People of the Bible: Elisha

Who was Elisha? 2 Kings 2-9

Elisha was the prophet that took over in the nation of Israel after Elijah was taken up into heaven. Elisha helped serve Elijah for about 7-8 years, during this time Elisha saw some amazing things and learned what it meant to know God and to be a prophet. When Elijah was getting ready to be taken into heaven, he asked Elisha what he could do for him. Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and it was granted to him. Elisha was a great prophet who performed several miracles. We read about these miracles in the book of 2 Kings. Here are just a few:

• Elisha purifies the toxic water

• Elisha multiplies oil for a widow

• A Shunammite woman and husband give Elisha a room to rest; God grants her a son; son suddenly becomes sick in the fields and dies; God uses Elisha to resurrect the boy

• During a famine, men in Gilgal accidentally use poisonous gourds in a soup; Elisha purifies the food for the hungry

• Elisha shared bread and fed 100 men

• Elisha cleans Naaman of Leprosy

• Elisha anoints Jehu as King of Israel, and Jehu ends Joram (current king) and Jezebel Even after Elisha’s death, a dead body was healed after it touched his bones. Elisha was filled with God’s spirit and brought happiness to many people through his miracles of healing and restoration. We see that Elisha brought great happiness to people’s lives but it was temporary. Elisha’s name in Hebrew means “God is salvation”. During the time of his ministry, we see that God did not prevent all bad things from happening but he required people to have faith and put their trust in Him. The same is true today, bad things still happen, but we can put our trust in Jesus who is our once and for all salvation. We also see that Elisha did many great works, but it wasn’t by his works or might but by the power of the Lord. When you obey and surrender as Elisha did in 2 Kings, God too can work in and through you. He can use you to do great things on his earth. Again, not by your might but by the Lord’s power. Say yes to the Lord and have faith that you can do all things with God! (Matthew 19:26).

Parents, 3treesKIDS will also be learning about Elisha this Sunday, both in-person and online.

Be sure to check out their lesson at www.3trees.com/kids. To find service times and locations, visit https://www.3trees.com/planyourvisit.

People of the Bible: Elijah

Who was Elijah?

Elijah - 1 & 2 Kings

• He was a prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel

• He lived during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah

• He helped save Israel from the worship of Baal

Elijah emerged suddenly on the scene and proclaimed a drought because God’s people had been worshiping the Canaanite god, Baal. Elijah eventually meets up with 450 prophets of Baal and they hold a contest to see which of their gods is the one true God. The prophets of Baal and Elijah made separate altars and piled wood on top of them. They were to pray for their god to consume the altar with fire.

The prophets of Baal went first and they prayed for hours, but nothing happened. Elijah was so confident in God that he poured water over his wood then prayed. After Elijah’s first prayer, God sent fire from heaven and consumed Elijah’s altar. This proved to everyone in Israel that Baal was not God.

Because of this, all the prophets of Baal were killed. After the people accepted God as the only God, he ended the drought that Elijah had proclaimed and it began to rain.

This was an incredible victory for Elijah, but it was short lived. An evil queen named Jezebel ordered to have Elijah killed, which made him flee into hiding. While in hiding God renews Elijah’s faith and he becomes strong once again. He returns and speaks against King Ahab who had been unjustly. Elijah helped Israel see the moral laws of God and that everyone is subject to God, even the king.

Eventually Elijah was called up to heaven on a fiery chariot and he left his ministry to his predecessor, Elisha.

Elijah walked in close fellowship with God and had many experiences with Him. He was a champion for the monotheistic cause (belief in only one God). The name Elijah even meant, “Yahweh is God”. He performed many miracles in his life and is held in high regard all throughout Scripture. He even appears with Moses at Jesus’s transfiguration.

Near the time of Jesus, many people believed that Elijah would return to make a way for the Messiah. We later find out that John the Baptist fulfilled this role for Jesus. John the Baptist preached and lived in a similar way to Elijah. He preached the coming of the kingdom of God which prepared the way for Jesus and his ministry. Elijah, John the Baptist, and many others prepared people so they could experience and accept Jesus’s salvation which is available to all who believe in him.

Key Takeaways:

• God is the only true God

• We can be confident in God & His power

• Salvation is made available to us when we believe in Jesus and confess that He is Lord

Parents, 3treesKIDS will also be learning about Elijah this Sunday, both in-person and online. Be sure to check out their lesson at www.3trees.com/kids.

To find service times and locations, visit https://www.3trees.com/planyourvisit.