The Intersection of Bible and Life

What we’ve witnessed in II Kings 4 is that where Elisha is there is hope, life and in v 38, food.  While the nation suffers through famine the sons of prophets sit down to eat stew at the command of the man of God.  Even when the food is compromised Elisha commands the addition of an ingredient and foul food becomes nutritional again.  Is this the work of an especially gifted magician?  Elisha is no magician.  In the previous story God uses him to bring the dead to life.  Magicians don’t do that.  And magicians often work out in the open to draw a crowd of potential paying customers.  Instead of a spectacular display of phenomenal power to impress expectant audiences Elisha closes the door behind him and prays to the Lord.  The dead child lives and is returned to the arms of his mother.  The Lord is honored and the work of Elisha on God’s behalf is validated.  In the present story, the only witnesses to the miraculous are a...

Man Up, Men II Kings 4:8-37 We’ll start with pointing out a contrast in two stories.  Story 1 In the first part of the chapter (1-7) we encounter a poor widow.  She’s desperate and she goes to the right source for help.  Having lost her husband, she’s in danger of losing her children.  She pleads with the man of God who helps her start a successful small business to care for her family.  Story 2 The second part of the chapter is about a well-resourced woman.  The story begins with the man of God receiving assistance from her.  By the end of the story it’s quite obvious that she needs him.  And by needing him the implication is that she needs God.  Both stories take us inside homes where the Lord is desperately needed to bring life out of death and chaos.  But a problem surfaces too.  God appears to be peripheral in the thoughts and actions of those who should be leading both family and nation.  We saw that ...