Tues.’s Devo - From Elijah to Elisha

Read: 2 Kings 1:1-2:25; Acts 13:42-14:7; Psalm 139:1-24; Proverbs 17:19-21 After Ahab died, his son Ahaziah became king. He seriously injured himself when he fell through the latticework of an upper room in the palace. He sent messengers to Ekron where the temple of Baal-zebub was to ask if he would recover. Ekron was a Philistine town which was the last town the Ark had been when it was stolen. Baal-zebub means “lord of the fly”. God sent Elijah to meet the messengers and ask them why the king was going to Ekron to ask if he was going to recover. Was there no god in Israel? Then he told them that because Ahaziah did this, he would not live. When they relayed the message to Ahaziah and described the prophet, Ahaziah knew exactly who he was. He sent an army captain and 50 men to bring Elijah back to the palace. The number 50 is mentioned 9 times in today’s reading. Fifty is the number of Jubilee and the number or redemption. Elijah called down fire to consume them and the next 50. When the third 50 arrived, this captain fell on his face and begged for mercy. God told him to go with him. When Elijah met Ahaziah, he told them the same thing he had told his first messenger and it happened. He died. Ahaziah had no son so his brother Joram became the next king. It was time for Elijah to be taken to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah was not going to die and go to Sheol, he was going straight to heaven. There he would be preserved. His spirit would return in Elisha, John the Baptist and in a man in the last days before the second return of Christ. Elijah and Elisha were going from Gilgal to Bethel. Elisha knew Elijah was leaving that day and vowed not to leave him. They met prophets who confirmed that. Elijah tried to get Elisha to stay there while he went to Jericho but Elisha followed. More prophets confirmed Elijah’s leaving that day. Next Elijah went to the Jordan River, struck it with his cloak and they walked across on dry ground. Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted from him and he told him he wanted a double portion of his spirit. Elijah told him that if he sees him leaving then he will have his request. Suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drown by horses of fire. It drove between them and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw it. Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak and returned to the Jordan River. He struck it with Elijah’s cloak and it divided and he walked across. The other prophets saw this and came and gave him their allegiance. They knew that Elijah had put his spirit on him. They begged Elijah to let them go and look for his body. They urged him till he finally let them send 50 men to look for him. (There is that 50 again.) The first assignment Elisha was given was to make the bitter water sweet. That was Moses’ first assignment when he came out of Egypt. He threw salt into it and it remained pure. It no longer caused death or infertility. Elijah was a picture of judgment on the sins of Israel. Elisha was the reborn Elijah who brought cleansing and rebirth to the nation. Elisha retraced Elijah’s steps. He used the boys who disrespected the prophet and they were killed by two bears. Elisha revisited Mt. Carmel where Elijah had killed the false prophets. Then Elisha went to Samaria, capital of Israel. In Acts, Paul and Barnabas taught the next week also in the synagogue and it was filled with people who wanted to hear their preaching. Some of the Jews were jealous of the crowds and opposed their teaching. Paul and Barnabas told them that since they rejected their teaching they would take it to the Gentiles who would accept it. The Gentiles were glad but the Jews stirred up the elite of the city and incited a mob who ran Paul and Barnabas out of town. They shook the dust from their feet and went to Iconium. The same thing happened there. The Gentiles accepted the word but the Jews ran them out of their town also. They fled to Lycaonia to the towns of Lystra and Derbe. Every town they visited, they left behind believers full of the Holy Spirit who could continue what they started. Paul and Barnabas were igniters of fires. They carried their light to others and let God take care of the rest. Lord, may we be strong like Paul and Barnabas who lived for the kingdom, not their own lives or reputations. May we be bold like Elijah and Elisha who were not afraid to speak God’s words.