Elijah & Elisha

Book excerpt: At the time the Lord brought Elijah on the scene, the kings of Israel and Judah were in serious trouble with the Lord. Their many years of worshiping Baal and golden calves, listening to Jezebel, and killing the prophets was catching up to them. Their earthly kingdoms were coming to an end, and the Lord would move quickly when he moved. What appeared to be harmless details to them was, in fact, rebellion in the sight of God. While the kings served the gods of this world, Elijah and Elisha did not. Rather, they were dedicated only to the Word of the Lord, and if the Lord didn’t speak directly to them, they didn’t move at all. When they did move, it was with the power and authority of the Lord, resulting in the dramatic calling down of fire from heaven, a three-year drought, people raised from the dead, and many other miraculous events. But did Elijah and Elisha take any glory? No, Elisha didn’t even accept Naaman’s token of appreciation – so completely was he relying only on the Lord’s provision. The lives of Elijah and Elisha, as well as the corrupt lives of the kings, serve as important lessons for us today. In addition, there are many prophecies in 1 and 2 Kings that are now being fulfilled. In fact, the entire account is filled with living parables that are relevant for today. The last Chapter of 1 Kings ends with the prophetic ministry facing serious jeopardy. The first Chapter of 2 Kings opens with an awesome supernatural vindication of God's prophet. Even Elijah seems to have been unaware of exactly when the timeline went past a tipping point into a new day in which the true prophets were never forced to retreat. We seem to be approaching a similar tipping point today. Your own life will be changed forever if you heed the truth that the Lord reveals to you in this book.