1 Kings 19:19-2119So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. (1 Kings 19:19‑21)
The Lord had told Elijah that he should have a helper whose name was Elisha, and he lived at a place which was near the Jordan river.
When Elijah came to the place the young man was plowing in a field. Oxen are used in that land for work in the fields, but this must have been a very large field to plow, as there were twelve yoke for the work. Elisha was with the last yoke of oxen, so we suppose there were other men to guide the other oxen and plows. You know a yoke is made of wood, shaped to fit across the necks of two oxen, with a bent piece at each end which goes around the neck of each animal, so they will pull the load together.
Elijah came up to Elisha, as he was working, and threw his loose cloak, called a mantle, over the young man’s shoulders, and walked away. We would think that a strange thing for anyone to do. But Elisha seems to have known that one who received another’s cloak was to be in that one’s care and service. And he must have known that Elijah was a man who spoke for God, for he quickly ran to tell Elijah he would go with him, only asked first to bid his parents goodbye. Then Elisha made a feast for the people, showing his love to them; then went with Elijah, and was his servant and helper.
So Elijah was no longer alone, and both of these men bravely told God’s words to kings and others, and did great things to show God’s power. You notice how much alike their names are, the first three letters are just the same, and have a meaning in their language. Elijah spoke much against the idols and of the true God; Elisha showed that the Lord could save the people.
Elijah means God is Jehovah.
Elisha means God is Salvation.
You may think that those who speak for God must be taught in a big school, but this story shows that God used a young farmer who believed and obeyed Him. Elisha had learned to be patient and careful in the field, for oxen are strong but slow, so to drive them and guide the plow, was often hard. And he must be even more patient to teach the people of Israel and the kings, who had forgotten God’s words. Animals know the one who keeps and feeds them, but God’s people often forget Who keeps and feeds them, as this verse tells us:
“The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib” (a place where grain is kept), “but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider.” Isaiah 1:33The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. (Isaiah 1:3).
ML 04/02/1939