July 2, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

2 Kings 1 - The illness of Ahaziah, king of Israel, brings out just how bad the spiritual life of Israel had become.  When the king became diseased in his feet, he sent men to inquire of an idol for guidance!  This brought a rebuke from Elijah which led the king to send soldiers to arrest the prophet.  Elijah was protected by God and he would eventually make clear that Ahaziah would die from his wounds.

2 Kings 2 - This is the great chapter of Elijah's whirlwind entrance into heaven in a fiery chariot sent from God.  It is also how the "mantle of power" was handed down to Elisha.  Remember, Elisha asked for a double portion of power be given to him that was on Elijah.  The rest of Elisha's life would show he did indeed perform twice as many miracles as Elijah had done, one would happen even after his death!  (More about that later).

2 Kings 3 - Elisha was used of God to meet the needs of two unbelieving kings, Jehoram of Israel and the king of Edom only because Jehoshaphat was with them.  When they and their armies were nearly dying of thirst in the desert, Elisha told them to dig ditches!  During the night a distant storm would send a "flash flood" into their region and fill the ditches with water.  In the morning the sun shone on the water and it appeared to be as blood which made the enemy, Moab, race into Israel's camp thinking the men in Jehoram's army had turned against each other.  Instead, God allowed a victory for Jehoram and those associated with him.

2 Kings 4 - Now, in this chapter is where a widow with only "a jar of oil" verse 2 and a lot of debt, verse 1, would see how God could miraculously provide an abundance when she trusted Him.  Elisha told her to borrow as many jugs and jars she and her sons could find.  Using just her "little jar of oil" she filled jug after jug with the expensive oil.  God blessed her faith with enough to pay her creditors, save her sons from slavery, and give her and her family enough to live on for the future.  In another home, Elisha was well cared for by a well-to-do couple.  They had a lot, but no child.  God provided a child for them and also provided an opportunity for Elisha to show God's power in raising her son from the dead.  The chapter closes with what I like to call, "The Feeding of the 100!"  Note how similar that miracle is to the Feeding of the 5,000 in the New Testament.