Elijah and Elisha

1. Elijah and Elisha

2. Chronology

3. What is the one thing we are looking for? • “I have asked one thing from the LORD. • This I will seek: to remain in the LORD’S house all the days of my life in order to gaze at the LORD’S beauty and to search for an answer in his temple.” (Psalms 27:4 – GOD’S WORD) • “I have asked the LORD for one thing; one thingonly do I want: • to live in the LORD’s house all my life, to marvel there at his goodness, and to ask for his guidance.” (Psalms 27:4 – GN)

4. What is the Good News? • “For if the gospel we preach is hidden, it is hidden only from those who are being lost. They do not believe, because their minds have been kept in the dark by the evil god of this world. He keeps them from seeing the light shining on them, the light that comes from the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. For it is not ourselves that we preach; we preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. The God who said, ‘Out of darkness the light shall shine!’ is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts, to bring us the knowledge of God’s glory shining in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-6 – GN)

5. What is the Good News? • “I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4 – GN) • “I spelled out your character in detail to the men and women you gave me.” (John 17:6 – The Message)

6. What is the Good News? • “But I don’t place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus - the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.” (Acts 20:24 – GOD’S WORD) • “I am now entrusting you to God and to his message that tells how kind he is. That message can help you grow and can give you the inheritance that is shared by all of God’s holy people.” (Acts 20:32 – GOD’S WORD)

7. What is the Good News? • “The Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets, as written in the Holy Scriptures. It is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 1:2,3 – GN) • “This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1 – GN) • Who is Jesus? • “He reflects the brightness of God’s glory and is the exact likeness of God’s own being” (Hebrews 1:3 – GN) • “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we know the true God. We live in union with the true God---in union with his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and this is eternal life.” (1 John 5:20 – GOD’S WORD) • “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in itthe righteousness of God is revealed…” (Romans 1:16,17 – NKJV)

8. The Good News about God • “It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy and truth…The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is the revelation of His character of love.”

9. In search of the character of God • “You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want.” (John 5:39,40 – The Message)

10. Elijah • Fire from heaven consumes the altar • The people bow down, “The LORD is God; the LORD alone is God!” (1 Kings 18:39 – GN) • Did it work? • Elijah flees from Jezebel in discouragement: • “It’s too much, LORD,’ he prayed. ‘Take away my life; I might as well be dead!’” (1 Kings 19:4 – GN)

11. Elijah • “Elijah got up, ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to walk forty days to Sinai, the holy mountain. There he went into a cave to spend the night. Suddenly the LORD spoke to him, ‘Elijah, what are you doing here?’ He answered, ‘LORD God Almighty, I have always served you---you alone. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed all your prophets. I am the only one left---and they are trying to kill me!’ • ‘Go out and stand before me on top of the mountain,’ the LORD said to him. Then the LORD passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks---but the LORD was not in the wind. The wind stopped blowing, and then there was an earthquake---but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire---but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, ‘Elijah, what are you doing here?’”

12. Elijah • “He answered, ‘LORD God Almighty, I have always served you---you alone. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed all your prophets. I am the only one left---and they are trying to kill me.’” (1 Kings 19:8-14 – GN) • What is the message in this?

13. Elijah • Darkness – light • Dim light • Shaking Mt. Sinai and giving an intercessor • David-Goliath • Walls of Jericho • Sending fire to consume the altar • Wind/earthquake/fire • God is powerful! • Bright light • Still small voice of truth

14. The still small voice • How does God desire to interact with his children? • Isaiah 1:18: • “Come now, let us reason together” (NIV) • “Come, lets consider your options, says the LORD” (NET) • “Come, let us talk this over” (NJB) • “Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit, says the sovereign Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6 – NET) • What are the results of being filled with the Spirit? • “But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23 – GN)

15. The still small voice • What were Jesus’ methods? • Wind, earthquake and fire? • “Blessed are the meek” • “Happy are those who are humble” • “Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.” (Matthew 11:29 – GN)

16. Elisha • “Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, ‘Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!’ So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.” (2 Kings 2:23,24 – NKJV) • ?Still small voice of truth?

17. Elisha • “King Ahaziah of Israel fell off the balcony on the roof of his palace in Samaria and was seriously injured. So he sent some messengers to consult Baalzebub, the god of the Philistine city of Ekron, in order to find out whether or not he would recover. But an angel of the LORD commanded Elijah, the prophet from Tishbe, to go and meet the messengers of King Ahaziah and ask them, ‘Why are you going to consult Baalzebub, the god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no god in Israel?’” (2 Kings 1:2-3 – GN)

18. God, the risk taker • He desires to tell us: • “There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear.” (1 John 4:18 – GN) • Who is left out of heaven? • “But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practice magic, those who worship idols, and all liars…” (Revelation 21:8 – GN) • What if we aren’t listening?

19. God, the risk taker • Pharaoh • Sinai • Elisha and the she-bears • Jesus in the Temple • Jesus to the Pharisees: • The lost sheep • The lost coin • The prodigal son • The shrewd manager • “When the Pharisees heard all this, they made fun of Jesus, because they loved money.” (Luke 16:14 – GN) • Jesus: • “The Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were in effect up to the time of John the Baptist; since then the Good News about the Kingdom of God is being told, and everyone forces their way in.” (Luke 16:16 – GN) • The rich man and Lazarus

20. God, the risk taker • The belief in Jesus’ day: • When you die you go to one of two chambers awaiting the judgment • The good go to Abraham’s bosom • The bad are led by the angels to a place of torture that is separated from the good by a chasm where there is communication between • The rich man = “good” • Lazarus = “bad”

21. God, the risk taker • “The rich man answered, ‘that is not enough, father Abraham! But if someone were to rise from death and go to them, then they would turn from their sins.’ But Abraham said, ‘if they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from death.’” (Luke 16:30,31 – GN)

22. God, the risk taker • Do you like a God willing to risk all for you? • Reputation • Self

23. The miracles of Elisha • Parts the river Jordan with his coat • Purified the water of a spring with salt • Called rain down to water the thirsty animals and men • Oil continuously poured from widows jar • Raises to life a boy who died after complaining of a headache • Cures poison in the stew with some flour • Feeds 100 men with 20 loaves of bread • Naaman cured of leprosy • The floating ax head • Syrians struck blind and led to the king of Syria

24. The miracles of Elisha • “Elisha died and was buried. Every year bands of Moabites used to invade the land of Israel. One time during a funeral, one of those bands was seen, and the people threw the corpse into Elisha’s tomb and ran off. As soon as the body came into contact with Elisha’s bones, the man came back to life and stood up.” (2 Kings 13:20-21 – GN)

25. Miracles • More trust = more miracles? • Was Paul a man of great faith? • “But to keep me from being puffed up with pride because of the many wonderful things I saw, I was given a painful physical ailment, which acts as Satan’s messenger to beat me and keep me from being proud. Three times I prayed to the Lord about this and asked him to take it away. But his answer was: ‘My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.’ I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 – GN)

26. Miracles • God’s great miracles don’t seem to win many people: • “The LORD said to Moses, ‘How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them?’” (Numbers 14:11 – GN) • “In spite of all this the people kept sinning; in spite of his miracles they did not trust him.” (Psalms 78:32 – GN) • Elijah and Elisha • Jesus: • Lazarus • “From that day on the Jewish authorities made plans to kill Jesus” (John 11:53 – GN) • “Even though he had performed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him” (John 12:37 – GN)

27. Miracles • Satan’s false miracles seem to win many: • “The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders, and use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved. And so God sends the power of error to work in them so that they believe what is false. The result is that all who have not believed the truth, but have taken pleasure in sin, will be condemned. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 – GN) • “This second beast performed great miracles; it made fire come down out of heaven to earth in the sight of everyone. And it deceived all the people living on earth by means of the miracles which it was allowed to perform in the presence of the first beast. The beast told them to build an image in honor of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived.” (Revelation 13:13-14 – GN)

28. Miracles • “The beast was taken prisoner, together with the false prophet who had performed miracles in his presence. (It was by those miracles that he had deceived those who had the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped the image of the beast.)” (Revelation 20:19 – GN)

29. Miracles • “When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God’s message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!’ Then I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!’” (Matthew 7:22-23 – GN)

30. Miracles • Atheist • Believer in a false picture of God • Job’s Friends • Pharaoh • Pharisees • Believer in the true God • We are involved in a great universe-wide controversy • Miracles re-enforce the presence of the supernatural • The demonstration of physical might and power is irrelevant

31. End time • Satan’s weapons • Lies • Fear, force, manipulation and coercion • Miracles, signs, and wonders • God’s weapons • Truth • The revelation of his true character of love

32. Good News – the final message • “And this Good News about the Kingdom will be preached through all the world for a witness to all people; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14 – GN)

33. Good News – the final message • “The king of Syria will do as he pleases. He will boast that he is greater than any god, superior even to the Supreme God. He will be able to do this until the time when God punishes him. God will do exactly what he has planned. The king will ignore the god his ancestors served, and also the god that women love. In fact, he will ignore every god, because he will think he is greater than any of them. Instead, he will honor the god who protects fortresses... • Then news that comes from the east and the north will frighten him, and he will fight furiously, killing many people. He will even set up his huge royal tents between the sea and the mountain on which the Temple stands. But he will die, with no one there to help him.” (Daniel 11:36-45 – GN)

34. Good News – the final message • “Then I saw another angel flying high in the air, with an eternal message of Good News to announce to the peoples of the earth, to every race, tribe, language, and nation.” (Revelation 14:6 – GN)