January 26 – Elisha

January 26 – Elisha

Elisha was a farmer (I Kings 19:16-21) and he was bald (2 Kings 2:23).  He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen when Elijah met him. His name means ‘my God saves’ and he became a disciple of Elijah’s until his master ascended into heaven.

He traveled and engaged with groups of prophets who collected themselves into guilds, we see them in 2 Kings 2:1-5 and possibly in some of his other travels to Gilgal, Mt. Carmel and Samaria (2 Kings 2:25; 4:25, 38).  He performed miracles in order to support these disciples so they could continue in their work.  These miracles demonstrated God’s power over everything, something that the people of Israel needed to see and understand.

Elisha followed Elijah’s footsteps in the political realm as well.  He warned the king of enemy plans, helped in dealing with the Moabites, then the Syrians. He cared for the king’s army when it was thirsty in the desert by asking God to fill a wadi with water for the men and animals (2 Kings 3:4-20).

This man of God worked to bring the Israelite kings back into a relationship with God and demonstrated that every part of life is subject to God’s will and His control.