Harmony of the gospels

Elijah was a 9th Century BC prophet. His name meant "Jehovah is God". He has very little background mentioned in the Bible even though he is one of the greatest prophets in Jewish history. He was called a Tishbite from Gilead (1 Kings 17:1) and suddenly appeared on the scene. He confronted Ahab with a prediction of drought (1 Kings 17) and retired to the desert. He reappeared where he challenged the prophets of Baal in the Mount Carmel contest (1 Kings 18). Having won a great victory over paganism he fled from Jezebel to Horeb where he resided in despair (1 Kings 19) (see Moses, Topic 30). The second half of his ministry involved the Naboth incident (1 Kings 21) and predicted judgement on Ahaziah for idolatry (2 Kings 1). Like Enoch before him, Elijah was translated without dying, in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2) leaving his prophet's mantle to Elisha.

a) Ahab accuses Elijah of causing problems in Israel (1 Kings 18:17).

b) Elijah tells Ahab that the problems in Israel are caused by Ahab's disobedience to God's laws (1 Kings 18:18).

c) He challenges Ahab to assemble the prophets of Baal who were being kept at public expense to Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:19,20). They number 450.

d) Elijah tells the crowd that he is the last remaining prophet of the Lord and sets up a test of who is the true God (1 Kings 18:21-24).

e) The prophets of Baal, with incantation and ritual, attempt to invoke their God but to no effect (1 Kings 18:25-29).

f) Elijah now copies Joshua at Gilgal and makes an altar of 12 stones, places a bullock on wood and pours water on the sacrifice (1 Kings 18:30-36).

g) The power of God is demonstrated with fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice (1 Kings 18:38).

h) The drought which had been afflicting the land for 31/2 years was now broken (1 Kings 18:41-46).

i) Jezebel the queen reacted to the death of the priests of Baal who had been slaughtered at Elijah's insistence (1 Kings 18:40) and threatened to kill Elijah.

j) Elijah becomes depressed and flees into the wilderness. God provides food whilst he is under the juniper tree (1 Kings 19:4-8).

k) Dwelling in a cave at Mount Horeb, the Lord shows wind, fire and earthquake but the Lord is not in them (1 Kings 19:9-1 1).

l) The Lord appears in a still small voice and tells Elijah that he is not the last believer but that there are 7000 other servants of the Lord in Israel. He is to go and find Elisha, his successor as prophet; and anoint Jehu King over Israel (1 Kings 19:12-18).
4. PRINCIPLES

a) Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

b) Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

c) Nothing is impossible with God (Mark 10:27).

d) The battle is the Lord's (1 Samuel 17:47).

e) God will provide great victories against apparently superior forces (cf. Gideon).

f) It is possible for a spiritual giant to become depressed and disillusioned (John 21:3).

g) In times of trouble the Lord will give guidance (Psalm 42:1 1).

h) God will not prosper a nation which has become apostate (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

i) The Lord always has faithful representatives to continue His work in the devil's world.

j) Elijah parallels Moses his fellow herald at the Second Advent in many ways.

i) Both went to Horeb where God spoke to them.

ii) Both had a mysterious end to their ministry.

iii) Both are heralds at the Second Advent (Revelation 11).

iv) God used fire in both cases as a demonstration of power.

v) Both seen on the Mount of Transfiguration.

vi) Both had noteworthy successors.

k) The servant who fails can again have a major part to play in the plan of God (Jonah).

Elisha, whose name means "God of salvation", was a native of Abel-meholah in the Jordan valley (1 Kings 19:16). His father was Shaphat. When he was called he was ploughing with 12 oxen (1 Kings 19:19), portraying that his family was comfortably off. Elijah placed his mantle on Elisha to call him. He killed two of the oxen and they feasted before Elisha left with Elijah 11 Kings 19:21). His ministry covered a period of over 50 years from 896 - 839 BC, being spent primarily in the northern kingdom of Samaria during the reigns of King Ahab to King Jehoash. The period of Elisha's ministry did not occur in the same tension filled environment of his predecessor with less conflict between the worship of Jehovah and Baal. He, however, displayed signs and wonders and in the tradition of Samuel attracted peasants and kings alike. Because of his special gifts he was in great demand. Elijah and Elisha have been compared with Moses and Joshua. The miracle working of Elisha, however, can be analogised to the ministry of Jesus after the life of Elijah (cf. John the Baptist, John 1:15-21). Elisha died at the age of 85 to 90.

Elisha, having received the mantle of his predecessor who had entered into heaven in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:1 1), proceeded to perform twice the number of miracles of Elijah.

a) The parting of the Jordan (2 Kings 2:13, 14), which occurred immediately after the translation of Elijah.

b) Jericho's water supply (2 Kings 2:19-22) was purified by Elisha throwing in a bowl of salt. Elisha's fountain is still an important source of water for Jericho.

c) The cursing of the children (2 Kings 2:23,24) due to their mocking of him. The children were killed by she bears.

d) The defeat of Moab (2 Kings 3:1-27) was predicted correctly by Elisha.

e) The widow's oil (2 Kings 4:1-7), where Elisha assisted a poor widow's financial needs by the provision of copious oil. This saved the enslavement of her children.

f) The Shunamite's son (2 Kings 4:8-37), where Elisha performed the miracle of raising the child from the dead.

g) The poison pot (2 Kings 4:38-41), which by the adding of meal to a pot containing poisonous plants the food was made edible.

h) The twenty loaves (2 Kings 4:42-44), which were multiplied and fed a hundred men.

i) The healing of Naaman (2 Kings 5).

j) The floating axe head (2 Kings 6:1-7).

k) The protection of Elisha at Dothan by the chariots of fire (2 Kings 6:11-23).

l) The foretelling of much food in a famine in Samaria (2 Kings 6:24 - 7:20).

m) The raising of the dead man (2 Kings 13:21) who had been thrown into the grave of Elisha and had touched the bones of the prophet.

n) Many illustrations regarding Jesus occur in the Old Testament. Here we have many miracles which were performed by Elisha with similar miracles performed by our Lord.

i) Walking on water Parting of the Jordan

ii) Water into wine Sour water into sweet

iii) Cursing of the fig tree Cursing of the children

iv) Raising of Lazarus Shunamite's son

v) Feeding of the 5,000 Feeding of the 100

vi) Healing the leper Healing of Naaman

vii) Angels minister to Christ The chariots of fire.
4. PRINCIPLES

a) The Lord can protect believers in miraculous ways (Acts 12:5-1 1).

b) God makes provision for His servants to be able to work for Him effectively (John 16:23, 24).

c) If God is placed first in all you do you will have spiritual success (Joshua 1:8).

Many significant cities once stood on its shores, such as Tiberias, Bethsaida, Capernaum, Chorazin and Hippo. The shores are described by Josephus as a perfect paradise, producing every luxury under heaven at all seasons of the year. “Seen from any point of the surrounding heights, it is a fine sheet of water a burnished mirror set in a framework of surrounding hills and rugged mountains, which rise and roll backward and upward to where hoary Hermon hangs the picture on the blue vault of heaven.”

The lake is fed mainly by the Jordan; but besides this there are several great fountains and streams emptying into it during the rainy seasons, which pour an immense amount of water into it, raising its level several feet above the ordinary mark. The waters of the lake are sweet and pleasant to the taste, and clear. The lake still abounds with fish, and gives employment, as it did in the time of our Saviour, to those who live on its shores. It is, however, stormy, probably due to the high hills by which it is surrounded.

Andrew and Simon were fishers by trade. They had already become disciples of Jesus as seen in John 1:35-42. Now they are called upon to leave their business and to follow Jesus in his travels and work. These two brothers promptly accepted the call and challenge of Jesus.

So they promptly left their boat and father and followed Jesus. They had also already become disciples of Jesus. Now there are four who follow him steadily.