miracle

The future

During Elisha’s ministry, the focus of God’s plan for the Israelites shifted from their past and present to their future. God used Elisha to manage the transition. Elisha’s reputation became a vehicle for him to minister to leaders inside and outside of Israel. Because people began to believe in God again, Elisha was able to direct everyone’s attention toward the change that was about to take place.

Israel’s relationship with Syria had become more and more of a problem as they fell into idolatry. King Ahab’s covenant with Ben-hadad had done little to ward off attacks. Ben-hadad II was not as ruthless as his father, but was still determined to keep the Israelites from breaking free from his control. In order to starve them to death, “Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria” (2 Kings 6:24).

The word translated besieged, tswur (tsoor) means to cramp or confine (6696). Basically, what Ben-hadad did was surround Samaria with his army so the people couldn’t go out and get food. Eventually, the situation got so bad, “an ass’s head sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver” (2 Kings 6:25).

“Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria” (2 Kings 7:1). Elisha’s prediction indicated that the situation would be turned around overnight. For the most part, people were used to seeing Elisha perform miracles, but the dramatic change he described was beyond people’s comprehension.

“Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? (2 Kings 7:2). What he was referring to was God’s blessing flowing freely to his people. The people  of Israel were so steeped in sin that it was unimaginable that God would suddenly make everything right.

What the people of Israel still didn’t seem to understand was that God’s blessing wasn’t dependent on them being good. God didn’t bless the Israelites because they were good people. God blessed the Israelites because they were his people. “And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken” (2 Kings 7:18).

The Israelites unbelief was the real reason God kept punishing them. In spite of continual demonstrations of his miraculous power, the people of Israel would not give up their idolatry and worship God. Finally, God brought judgment on the people of Israel through Ben-hadad’s successor, Hazael. After seeing a vision of what Hazael would do to Israel, Elisha wept.

And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip  up their women with child. (2 Kings 8:12)

Open his eyes

Elisha’s gift enabled him to perceive things that were normally outside of human awareness. When the king of Syria attacked Israel, Elisha knew what he was planning to do and warned the king of Israel. The king of Syria thought someone in his camp had leaked the information to the Israelites. “And he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber” (2 Kings 6:12).

The king’s servant knew about Elisha’s ability, therefore,  Elisha’s reputation for revealing secrets must have been widespread. The servant’s reference to Elisha telling what was said in the king’s bedchamber implied that no place was outside of Elisha’s awareness. It is possible that Elisha could actually hear what the king was saying, but the information may have been relayed to him through some other supernatural means.

Elisha’s insight into the spiritual realm included an ability to see angelic beings and heavenly objects. When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha saw what was happening (2 Kings 2:12). The chariot of fire and horses of fire were spiritual objects that the normal person could not perceive. When the king of Syria sent his army to capture Elisha, he told his servant to “fear not: for they that be with us are moe than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16).

Elisha was referring to the heavenly host that was camped around him and his servant. In order to alleviate his servant’s fears, “Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see, and the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2 Kings 6:17).  Elisha’s servant was given a rare glimpse into the world that Elisha lived in everyday. There is no way to know for sure why he was given this opportunity, but Elisha’s servant went from being completely unaware to aware of what was going on instantaneously, as if a curtain had been pulled back from a stage.

Wash, and be clean

Naaman  the leper was the commanding officer of the Syrian army, one of Israel’s fiercest enemies. During one of his raids, he “brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife” (2 Kings 5:2). The young girl told her mistress about Elisha and suggested that if Naaman went to see him, Elisha would heal Naaman of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3).

The idea that it would be God’s will for Naaman to be healed was most likely a result of the girl’s own personal experience with Elisha. She may have lived in an area of Israel where Elisha spent a lot of time or had a family member healed by him. In spite of her captivity, she understood that God loved everyone and the little girl was willing to share her knowledge with Naaman’s wife.

Naaman was a powerful man and no doubt had a significant influence in Syria’s relationship with Israel. It could have been God’s plan to heal him in order to protect Israel from attack. Naaman’s violent temper was evident when Elisha refused to speak to him face to face. It says in 2 Kings 5:11, “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper…So he turned, and went away in a rage” (2 Kings 5:11-12).

Naaman wasn’t a good man and probably didn’t deserve to be healed, but he was offered the opportunity to get well, if he wanted to. All he had to do was obey Elisha’s instructions and God would take away his disease. “And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, wash, and be clean? (2 Kings 5:13).

The obstacle to Naaman’s faith was his pride. He thought too highly of himself to immerse himself in the muddy waters of the Jordan river. And yet, he listened to his servants and did what Elisha told him to. The key to Naaman’s action was his desire to be well. When Elisha told Naaman to wash, and be clean, he identified Naaman’s real problem, guilt. Naaman was a sinner. “The baleful effect of sin was recognized when a person contracted the dread disease of leprosy” (2891).

Naaman experienced not only a complete healing of his leprosy, but also a purification from his sins. As he immersed himself in the Jordan, Naaman was made clean, uncontaminated by sin, similar to what Christians experience when they accept Christ. After he was healed, Naaman “returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15).

Intercession

The ability Elisha had to perform miracles was not dependent on prayer, nor was he limited in the kinds of miracles he could do. On two separate occasions,  Elisha asked the person he intended to bless what she wanted him to do for her, as if he could do anything (2 Kings 4:2,13). Elisha gave one the resources to pay off all her debts (2 Kings 4:7), and the other who was childless, a son (2 Kings 4:17).

Unlike most prophets that proceeded him, Elisha was not a spokesperson for the LORD, but an intercessor on behalf of the people. Like Elijah, I believe Elisha had the ability to see what was going on in the spiritual realm, as well as, the ability to discern motives and intensions. When the woman to whom Elisha had given a son came to him with an urgent request, her problem was hidden from him, indicating Elisha’s ability was blocked (2 Kings 4:27).

The source of Elisha’s power was attributed to the spirit he received after Elijah was taken up to heaven (2 Kings 1:11). The spirit was “the mighty penetrating power of the invisible God” which enabled Elisha “to feel, think, speak, and act in accordance with the Divine will” (7307). In essence, Elisha experienced a life similar to that of Jesus Christ. Although Elisha was not God, he had the ability to act like he was.

When Elisha went into the woman’s house and saw that her child was dead, “He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD” (2 Kings 4:33). The Hebrew word translated prayed in this verse is palal, which means to judge (6419). Elisha was acting as a mediator between the woman who had lost her son and God. In this sense, it was not really Elisha who was praying, but the spirit that was upon him that was praying on the woman’s behalf.

The mother of the child that died is described as a “great woman” (2 Kings 4:8).The meaning of the word translated great is twofold. First, the woman was older. She may have been past the age of having children, but most likely she was capable of having a child. Second, the woman was probably wealthy. She and her husband provided a room in their home for Elisha and his servant Gahazi. Elisha’s intention in giving the woman a child and then bringing him back to life after he died was not to reward the woman for her generosity, but to show the woman that God was concerned about her well being and would go to great lengths to make her happy.

Elisha’s behavior demonstrated God’s love for his people. The miracles he performed were not so much to make people aware of God’s power, but to let people know that God’s power was available to everyone. It was God’s desire to bless his people and Elisha made it possible for everyone to see that God could and would take care of them if they gave him the chance to.

Gift of grace

Elijah, the prophet, arrived on the scene at a time when the northern kingdom of Israel and Judah were at opposite extremes in their obedience to God. In the north, king Ahab had formally instituted Baal worship (1 Kings 16:32), but in the south, Jehoshaphat had removed the high places and groves out of Judah (2 Chronicles 17:6) that were being used for pagan worship. The initiation of Elijah’s ministry was linked to the rebuilding of Jericho. “This violated God’s intentions that the ruins of Jericho (Josh 6:26) be a perpetual reminder that Israel had received the land of Canaan from God’s hand as a gift of grace” (note on 1 Kings 16:34).

Elijah’s first act was to confront king Ahab with the reality that God was alive and well and still in control of his kingdom. “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word” (1 Kings 17:1). The drought which lasted three and a half years (Luke 4:25) was a sign of God’s sovereignty over his creation and an indicator of the powerlessness of Baal and all other false gods to control nature.

Elijah’s primary credential as a man of God was his ability to perform miracles. Much like Moses, Elijah got the attention of the people by showing them there was no limit to God’s power. Even in the worst of circumstances, God was able to protect and sustain those whom he chose to and without his help, the Israelites would have perished. In order to make this clear, the LORD chose to sustain a widow who took care of Elijah during the famine. The widow and her son had no means of support and were about to die when Elijah arrived at their home (1 Kings 17:12). In spite of her lack of resources, the widow’s household, including Elijah, survived the famine (1 Kings 17:16).

The interesting thing about the widow who took Elijah into her home was she was not an Israelite. She was a citizen of the kingdom ruled by Jezebel’s father, Ethbaal of Tyre and Sidon (Luke 4:26). Jesus’ explanation of why this woman was helped makes it clear that it was not because God had compassion on her, but because she had faith, she was a believer (Luke 4:25-26). Her survival of the famine was a testimony of God’s grace to all believers.

Impossible

I would like to think I can do anything I set my mind to, but there are some things that are impossible for me. Sometimes I think I can do things that I actually can’t and other times I think I can’t do things that I can. The problem is I don’t know my own limitations.

When Solomon was preparing to build the temple, he knew the task was too much for him. He said in 2 Chronicles 2:5-6, “And the house which I build is great: for great is out God above all gods. But who is able to build him a house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?”

Solomon described the house he was going to build for God as “wonderful great” (2 Chronicles 2:9). The word translated wonderful, pala’ means “to be marvelous, be extraordinary, be beyond one’s power to do. Pala’ is used primarily with God as its subject, expressing actions that are beyond the bounds of human power or expectation…Although something may appear impossible to man, it still is within God’s power” (6381).

Five years ago, I made a commitment to not have sex ever again unless I am married. For some people, this might not be a big deal, but for me, it seemed impossible. At the time, I felt like I would die if I didn’t have sex, so giving it up was a sacrifice. Over the years, my desire for sex has gotten stronger. There have been times when I thought not having sex was killing me. The only way I have been able to get through it has been the power of God helping me to do what I set out to do.

God is working

The Bible makes it clear that God is not sitting idle in Heaven, but is working on behalf of his people. It says in Psalm 111, “The works of the LORD are great…His work is honorable and glorious…He hath shewed his people the power of his works…the works of his hands are verity and judgment” (Psalm 111:2-3,6-7). The word translated verity, ’emeth (eh´ – meth) means stability (571). Emeth is contracted from the word ’âman (aw – man´) which means “to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse” (539).

God’s works are often described as wonderful. It says in Psalm 111:4, “He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered.” The word translated wonderful, pâlâ’ “is used primarily with God as the subject, expressing actions that are beyond the bounds of human powers or expectations” (6381). God is able to do what appears to be impossible to man. That is why faith is necessary for us to be blessed by him. It says in Psalm 112:1, “Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD.” The word translated feareth, yârê (yaw – ray´) means to stand in awe. “This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect” (3372).

One of the ways that we can show respect to God is to kneel before him. In ancient times, kings demanded that their subjects kneel before them. One of the best examples of this is king Nebuchadnezzar who made a gold image of himself and demanded that it be worshipped. It says in Daniel 3:5, “that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar hath set up.”

God does not demand that we fall down and worship him, but is blessed or happy when we kneel before him as an act of adoration (1288). God works on our behalf so that we will praise him. We are told in Psalm 113 that we are to “praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye, servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD” (Psalm 113:1). The word translated praise, hâlal (haw – lal´) means to make a show, to boast, to be foolish, or to rave. “The word halal is the source of ‘hallelujah’ a Hebrew expression of ‘praise’ to God which has been taken over into virtually every language of mankind” (1984).

Words that describe God’s work; great, honorable, glorious, and wonderful, indicate why they are intended to be remembered. God does things that we can’t forget. They are seared into our memory when they occur like a snapshot of a wedding or our favorite family photo. Imagine if you had seen the Red Sea parted or the walls of Jericho fall down. There is no way you could ever stop talking about it.

God keeps his promises

One of the characteristics of God’s perfection is his reputation. God is not the same as man in that he was not created. He is self-existent, he is entirely self-sufficient and not dependent or contingent upon anything else. Basically, what that means is that he does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and for the rest of eternity. Therefore, his character or attributes are constant and can be relied upon to be the same in every situation.

I believe the reason God took the time to develop a relationship with Abraham was so that he could establish his reputation in dealing with sinful man. Psalm 106 is a confession of Israel’s long history of rebellion and a prayer for God to once again save his people. It says in Psalm 106:8, “Nevertheless, he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.”

God’s ability to do miraculous things is what sets him apart from every other being. That in and of itself is enough to qualify  him to be God, but it is not that he can do a miracle, God can do anything. His power is unlimited. Most people, even those that know God and have a personal relationship with him, are not aware of what God is capable of. God wanted Abraham and the rest of the world to know that he could do the impossible and when he made a promise, it was certain to be kept.

God promised Abraham that his descendants would dwell in the land known as Canaan. He even told Abraham ahead of time that his children would end up in slavery and God would deliver them. He even told Abraham the length of time they would be held in bondage (Genesis 15:13). In spite of the Israelites rebellion and lack of faith, God kept his promise and he will keep his promise to you too.

You only die once

I believe there are some people that think God doesn’t know what he is doing. They have spent a lot of time trying to figure things out and have decided that the world just doesn’t make sense. In Psalm 104, the Psalmist said, “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: The earth is full of thy riches” (Psalm 104:24).

The word translated wisdom, chokmâh (khok – maw´) means experience (2451). I don’t know if any of those people that think God doesn’t know what he’s doing have considered the possibility that God has done this before, created other worlds or universes besides ours, but it seems like there is a possibility that he has.

The place we call Heaven is a world in and of itself. It exists in another dimension and has a purpose that is not fully disclosed in the Bible. Since God is an eternal being, it is reasonable to assume that he exists in an eternal place. That place would not have been created by God, it coexists with him.

One of the aspects of experience that God does not possess is the ability to learn. God does not get smarter over time. He knew everything there was to know from the beginning. Even though God does not learn, I think he tries stuff. For example, when God parted the Red Sea, he had never done anything like that before, so he was in a way trying I out to see what it would be like, what effect it would have on the Israelites and Egyptians.

A lot of times, God only does things once. We sometimes refer to these kinds of things as miracles. They are not miracles because they are hard or impossible to repeat, they are miracles because they have never happened before and likely will never happen again.

An advantage that God had as the creator of the universe in which we live is that he got to create his own birthplace. I can’t imagine what God was thinking when he decided to become like one of his creatures, but it might have been that he wanted to try out being human. In addition to birth, as a man, God would also experience death. Since Jesus is referred to as God’s only begotten son (John 3:18), living as a human was something that God would only do once.

Even though God probably enjoyed being human, he chose to limit himself to only 33 years living as a man on earth. It was probably not the experience of living he was looking for, but the experience of dying. It think it is interesting that the thing most humans want to avoid, God made an intentional effort to experience.

It says in Hebrews 9:27 that “it is appointed unto men once to die.” I think it is possible that death will turn out to be the best thing we will ever experience as humans, at least for believers anyway. It could be that death is a like a miracle and by experiencing it we will get a glimpse into what it felt like for God to become a man, only in reverse. We will travel or be transported from a finite world into the eternal place where God exists. Angels will escort us into the presence of the LORD and we will see him face to face and immediately know everything about what God was doing in our lives, in intimate detail. I’m pretty sure it will be a glorious experience or it wouldn’t make sense that God made sure everyone got to do it at least once.

This is stupid

If you have ever forgotten to do something you said you would, you can appreciate how difficult it would be to remember a promise for more than 400 years and then fulfill it exactly as you said you would. Imagine if it were not just one promise, but a dozen promises or even a hundred promises, now extend that over not just hundreds of years, but thousands and you can see why God is so awesome and the work he does in our lives so amazing.

David became king of Israel approximately 400 years after they entered the Promised Land. The initial conquests and occupation of the land laid the foundation for what David did 400 years later. It is not only amazing that the Israelites were able to uproot the Canaanites and Philistines, but miraculous that the twelve tribes of Israel became a united kingdom under David’s rule.

Regarding his selection as king, it says in Psalm 78, “He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfold” (Psalm 78:70). God is able to do anything, therefore, his choices are unlimited. When he chooses to do something it is because the thing he chooses to do is the best option for what he wants to accomplish. David is referred to as God’s servant. A servant is someone that is subject to the will and command of his master (5650). God chose David because he knew he would serve him willingly and love him with his whole heart.

The work that God did through David began when Jacob wrestled with God and demanded his blessing. In Psalm 78, it says of God, “For he established a testimony in Jacob…That they might set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:5, 7). The word translated hope, kecel (keh – sel´) means stupidity (3689). Sometimes it might seem like stupidity to put your confidence in God. What God does in an individual life often times does not make sense.

The reason why a lot of what God does seems stupid to us is because God does the impossible. If we could do it ourselves, we wouldn’t need God. If it made sense, then everyone would  be doing it. David wasn’t concerned about doing stupid stuff. He fought Goliath with a slingshot and a few stones. He became Saul’s son-in-law even though he was a peasant. David pretended to be crazy when he was confronted by Achish the king of Gath. Some people may have thought David was a fool…until he became king of Israel.