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Tuesday 14 June 2011

Day 166: Elisha’s other miracles

Elisha carries on performing wonders, and his name is honoured far beyond Israel’s borders.
Elisha’s other miracles
2 Kings 4:38-44
Condemnation of nations
Obadiah 1:15-16
Future kingdom
Obadiah 1:17-21
Revolt of Edom and Libnah
2 Kings 8:20-22, 2 Chronicles 21:8-10
Elijah’s prophecy and Jehoram’s death
2 Chronicles 21:12-20, 2 Kings 8:23-24
Healing of Naaman
2 Kings 5:1-19
Gehazi’s punishment
2 Kings 56:20-27
Recovery of axe head
2 Kings 6:1-7

Jehoram died an unpleasant death, and as the Chronicler said, “He passed away to no-one's regret.”  It seems that God was disgusted with him, and so were his people. Or that’s the way the Chronicler tells it. Meanwhile, Elisha continues with his miracles, even healing foreigners, llie an Aramean general, who had defeated Israel in battle. This is perhaps an example of Israel being a blessing to other nations, and it’s all thanks to a servant girl. She’d been captured from Israel, and was maid to Naaman’s wife. But she knew about Elisha, and suggested that Naaman should visit the man of God. He was desperate, so he overcame his pride and went, and his healing was remarkable. But again, only because his loyal servants intervened. They had to persuade him to put aside his pride.
Someone whose pride got the better of him was Gehazi. Perhaps he remembered how Elisha had started as Elijah’s servant, and ended up just as great a prophet as his master. Perhaps he saw himself as a prophet in waiting, and decided to cut himself a piece of the action. He ends up with Naaman’s disease, with disgrace and ostracism.

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