2 Kings 2-5
The Mantle is Passed

God's name is put for His reputation, authority, and power.

In contrast to his enemies, David has set God before his eyes, and calls for help.

God reveals Himself to be good, David's helper, deliverer, and the sustainer of his soul, for which David vows to praise Him.

The fear of the Lord, being careful to do what is right in His sight, not only turns the wise away from the snares of death, but turns them toward wise behavior, and ensures their security. If we care about what God thinks of us, we will care for what He cares about. Most relationships are based upon getting rather than giving, which is why everyone wants to be friendly with the rich, and far away from the poor. Yet God values people based upon other characteristics than the size of their bank account. He has a soft spot in His heart for those that are unjustly poor. All hard work results in profit, but injustice can sweep it away. The ones who fear God will have compassion, and seek to rectify unjust situations, because that is what God will ultimately do. As a result of them reflecting His behavior and values, He will bless them. The wise, who demonstrate hesed and faithfulness as they plan to do good, and work hard at it, saving/redeeming souls/lives, will be crowned with both temporal and eternal riches. The self-centered, and deceitful, who live only for themselves, will be crowned with folly. Choose wisely.

Elisha loyally refuses to leave even though Elijah invites him to, possibly because he knew that godly people frequently blessed others at the end of their lives. Elijah starts his final journey from Gilgal, probably his residence, and goes to Bethel, where Abram first called upon the name of Yahweh. It was also where Jacob also did, and God spoke with him there. An unnamed prophet had destroyed a Baal altar and withered Jeroboam's hand there, and it contained a school of the prophets. Jericho, the site of Israel's first conquest after passing through the Jordan was the next destination, and another school of the prophets. Perhaps God is bringing to mind the history of His dealings with His people, or gathering an audience to witness the next events.

Just like God parted the Jordan to authenticate Joshua as Moses' successor (~500 years earlier), now God validates Elisha as His spokesman in place of Elijah. Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah's spirit, and gets it, and his mantle. Elijah goes to heaven in a fiery chariot, and Elisha goes on to do double the miracles Elijah did. Like Enoch, God took Elijah without having him die. Some think Enoch and Elijah will be the two prophets in the Book of Revelations, who come back to earth to witness and die (a fate of all children of Adam). Elijah was last seen on the mount of transfiguration, with Moses and Jesus, talking about the future Kingdom (Matthew 17).

Elisha picks up Elijah's mantle, both literally and figuratively and carries on the miracle working. After calling on God and parting the Jordan, he does his first water provision miracle in Yahweh's name, healing the town's spring. Forty-two youths mock the man of God, and Yahweh sends a couple of bears to correct their disrespect. Not as spectacular as Elijah on Mt. Carmel, but miraculous nevertheless. Those who don't respect God, don't respect those who speak His truth (cx the Shunammite in 4:8 below).

Ahab's son Jehoram was not as dumb as his father (must have taken after mom Jezebel), and learned a little something from Ahab's discipline. Jehoram takes away Ahab's Baal pillar, but continues in the sin of Jeroboam in having an alternative worship center, thus causing Israel to sin. Lot's of folks think that if you just do or don't do a couple of major things, everything is fine with God. Not so, if we want to be right with God, we must do what is right in His sight, all the way.

Jehoram calls Jehoshaphat to fight Moab's rebellion, a mutual enemy. Jehoshaphat agrees, and then when in difficulty, seeks God's counsel (should have done it first). Jehoram lies to Elisha, who sees through him. Yahweh didn't initiate the battle, but Elisha seeks God's word, and promises water (his second water miracle), and that Yahweh will deliver the Moabites into their hand, giving instructions for the destruction of Moab.

God makes good on His promises as spoken through Elisha and Moab is ruined, even though the king sacrificed his most precious eldest son to his god. The Mesha Stele (Moabite Stone, in the Louvre) contains the Moabite king's (Mesha) account of this battle (and others with Israel, mentioning the house of David and Yahweh) attributing victory to his god Kemosh/Chemosh. He doesn't mention losing the war, but claims victory, because in 3:27, after the sacrifice of His son, there was wrath against Israel and they departed, leaving the king alive and the city unconquered. Looks like Mesha has a greater dependence upon his god than the Israelites did on theirs, even though Yahweh delivered them in this “un-mandated” battle.

Because her husband feared God, He uses supernaturally charged natural means to meet her need. She didn't know all that would happen, only the instruction to borrow containers. Her blessing was proportionate to her obedience.

A rich, Shunammite woman noticed and served the need of Elisha for food and rest. He desires to bless her for her service to him, but she is content with her life, and has no unmet need. He promises her that she will bear and embrace a son, in contrast to the sons in 2:23 who were embraced by a bear. The son grows up and has possibly a stroke and dies. The Shunammite heads directly to Elisha for help, bypassing Gehazi. Similar to Elisha's refusal to leave Elijah until blessed, she refuses to leave Elisha until a blessing is secured. The staff proves an inadequate means of resurrection, so Elisha uses the CPR technique (contact, prayer, resurrection) that Elijah had used (1 Kings 17:21) to restore her son to her.

A famine was in the land, but God still provided for His servants, as He had fed Elijah. Elisha does two food miracles for those who are serving God (sons of the prophets), and God provides more than they need.

God had given victory to the Syrians in order to judge Israel. An Israelite servant girl has faith in God's prophet Elisha, even though she has been taken captive. She also serves her master, desiring his best, and “evangelizes” Naaham. The Syrian king Ben Hadad II sends Naaham and gifts to Israel for healing. Jehoram doesn't believe that God can heal, as the servant girl did, but Elisha shows up to remind him that Yahweh can.

Naaham almost misses out on his blessing due to his preconceptions of how God and prophets should work. Fortunately his servants persuade him to take the plunge (seven times) and he is cleansed. Now a believer in Yahweh, he seeks to give gifts, but perhaps for reputation's sake, or to show that God can't be bribed as the Syrian gods, or that God is gracious, or that grace is free, Elisha refuses to take anything. Naaman takes a couple of mule loads of dirt, so he can worship Yahweh back home. Most pagans believed that the gods were territorial spirits, and one had to worship them in the territory over which they ruled. Naamam vows to offer sacrifices only to Yahweh, but asks for pardon for those times when he must bow when Ben Hadad bowed to his god. If one's head was above the king's one lost it.

Gehazi loses big time because of his greed. He lies to Naamam to get his money, and then to Elisha, and gets Naamam's leprosy for himself and his offspring. He loses out on continuing as Elisha's servant and getting his blessing as well. All for money and clothes he didn't need. If he needed it, God would have given it. Greed is idolatry (Colossians 3:5).