebrate Lent, Tradition, the Bible, and Americas Debate over Slavery, From Wretched to Needy: Changing a Classic Hymn, Sneak Peek Interview: Laura Wiflers New Childrens Book. Manna fell from heaven; Jesus fed . The multiplication of the loaves and fishes is the only miracle of Jesus recorded in all four gospels. Elisha, also spelled Elisaios, or Eliseus, in the Old Testament, Israelite prophet, the pupil of Elijah, and also his successor (c. 851 bc). Here are ten of them: Their names have similar meanings. Jesus wanted the people to associate him with the prophets and even likened his death and resurrection to Jonas three days in the belly of the fish. Each miracle that Elisha performs confirms that he is indeed a prophet of God and that his word is to be regarded as the Word of God. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Jesus, then, was shown to be a prophet performing the same miracles as a prophet. He anointed two kings, Jehu and Hazael, king of Damascus. Was the Scapegoat of Leviticus an allusion to Barabbas? A Look at the Church of England, The Burning Question from Asbury Isnt About Asbury. (A Helpful Guide). 3. Rather, he saved this miracle for the last. She is pouring from a flask. And time is precisely what the widow is going to need as Elisha then tells her to take the flask and start filling up each borrowed container, one at a time. He doesnt brush her off as unimportant. Elisha performs miracles and healings. 3:21). B. Compare this to Matthew 9:23-25, to see that there is very little in common between the two miracles (and only the miracle by Elisha was preceded by prayer): When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him,Thus says theLordGod of Israel: I have anointed you king over the people of theLord, over Israel. And as saints, we have the duty to show love and charity to one another, especially when hard times strike. And the creditor has the legal right to seize the children for repayment. He erupts with charity, generosity, and willingness. You may recall Jesus feeding the 5,000 or the 4,000 (Matt. Have we found a passage that is not Christ centered? Bruce Waltke, writing in Ligonier Magazine about the parallels between Elisha and Jesus: Both are designated by a prophet, whom the general populace recognized as a true prophet. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is said to have performed seven miraculous signs that characterize his ministry, from changing water into wine at the start of his ministry to raising Lazarus from the dead at the end. When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. When Christ raises Jairus' daughter to life, she is still in the bed where she had died only a few hours earlier. Miracles of Jesus ; Filed Under: Charts OT, Kings Tagged With: Elijah, Elisha, miracles. Get my Most Searched Lists of Prominent, Miracle-Working Bible Characters to save you time in your Bible Study. In 849BC, King Joram of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah march out . YeshuahBoyton.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. And they said, This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!, A certain woman of the wives ofthe sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared theLord. So, may we be a family that is rich in charity and lavish in compassion and generosity. But now you will strike Syriaonlythree times.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'yeshuahboyton_com-sky-3','ezslot_22',681,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-yeshuahboyton_com-sky-3-0'); Then Elishadied, and they buried him. Who Are the Real Schismatics? Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. This story teaches us that God cares about the little things. And he said, Giveitto the people, that they may eat. But his servant said,What? Yet, this miracle sticks out for another reason. Some suggest that Satan only imitates miracles. That to me, is honestly the most amazing event of them all. The widow has the benefit of prophetic mediation and aid, which was denied Jehoram in the previous chapter. The creditor had come to take her children as slaves. Jesus changed water into wine (John 2:1-11). We will struggle with financial debt. Elisha, whose name means "God is salvation," was the successor of Elijah in the office of the prophet in Israel ( 1 Kings 19:16, 19-21; 2 Kings 5:8 ). Jesus fed 4,000 with a few fishes and loaves in Matthew 14:15-20, and 5,000 in Luke 16 and 17. A limit involving the quotient of two sums. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. Luke the physician is the only one to record the raising of a widow's son ( Luke 7:11-17 ). Elisha said to him, Wheredid you go,Gehazi? And he said, Your servant did not go anywhere. Then he said to him, Did not my heart gowith youwhen the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? But, inside they are safe. 2. You might be unsure because there're people saying you have to pray a certain amount of time. This is a story we are surprised to read in the Old Testament. So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha returned toGilgal, andthere wasafamine in the land. These weren't just some bones now lying in a tomb. 25Now he went in and stood before his master. The girl is not dead but sleeping." I have often wondered if God deliberately intended for the miracles of Elisha to be a preview of the miracles our Savior would perform, as a way of verification of Jesus Deity. Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, andonesaid to him, Isall well? This site also participates in other affiliate programs like Christionbook.com and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Elisha was the successor of Elijah, the greatest of all the prophets. Though he performed many miracles, he remained humble and faithful to God, denying monetary gain as he served the Lord. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, Bring me another vessel. And he said to her, There is not another. Then the oil stopped flowing. Here though, Elisha follows the law and satisfies justice. then action taken by Elisha/Jesus to distribute the food, the consumption of the food, and then finally a declaration that there was . Remember, the creditor is on his way, and the pledge of this loan is the widows children. Justin Taylor is executive vice president for book publishing and publisher for books at Crossway. Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. The flask represents her utter poverty and desperation. Some werent the typical miracle we would see in the New Testament like healings or demons cast out after prayer.
