FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 - LOVE WINS

 FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021 LOVE WINS - ELISHA MIRACLES

Happy Friday!!!  I’m not sure my two miracles from Elisha count as “Love Wins”.

Elijah is the more recognized Old Testament prophet.  In the Transfiguration - Jesus is seen with Moses and Elijah.  The concept of these two Old Testament figures is that they represent the Law (Moses), and the Prophets (Elijah).

Elisha (today’s subject) was Elijah’s student.  In 2 Kings chapter 2, Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.  But before he was taken up, Elisha asks “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,”.

But, I wanted to look at two unusual miracles of Elisha.

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Miracle 1 for today: 2 Kings 2:23-25

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!”  He turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.  And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

WOW - the boys were taunting Elisha and called him “Baldy” - so Elisha performs a ‘miracle’?  He called down a curse and two bears attacked (mauls) forty-two boys.  

So, if you are being bullied, you can do call down a curse in the name of the Lord.  I’m not quite sure being bald is being bullied enough to have two bears maul forty-two boys.

Does God care that Elisha was bald?  I don’t think so, but that He carried that this particular prophet was being harassed.  Maybe Elisha could have cursed them with a “freeze” - as we did as kids - and gone down the road and the boys could have thawed out, but Elisha could be far down the road by then.

I’m thinking of the parents of these boys.  They lost their sons, and why?  Because the boys insulted a prophet.  Did the punishment match the “crime”?  What do you think?

But, on the other hand, do we have the power to “call down fire” or curse on our enemies?

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Miracle 2 for today: 2 Kings 13:20-21

“Elisha died and was buried.

Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.”

Unlike his mentor who was taken up to heaven, Elisha died and was buried.  Some commentators (who do these things) have counted the miracles of Elijah and Elisha and when he died Elisha was one miracle short of twice as many as Elijah (he had asked Elijah for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit).

But, to make the math come correctly, here is one more miracle of Elisha - after his death.  The man they threw into Elisha’s tomb touched the bones of Elisha - and came back to life!!!  

So, yes, Elisha had twice as many miracles as Elijah.  

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Does this make any difference to you and me?  In the Judeo-Christian viewpoint does this make our faith stronger?  Maybe.

I sense that if I am walking with God, I can ask for the difficult or impossible things (like miracles).  Does God hear us?  I believe so.  Matthew 7 says “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

John 14:14 adds “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

John 16:24 repeats: “ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

I know a friend that prays (asks) God for close parking places where she is going to shop.  Yes, just a little thing, but seemingly she gets a parking place near the door.  Not a bad thing - not cursing boys by having a bear maul them.   

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Is this a case of “LOVE WINS”?  I say “yes”.  God is watching over us - ask, seek, knock!!

Have an awesome weekend - a blessed weekend - a weekend of great joy, happiness, and deep peace!!!

Karen