The Death of Elisha – (2 Kings 13)

During the twenty-third year of King Joash’s reign in Judah, Jehoahaz, Jehu’s son, ascended to the throne of Israel in Samaria, ruling the kingdom to the north for seventeen years. His reign was marked by evil deeds, as he perpetuated the sins initiated by Jeroboam, son of Nebat, leading Israel astray. This provoked the LORD’s wrath, resulting in Israel being subjugated by Hazael, the king of Aram, and his son Ben-Hadad for an extended period.

Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. – 2 Kings 13:4-5 (NIV)

God, with His foresight, had already determined the moment for Israel’s liberation. However, Israel, like us, often mistakenly believes that God’s actions are a response to their insincere appeals. We fail to recognize that God, being in control, permits certain events in our lives. It is due to God’s immense love and grace that our sufferings are mitigated, despite our false proclamations and constant abandonment of His ways.

God intervened once more to aid His people in war by sending a deliverer, whose identity is not clearly stated. This could be a reference to the Assyrian king Adad-Nirari III, who launched an attack on Aram, thereby weakening Israel’s oppressor. Alternatively, it could refer to Elisha, whose last meeting with Jehoash resulted in three victories for the Israelites. It might even be an angel of the LORD who assisted the Israelite army in their battles. As a result of God’s intervention, the Israelites were finally able to reclaim their homes.

But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria. – 2 Kings 13:6 (NIV)

In Samaria, the capital city, the Israelites showed no inclination to remove the Asherah pole, a wooden icon of the goddess Asherah. This leads to the question of why individuals often revert to their unfavourable habits after achieving deliverance. The Israelites’ primary intent was deliverance, and due to their superstitious beliefs, they were reluctant to forsake the perceived power of the pole. Their allegiance was not truly towards God; they merely aimed to satisfy Him to achieve their objectives.

Their conduct is comparable to an individual retaining a collection of idle screwdriver bits, despite their current redundancy, on the slim possibility that they might be required in the future. In a similar vein, the Israelites clung to their deities, in anticipation of potential future needs. In the present day, individuals often seek God solely for deliverance, a fact that God is aware of, yet He continues to show kindness towards their situation.

Jehoahaz’s army was decimated by the king of Aram, leaving only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers. The rest were annihilated, reduced to dust. After the death of Jehoahaz his son Jehoash, ascended to Israel’s throne in Samaria, ruling for sixteen years. His reign was marked by evil, as he continued the sinful practices of his forefathers leading Israel away from path of God.

The Chariots and Horsemen of Israel

Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” – 2 Kings 13:14 (NIV)

It is peculiar that Jehoash, a king known for his wickedness was grieving over the imminent demise of Elisha. People often seek to mend their broken relationships during their final days on earth but Jehoash was not the one dying. Perhaps Elisha had assisted him with his battles in the past, and he is simply expressing his gratitude to the man of God. Israel would definitely feel the absence of Elisha’s support on the battlefield. Jehoash also addresses Elisha as his father, a term of deep affection, yet simultaneously refers to him as the chariots and horsemen of Israel. This might have stemmed from Elisha’s narration of his mentor’s heavenly ascension in the most magnificent manner.

Jehoash’s statement is an acknowledgement that Elisha’s contribution to Israel’s military victories was more significant than that of Israel’s armed forces. Elisha was suffering from a terminal illness. but in his final act, he instructed Jehoash to shoot an arrow from the east window (facing the land of the Arameans), declaring it the LORD’s arrow of victory over Aram. He prophesied that Jehoash would defeat the Arameans at Aphek. However, when Elisha instructed Jehoash to strike the ground with the arrows, Jehoash only struck it three times. Elisha expressed his disappointment, stating that Jehoash could have completely destroyed Aram had he struck the ground five or six times and thereby he would only defeat Aram three times.

Elisha’s final symbol for Jehoash was these arrows. If individuals desire something from God, they will demonstrate their fervour and go above and beyond. However, when one lacks faith in God or His promise, actions are performed with a lack of enthusiasm. Jehoash struck the ground three times and then ceased. This lukewarm response to Elisha’s instruction indicated a lack of zeal for completing the given task. Jehoash’s limited enthusiasm in striking the ground with arrows represented the limited success he would achieve against the Arameans. The task of achieving total victory over them would be left to Jeroboam II, Jehoash’s son.

The Mystery of Elisha’s Bones

Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet. – 2 Kings 13:21 (NIV)

Did Elisha’s bones retain some magical power? If the bones had the power to heal, people would have emptied the tomb and used the prophet’s bones to resurrect others from the dead. Just as Elisha’s remains could give life after the prophet’s death, his words continue to wield the power of life and death for Israel, depending on whether they choose to heed or ignore the prophet’s message. This was a sign for them that God was alive even though the prophet Elisha had passed away. God used even Elisha’s dry bones, to show His power in the lives of the Israelites. Elisha was considered the most powerful man of God in the Bible. People would have held him in high regard. God is demonstrating that he can use an empty vessel to display his power.

During the reign of Jehoahaz, Israel was oppressed by Hazael, the king of Aram. Yet, the LORD demonstrated mercy towards Israel, honouring his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and refrained from destroying them. After Hazael’s demise, his son Ben-Hadad took over his throne. Jehoash managed to regain the cities that his father Jehoahaz had lost to Ben-Hadad in combat, defeating him thrice and recovering the Israelite cities. However, Israel’s victories were confined to just three. This marked the first triumph for the northern kingdom in four decades, realizing the prophecy of Elisha to Jehoash

Discussion Questions

1. Is God with Hazael (the king of Aram) that he is able to subdue the Israelite army?
2. Did Jehoahaz’s plea soften the LORD’s heart and lead Him to help the Israelites?
3. Who is the deliverer that God provided for the Israelites?
4. Why is Jehoash, an evil king mourning the impending death of the man of God?
5. What was the point of the exercise with the arrows?
6. Did Elisha’s bones retain some magical power?