26 WATER, RIDICULE AND HUMILITY

Elisha had, in this respect, a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, that he was used in more miracles than Elijah. Some count them in number just double. Two at Bethel are recorded—a miracle of mercy in the water supply for Jericho and a miracle of judgment on the ridiculers of Elisha, and then the background story behind another great miracle in the victory over Mesa, king of Moab.

2 Kings 2: 19-22 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” 20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Water for Jericho. In the dry country of Jericho, water is an important thing. Elisha is used by God to bring a blessing on the waters of Jericho which effectively made them drinkable. Jericho was built in disobedience to a command, in defiance to a threat, and at the expense of the lives of the oldest and youngest of it builder. 1 Samuel 16:34, “In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.” Even so, when it was built, it was not ordered to be demolished again, nor were God’s prophets or people forbidden to dwell in it. Within those walls that were rebuilt in disobedience, we see a drama with its water supply. Here the wealth of a sinner, Hiel of Bethel,  provided a habitation for the just. In Luke 19:1 many years later, we find Jesus called Zaccheaus at Jericho, “Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.” This is where Elisha came, confirming the story of Elijah’s departure with a more detailed account of Elijah’s translation than their spies, who saw at a distance, could give them.

Elisha stayed here while the fifty men were searching for him and while he was there, the men of Jericho presented a local problem to him as verse 19 says, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” Just like you, God’s faithful prophets love to be busy. It is wisdom to make use of them during the brief time their light is with us. We do not know why they had not requested Elijah to help regarding this matter, perhaps because he was not as approachable as Elisha seemed to be, or maybe because the problem had only recently developed. At any rate, we may hope, by the influence of the divinity-school in their city, led earlier by Elijah and now by Elisha, that they were more inclined to seek God’s prophet.

The situation of the city among the hills of southern Israel east of Jerusalem was pleasant and afforded a good prospect, but they had neither wholesome water to drink nor fruitful soil to yield them food. These factors minimized the other benefits of the land. Water is a common but great blessing so we can appreciate the greatness of their problem. It is possible that not all the ground around Jericho was barren and had bad water, but just one part only, and that part is where the sons of the prophets had their lodgings. They are called the men of the city. Elisha soon, we assume through prayer, obtained God’s solution and solved the problem. Prophets should attempt to make every place they come to, some way or other, the better for them, attempting to sweeten bitter spirits, and to make barren souls fruitful, by the due application of the word of God, but not only in that way. John Calvin, I understand, designed the sewage system for Geneva, Switzerland where he lived. How might you benefit your community?

Elisha will heal their waters, but first they must give him salt in a new bowl. If salt had actually been the means to heal the water, what could just one bowl of it do and why specify that the bowl should be new? But either God or Elisha decided that those who would be helped must by their actions be a part of the solution possibly so as to exercise their faith and test their obedience. God’s miracles are performed, not by any operations of ours, but He nevertheless gives us opportunities to contribute our action also. The city of Jericho is not far from the Salt Sea where there is plenty of salt still. Even today it is sold commercially by a company named “Salt of the Earth” and makes use of the Salt Sea which is 34% salt as well as the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The men of Jericho in Elisha’s day would have had to get it and bring it up the large hill to Jericho. Make the tree good and the fruit will be good. Put salt in the spring and the water will become useful. Purify the heart and that will cleanse the hands.

Elisha did not pretend to do this by his own power, but in God’s name. Verse 21 says, “Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” By doing them this kindness in the name of the Lord the observers would probably be made more willing after this to receive from him any reproof, admonition, or command also given in the name of the Lord. If, in God’s name, he can help them, in God’s name let him teach and guide them. The cure lasted to the day this record was written. Perhaps this is symbolic of God’s work in the human soul. When He, by His Spirit, heals a soul, there shall be no more death or barrenness; the property is permanently changed; what was useless and offensive becomes useful and a blessing to others.

1 Kings 2:23-25 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

Second,  Protection of Elisha. At Bethel there was another school of prophets. Here is a record of a curse placed on a group of young men there. It destroyed them and saved Elisha from immediate danger, but don’t you suppose that others heard about it and gave respect to God’s prophet so that, in fact, God’s man was protected much longer than just at the immediate time of this miracle? Bethel is the scene of another miracle as Elisha went there next, in this first trip making the rounds since Elijah had been taken away. The students there no doubt welcomed Elisha with all possible respect, but the townsmen were abusive to him. You may recall that one of Jeroboam’s calves was at Bethel and perhaps they were proud and fond of this and hated anyone who spoke against that idol. It is possible that it was the usual practice of the people of Bethel to jeer the prophets as they went along the streets, to call them by a nickname to demean the worship of Jehovah by ridiculing His prophets.

The youth in this story would have been simply a reflection, sample or representation of their local culture. This may not have been the first time in Bethel this kind of offense was committed against a prophet of the true God. That may be why this miracle of protection for God’s prophet was so severe. Had the abuse done to Elisha been the first offense of that kind, it is probable that it would not have been so severely punished. 2 Chronicles 36:16 tells of another time in Israel’s history when God was forced to be severe in a judgment like this. It says, “But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.” The youth (a more accurate translation than “boys”) of Elisha’s day came out of the city, not with hosannas as they should have shouted but with their scoffs. They gathered around him and mocked him, as if he were a fool, one fit to make sport with or one to insult. Personally, I do not think it is anything negative to have a bald head. Look at mine! But the youth used it to mock Elisha.

It is a wicked thing to insult a person for any natural deformities or imperfections in their body. It is adding affliction to the afflicted. God made them the way they are and an insult given to anyone God created is an insult to the God who made them. But having a bald head scarcely deserved to be called a blemish. It would never have been mentioned as a cause for making fun of him if they had had any real cause to ridicule him. It was really his character as a prophet that they intended to ridicule. The honor with which God had crowned him should have been sufficient to cover his bald head and protect him from their scoffs. These youth spoke as they were led to think. They had learned from their idolatrous parents to call foul names and give bad language to God’s prophets. These young cocks crowed as the old ones had. Their parents may even have sent them out on the errand in an effort to keep that prophet of God out of Bethel where they had their own lenient and permissive golden calf that allowed them to live like they wanted. Elisha endured their taunts, a good while with patience, but at last the fire of holy zeal for God was kindled in his chest by the continued provocation. Verse 24 says. “He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.”

He cursed them and announced their judgment. He only said the words. What God did was God’s doing. Elisha spoke not in personal revenge for the indignity done to himself, but as the mouth of divine justice to punish the dishonor done to God. His summons was immediately obeyed. Two she-bears came out of a nearby forest, and mauled, possibly killed or at least severely injured, forty-two of them. The prophet must be justified, for he did it by divine impulse. Had the curse come from a wrong reason, God would not have approved and sent the bears. Elisha knew, by the Spirit, the bad character of these youth. He knew what a generation of vipers they were, and what mischievous enemies they would be to God’s prophets if they would live to be men, who began so early to be abusive to them. He may or may not have intended by this to punish the parents and to warn the people of Bethel but even if Elisha did not think of that, it is easy to see that God made that happen. God must be glorified as a righteous God, that hates sin, and will deal with for it.

Let the hideous shrieks of this wicked group make our bodies tremble for fear of God. Let youth and adults be afraid of speaking wicked words, for God notices what they say. Let them not mock any for their defects in mind or body, but pity them rather; especially let them know that it is at their peril if they jeer God’s people or ministers, and scoff at any for the good things they do. Let parents, who want to rejoice in their children, train them up well, and do their best to drive out the foolishness that is bound up in their hearts. It is foolish for parents to expect good behavior from children they have neglected. And it is equally silly to blame anyone else for the grief which our better parenting skills might have prevented.

Elisha comes to Bethel and does not fear the revenge of the bereaved parents. The same God who told him to do what he did protected him. Does this story make it right for Christian leaders to curse enemies? No! So Elisha moves on to Mount Carmel, possibly more quiet and restful there and then on to Samaria where this father of the prophets might be most useful in the capitol city. Who can be a beneficial man or woman of God if he or she cannot function in private places like Jericho, as well as public places like Bethel, Carmel or Samaria, either never alone or always alone? We need to know how to be alone, but also how to be with people.

2 Kings 3:1-12 Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. 4 Now Mesha king of Moab raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 “By what route shall we attack?” he asked. “Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered. 9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them. 10 “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?” 11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

Third, Now let’s learn from the background of the story of a great miracle on the battlefield—Israel, Judah and Edom against Moab. Jehoram (or Joram), (they are both the same person), the son of Ahab, and brother of Ahaziah, is now on the throne of Israel. Though he was a bad man, yet two commendable things are recorded of him. (1) He removed his fathers idols and (2) did what he could to recover his brother’s losses.

A. Jehoram removed his father’s idols. He did evil in many things, but not like his father Ahab or his mother Jezebel had done. Bad he was, but not so extremely bad. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:17 - 18, “Do not be overwicked . . . . Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.” Perhaps Jehoshaphat, the almost righteous king of Judah at that time, though by his alliance with the house of Ahab made his own family worse, did also tend towards making Ahab’s house better. Jehoram saw his father (Ahab) and brother (Ahaziah) judged and eliminated by God for worshipping Baal, and wisely took warning, observing God’s judgments on them. He put away the sacred stone of Baal, resolving to worship the God of Israel only, and consult none but His prophets.

That was good, but it did not prevent the destruction of Ahab’s family. Jehoram’s small reformation at least paved the way for Jehoshaphat to become a part of a confederacy with Israel. It was well for Jehoram to reform his family, but it was not enough; he ought to have used his power for the reforming of his kingdom. Anyone does not truly, or acceptably, repent or reform, who only parts with the sins that they lose by, but continue their affection for the sins that they seem to gain by. He only put away the image of Baal, he did not break it in pieces, as he ought to have done. He laid it aside for the present, not knowing but he might have need for it another time.

B. Jehoram did what he could to recover his brother’s losses in taxes from Moab, a nation David had conquered and from which they received annual taxes. As he had something more of the good character of an Israelite than his father, Ahab, and he had something more of the spirit of a king than his brother, Ahaziah whom we learned about in an earlier lesson involving one of the last acts of Elijah before he was taken up. Moab rebelled against Israel, immediately on the death of Ahab, but we do not see that Ahaziah made any attempt to chastise or reduce them, but weakly or lazily released his control over them, rather than accept the responsibility of maintaining his rule over them. He was unwilling to do the work or run the risks of a war with them. His weakness meant that 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams was no longer coming into the treasury of Israel each year. The riches of kings then existed more in cattle than coin. Taxes were paid not so much in money as in commodities. The revolt of Moab was a great loss to Israel, yet Ahaziah had sat still in ease when a fall from an upper chamber into a lattice was used by God to put that son of Ahab aside in death in favor of Jehoram who did a little better.

Jehoram has no sooner received the sceptre in one hand than he also takes the sword in his other hand, to reduce Moab. Jehoram prepared for war against Moab and takes in Judah and Edom as his allies. Verses 5 -7 say, “5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” Jehoram now had Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah as a partner. He took two pieces of advice from Jehoshaphat, who had more wisdom and experience than himself. The first was which way they should make their approach to the country of Moab. So, following Jehoshaphat’s advice they went the longer way through Edom and picked up a third ally, the king of Edom. Then before they even saw the face of an enemy, they were all in danger of perishing for lack of water. When they realized this they once again consulted with Jehoshapht who wanted to know if there were not a prophet of the true God they might consult.

It was well that Jehoshaphat enquired of the Lord now, but it would have been much better if he had done it sooner, before he engaged in this war. Good men are sometimes remiss and forgetful, and neglect their duty until necessity and affliction drive them to it. What is more cheap and common than water? It is drink to every beast of the field. Yet the lack of it will soon humble and ruin kings and armies. When they asked for a prophet, Elisha is introduced. And what were the Elisha’s credentials? “He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” That is to say, he was Elijah’s servant, and particularly attended him when he washed his hands. He that will be great, let him learn to minister. He that will rise high, let him begin low. The three armies needed water and they are drawn to the man who had poured water on the hands of Elijah. Elisha was a successful prophet and he began by serving! That is a good lesson to learn about prophets.