FAITHFULNESS – the KEY to an EFFECTIVE MINISTRY!
April 14 Bible
Reading: 2 Kings Chapters 1-3
FAITHFULNESS – the KEY to an EFFECTIVE MINISTRY
And so it was, when they had crossed
over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am
taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of
your spirit be upon me." (2 Kings 2:9)
Elisha, the
son of Shaphat, was a farmer engaged in plowing his field when the mantle of
the prophet Elijah first fell upon him signifying the call from God for a
higher ministry (1 Kings 19:19). Elisha demonstrated his commitment to his new
calling by destroying the means of his former livelihood, turning his back on
his parents and friends and following Elijah as his servant (v. 20-21). In fact,
his new assignment was described by others as ‘pouring water on the hands of Elijah’ (2 Kings 3:11b).
After
following Elijah for so long, it was now time for the transfer of the prophetic
mantle to Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-7). The Lord had let Elijah know that his time
was at hand. He therefore went to the different schools of the prophets in
Gilgal, Bethel and Jericho to give them his last exhortations and blessing. All
his efforts, however, to prevail on his attendant Elisha to remain behind, were
fruitless. Elisha knew that the time was at hand, and at every place the sons
of the prophets spoke to him of the approaching removal of his master. Elisha
had long followed Elijah, and he would not leave him now as he hoped to receive
the God’s anointing through Elijah’s parting blessing. Like the rod of Moses,
the mantle of Elijah had the divinely operating power of the Spirit and parted
the Jordan River which enabled both Elijah and Elisha to cross over on dry
ground (v. 8).
The request
by Elisha for a "double portion of
Elijah's Spirit" (v. 9) was applied to the first-born (Deut. 21:17),
and therefore Elisha's request was, simply, to be heir to the prophetic office
and gifts of his master. His request was granted because Elisha was faithful to his calling and stuck with
Elijah like glue even until the very moment when Elijah was transported to
heaven in a chariot of fire (v.10-12). The prophetic mantle of Elijah now fell
upon Elisha as he continued his ministry with double fervor.
The removal
of Elijah from the world was a type and figure of the ascension of Jesus Christ,
and the opening of the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Like Elisha, we are
following Christ and His teachings. It is
very important that we should be faithful in our commitment to our calling even
unto death. When God will take up His faithful children to heaven, death is
signified by the Jordan River which they must pass through. The death of Christ
has already divided those waters so that the ransomed of the Lord may pass
over, and boldly say: "O Death,
where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55)
Let us "not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherited the promises" (Heb. 6:12). "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Heb. 10:23). Let us "be faithful until death, and God will give us the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).
