7.11.2015

2 Kings 4-6

4
A widow of the prophets asks for help - she is on the brink of bankruptcy, which means selling her children as slaves.  He has her pour the little oil she has into all her jars, and it multiplies to fill them all.  She sells it to pay her debt.

A wealthy woman from Shunem builds a room for Elisha to stay in, since he passes through regularly.  Elisha wonders aloud in front of her, how to repay her, and promises her a child soon.  It happens, but the boy dies years later during harvest.  The woman goes to Elisha, who hurries to the room and raises him to life.

During a famine Elisha calls for the prophets to make a stew.  Somebody puts a poisonous gourds in it, making the whole thing inedible.  Elisha cleanses it miraculously.  Later, someone brings 20 loaves of bread, and Elisha makes it multiply to serve all 100 men.

5
A Syrian army commander Naaman has leprosy.  He took an Israelite girl captive a while ago, and she starts mentioning Elisha, who could heal Naaman.  Naaman sends to Israel's king, but he can't do anything and he says so.  Elisha tells the king to send Naaman to him.  He does, and Elisha sends a messenger telling him to wash in the Jordan.  This wounds Naaman's pride - he's a bigger deal than to be treated like this!  But his servant convinces him, so he goes and is healed.  He returns to Elisha professing faith and wanting to give a gift.  Elisha refuses, and after Naaman leaves Elisha's servant Gehazi schemes and lies to take something from the foreigner for himself.  When Gehazi gets back home, Elisha condemns him and he gets the leprosy Naaman had.

6
The prophets decide to expand the house where they live, and go cut down trees near the river.  Elisha goes along.  A borrowed axe head flies into the water, but Elisha makes it float, so the prophet can return it.

Elisha foretells Syria's troop movements for Israel.  Syria hears about it and beseiges Dothan where Elisha is staying.  His servant is scared, so Elisha asks God to show him all the horses and chariots of fire that surround Syria.  God strikes the Syrians with blindness through Elisha, leads them to Samaria the capital of Israel, and has the king there feast and return them home.


How this is about Jesus
Chapter 4 - Jesus does similar miracles
Chapter 5 - Gentiles come to seek Jesus for healing; He has greedy servants like Judas who are cursed.


Application
Chapter 4 - The Shunemite woman has such faith that she doesn't want to tell her husband their son is dead - she assumes Elisha will raise him.  So should we be less fazed when we go through trials, knowing God will see His purpose done.
Chapter 5 - Pride wants us to be fawned over and made much of, but Naaman (and we) had to submit to God's ways.

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