.

And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Remoth Gilead. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates, and take him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ (9:1-3)

So Jehu rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. And the period that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years (10:35-36).

Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD (13:1).

So Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Joash his son reigned in his place. In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash* the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD (13:9).  

So Joash rested with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel (13:13).

Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!” (13:14).

Excerpts from: II Kings 9 – 13:14 NKJV

.

Who was the longest serving prophet in the Bible? Moses served the Lord as a prophet for about 40 years. Samuel served about the same amount of time. Hosea served during the reigns of seven different kings, perhaps as long as 60 years. Isaiah served the Lord during the reigns of five kings of Judah during a ministry that may have exceeded that of Hosea’s in length. But Elisha served the Lord beginning with Elijah in the days of King Ahab and continuing through the reigns of Ahaziah (1 year), Joram, (9 years), Jehu (28 years), Jehoahaz (17 years), and a portion of the reign of King Joash* of Israel (16 years). Conservatively, it seems Elisha’s ministry stretched more than 65 years in length! 

The Lord limits description of Elisha’s ministry to about the first 15 years (less than 25%) covering Ahab’s reign and continuing to the anointing of Jehu King of Israel. We know very little of Elisha’s life and work in between Jehu’s anointing and Elisha’s death in II Kings 13. Besides the unnamed “sons of the prophets” (9:1), no other prophets are known contemporaries of Elisha during the years from Jehu to Joash. Nevertheless it is evident by King Joash’s visit (II Kings 13:14-19) that Elisha had a significant ministry in the life of wayward Israel during the 50 years between II Kings 9:1 and II Kings 13:14.

During the fifty year period God’s promises and prophecies concerning wicked Jezebel and the evil line of Ahab were fulfilled. Jehoram, the son of Ahab, King of Israel, and Ahaziah, son of wicked Athaliah, King of Judah were brought down by Jehu (9:24-29). That wicked Jezebel; the wife of evil Ahab; the murderer of the Lord’s prophets (I Kings 18:4); conspirator against Naboth (I Kings 21:7-14); worshiper of Baal and Bel and all manner of false gods for whom she was named; had managed to survive until Jehu’s reign. Just as God had declared, Jezebel was killed violently, most of her flesh was eaten by dogs, and nothing was left to bury except her skull, feet, and palms (10:30-37). Finally, Ahab’s seventy sons were killed (10:7) all in accordance with the word of Lord some twenty years prior to Elijah the prophet (I Kings 21:17-29). 

While Jehu was ruling in Israel, the Southern kingdom of Judah enjoyed something of a revival under the leadership of Johoiada the high priest and Joash King of Judah. The temple was repaired in Jerusalem and Joash reigned well for many years. However, upon the death of Jehoiada, Joash turned against the Lord and died at the hands of his own servants (II Kings 11-12). It was during the time of Joash’s reign in Judah that Jehu died. After Jehu, Jehoahaz was made king for 17 years and died. Next came Joash (Jehoash) as king of Israel who briefly overlapped Joash of Judah. During these reigns, Hazael king of Syria ravaged both Israel and Judah as the Lord had revealed to Elisha. Hazael would continue his reign of terror well past Elisha’s death. It was at some point in Joash’s reign that Elisha came down with the illness that the Lord would use to bring Elisha to glory (13:14). 

Like in the lives of the kings of Judah and Israel, so in the life of the prophets, much happens that is not recorded for us in Scripture. As the kings come, die, and are buried often (but not always) in the sepulchers of their fathers, so the prophets, come, die, and are buried. 

As our lives are considered in retrospect, will they be remembered for the early part of our service in Christ’s kingdom like we remember Elisha, Samuel, and Timothy? Will they be remembered for the later part like is generally the case for Elijah, Moses, Zechariah, Anna, and Simeon? Will our lives be remembered at all? As we think on the closing of Elisha’s life in the few remaining verses in our study, let us set our own minds towards serving our King for all the years the Lord gives us so that He may be well known and that we may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of for us (Philippians 3:12). 

A few more years shall roll,

A few more seasons come,

And we shall be with those that rest

Asleep within the tomb.

Then, O my Lord, prepare

My soul for that blest day;

O wash me in your precious blood,

And take my sins away.

Horatio Bonar (1844)

.

.

*Jehoash in II Kings 13:9 is another name for Joash king of Israel. Because Joash of Judah and Joash of Israel overlapped reigns, Scripture often refers to Joash of Israel as Jehoash in differentiation of the names. Both kings were related through marriage as Jehoshaphat and Ahab’s families intermarried and shared names. 

.

Copyright ©, LikeTheGreatMountains, 2021

.

.