The Ministry of Elisha: No. 5

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The judgment upon the children of Bethel (2 Kings 2:23, 2423And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. (2 Kings 2:23‑24)) calls for little comment. It was not properly Elisha's act and therefore not to be numbered with “all the great things that Elisha had done.” Rather was it one of divine vengeance in which God takes the part of His insulted servant, and so would prevent any further display of levity, which, if not checked at the outset, might place serious difficulties in the way of His servant, and discredit the new testimony which was to characterize the prophet's service. Besides, it was a more serious thing than appeared on the surface. The translation of Elijah and the appointment of Elisha as his successor were facts well known, but conjecture was not wanting then, as now, and this is seen in the thinly veiled infidelity of even the sons of the prophets in their eagerness to account in a natural way for what was really beyond them. So, to-day, the unbelief of God's people, whether of real or only of professing Christians, if not checked, will assuredly lead to scoffing profanity on the part of those who make no profession of faith in God. A testimony which is essentially of grace is peculiarly open to the attacks of scoffers. The salvation which grace brings is despised, and the warnings of coming judgment are unheeded. The wicked behavior of the “little children,” or “young lads,” was an outcome, no doubt, of the general remarks of their elders. Elisha, in his cursing them in the name of Jehovah, referred the matter to God, and He wrought for the vindication and protection of His servant. The moral effect of this overshadowed Elisha's subsequent career.
We are next invited to consider a marvelous intervention of the sovereign mercy and power of God, where, not the king, but the prophet, is seen to be the real link between God and His people. For not even the pious king of Judah could effect the desired deliverance; yet, nevertheless, it was to his presence that all concerned owed their salvation. But let us look more particularly at the leading characteristics of the scene here brought before us.
“And the king of Israel said, Alas! that Jehovah hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! But Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] not here a prophet of Jehovah, that we may inquire of Jehovah by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here [is] Elisha, the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of Jehovah is with him. So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, went down to him. And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for Jehovah hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, [As] Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee” (2 Kings 3:10-1410And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! 11But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. (2 Kings 3:10‑14)).
As usual, man tries to cast the blame upon God. “Nay, for Jehovah hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” In point of fact, Jehovah had not been consulted until death stared them in the face, nor had He “called them together” at all. It was an unholy alliance formed for selfish purposes, in which one at least of the three kings felt terribly uncomfortable. The moral confusion of the whole circumstance serves to illustrate the condition of things in Christendom to-day, in which are some who, with some regard for God and His word, nevertheless allow themselves to be drawn into worldliness and sin, but through the mercy of God are, upon recovery, made use of to bring salvation to others. For a child of God may go far away from Him in folly and self-will, yet does God know how to reach the conscience, when (to quote the words of Job) “the root of the matter” is in him. Jehoshaphat's previous experience of his alliance with Ahab, and the faithful speaking of the prophet Jehu, should have preserved him from such a failure (2 Chronicles 19:1-41And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. 2And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. 3Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. 4And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beer-sheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the Lord God of their fathers. (2 Chronicles 19:1‑4)).
But we are not to conclude hastily that his repentance on that occasion was unreal. The evil of our nature is deeply rooted in our hearts, and we are, alas! so tenacious of our own way. We may, in part, have judged our evil course, but repentance has not been thorough-the evil fruit has not been traced to the root of bitterness. There are differences to be noticed even in the divine record of the failures of the Lord's servants. Jude would have us take notice of these points of difference in a godly way. “And of some have compassion, making a difference; and others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 2222And of some have compassion, making a difference: (Jude 22), 23). If we cannot do this we are unskillful in the word of righteousness.
The circumstances of the case before us were different to the going up to Ramoth-gilead. There the faithful witness for God was brought upon the scene only to be despised, insulted, and persecuted, while Jehoshaphat had the shame and pain of standing by, helpless. Here Jehovah's servant is sought unto and entreated, but Jehoram was “not like his father.” He had his own evil characteristics indeed, but Elijah's testimony had borne fruit, and here it was— “for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made” (3:2). It was the purpose of God to introduce Elisha to the scene of his ministry, and to give a remarkable witness to that power of grace which was far beyond the sin of the nation. Therefore was it all the more important that Elisha should denounce the wickedness of king and people-should witness for truth before manifesting that grace which brings salvation. They are inseparable. “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” To the king of Edom Elisha had nothing to say. He represented the profane person-the scoffer. “The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night; if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come” (Isaiah 21:11, 1211The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? 12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come. (Isaiah 21:11‑12)). “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled; lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” (Hebrews 12:15-1715Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. (Hebrews 12:15‑17)).
These, then, are the characters brought before us by the Spirit of God. Firstly, the king of Judah, a pious gracious man, a servant of God, but morally weak and unfaithful, appearing in such company and in such circumstances as must surely serve as an object-lesson for us, and a witness to our hearts that “the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations.” And again, “Nevertheless, the sure foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:19-2119Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:19‑21)). Secondly, the king of Israel, a reformed man who had suppressed the worship of Baal, with its abominable associations, who had swept and garnished the house, but had left it as empty and desolate as before. Jehovah had not returned to His house, nor did the king desire His presence. Thirdly, the king of Edom, having a knowledge of God, of grace, and of truth, but manifesting undisguised contempt for, and aversion to, both. In the midst of such defiled and defiling influences as these it is that the testimony of God and the witness of grace are to be maintained in all their divine purity and freshness. May the Lord give us grace and faithfulness to “take forth the precious from the vile” that we may be owned of Him in our service and made channels of blessing to others! [G. S. B.] (To be continued)