## Life of Elisha

## II Kings 2-4

In 2 Kings 2, we have story of the translation of Elijah which also begins the ministry of Elisha. Both of these prophets had to minister in times of terrible national decay, and we can see, in moving from the ministry of Elijah to that of Elisha, a transition that took place in the history of Israel.

1. There is a change in prophets, we move from Elijah to Elisha.

2. There is a change in books, we move from 1 Kings to 2 Kings.

3. There is a change in kings, we go from Ahab to Ahaziah, his son.

The Two Prophets Compared

A. Though Elisha was the understudy of Elijah, these two prophets were very different in their ministries and in the way God used them.

B. Both were men of godly character and faith who stood firmly on the Word of God.

C. As we compare them we need to be reminded of the following truth: cf 1 Co. 3:4-9

Their Miracles Compared

A. The Miracles of Elijah

1. Declares a long drought (1 Kings 17:1)

2. Multiplies widow's flour and oil (1 Kings 17:7-16)

3. Resurrects widow's son (1 Kings 17:17-24)

4. Calls down fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:1-40)

5. Sends a rainstorm (1 Kings 18:41-45)

6. Outruns a chariot (1 Kings 18:46)

7. Predicts Ahaziah's death (2 Kings 1:1-2)

8. Ahaziah's men killed by fire from heaven (2 Kings 1:9-17)

9. Parts the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:1-8)

B. The Miracles of Elisha

1. Parts the Jordan River (2 Kings 2:13-14)

2. Makes Jericho spring drinkable (2 Kings 2:19-22)

3. Sends bears to punish irreverent youths (2 Kings 2:23-25)

4. Floods ditches to confuse Moabites (2 Kings 3:1-27)

5. Multiplies widow's oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)

6. Shunammite woman bears a son (2 Kings 4:8-17)

7. Resurrects Shunammite's son (2 Kings 4:18-37)

8. Purifies poisoned stew (2 Kings 4:38-44)

9. Heals Naaman's leprosy (2 Kings 5:1-14)

10. Gehazi struck with leprosy (2 Kings 5:15-27)

11. Floats lost axhead (2 Kings 6:1-7)

12. Gives special sight to the king's messenger (2 Kings 6:16-17)

13. Blinds the Aramean army (2 Kings 6:8-23)

14. His bones resurrect a dead man (2 Kings 13:20-21)

C. Elisha performed more miracles, but they were less public than some Elijah performed.

Their Ministries Compared

A. Both prophets were similar in their overall purpose to resist the cult of Baal and to demonstrate by their miracles and ministry that the only true God is the God of Israel.

B. Elijah is noted for great public acts, while Elisha is distinguished by the large number of miracles he performed, many of them for individual needs.

C. Elijah's ministry emphasized God's law, judgment, and severity. Elisha supplemented this by demonstrating God's grace, love and tenderness.

D. Elijah was like John the Baptist, thundering the message of repentance for sin. Elisha followed this up by going about, as Christ did, doing deeds of kindness, and by doing miracles attesting that the words of the prophets were from God.

Both men cast great shadows upon their land.

A. All of us are casting shadows as we go through this present life.

1. Shadows always amazed me when I was a child. Explain: stepping on them, watching them change with our walk.

2. We cannot control our shadows, but we are constantly casting them as we walk in the light.

3. Our physical shadows remind us that we are also casting shadows of spiritual influence upon others.

4. Just as our bodies cast their shadows quite involuntarily, so we are continually and quite involuntarily casting the shadow of our moral and spiritual influence upon other lives.

B. Our only choice is the kind of influence we have.

1. We cannot choose to be non-influential anymore than we can choose not to cast shadow.

2. But, we can determine what kind of influence our lives will be.

3. Our influence may contribute either to the eternal salvation or the eternal damnation of others.

4. To the spiritual edification or the spiritual hurt of others.

(Gal 6:7-8) "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. {8} For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

C. One of the things we sow is an influence.

1. We may think our influence is very small.

2. We may think that this doesn't necessarily apply to us, but that is simply not true.

3. We will have an impact on this world, the question before us is what kind of influence will it be?

D. Although their ministries were different, both were called of God to serve in the capacity of a prophet.

How we respond to the situations of life, whether pleasant or painful, tells a lot about us. Our responses will reveal something about our beliefs, values, priorities, and our spiritual condition. The translation of Elijah was a test designed to reveal the character and qualification of Elisha to be the successor to Elijah.

I. Elisha's Response to Elijah's Translation (2 Kings 2:12-15)

A. An Emotional Response.

1. He cried out after Elijah, and then tore his clothes.

2. This is a sign of mourning, but why would he do this?

3. Elijah had been his mentor, his teacher, and now he was gone!

4. This truly demonstrated Elisha's love and respect for his teacher.

B. But what about the strange statement that he made at Elijah's departure, "…My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof…"?

C. What does this mean and what does it say to us today?

1. The chariot and horsemen represented one of the strongest military instruments of ancient times.

2. It stood for military power at its greatest.

3. God's power and presence are pictured by horses and chariots encircling Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:15.

4. There it portrays God's power and His ability to protect and deliver Elisha and His servant.

D. Here, however, Elisha was speaking of Elijah and declaring that the real strength and the ultimate protection and defense of Israel lay in the ministry of this great prophet. Why?

1. Because he was a herald of the Word of the Lord.

2. He was also the head of the schools of the prophets, the place where other teachers of the Word were trained and prepared to minister the Word to others.

3. Not only did this demonstrate Elisha's perspective and faith in God's Word, but it demonstrates a vital principle found throughout the Old Testament:

a. The ultimate defense or source of blessing for any nation is never its military or economic policies.

b. Its ultimate defense always lies in a godliness based on biblical absolutes.

(Prov 14:34) "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."

(Psa 33:12) "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."

4. Certainly nations need to be strong militarily and just social and economic policies.

5. But for them to be effective, they must know the righteous principles of the Word.

a. They need the absolutes of God's Word as a foundation for morality.

b. The people must be prepared spiritually to know, believe, and obey the principles of God's eternal Word.

c. For that to happen, people need men who will proclaim the Word of God.

6. So Elisha was acknowledging not only a personal loss of his teacher and mentor, but a national loss of a great man of God.

E. With Elijah gone, how would Elisha respond?

1. Would he go back to farming?

2. Would he complain and question God's timing in removing Elijah.

3. After all, the nation still in a degenerate condition; and who could truly replace the great prophet?

II. The Actions of Elisha (vss. 13-14)

A. He took up Elijah's mantle.

1. "He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him . . ."

2. What can we learn from this?

3. The mantle of Elijah spoke of the prophetic office and gift, and of God's call of Elisha to this ministry and responsibility.

4. For Elisha this meant responding to God's call on his life.

5. It also meant carrying on and taking Elijah's place as the head of the schools of the prophets.

B. Note the word "also."

1. Though he had experienced pain at the loss of his good friend and teacher, this did not cause him to quit.

2. Elisha saw the need to move forward and carry on the work that Elijah had been engaged in.

3. Note: Phil. 1:12-14

4. This is a challenge to all of us in the service of the Savior.

C. Elisha proceeded by faith.

1. Before he could begin, God put Elisha on the other side of the Jordan.

2. Historically and biblically, the Jordan River was representative of the barriers and problems of life .

3. Elisha's actions, striking the water as Elijah had done previously, demonstrated Elisha's faith in the power and provision of God.

4. As well as his willingness and determination to fulfill the calling and ministry to which God had called him.

Isn't it interesting that immediately there was an obstacle in Elisha's path? God had led him, by Elijah, to that place. Jesus was led into the wilderness of temptation by the Holy Spirit. God often places us in circumstances and situations to prove our faith and our willingness to obey Him.

IV. The Waters of Jericho Purified (2 Kings 2:19-22)

We have previously considered verses 16-18 when the sons of the prophets went looking for Elijah. Tonight we want to consider the next passage. This passage illustrates spiritual truth found elsewhere in the Scriptures. The key to understanding its application for us today is to recognize the symbolism. There are three symbols for our consideration

1) The city is Jericho.

2) The bad water.

3) The jar of salt.

A. Historical Background.

1. The city of Jericho was controlled by Israel and was home to one of the schools of the Prophets.

2. But the water of the city was bad and caused unfruitfulness in the land.

3. At first glance things looked prosperous in the city. "…situation of this city is pleasant…BUT…"

a. There were beautiful buildings, trees, gardens, and much activity--but no actual fruitfulness.

b. Things grew, but before they produced fruit, the fruit would drop off or the plants would wither.

4. The men recognized the authenticity of Elisha as a prophet of God.

a. They came to Elisha and requested help for their problem.

b. Elisha then requested a new jar filled with salt, casts it into the spring.

5. By a miracle of God the water was purified with permanent results.

a. The spring to this day is okay.

b. Elisha is careful to give God the credit.

c. It was not Elisha and it was not the salt--it was God.

d. Elisha was only a representative agent of God and the salt a symbol.

B. The Symbols Used

1. The City

a. Jericho had originally stood as a fortified city against the occupation of the land of Canaan by the people of God.

b. The destruction of Jericho stood as a kind of firstfruits of promise for the occupation of the rest of the land.

c. The city was cursed. Cf Joshua 6:26

(Josh 6:26) "And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it."

d. Jericho portrays the world, which is under the curse of God.

e. This is a curse, which only God can lift.

f. This world may at first look good or pleasant, but in reality it is barren and are empty.

g. Only God can remove the curse.

2. The Bad Water

a. Water is often used as a symbol of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit of God, and the cleansing that comes from both.

b. Water which is bad naturally portrays the opposite.

c. In place of God's Word, we have humanism: man's philosophies and doctrines.

d. In place of the Holy Spirit, there are evil spirits who promote these doctrines.

e. In place of cleansing, refreshment, and life there is pollution, weariness and death.

3. The Jar of Salt.

a. As believers, we are vessels.

b. We contain the treasure of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(2 Cor 4:6-7) "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. {7} But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

c. Elisha requested not just a jar, but a new jar.

(2 Cor 5:17) "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

d. This jar was to be new, and it was to be filled with salt.

e. Jesus said that we were to be the salt of the earth. Cf. Matthew 5:13a

f. This speaks of our influence upon the world.

God can use us, if we are usable, to have a lasting influence on the sin-cursed world around us. We can make a difference in the lives of others. We must be willing to be vessels in the service of our Lord.

This next passage is often a favorite of those who are balding. More than once I have heard it used to warn others of making fun of someone who has no hair. But really, is that what God is telling us by including this account? Tonight we want to take a closer look at this event in the life of Elisha.

V. Elisha and the Two Bears. (2 Kings 2:23-25)

A. Elisha Heads for Bethel. (2:23a)

1. Following the ministry in Jericho, Elisha moves on into the land to minister to the people.

2. They were a people living in idolatry and badly in need of the Word.

3. "Bethel" means "house of God" or "place of God."

4. This name spoke of worship and fellowship with God.

5. There was also a school of the prophets in Bethel, but in spite of this the city was now idolatrous and anything but a center of worship.

B. Elisha is Mocked (2:23b)

1. On his way to Bethel Elisha is verbally attacked by some 'little children'.

2. "And as he was going . . ." calls our attention to the time of the attack.

a. It occurred simply in the normal process of his travels to the city.

b. We never know (even though the Lord does) when Satan or others under his control or influence, are going to attack.

c. We are instructed to be vigilant or watchful because the enemy is always looking for ways to attack.

3. "Little Children" does not mean toddlers.

a. These were not children, but young men.

b. The Hebrew word used here refers to young me or "lads".

c. It was used of servants, of soldiers and of Isaac when he was 28 years old.

d. This was a crowd of young men who were antagonistic toward Elisha's ministry and authority.

e. Not just a few young men out for a little mischief, we find later that there were at least 42, and probably more.

f. The appearance seems more like a mob set on hindering Elisha.

4. The word used here, "Mocked", means a scornful belittling of something or someone.

5. These young men were not just attacking Elisha, the man, but they were also attacking his message.

a. "Go up"... "go up." ascend up as you claim Elijah did.

b. No one had seen Elijah's tranlation except for Elisha.

c. The attack seems to ridicule the message of Elisha and the miracle of God.

d. The second part of the attack is seen in the words: "thou baldhead."

e. Satan attacks the message (the Word) and the messenger or both.

f. The important thing here is Elisha's reaction to this and God's action in response.

C. Elisha Curses the Young Men (2:24-25)

1. This seems harsh, but God takes very seriously any attack made against His Word and His servants.

2. He didn't turn and run, he didn't argue with them, he didn't compromise his message, and he didn't respond out of a bruised ego or hurt pride.

3. He "…cursed them in the name of the Lord."

a. This doesn't mean he was angry and began swearing at them.

b. It also doesn't mean that he was yelling and making threats.

c. The word used here means "to be swift, slight, trifling, or of little account."

d. Elisha simply turned them over to God for God to take care of the problem.

e. He probably said something like, "may God deal with you according to what you deserve," or "may you be cursed for your sins of rebellion."

f. Note that Elisha did not call out the bears, God did.

g. Two she bears came out and tore up forty-two young men.

D. Lessons for us to learn:

1. God does not take it lightly when we ignore His Word or hinder His work.

2. It is serious business to stand in the way of God's man doing God's work.

3. As believers, we should expect opposition.

4. The more we move forward for the Lord, the more attacks we may have to face from our adversary.

5. We need to be more like Elisha, by standing fast and responding to the attacks in biblical ways leaving the results to the Lord.

6. We need to move forward in our ministries while always trusting God to make a way and remove the obstacles.

The Rebellion of the Moabites (2 Kings 3:1-12)

Many today have a knowledge of God; they believe that He exists; they may even believe in His Son, but they just do not take Him at His word. During the week, by their own viewpoint, priorities and language, they act as though God were not even involved.

On Sunday they do their little 'nod to God,' but for the rest of the week it is business as usual. In 2 Kings 3 we see varying degrees of this in the personalities seen in this story.

1) First there is Elisha, the prophet of God, a man who always took God seriously--God and His Word was his life.

2) Then there was Jehoshaphat, a good king, a man who generally took God seriously and sought the way of the Lord, yet at times, he too failed.

3) Finally there was Jehoram, king of Israel, an evil king. He believed in the fact of the Lord of the Old Testament, but he never took God seriously.

I. The Portrait of Jehoram (3:1-3)

A. Jehoram, the grandson of evil Ahab, became king of Israel (the northern kingdom).

1. There were no good kings or kings who followed the Lord in the northern kingdom.

2. While they believed and knew very well that Yahweh, the Lord of Israel was God, they had nevertheless forsaken Him and in idolatrous apostasy had become involved in the mysterious and evil cults of ancient Babylon.

B. In verse 2 we read "He did evil in the sight of the Lord."

1. Jehoram was not a godly man nor was he a man who took God seriously.

2. Though Jehoram turned away from Baal worship, he continued to be loyal to the worship of the golden calf and continued to perpetuate its idolatry and apostasy in Israel

3. Cf. 1 Kings 12:24-33

II. The Plans of Jehoram (3:4-7)

A. Moab rebels against Jehoram.

1. The Moabites were a heathen tribe that had been under subjection to Israel.

2. With the death of Ahab, they took the opportunity to rebel against the new leadership, Jehoram.

B. Note the plans of Jehoram.

1. He does not seek the Lord.

2. He does not call a prophet of God or even pray.

3. He merely plans without fixing his heart upon God.

4. Instead he leans upon human alliances, upon military strength and strategy that seems so natural and right to men.

a. He musters all Israel.

b. He gathers his troops to prepare for battle (i.e. his trust is in numbers).

c. Then he enlists the aid of Jehoshaphat, a godly man whom God had greatly blessed.

d. Jehoshaphat had an able army, but he had unwisely been in alliances with Ahab, Jehoram's grandfather!

e. Jehoshaphat agrees to help, though again an unwise decision.

5. But it is the Lord who prepares and establishes--so the Lord has something very different planned.

III. The Predicament in the Wilderness v8-12

A. The wilderness

1. The wilderness sometimes symbolizes the fruitless life of carnality and being out of the plan of God.

2. God uses difficulties and problems to get our attention or to demonstrate His power.

3. In verse 9 the three kings journey down into the wilderness, but they run into the unexpected.

a. The water holes they had counted on were not there.

b. Instead of bringing the Moabites back under submission, they were faced with the possibility of their own defeat and death--wiped out in the desert.

B. The Choices

1. Here is a problem suddenly interjected into life's experience.

2. What would we do?

3. As with the three kings, we have two choices:

a. We can take God seriously and respond to Him in faith or

b.We can react, blame God and others and act in unbelief.

c. Our passage gives us an illustration of both responses.

C. The Responses

1. In verse 10 we see the response of Jehoram: "Then the king of Israel said, 'Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.'"

a. Jehoram's mental attitude was negative, but it is typical of the man who refuses to truly get serious with the Lord so that he walks dependently on Him in aspects of life.

b. The typical procedure is to ignore God before trouble, but then blame God and others after it comes.

c. Though Jehoram ignored God's involvement with his life before this trouble, he now recognizes the sovereign action of God as a divine judgment and intervention.

d. Instead of responding in faith and repentance, or instead of seeking the Lord, all he could do was to cry out in defeat as a man without hope.

2. In verse 11a we see a contrast in the response of Jehoshaphat.

a. But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of the Lord by Him?"

b. What a different mental attitude and perspective!

c. We see an attitude that not only recognizes the Lord's involvement with their lives, but one which is willing to call on the Lord for instruction, wisdom, aid and deliverance.

d. Such a mental attitude sees the purposeful hand of God.

e. It accepts trials as mirrors of reproof, as windows of light, as opportunities to manifest the power of God, the love and grace of God, and as instruments of our transformation.

3. In verse 11b we see God's gracious supply.

a. "Before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear" (Isa. 65:24).

b. So we read: "And one of the kings of Israel's servants answered and said, 'Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.'"

c. Let's note several things of importance here:

(1) The mention of pouring water on the hands of Elijah refers to the fact that he had been Elijah's servant.

(2) Because Elisha meant business with the Lord and was faithful to his calling, he was available to go and minister to these kings in their desperate need.

(3) What was Elisha the prophet doing here--seven days journey into the wilderness?

(4) The Lord had prepared and led Elisha to this very place as His servant to be available to these kings and their armies in their time of need.

4. In verse 12 we see Jehoshaphat's second response to the presence of Elisha.

a. Elisha's reputation had gone before him.

b. Jehoshaphat knew that Elisha was a man who meant business with God and could be counted on to give God's Word, the truth.

c. In king Jehoshaphat's desire to hear from a prophet of the Lord (vs. 11), we see a wonderful attitude for any person, but especially for a king or a leader.

Elisha was known not for his dynamic or scintillating personality nor for his oratorical skill Rather he was known for two simple but profoundly important characteristics that marked him off as a man of God. He was known as a servant, as one who poured water on the hands of Elijah And as one who was faithful to proclaim the Word of the Lord

Elisha & the Three Kings (2 Kings 3:13-15)

We pick up our story in 2 Kings 3 with the three kings in a real predicament. They are in the wilderness and about to perish because of a lack of water. But remember, this was the result of not taking God seriously and consulting Him concerning their plans. So ultimately, the greater enemy was not the Moabites, but their own failure to seek God's direction.

I. The Word From the Lord (3:13-15)

A. Elisha rebukes the kings (vss. 13-14)

1. As we can see from these verses, Elisha was a man not prone toward partiality for even a moment.

2. His allegiance was to the Lord and to the principles of His Word regardless of a person's position, power, or wealth.

3. Because he took God seriously and was willing to trust the Lord regardless of the outcome, like Elijah, he could stand fearlessly and declare the truth.

B. "What do I have to do with thee?"

1. Elisha didn't pull any punches did he?

2. He came directly to the point.

3. In this question he was saying, what do we have in common, why have you, an idolater, a rejecter of the commandments of God come to me?

C. "Get thee to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother"

1. This is probably a reference to his grandparents, Ahab and Jezebel.

2. They were the prophets of Baal, the false prophets of idol worship who had no word from God as demonstrated so clearly in 1 Kings 18.

3. All they had to offer were the false and deceptive visions of the Satanic world

4. They were prophets who said what the kings wanted to hear.

5. Elisha, then, was telling Jehoram to be consistent.

a. They had been ignoring God and following after their idols,

b. So why run to God now that they were in big trouble?

c. Elisha was using irony by asking, can't your present religious system and your present way of life deliver you?

d. Don't your prophets have the answers?

e. Do you think you can ignore God and then, at your whim, when trouble strikes, just turn to God as though he were a genie in a bottle?

6. Elisha would never have spurned the genuine requests of a repentant man, but he knew Jehoram and said what he did to emphasize the futility of the life he had chosen.

7. God often engineers defeat, failure, and frustration, seeking not only to get our attention, but to teach us the futility of our present course of action in order to draw a confession from us of our ways with a view to repentance, a change of our course.

D. In verse 13b we see the king of Israel's admission that the false prophets cannot help, they are futile.

1. He is saying, no, he can't turn to them, they cannot help.

2. Then he adds "For the Lord hath called these three kings . . ."

3. He knew his ways were wrong, guilt filled his soul and he knew he deserved God's wrath.

4. Now remember, it was Jehoshaphat who asked for a prophet of the Lord that they (the three kings) might inquire of the Lord by a prophet (vs. 11).

5. But Elisha's rejection of Jehoram illustrates the concept of unanswered prayer and God's refusal sometimes to bring deliverance because of the spiritual condition of the heart.

E. Now in verse 14 we see Elisha's reply to Jehoram.

1. This is an implied rebuke to Jehoshaphat and an encouragement to the good king.

2. He had no business being there with one whom God would neither look upon nor hear.

3. This was an unholy alliance and a failure to take the Lord seriously in all areas of his life.

4. Because Jehoshaphat was (on the whole) a godly man who sought the Lord, the Lord spared him in this alliance with Jehoram.

5. This was pure grace

II. Preparation to Minister The Word (vs. 15)

A. Elisha had been agitated by his confrontation with Jehoram and bothered by the alliance of Jehoshaphat.

1. He was in no mood to receive and to give the Word of God.

2. His anger had been godly indignation. He had not sinned, but still his heart and mind needed to be prepared by the Lord to be able both to hear God's Word and to give it.

B. Here is an important lesson for us.

1. The heart needs to be prepared (put right) that we might be in a condition to hear and respond to the Lord.

2. Failure to prepare the heart can lead to unfaithfulness (Ps. 78:8).

(Psa 78:8) "And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God."

3. There are things that are helpful to the preparation process like music, the kind that can quiet the spirit and help one to focus on the things of God.

4. Elisha called for someone to come and play.

5. When the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha--God moved to give His word and direction on this matter.

III. Elisha Proclaims God's Message (3:16-19)

A. The First Instruction and Promise From the Lord (vss. 16-17)

1. Why trenches?

2. To hold the water which the Lord would miraculous bring apart from any natural means as such as rain or a thunderstorm accompanied by strong wind.

3. Victory would be theirs if they were obedient to their human responsibilities of digging the ditches.

4. This would demonstrate their dependence on the Lord, a change from their former self-dependence which, without the Lord's help, had already failed them.

B. The Explanation and Promise (vs. 18)

1. A vital principle.

2. Nothing is too small or too great for God to handle.

3. As He would miraculously provide the water, so He would deliver the Moabites into their hands.

C. The Second Instruction and Responsibility of the Armies (vs. 19)

1. The problem or issue is never God's power or provision.

2. The real issue is our trust and obedience to the truth of His Word or acting in faith on the promises of God.

3. Would they dig the ditches and would they follow the instructions given in verse 19?

4. God speaks to them of complete victory in verse 19.

a. Cutting down all the good trees would make it difficult for the Moabites to have fruit to eat and would mean they would have little shade.

b. Stopping up all the springs would limit the Moabites' water supply.

c. Putting large stones in the fields would retard cultivation and lessen their productivity.

C. The Partial Defeat of the Moabites (20-25) [42]

1. God supplied the water.

2. The water was reddened by the soil and gleaming in the rising sun.

3. The enemy mistook it for blood, figured that the three kings had had a falling out, and rushed to the Israelite camp to plunder.

4. The Moabites were beaten down and fell back in disarray as far as Kirhareseth.

D. The Consequences of Disobedience. (3:26-27)

1. First the King of Moab tried to break through the lines, but was unable.

2. The second attempt is seen in verse 27 and sadly it did appear to be effective, but only because of the incomplete obedience of the three kings.

3. Idolatry often included human sacrifice, especially the offering of children.

4. The king of Moab, seeing his defeated army and ransacked land, tries to flee; the Edomites prevent him. He then sacrifices his oldest son on the city wall to Chemosh, the Moabite god.

5. The horror upon seeing this sacrifice causes the three armies to withdraw rather than to wipe out such evil and desecration of children.

6. Moab is not brought under Israel's domination.

7. Later the Moabites attack Judah and Israel (2 Kings 13:20; 24:2; 2 Chron. 20).

8. Had Elisha's instructions been carried out, these later attacks may have been avoided.

God's Supply in the Midst of Poverty (2 Kings 4:1-7)

In verse one we are simply told "a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha" for help. Then, in her statement to the prophet, "Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord," we learn a few more details about this widow, exactly who this woman was is simply not disclosed. There are a number of principles to glean from these verses:

I. The Widow Cries Out for Help (vs. 1)

A. Though she is not identified in the text, she was not unknown to God. Each one of us are personally known and loved of God; we are the personal objects of His love.

B. Though her appeal here was ultimately to the Lord, she sought help through Elisha. Her appeal was based on two facts:

1. As one of the sons of the prophets, her husband had been a servant and student of Elisha, and

2. Her husband had been faithful to the Lord.

3. God usually meets the needs of His people through people, especially believers ministering to other believers.

II. Elisha Responds to the Widow's Need (2-4)

A. "What shall I do for you?"

1. As a man of God, Elisha was as available to a poor widow woman as he was with kings, so he was quick to come to her aid.

2. As God shows no favoritism, but treats all men alike if they will come to Him in faith, so the people of God should show no favoritism and be just as available to minister to the poor as to the rich and the powerful.

B. Elisha was no ordinary prophet.

1. He represented the person, power, and care of God.

2. God had acted powerfully first in Elijah and then in Elisha.

3. When Elisha asked, "What shall I do for you?," he was in essence saying, what do you want God to do for you through me?

(James 4:2b) "…ye have not, because ye ask not."

4. There is no question that one of our great failures is our failure in prayer.

5. We are still commanded to take our needs to the Lord, to pray for others, and to have others to pray for us.

C. Elisha did not wait for an answer, Why?

1. Because her needs were obvious and she had already come to him and declared her problem which also indicated her request.

2. God knows our needs before we ask; in fact, He has known them from all eternity.

3. Then why do we need to ask?

a. It causes us to be dependent on Him

b. It demonstrates our faith

c. It demonstrates that it is He who ultimately meets our needs.

D. In verse two Elisha says, "Tell me, what hast thou in the house?"

1. Just some oil.

a. Oil was a very important commodity; it was like money or gold.

b. She was destitute, the only thing she had was this oil.

c. But the way God generally meets our needs is to take what we have and to multiply it as we turn our lives over to Him and obey the principles of His Word.

d. This is true of our talents, gifts, finances, or physical assets.

2. We need to investigate what we have in all areas and then, using those blessings as good stewards of God's grace, however small they may seem, surrender them to the Lord and trust the Lord to bless and provide as He sees fit.

3. But many today want to win the sweepstakes or lottery rather than have to trust God with whatever He has allotted them.

4. Sometimes God does supply from places unknown and in ways beyond our imagination.

5. But our responsibility is to take what we have no matter how small or large and turn it over to Him.

E. In verse 3 the widow was told to go and borrow "empty vessels."

1. As long as there were empty vessels there was God's supply to fill them with the oil.

2. The oil only stopped flowing when there were no more empty vessels to fill.

Note: There are some important lessons for us here:

The number of empty vessels brought into the house showed the woman's faith, obedience, and her submission to God and His promise to her through the prophet. If we find that the supply of God stops, then either the need has been supplied according to His will, or there are no more empty vessels. If she had brought only a few, that would suggest there was insufficient faith, obedience or submission to God as her sovereign Lord and supplier of her need. Note that she was not requested to gather a specific number of vessels; God wanted her to act in faith.

God's supply would be (and was) as large as her faith and obedience, without greediness. The moment we become greedy and selfish in our request, we not only stop the flow of God's provision.

(James 4:3) "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

III. The Widow's Obedience and God's supply (v5-7)

A. These verses draw our attention to the nature of God's person as powerful, loving, gracious, merciful, and like a Father to His children.

B. They display the goodness of the Lord.

C. He is the Father of the orphan, the friend of the widow, the Shepherd of the sheep, and the Protector of His own.

Elisha was a man who had a heart for serving others whether wealthy or poor. He did not minister to people based on how they might promote him or provide for him.

He was only concerned that people might know and experience God's grace and power in their lives. Like the poor widow, we all have certain needs--spiritual, emotional, and physical, but God knows those needs completely and He cares about them personally. Our most fundamental need is to come to him in faith, trusting Him to meet our need.