Prophet Elisha

We first encounter the Prophet Elisha in the third book of Kingdoms. The Prophet Elijah had thoughts that he alone was left among the prophets of Israel, but it was revealed to him that “Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah, you shall anoint as prophet in your place” (3 Kingdoms 19:16). When the Prophet Elijah found Elisha, he was “plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him”. He threw his mantle onto him, thus signifying that Elisha was now the prophet of Israel (3 Kingdoms 19: 19).

From that time, Elisha became Elijah’s loyal follower, following him even to the end of Elijah’s time on earth (4 Kingdoms 2). He witnessed Elijah’s ascent to heaven in the chariot of fire and worked many miracles thereafter. He parted the Jordan, healed lepers, and fed hundreds during famine, among many other God-inspired works. Elisha, like Elijah and other prophets before him, advised and prophesied to the kings of Israel and anointed them as required. He also helped Israel and Judah in war against the Moabites (4 Kingdoms 3).

The holiness of the prophet is perhaps best manifested in 4 Kingdoms 4. In this passage, Elisha resurrects a dead boy, the son of a Shunammite who conceived through Elisha’s prayers. He told his servant Gehazi to place his staff over the body of the dead boy, but nothing happened. Elisha then went in, prayed with the door closed, and then stretched himself over the corpse. After he stretched the first time, the body grew warm. After the second time, the boy sneezed and came back to life. Elisha did these works with a fervent fear of God, thus showing the people the correct way to perform works of God.

After healing a leper called Naaman, he was offered many rewards by the former leper. Elisha refused to accept, but Gehazi was tempted. Gehazi ran to Naaman asking for two talents and two changes of clothing. When he returned to Elisha, he lied and said he had not gone anywhere. But Elisha knew that this was not true, and Gehazi was struck with the same leprosy that had cursed Naaman.

Source: Lychnos June 2018 / July 2018