How God Confirmed Elisha As His True Prophet And Representative

Are you wondering how God demonstrated that Elisha was His appointed prophet and representative after Elijah? God provided powerful signs to remove any doubt that Elisha spoke with divine authority.

If you’re short on time, here’s the quick answer: God confirmed Elisha as His prophet and representative through several miracles, including parting the Jordan River, purifying Jericho’s waters, filling valleys with water, multiplying oil, raising the dead, healing leprosy, and revealing the plans of the Arameans.

In this comprehensive article, we will explore the different ways God authenticated Elisha’s ministry so the people would know he was the Lord’s chosen mouthpiece.

Parting of the Jordan River

Elisha Inherits Elijah’s Mantle

After the great prophet Elijah’s ministry came to an end, his successor Elisha inherited Elijah’s mantle as God’s new prophet to Israel. This passing of the torch took place as Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind while Elisha watched. As Elijah departed, his mantle fell to the ground.

Elisha picked it up, recognizing this as a symbol that he was to carry on Elijah’s prophetic work (2 Kings 2:13-14).

Elisha’s Request to Inherit Elijah’s Spirit

Interestingly, before Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha asked to inherit a double portion of Elijah’s spirit as the firstborn heir (2 Kings 2:9). This showed Elisha’s eagerness to fully take up Elijah’s prophetic mantle with even greater empowerment from God’s Spirit.

Elijah told Elisha this would only happen if he saw his mentor taken away. When this did happen, Elisha tore his clothes in grief, but picked up Elijah’s mantle ready to continue the mission.

Parting of the Waters

After receiving Elijah’s mantle, Elisha came to the Jordan River on his way back to the prophets’ school at Jericho. Here he performed his first miracle, striking the river with Elijah’s mantle. Amazingly, the waters parted so Elisha could walk through on dry ground, just as the waters had previously parted for Elijah (2 Kings 2:14).

This miraculous sign confirmed that Elisha had truly inherited Elijah’s authority and God’s favor.

According to biblical scholars, Elisha likely parted the Jordan River at the same location near Jericho where Joshua had previously parted its waters when entering the promised land. Many generations later, this location would again become significant when John baptized Jesus, marking the start of Jesus’ ministry.

Elisha’s parting of the waters proved to other prophets that he was now God’s chosen successor to Elijah (2 Kings 2:15). Despite feeling the loss of his mentor, Elisha courageously took up the prophetic mantle, his request for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit evidently granted.

Elisha would go on to perform twice as many recorded miracles as Elijah, confirming his unique empowerment and authority as God’s new primary prophet in Israel.

Purifying the Waters of Jericho

During Elisha’s time as prophet, the city of Jericho faced a critical issue – its spring water was polluted and unsuitable for drinking or irrigation. This made life very difficult for the people living there.

However, through God’s power, Elisha enacted an incredible miracle to purify the city’s water supply.

The Situation in Jericho

The people of ancient Jericho depended on the city’s spring for their water needs. Unfortunately, as reported in the Biblical Archaeology Review, the spring had become contaminated, likely from runoff, improper waste disposal, or other sources of pollution.

Without access to clean water, the city faced thirst, hunger from lack of irrigation, and disease. As reflected in ancient tablets, securing clean water was a longstanding challenge. The people desperately needed help, and cried out to Elisha to remedy the situation.

Elisha Purifies the Spring

Elisha asked the city leaders to bring him a new bowl containing salt. Standing by the polluted spring, he put the salt in the water while declaring “Thus says the Lord, I have healed these waters…”. Immediately, just as the prophet had pronounced, the waters were purified! 🎉

It was no ordinary event, but a genuine miracle that displayed God’s purifying power and proved Elisha was His authentic spokesperson. As one resource put it, “Out of deadly poison God can produce pure blessing.” He turned Jericho’s bitter waters sweet, for the relief of the whole city.

God’s Provision of Clean Water

Thanks to Elisha’s selfless actions and God’s favor, Jericho gained a clean, healthy water source that brought life and healing to its inhabitants. It meant children would no longer get sick from dirty water and crops would flourish again, with bountiful harvests to fill empty bellies.

Truly, this miracle powerfully validated Elisha’s divine appointment and demonstrated God’s love and concern for people in need. 😊 Even today, nearly 3000 years later, ensuring adequate pure water remains a challenge in many places.

We can be thankful that God still hears the cries of the suffering and has compassion on communities in desperate situations.

Filling the Valley with Water

The Kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom

In this fascinating story from 2 Kings 3, the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom had joined forces to fight against the king of Moab who had rebelled against paying tribute. The three kings, along with their armies, marched through the wilderness for seven days in search of water, but found none.

The king of Israel was Jehoram, the son of Ahab. The king of Judah was Jehoshaphat, known as a righteous king who walked in the ways of God. And the king of Edom was an unnamed monarch who had remained subject to the king of Judah.

Elisha’s Prophecy

In their desperate thirst, the kings appealed to Elisha for help. At first Elisha rebuked the king of Israel for involving himself with false gods like his parents Ahab and Jezebel had done. But out of respect for Jehoshaphat, Elisha agreed to consult the Lord.

Elisha boldly prophesied: “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.” (2 Kings 3:16-17).

Abundance of Water

The next morning, according to the word of Elisha, water flowed in from Edom and filled the valley. Not only was there enough for the men and animals to drink, the Scriptures state that “…there was water everywhere around them.” (2 Kings 3:20).

This seemingly impossible event clearly validated Elisha as God’s chosen spokesman, able to speak divine words that shape reality. As one commentator put it: “Elisha had staked his authority and reputation on this prophecy.

When events happened just as he had predicted, the credential of Elisha’s prophetic ministry would have been enormously enhanced. “ (Enduring Word Bible Commentary).

The provision of water in a dry valley not only quenched the thirsts of parched men, but even more importantly, it confirmed that Elisha’s ministry operated in the genuine prophetic gift – the extraordinary ability to supernaturally reveal God’s plans and purposes on the earth.

Multiplying the Widow’s Oil

The Widow’s Cry for Help

When the great prophet Elisha passed through the town of Shunem, he met a widow crying out in distress. Her husband had died, leaving her with nothing but debts. The creditors had come to take away her two sons as slaves in payment.

This heartbreaking scene left the widow bereft and despairing, with nowhere to turn for help.

In her time of need, the widow cried out to Elisha, recognizing him as a man of God who could potentially help her. The Bible records her desperate plea: “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” (2 Kings 4:1).

Elisha was moved with compassion to intervene.

Instructions to Borrow Vessels

First, Elisha asked the widow what she had left in her house. All she had was a single jar of oil. So he instructed her: “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few.” (2 Kings 4:3). This seemed like strange advice, but the widow obeyed nonetheless.

She went around borrowing all the jars she could find from friends and neighbors. The Lord had told Elisha that he was going to miraculously multiply that little bit of oil to fill every single jar she could collect.

This supernatural provision would then be sold to pay off her debts and save her sons.

Supernatural Multiplication of Oil

After gathering many empty jars from her neighbors, the widow began to pour oil from her single jar. Amazingly, the tiny jar kept producing oil, filling one vessel after another! She called to her sons to bring even more jars, until all the containers were full to the brim.

At Elisha’s instruction, the widow went and sold the oil to pay off all her family’s debts, with enough left over to live on for a while. Her cry for help was answered by God’s miraculous provision! As the Bible says, “The jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry” (1 Kings 17:16).

This incredible miracle, brought about by the Lord’s prophet, proved that Elisha truly was appointed by God as his representative. It displayed his role and power as God’s chosen prophet to miraculously provide for those crying out for help.

To learn more, visit websites like GotQuestions on the Widow’s Oil Miracle and BibleStudyTools Story Overview.

Raising the Shunammite’s Son

The Shunammite’s Hospitality

The Shunammite woman showed tremendous hospitality to Elisha whenever he passed through her village. She convinced her husband to add a small room to their house for Elisha to stay in when he visited (2 Kings 4:8-10). This generosity foreshadowed the blessing Elisha would later pronounce over her.

Elisha’s Promise of a Son

One day, Elisha asked the Shunammite woman what he could do for her in return for her hospitality. When Elisha’s servant Gehazi pointed out that she had no son, Elisha promised her that within a year she would have a son (2 Kings 4:14-16).

This miraculous promise came true just as Elisha had said (2 Kings 4:17).

The Child’s Death

Years later, while out in the fields during the grain harvest, the Shunammite’s son suddenly became ill with severe headaches. He died shortly thereafter. The woman immediately saddled a donkey and left to find Elisha for help (2 Kings 4:18-25).

Her faith in Elisha’s power remained strong despite her tragedy.

Resurrection Miracle

When Elisha learned of the child’s death, he sent Gehazi ahead to lay his staff on the boy’s face. However, the staff did not revive the child (2 Kings 4:29-31). Elisha later arrived himself, went to the child alone, prayed fervently to God, and lay on top of the boy.

Suddenly, the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes, miraculously resurrected (2 Kings 4:32-35)! Through Elisha, God confirmed His power over life and death.

This awe-inspiring miracle, recorded on reputable sites like BibleGateway, proved that Elisha was truly appointed by God as his representative. The people of Shunem saw God’s hand on Elisha, increasing their faith.

Healing Naaman’s Leprosy

Naaman Seeks Healing

Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a valiant warrior, but he had leprosy. In those days, leprosy was an incurable disease that could lead to disfigurement and social isolation.

Naaman’s wife had a young Israelite girl who served her, and she told her mistress about the prophet Elisha in Samaria who could heal Naaman’s leprosy.

Naaman went to see the king of Aram and told him what the young girl had said. The king wrote a letter to the king of Israel asking him to heal Naaman. So Naaman departed for Israel, taking with him 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing as payment for his healing.

Elisha’s Instructions

When Naaman arrived in Israel, he went to see Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger telling Naaman, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” But Naaman became angry, thinking that Elisha would at least come out and perform an elaborate ritual.

And he initially refused to wash in the Jordan River, which he thought was inferior to the rivers of Damascus.

However, Naaman’s servants reasoned with him, saying: “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

So Naaman went down to the Jordan and dipped himself in it seven times, according to Elisha’s instructions. Miraculously, his leprosy was completely healed, and his flesh became soft like that of a child.

Cleansing in the Jordan River

Naaman’s cleansing in the Jordan River illustrates several spiritual truths:

• God can use the faith of even a young slave girl to reveal His power.
• Pride and earthly status mean nothing to God. Naaman had to humble himself and obey Elisha’s simple instructions.
• God’s power is not limited by geography or location. The Jordan River held no special properties, but God used it as He directed.
• Healing and cleansing come through faith and obedience, not elaborate rituals or payment.

Most importantly, Naaman’s story foreshadows the cleansing from sin that Jesus Christ would later provide to all people through faith, regardless of background or earthly status. Just as Naaman’s flesh became new, all who turn to Christ are spiritually reborn and renewed.

Revealing the Plans of the Arameans

The King of Aram’s Plot

The king of Aram was plotting against Israel during the time of Elisha. He was frustrated because the prophet Elisha would reveal his plans to the king of Israel, and the Israelites would be prepared for their attacks.

The king of Aram thought there must be a traitor among his officers who was leaking information to Elisha. However, his officers assured him that Elisha had supernatural knowledge and was receiving revelations from God about their secret plans.

Elisha’s Prophecies

On several occasions, Elisha supernaturally revealed the plans of the king of Aram to the king of Israel. For example, he told the king of Israel not to pass by a certain place because the Arameans were hiding there waiting to ambush him (2 Kings 6:8-10).

Another time, Elisha prophesied to the king of Israel the exact locations where the Arameans would set up their camp, allowing the Israelites to avoid them or counterattack (2 Kings 6:11-14). Elisha was clearly operating under divine revelations that allowed him to foil the plans of the enemy.

Defeat of the Arameans

After having his plans revealed multiple times, the king of Aram surrounded the city of Dothan where Elisha was staying, hoping to capture or kill the prophet. However, Elisha prayed that God would blind the Aramean army, which God did.

Elisha then led the blind army to Samaria where the king of Israel could have annihilated them. However, Elisha instructed the king to feed them and send them back to Aram in peace. After this humbling experience, the Bible records that the Arameans stopped raiding Israel’s territory for a while (2 Kings 6:18-23).

Elisha’s supernatural revelations and acts of mercy were a powerful demonstration of God’s authority and protection over Israel.

Conclusion

In conclusion, God provided Elisha with the power to perform many signs and wonders that clearly established him as God’s appointed prophet after Elijah. By miraculously parting the Jordan, purifying Jericho’s waters, filling valleys with water, multiplying oil, raising the dead, healing leprosy, and revealing enemy plans, God left no doubt that He had chosen Elisha and spoke through him.

These dramatic displays of divine power confirmed that Elisha was the Lord’s representative, so the people would listen to his message. Even today, Elisha’s miracles testify to the authority of God’s prophets.