- All the king names are very confusing. Joash and Jehoash are the same name, and there is one of those who is king over Judah and one who is king of Israel.
- The Joash king of Israel goes to Elisha when Elisha is dying.
- Elisha gives him a prophecy of victory over Syria.
- I find it interesting when the evil kings call Elisha, “father,” how they have a respect for him even though they won’t listen to the prophecies.
- This chapter is mostly about how in Israel one king after another was evil.
- However, we have this awesome story. Elisha is buried in a cave. Some time later, someone dies and to get rid of the body quickly because of approaching marauders, they toss the body into the cave where Elisha’s bones are. The dead man is revived.
- The Spirit of God was in Elisha’s bones.
- This brings lots of questions to mind.
- Elisha dies of a sickness, yet physically had the Spirit of God in his flesh and bones, so it is possible to get sick and be one with the Spirit.
- Also, the Spirit of God can possess us, literally be in our flesh and bones. When people shake hands with us, they should be able to be touched by the power of God.
- It makes me think of the laying on of hands and how much they put stock in the need to physically touch each other to touch someone with God’s Spirit.
- I don’t want to make up some doctrine here, just noticing.
- In the Old Testament laws, there were laws about not touching a dead person because it would make you unclean. Blood and other things could also make you unclean. We see that in the story of the Good Samaritan. The religious people won’t help because they will become unclean.
- Jesus, however, reaches out and touches the leper, touches the dead.
- Nothing could make him unclean, impure. His purity, his life flowed into them. He wasn’t impacted by the death around him. Those around him were impacted by the Life in Him.
- May the same be said of us.
