The Sword of Elisha - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
1 Kings 19:17

The Sword of Elisha
It is often noted that Elijah, the prophet of judgment, anointed Elisha, the prophet of grace, to succeed him. Elijah had personally put to death the 450 false prophets of Baal. This verse says that Elisha would also kill the enemies of the Lord, but that seems totally out of character for him. Elisha was the prophet who dispensed mercy and blessing upon the widow and the leper, upon the hungry and those in need. In what way did Elisha himself ever kill anybody?

It would be accurate to say that a passage of Scripture which seems puzzling at first will always provide something particularly illuminating and encouraging in the end. There might be several ways to answer this question about Elisha, but one thought comes from the words of Hosea the prophet. Through Hosea, God described His people's unfaithfulness and then added, .

Despite Elisha's ministry of grace, he spoke with God's authority, and he was not soft on sin. To an unfaithful king he said, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother" (2 Ki. 3:13). Of a selfish servant he asked, "Is it time to receive?" (2 Ki. 5:26). Mocked by a royal official, he promised that the man would see the Lord's blessings but never enjoy them personally (2 Ki. 7:2).

The words of the Lord have great effect when they are spoken in power. If we also desire to serve the Lord, let us wield His Word with vigor. It is godly to slice up the arguments of those who willfully take a position contrary to God. The Word of God, like a sharp, two-edged sword, will always expose the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Stephen Campbell