#56. This Way and That: The Lord Divides the Jordan
Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
II Kings 2:14 NKJV
Sometimes when reading the Scripture regularly it is possible to glance over great miracles of the Lord because Scripture is so full of miracles. Take Deuteronomy 29:5 for example: “I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet…” Did you catch that? For forty years, more than of two million pairs of sandals and as many or more garments did not wear out! Amazing provision of the Lord.
By the time we reach II Kings 2:14, the Jordan has already been divided once (2:9) and then it is divided again. The way the Lord describes this miracle in both verses is among the great understatements of Scripture: “It was divided this way and that.” Today the Jordan River is more than 200 miles long. When Elisha prayed to the Lord and struck the river with Elijah’s mantle, the Lord parted the river so that some of the water went one way, the rest of the water went the other way, and Elisha crossed over on dry land.
Nearly every chapter of Elijah’s and Elisha’s lives involves a miracle of some type taking place, and it can be tempting to pass over them quickly, however, we should meditate on this great division of the Jordan River. This was the same river, and the same direction, by which the Israelites first entered the Promised Land many hundreds of years earlier. And the Lord used the same method of bringing Elisha back into Israel where he would no longer be the one who served Elijah but the prophet who served God’s people.
Why did God perform this miracle? For at least three reasons: 1) So that Elisha would be assured that the Lord God of Elijah was indeed with him; 2) So that the sons of the prophets would see and could testify that the spirit of Elijah was with Elisha; and 3) so that we would know that the Lord is with all those who call upon Him in truth.
Jesus did many miracles during His earthly ministry. Their quantity makes the miracles of Elisha and Elijah seem few. Why did Jesus perform these miracles? To show His power? Certainly that was a part. But there was a particular focus: to show to all the world that the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, had power on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10-11)! Lest anyone doubt the authority of the Savior to save, He told a paralytic man to stand up, take up his bed, and go to his house.
God’s dividing the Jordan demonstrated to Israel that Elisha came with the authority of the Lord. His message was not his own but the Lord’s. The Lord testified to this with great miracles through Elisha, beginning with moving the Jordan this way and that so that His servant might pass through.
As we read of the miracles performed by God through Elisha in the coming pages of Scripture, may we not glance over them. May we rather remember that the God who moved the Jordan this way and that, who caused millions of sandals to remain unscathed for 40 years, who raised the paralytic, who rose from the dead and ascended, this God, He is our God forever and ever. He will be our guide even through death (Psalm 4:14)!
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