Week 1: Prophet Elisha

The stories of Elijah and Elisha come at an awkward time in the account of 1 and 2 Kings. 

Until this point, the book has followed the history of Israel through the lens of the monarchy. The stories of Elijah and Elisha signify a shift in the focus of the recorded history of Israel. The monarchy had become corrupt and evil to the point of the records instead of discussing the prophets' lives and their methods to speak out against corruption. This shift signals the beginning of Israel's attempt at restoration, ultimately failing and leading to the Exile to Babylon. King Ahab was the King around the time of Elijah. He is a bad king because he married Jezebel, a blood-thirsty evil princess who built an altar to Baal in Samaria.

In his book, The Crucial Bridge by Thomas L. Brodie, O.P. suggests that the Story of Elijah and Elisha could be seen as an early echo of Luke's Gospel and the book of Acts. Luke could have noticed the similarities in mentoring between Jesus and the disciples and between Elijah and Elisha. This could have led to Luke structuring his stories to highlight this. Elijah and Jesus both have healing ministries and comfort the power structures of their day. Both have power over the weather, reveal the presence of God through a showdown on a mountaintop, and give commissions to their followers who receive their Spirit and ascend into Heaven. The similarities are incredible! It explains why, in Luke's famous "Who do you say that I am?" passage, Jesus is mistaken for Elijah. 

Elisha is acting in the shadow of Elijah's success. At the beginning of his ministry, Elisha was constantly being asked or remembered simply because of his association with Elijah. 2 Kings 2:15-17 has a whole episode where, after Elijah's ascension, his students insist on still searching for his body even though Elisha holds his position. Regardless, God's anointing had fallen on Elisha.  

Calling of Elisha: The Chariot and the Plow

Readings for today:

1 Kings 19:19-21

2 Kings 2:1-18

When we first hear about Elisha, we see it through the experience of the Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Elijah is feeling scared and depressed. But God famously speaks to him in a whisper and instructs Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor. When Elijah finds Elisha, he is plowing twelve yoke of oxen. In his commentary, David Guzik notices that Elijah starts with the last thing God instructs him to do. Guzik suggests that this might be because Elijah desperately needed a friend and replacement. God would do many more things through Elijah; many of these things Elisha would learn from. However, the knowledge that he had a replacement and the brotherhood that accompanied him could be what helped Elijah go.

Elijah drapes his cloak around Elisha. The cloak of Elijah in these passages symbolizes God's power. Even though Elijah sees how diligent Elisha is, God's direction ultimately elevates Elisha. The weight of this calling feels like a heavy, scratchy, and hairy coat. This is the same weight that almost crushed Elijah in 1 Kings 19. How we respond to the weight of obedience is a personal choice that demands an answer. Do we keep straining to move things on the level I can see, or do I answer the call to speak to what's underneath the surface?

When Elisha was called, he understood that the weight of his mission meant a complete life change, a rejection of the familiar. We often search for closure when we encounter a sudden shift in things we have grown accustomed to. Elisha even asks for closure when he asks to say goodbye to his parents. This scene echoes two stories from the life of Jesus. In Mark 1:16-18, Jesus calls the fisherman to follow him, and they drop their nest and go. But more strikingly, in Matthew 8:21, a disciple named Jesus asked if he could go and bury his father first. Jesus says," Let the Dead bury their own dead." It doesn't seem Jesus was being insensitive to the type of loss that had taken place. However, as we see across the Gospels, Jesus uses every opportunity to teach us. In the previous verses, Jesus describes how his calling is ultimately to be uncomfortable. Everything has its place except the Son of Man. How does any of this relate to Elisha's calling? The fact that God selects him to be his next Prophet means that Elisha is being called to stand out! He will be different by carrying the burden of constantly moving forward for the nation's sake. Closure might only sometimes be an option. Formal goodbyes to a life that would have been a dead end to your calling might not be offered. So, Elisha took his 12 oxen and sacrificed them in fire, using the Plow as kindling.

This fire represented what was. 

This could also be a reenactment of Elijah's sacrifice a chapter before on Mt. Carmel. Elisha's sacrifice comes in response to Elijah's question," What have I done for you?". Maybe Elisha was a face in the crowd when Elijah pointed back the nation to God a few days ago. We never know who we are inspiring with our ministry. We can become so unaware of the seeds we are planting by our obedience.

In contrast to this event, the next time we see Elisha, it is at Elijah's ascent into Heaven. As Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind, a chariot of fire appears. Elijah asked Elisha what he could do for him before he ascended. Elisha asked for a double portion of his Spirit, the power to fulfill his calling.  

This fire represents what would be. 

Both chariots and plows are instruments designed to be pulled. By themselves, these vehicles can go nowhere, which is why they need to be hitched to something to guide them. What are you hitching yourself to? Elisha's life was hitched to that Plow until he listened to God's call through Elijah.

Elisha had to let go of the Plow (what he knew) to embrace the chariot (the unknown of his calling). Elijah even destroyed his Plow, setting it on fire, showing his passion for this new direction. The fire of his calling consumed the Plow of his former path, proving that his new direction was higher. It was a direction dynamically charged with the power of God. God may not be calling you to burn bridges or material items to move according to your purpose. You may be being called to sacrifice your beliefs about yourself for a greater revelation of what could be.

Brodie, Thomas L. O.D. The Crucial Bridge. Liturgical Press, 2000.

Guzik, David. "1 KINGS 19 – GOD ENCOURAGES DISCOURAGED ELIJAH." EnduringWord.Com, enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-kings-19/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2024.