Elisha: Mighty in Word and Deed

Elisha responds like Jesus responded to blind Bartimaeus: “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). Elisha’s kindness as a mediator points the way to our Savior, who stands ready to offer grace in times of need. Are you seeking Him in your need? Are you answering the question, “What do you want Me to do?” I’m not advocating prosperity theology; I’m simply encouraging you to present your needs (not your greed) to God. God cares about big stuff and little stuff. He knows the plots of North Korea, and he knows about your car problem in North Carolina. Do you believe He cares and can help? If so, then follow this nameless widow to the throne of grace.

Next we observe her insufficiency and God’s sufficiency. Elisha asks her, “What do you have in the house?” Her modest response: “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil” (v. 2). Notice the way God often works: it is good for us to consider our inadequacy, for we see our great need for Him. We may have little, but God is the all-sufficient Provider who loves to take what we have and multiply it (2 Kgs 4:38-44; Mark 6:40-44).

Then we read about her obedience and God’s miraculous provision. Elisha gives her specific instructions about how the problem will be solved. She is told to gather up vessels, go inside, shut the door, and pour her little jar of oil into the vessels. After each one is filled, she is to pour oil into the next one. She does everything the prophet says. As in the Elijah encounter with the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:7-16), her small amount is turned into abundance. God chooses to provide for a lowly widow through a miracle. Does God always do this? No. But He can. Regardless of whether through a miraculous provision or God’s “ordinary providences,” He is still the one who provides for our daily bread.

Consider how this episode takes place in secret. Even though the neighbors would have known about the vessels, no one knows about what happened when she closed the door. God often does His great work in secret. Jesus told us to pray in secret, and “your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt 6:6). He said the same thing about giving to the needy (Matt 6:2-4). He said you don’t need to blow a “trumpet before you” every time you do a righteous act. While a lot of the Christian life is public, we need to remember that not everything we do for the King needs to be on social media. You may couch your words with “to God be the glory,” but much done in the name of “sharing your testimony” is self-exaltation. Love God in secret.

She tells Elisha when the jars are filled, and he says, “Go sell the oil and pay your debt; you and your sons can live on the rest” (v. 7). Take in these simple instructions and the amazing kindness of God. Not only can she pay off her debts, but she also has an abundance left over to live on.

God’s faithful people matter to Him, even if they are unknown to the vast majority of the world. Here is one little lady being cared for by Yahweh. Truly, He is “father of the fatherless and a champion of widows” (Ps 68:5).

A Child for a Barren Woman (vv. 8-37)

This story is filled with acts of kindness. First, we read of yet another nameless lady who displays kind hospitality to Elisha. She is a woman of means who uses her wealth to bless others. Elisha accepted her hospitality whenever he passed through her area, like Jesus who accepted the hospitality of others. She asks her husband to build a modest guest room for the “holy man.”

Jesus had something to say about welcoming prophets. He told his disciples, “The one who welcomes you welcomes Me, and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me” (Matt 10:40). He then added that the gracious host would receive a reward: “Anyone who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward” (Matt 10:41).

We need to remember the significance of hospitality ministry. Gracious hospitality is a trait of the righteous throughout the Bible (Gen 18; 47; Ruth 2:15; 1 Sam 25; Neh 5:14-19; Job 31:32; Acts 16:11-15; 1 Tim 3:2; Jas 2:25). Of course, Jesus didn’t teach that we should only show hospitality to prophets. He also said that we should invite “those who are poor, maimed, lame, or blind” to our parties (Luke 14:13). While they can never repay us, Jesus said, “You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:14). We welcome all people because we have received God’s gracious hospitality. He has welcomed us (Rom 15:7). Jesus told His disciples that He is “going away to prepare a place for [us]” (John 14:2).

We must welcome others, and when we do, we need to know that this is no small act. Let’s practice hospitality as individual families, and let’s welcome others as a church family (Rom 12:13; 1 Pet 4:9; cf. Luke 10:9-10). Christians often neglect this biblical ministry because of ignorance (unaware of the biblical teaching on hospitality), carelessness (failure to plan on it), greediness (people often want to pamper themselves instead of serving others), or fear (being intimidated by it). Follow this barren lady’s example, if at all possible, and host people regularly.

Have you thought about how you can use your home to bless others? Adoption? Foster care? Itinerant ministers? An elderly widow? Welcoming that functionally fatherless kid down the street?

In response to her kindness, Elisha wants to return kindness (more reward is coming, it seems—see 2 Kgs 8:1-7). He serves as an example of accepting hospitality. He treats their care for him as a big deal and wants to thank her. He doesn’t say, “Oh, I’m a prophet. They should care for me.”

But what do you give the lady who has everything? Gehazi offers a suggestion: “She has no son, and her husband is old” (v. 14). Nothing is more valuable than a human life. Elisha likes the idea, so he calls the Shunammite lady and tells her, “At this time next year you will have a son in your arms” (v. 16). She tells Elisha not to get her hopes up, but sure enough she conceives and gives birth to a son just as Elisha said.

This isn’t the only Bible story of a barren woman giving birth. Sarah, Rebekah, Rachael, Mrs. Manoah, Hannah, and Elizabeth all experience God’s amazing provision. This story is different, however, in that the children of those other ladies were essential for the continuing of the covenant people, or their child becomes a significant leader in a time of crisis. But here we don’t even know the child’s name, and there are numerous other children in Israel. So why does God act? One reason could be that He is pointing to the authenticity of Elisha’s ministry. Elisha is a kind, miracle-working prophet. But perhaps God simply wants to show off His own goodness. Maybe He just wants to bless this lady (Davis, 2 Kings, 63). It may be that simple. God is good, and He does good things. Paul says that God “richly provides us with all things to enjoy” (1 Tim 6:17). Though God is high and lofty, His exaltation doesn’t remove Him from His children; it simply means He has unlimited power to bless them. The psalmist says,

Who is like Yahweh our God—

the One enthroned on high,

who stoops down to look

on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the garbage pile

in order to seat them with nobles—

with the nobles of His people.

He gives the childless woman a household,

making her the joyful mother of children.

Hallelujah! (Ps 113:5-9)

God is swift to bless, but don’t get the wrong idea. If you show hospitality, you will not necessarily be blessed with a child! Get the major idea: God rewards biblical hospitality. God will ultimately reward every act of obedience for the kingdom of God because it demonstrates that you have welcomed the gospel (Matt 10:14,42; Luke 14:13-14).

Thus, we have a story of the kindness of this lady, the kindness of Elijah, and the abundant kindness of God. Let us “praise God from whom all blessings flow.”

But the story isn’t over. Next we read of mysterious sorrow. After her son is grown, he dies tragically in her arms (vv. 18-20). She isn’t willing to accept this tragedy, though. She lays his body on Elisha’s bed and prepares to confront the prophet. Her husband appears to be somewhat skeptical, maybe because he has not been told of the child’s death. He objects at the timing of her venture, but she goes off anyway, some 15 miles to Mount Carmel. When Elisha sees her coming, he sends his servant to meet her, but she dismisses the inquiry with the same type of evasive response she gave to her husband. She finally reaches Elisha and grabs his feet and proceeds to pour out her heart to him. She refuses to leave him.

While she is upset and mystified by this tragedy, one should stop and commend her for heading to the right person in time of crisis (as in the previous story). Elisha was God’s ambassador, and she knows that. She is essentially clinging to God. What do you call it when you are dumbfounded by the difficult providences of God, but you still cry out to him? Faith! (Davis, 2 Kings, 65). Faith says, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh” (Job 1:21). She doesn’t have the answers; she is grieved, but she has not turned away from God.

This lady isn’t the only one with limitations in this story. Did you notice what Elisha said? “The Lord has hidden it from me. He hasn’t told me” (v. 27). Elisha has limited knowledge of the event. (Could he have also had limited knowledge of the events in chapter 3? I think so.) He has limited power. When he sends Gehazi to lay his staff on the head of the child, nothing happens. Now, Elisha was God’s prophet, but he was not God. He has limitations. The only thing he can do is pray (Davis, 2 Kings, 66). When Elisha came to the house, “he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord” (v. 33). Even though Elisha performs physical actions in verses 34-35, the whole episode illustrates his desperation in prayer.

While we hold some people up as marvelous Christian leaders, we are reminded that even the most gifted servants are limited. If Elisha is desperate, how much more are we? Recognize your limitations and pour out your heart to God, who is unlimited in power. We will fail to pray when we do the reverse. When we think we are powerful enough to handle problems and God is small, then we will not pray like this. Rather, we are powerless but God is powerful. Seek Him.

The child eventually sneezes seven times (a sign of complete restoration perhaps) and opens his eyes. Elisha then calls the mother and gives her son to her, similar to the story of Elijah and the widow’s son (1 Kgs 17:17-24).

Thus, another miracle has been performed in secret. Elisha is shown to be an agent of God’s compassion and power who can raise the dead like Elijah. And the recipient of this gift bows to the ground in gratitude.

There’s a similar story in Luke 7, concerning a widow of Nain. Jesus “had compassion” on her and raised the child. The difference is that the Old Testament prophets pray, but Jesus simply speaks. “Young man, I tell you, get up!” He says. Jesus is greater than Elijah and Elisha. He’s our ultimate hope of resurrection. Perhaps you wonder why God doesn’t raise the dead today. Well, in these cases, these children would eventually die again. God has done something greater for us. He has promised that everyone in Christ will be raised permanently (1 Thess 4:13-18). Elijah and Elisha were giving a sneak preview of the resurrection power of Christ. When Christ was on earth, He was giving us a sneak preview of the ultimate resurrection to come. This lady looked to Elisha in desperate trust, but we look to Jesus, who has triumphed over the grave.

In two stories we have two unnamed ladies receiving daily bread, two children, and a sneak preview of the resurrection power of Jesus. Elisha is putting the compassion of God on display. Prophets were not just brash speakers of truth; they were also agents of God’s mercy. How much more so with the Savior. John says He was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Food for the Hungry (vv. 38-44)

Elisha displays God’s compassion next to the sons of the prophets. During a famine Elisha instructs his servant to prepare a large pot of stew. This story reminds us of the earlier Elijah narrative, where God provided for the prophets during famine (1 Kgs 17:1-24; 18:1-15), and of chapter 2, where Elisha purifies the water (2 Kgs 2:19-22).

A problem emerges when one of the men goes looking for some herbs and decides to add some wild gourds to the stew, not knowing what they were. The result is disastrous. The men take a bite of these vicious vittles and cry to Elisha, “There’s death in the pot, man of God!” (v. 40). It’s hard to know if the wild gourds could have literally killed them or if it only tasted horrible. Perhaps it was both. Elisha responds in compassion and wisdom. He knows what to add to the pot to cure it. He says, “Get some meal” (v. 41). They do so, he throws it into the stew, and “there was nothing bad in the pot” (v. 41).

Should we take as our application the need to know how to cook? Was Elisha a miracle worker and a master chef? While I do recommend learning how to cook, I think the simple application, once again, is that God provides daily bread for His people. “Give us each day our daily bread” was and is a desperate and regular prayer for those living in agrarian cultures and in poor regions. Some of us in prosperous places may have a hard time identifying with this prayer. When we need food, we go to the grocery store. We complain if we have to stand in line longer than three minutes! In agrarian cultures it wasn’t easy and simple. Starvation and hunger were real problems. Furthermore, this was a time of famine. The people were thus doubly desperate. Yet God takes care of them.

God isn’t distant and remote. He’s involved in our lives. He takes interest in a pot of soup, not just ruling the solar system. God is interested in providing poor students with washing machines and furniture. God understands us. God loves us. God is near to us. God is real to us. God is good to us. God faithfully provides for us. Bless the Lord. Don’t forget His benefits (Ps 103).

This same application continues in the next episode. God’s faithfulness shines as Elisha multiplies 20 loaves of bread and feeds 100 people. The food comes from an unnamed man from Baal-shalishah. He brought Elisha what was to be offered to the priests: “20 loaves of barley bread from the first bread of the harvest” (v. 42; cf. Exod 23:19; Lev 23:20; Num 18:13; Deut 18:4-5). Why does he not give the bread to the priests? Apparently it was because of the corruption in the priesthood in northern Israel. He bypasses them and gives it to the man of God instead. You might say he was a separatist. God had a remnant of loyal followers, and he was one of them (cf. 1 Kgs 19:18).

Gehazi does the math and says that such provision is impossible. Feed 100 people with 20 loaves of bread? That’s either some tiny people or some big bread! However, Elisha insists, “Give it to the people to eat, for this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat, and they will have some left over.’” So what happens? Yahweh fulfills His word: “So he gave it to them, and as the Lord had promised, they ate and had some left over” (v. 44). God does what He promises. God multiplied what they brought Him (cf. 2 Cor 9:10).

Being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from trouble or even from starvation. God may choose not to provide for some people for His own sovereign reasons. But when provision comes, we should bless His name. And we need to remember that God always keeps His word. Those who are in Christ will one day enjoy the new heavens and the new earth, where all the needs of God’s people are met gloriously, fully, and eternally. Praise God for daily bread, and rest in His eternal promises.

One Greater than Elisha Is Here

We are left to admire Elisha. He speaks truth in an evil day. He cares for a widow in great need. He provides a child to a barren woman. He raises the dead. He feeds a multitude. He’s a compassionate prophet who points us to Jesus.

Jesus was in Elisha mode on several occasions. He fed 5,000 (Mark 6:30-44) and 4,000 (Mark 8:1-10) and had food left over. The feeding of the 5,000 appears in all four Gospels. In John’s Gospel Andrew reflects the concern of Elisha’s servant. After finding the young lad with five loaves and two fish, Andrew says, “What are they for so many?” (John 6:8). While Andrew has his doubts, Jesus commands the people to sit down in groups. Then Jesus multiplies fewer loaves than Elisha had and fed a greater number of people (Mark 6:39-44). Some in the audience surely reflected on this Elisha story. John says that some said, “This really is the Prophet who was to come into the world!” (John 6:14). Surely, some thought, “One greater than Elisha is here.”

The problem in Jesus’ day was also like the problem of Elisha’s day. Some looked to Jesus only for miracles, not for true spiritual transformation. The miracles should have sent people to embrace Him by faith as Lord; instead they simply looked to Him to help them in a temporary emergency. Jesus said, “Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him” (John 6:27). He told them that if they come to Him by faith they will never be hungry again (6:35). He called them to believe in Him for eternal life and receive the assurance that He will “raise them up on the last day” (6:40). But sadly, when Jesus finished His discourse, many turned away. A faithful few received Jesus, but many rejected Him. Elisha experienced a similar result. While he was able to provide for the faithful remnant, his ministry didn’t lead to an overall change in the nation. Many ignored or rejected him, as others later did with Jesus and as many do today.

What will you do with Jesus? Will you embrace Him as Lord? Or will you turn away from the One who has had His body torn like bread and His blood poured out like wine in order to grant hungry sinners forgiveness, freedom, eternal life, and joy? May God open your eyes to embrace the One “powerful in action and speech” (Luke 24:19), who conquered death, fulfilling everything written of Him in “the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms” (24:44), and who now grants grace to sinners and clothes them with power to tell the world of His salvation (24:48-50).

Reflect and Discuss