Anointing Elisha (1 Kings 19)

by Toms, A. F. | Category: Elijah | Sept 1993

"Go, return on thy way" was God's word to Elijah when he met him at the entrance of the cave. Eliinh h2fl 111,'IIp ~ mistak~.

He had run away without any instruction from God and he had to retrace his steps and go back the way he had come, as we have to do sometimes, when we make mistakes. One of his immediate tasks was to anoint young Elisha to be prophet in his place. God had another man ready, as He always has, and Elijah found him ploughing in the fields and himself guiding one of the yoke of oxen. This young man was not afraid of a day's hard work. God had been speaking to Elisha's heart. He was calling him to His service and now the old prophet arrived with confirmation of the call he had been feeling so strongly. He understood the significance of Elijah throwing his cloak over his shoulders, and when Elijah turned as though to walk away, the young man ran after him. "Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee", he said. "Go back again", Elijah replied, "for what have I done to thee". But that was said to

prove him surely, to give him the opportunity of counting the cost. Elisha was equal to it. Ilis mind was made up, his heart was sel Slaying his oxen and burning the ploughing equipment to make a fire to cook the meat, he gave it to the people with him and they ate together in a parting meal, and then he was on his way, following Elijah. He had made the break with family ties. There was nothing whatever to hold him back. It says "he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him". Jt was humble work to start with, but Elisha was content. "Whosoever would become great among you, shall be your minister", the Lord Jesus said (Mark 10:43), and the younger man would count it an honour to wait upon God's prophet.

Elijah had been a unique man, one who had towered above his fellows. He had withstood onslaughts of evil as a rock shakes off the waves that beat upon it. He was one of the most dramatic figures in Israel's history.

Ills name means "My God is Jah" and his service for God had been characterized by fearless judgement. But his service was nearly over and the younger man stepping into his place was called to a gentler ministry. Elisha's name means "My God is salvation" and in many ways his life reminds us of the Lord Jesus in His service. The mighty works Elisha did were mostly for healing and blessing, in contrast to Elijah who was so often called to acts ofjudgement on account of the people's sin.

The end of his life-work was now in sight, although God graciously gave him a few more years of service. One of his main tasks during his sunset years was the ongoing training of Elisha in the prophetic ministry and also the sons of the prophets to whom we are first introduced about this time. They appear to have been gathered in groups of fifties and there were groups at Bethel, Jericho and Jordan and maybe in other places too. We are left to imagine how they were brought together, but possibly it was the result of Elijah's far-seeing vision. He would understand the need for men to lead God's people and teach them His ways, and so the sons of the prophets, as they were called, were trained for service. They may well have been among the seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal. We are not told very much about them, although there are frequent references to them at the close of Elijah's life and throughout the ministry of Elisha. There is no doubt Elijah was used to

help them; so much he would be able to pass on to them of the ways and will of God, out of his long experience.

It takes us in thought to Paul's word to Timothy, "the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). God's truth must be passed on as each new generation rises. It was not just a question of the things Timothy heard Paul saying when he was in his company. It was definite systematic instruction,the older man passing on to the younger a precious deposit of divine truth which he was to treasure and guard and in turn pass on to others. Four generations are envisaged in this one verse, faithful men passing on divine truth as younger men rose to responsibility. And we notice the careful instruction, "the things which thou hast heard from me ... the same commit thou to faithful men". That is important. God's truth must be preserved and passed on in all its purity, nothing added to it and certainly nothing taken away.

We are living in days when we need to. be specially watchful about this, for Satan is doing his utmost to undermine the confidence of believers in the Word of God. We must stand boldiy for the truth of the inerrancy of Scripture, that every word of our Bible in the original languages was the inspired Word of God. We believe that "every scripture is inspired of God, and profitable for teaching, for

reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (2

Tim. 3:16,17 RVM). So let us treasure every part of it and grasp every opportunity of teaching it to others as diligently as we can.

Toms, A. F. | Sept 1993
Elijah