God had told Elijah to appoint Elisha to succeed him as prophet. Elijah did this, and Elisha served and helped him until Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha received the double portion of Elijah's spirit for which he had asked (2 Kgs 2.9). Elijah was a fiery character and fire was associated with his ministry, as on Mount Carmel (1 Kgs 18.38), and when a chariot of fire and horses of fire parted the two prophets and Elijah was taken to heaven (2 Kgs 2.11). Water also played a significant part in Elisha's ministry which, like that of Elijah, was intended to turn the nation from the worship of idols and cause them to return to the true God. After Elijah's departure, Elisha called on the God of Elijah and struck the waters of Jordan with the mantle which had fallen off Elijah. The waters parted and Elisha crossed over and went to Jericho (v 14).
Healing the waters
The city of Jericho was pleasant but it had been cursed by Joshua (Josh 6.26; 1 Kgs 16.34). The water was not good and the land was unproductive (2 Kgs 2.19). Elisha told the men of the city to bring him a new bowl and put salt in it (v 20). He went to the spring, the source of the water, threw in the salt and said "Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land" (v 21), and the waters were wholesome from thereon (v 22). This miracle benefited a number of people, for life and fruitfulness resulted. Only God can nullify the effect of a curse. Salvation from the eternal effects of the curse resulting from sin has been made available through the substitutionary suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ who defeated Satan, death, hell and the grave, and on the third day rose triumphant from among the dead.
Salt purifies and preserves, and believers are told "Ye are the salt of the earth" (Mt 5.13). In our lives, witness and testimony we should have a cleansing and purifying effect on those with whom we associate. Too often we see individual believers, and sometimes an entire assembly, deviating from the will of God as revealed in His Word, and the result is barrenness and a lack of spiritual fruit, at both an individual and collective level. The Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Ps 119.105). It shows us our present spiritual condition and the way God would have us to obey and serve Him in the future. Unless believers, and assemblies of believers, spend time studying and meditating on the Scriptures, and obey what is revealed by the Holy Spirit, then barrenness will result. Believers are already sanctified positionally, that is, set apart for God, but the process of practical sanctification must continue on a daily basis through "the washing of water by the word" (Eph 5.26). The Lord prayed "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (Jn 17.17). We need to be taught from the Word of God, and the ministry we receive must, if it is to be like salt and have a purifying and cleansing effect, be soundly based on the Word of God. If the water of the Word being provided to an assembly is not pure and life-giving it needs to be cleansed, as when the men obeyed Elisha and gave him the bowl containing the salt which he threw into the spring. By the grace of God, the waters were made wholesome and the people benefited greatly. When the saints receive a purifying, preserving ministry based on the unadulterated Word of God, the spiritual growth and development of individual saints will be stimulated (1 Pet 2.2), and the assembly will be blessed and bear "much fruit" (Jn 15.8) for the glory of God.
The two bears
Elisha went towards Bethel and, as he went, "there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head …" (2 Kgs 2.23). The words "little children" could be better translated 'youths' or 'young lads'. They were young men of an age of responsibility. They insulted and taunted Elisha, challenging him to go up to heaven as Elijah had gone. The youths jeered at him, calling him "bald head", using the term as an insult. They were mocking and insulting God's appointed prophet and, by implication, insulting and ridiculing the omnipotent God, who is holy (Lev 19.2). In the name of the Lord, Elisha called down a curse on the youths, and two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of them (2 Kgs 2.24). God vindicated His prophet who was serving the gracious, holy God. Where God's message of grace is rejected, then judgment will inevitably follow. Believers would not, of course, call down a curse on those who ill-treat them (Mt 5.44), but those who mock, scoff and reject the grace of God, His longsuffering and His way of salvation will, sadly, spend eternity regretting and suffering for their sins (Rev 20.10, 14-15; 21.8).
A valley filled with water
After king Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel (2 Kgs 3.5). He refused to pay to Jehoram, the son of Ahab who ruled over Israel, a tribute of 100,000 lambs and 100,000 rams, with the wool (v 4). As a result of this, a union of three kings was formed: Jehoram, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom. They united to make war against the king of Moab. They went through the desert of Edom and ran into trouble because there was no water (3.1-10). Jehoram blamed God for the situation, but Jehoshaphat asked "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha … which poured water on the hands of Elijah" (v 11). Elisha pointed out that when things were going well they served other gods, and only turned to the true God in times of adversity. People have behaved like this on numerous occasions, turning to God in times of personal or national trouble, and some have promised to worship and serve Him in the future. The promises have not always been kept when the situation has improved. Elisha asked for a minstrel (vv 13-15), possibly to help calm the tense atmosphere, as David's playing had calmed Saul (1 Sam 16.23). Elisha showed respect for king Jehoshaphat who was a godly king. The trend of Jehoshaphat's life was to seek the will of God and do it, but he did not always lead a life which was separated from the world and to God, and could be beguiled by prosperity, pride and flattery. He made unwise political and commercial alliances (2 Chr 17.1 – 21.3). Elisha told them that it was God's will that they should make the valley "full of ditches" (2 Kgs 3.16).
To the omnipotent, almighty, gracious, sovereign God, it was not difficult to cause the valley to be filled with water, despite the absence of wind or rain. It was nothing to the infinitely powerful God to provide water for the use of the army and their animals. Elisha assured the kings that God would enable them to defeat the Moabites. Faith in God, evidenced in obeying Elisha's command, resulted in abundant blessing, and the next morning the valley was filled with water (vv 17-20). When the sun was shining on the water, it looked like blood to the Moabites. They assumed that the kings and their armies had fought against each other and they rushed in to plunder the camp. When the Moabites came to the camp of the Israelites a battle took place. The Moabites fled and the Israelites invaded their land, destroyed the towns and ruined their fields. The victory was complete (vv 21-27). The waters produced by the power of God brought life to the Israelites and death to the Moabites. The gospel brings life and eternal blessing to those who, by the grace of God, believe, repent, and put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, but it warns of eternal death and suffering to those who reject the message of grace. "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor 1.18).
To be continued…