Elijah & Elisha: Daring Dudes in Dark Days
How Safe and Secure are You?
2 Kings 2:19-25
Christian Security questions - Do you believe God can still look after his mission/his people? Does God need favourable political leadership? Do you need to fight for Christian credibility?
We had hoped that turning the page in our bibles from first to second Kings would turn over a new leaf—in fact Ahaziah doubles down on his allegiance to the lessor gods of human invention.
Is God going to wear down, give in, give up, give us up, give up on us? Should we start re-strategizing for religious success? If our country openly opposes the gospel and defies the living God can the gospel survive? Does God need favourable conditions politically to succeed? OF COURSE NOT! Why are we leaning more toward our own strength, placing trust more often on what we have, wringing our hands in anticipation of the next election? Why am I? DOES CALVARY RISE OR FALL BASED ON GOVERNING AUTHORITIES, physical circumstances? DO YOU? Did the early church give any attention to Roman politics? (exercise your franchise, but don’t by exercised by it)
“I WILL build MY Church and the gates of Hell (in any form, with any force) shall NOT prevail.”
HOW SECURE IS THE MISSION—THE PEOPLE CONNECTED TO IT?
Kings come and go and E/E keep on truckin!
WHEN POLITICAL, PHYSICAL, OR SOCIAL FORCES SEEK TO THREATEN AND INTIMIDATE GOD’S SPOKESMEN...God has stuff!!
2 Kings - “of kings and God—By whose authority (power, security) will you live and can you trust YOUR choice?
BY WHOSE AUTHORITY?
“Go up” (1:3)
“Come down!” (1:9,11)—pressure mounts from unauthorized authority (Who are you listening to? What are you listening to?)
“Go Down” (1:15)
BY WHOSE POWER? – “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit!” (2:9)
The miracle of the Jordan is intended to answer the question concerning Elisha’s cred...
E/E are intentionally directed by the Lord to be the second Moses and second Joshua (second cluster of miracles of three (Jesus/apostles)
- Mt. Sinai
- Mt. Nebo opposite Jericho (Deut 34:1f) ; mysterious death/ translation to heaven
- Crossing the Jordan, prominent Gilgal, Bethel
To call people back to covenantal faithfulness...to confront false teaching/false believing/false practices
Elijah is on his victory lap to connect with the seminaries he has founded, check in with the guys, introduce his replacement (Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho) God chooses and empowers his leaders for times of social/political threat against his people.
BY WHOSE SECURITY?
The mission was placed in jeopardy—
(the obstacle of an unwholesome political dynasty)
The obstacle of unwholesome water (physical-Jericho)
First beachhead from the exodus for the establishment of Yahweh-worship (Jos.6)
Reversing the curse? (cf. Ex. 15:22-26)
—Healing is possible through faith in God (2:20)
Called to be salt, to reverse bad and unproductive settings.
The obstacle of unwholesome rebels (socio-religious-Bethel)
The “House of God” (Gen. 28:10-12)
That Golden Calf! (1 Kgs. 12:28-33)
Dramatic warnings-
1 Kgs 13:11-32— The miracle of the devouring lion. God’s people must distinguish between true and false prophecy—what IS right and what sounds right but ISN’T. Rejecting God’s word.
2 Kgs 2:23-24— The miracle of the two bears. God’s people mocking Him by chasing after the idols of foreign gods. Like these boys, Israel is in danger of facing two bears—Assyria—722BC; Babylon—586BC Unless things change the curses for disobedience will be imposed (Deut. 28:15-66; Heb. 12:4-11)
WHAT MUST WE DO with political, physical, social intimidation and threats?
Entrust ourselves to the authority, power, and security of the LORD, GOD through giving ourselves to the work Christ has given us...
The Church - Prophetic word versus Prophetic role
The prophetic word is complete in Christ and as He has spoken through His holy apostles (Heb. 1:1; Eph.3:5)—the authority of the church may extend to influencing physical/political change, but her primary authority is directed at “loosing and binding”—who’s in and who’s out (Matt. 16:19)—building the Body, not the country.
The prophetic role of the church is the “constant uncompromising advocacy of the teachings of Christ.” (Luz; Matthew, p.365)—in word and deed.
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