2Ki 13:18-19 | KingComments | STEP | Suddenly we meet Elisha again here. The last thing we have heard of him was related to the anointing of Jehu ( ), almost forty-five years before this moment. All this time he had lived in secret. Elisha was now an old man and his end was approaching. He was sick and about to die of that illness. By the way, we see here that the claim that a believer should not be ill is a lie. God can use a disease as a means in His hand, to take a believer to Himself. He did that here with Elisha. There is no trace that he was sick because of a sin or something like that. It is simply mentioned that he was sick because of the illness of which he would die. Before he died, a few remarkable things happened that were also characteristic of his whole life. His end was as remarkable as the beginning and the whole course of his history. We read that the LORD told Elijah of Elisha that he would kill him who escapes the sword of Jehu ( ). This was going to happen here, by the hand of Jehoash. Jehoash came to visit Elisha. A young king came to an old, dying prophet. In a way, this can be compared to the combination of the young Elisha and the departing Elijah. Jehoash also used the words Elisha speaks when Elijah was taken from him ( ; ). Jehoash thus said the same as Elisha said about Elijah, that in this one man the whole power of Israel was concentrated and that the whole power was to be taken from Israel when Elisha died. The latter was not the case with Elijah, because Elisha followed him while his spirit rested on him. But if Elisha died, there would be no successor to continue in his power. With Elisha, God’s power was present. Wicked Jehoash was well aware of that. He used the same words as Elisha, but he did not have the same faith. That is clear from what followed. He was tested whether he wanted to have the spiritual power of Elisha, as Elisha had wanted from Elijah and had also received it. The test consisted of the way he handled a bow and arrows. Jehoash had to get them for Elisha. When he had put his hand on the bow by order of Elisha, Elisha put his hands on Jehoash’s hands. This action shows that Jehoash was the instrument to break the power of Hazael, but he had to understand that his power lay in the power of Elisha. Of course, this was not physical strength, but the spiritual strength of this man of God. By Elisha placing his hands on the hands of Joash, what the LORD has said about them is fulfilled ( ). Jehoash was then instructed to open the window to the east. The east speaks of a new day, of new hope. Through that open window Jehoash had to shoot an arrow. The order to do so sounded with force from the mouth of the weak, dying prophet. Elisha declared that this arrow was “the LORD’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram”. In this arrow the power of the LORD was present. Elisha added: “For you will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you have destroyed [them].” If he expected it from God’s power, he would bring about the deliverance of the enemy, Syria. From everything Elisha said, it became clear that all actions had a symbolic meaning. After the education came the test to see if he had understood. Elisha told him to take the arrows in his hand and strike the ground. Jehoash did what Elisha said. From what he did it becomes clear that he had understood something about it, but that the essential message had passed him by. He should have empathized with this symbol (cf. ) of victory. Then he would have struck many times. But he only struck three times. As a result, he was not able to completely destroy the enemy. If we have little faith, little will come about. Just like Jehoash, we often lack the energy of faith that God will do a great work. We often remain passive. Jehoash received what he believed. He struck three times, and would achieve three victories ( ).

‏ 2 Kings 13:18-19

Jehoash Visits the Sick Elisha

Suddenly we meet Elisha again here. The last thing we have heard of him was related to the anointing of Jehu (2Kgs 9:1-4), almost forty-five years before this moment. All this time he had lived in secret. Elisha was now an old man and his end was approaching. He was sick and about to die of that illness.

By the way, we see here that the claim that a believer should not be ill is a lie. God can use a disease as a means in His hand, to take a believer to Himself. He did that here with Elisha. There is no trace that he was sick because of a sin or something like that. It is simply mentioned that he was sick because of the illness of which he would die.

Before he died, a few remarkable things happened that were also characteristic of his whole life. His end was as remarkable as the beginning and the whole course of his history. We read that the LORD told Elijah of Elisha that he would kill him who escapes the sword of Jehu (1Kgs 19:17). This was going to happen here, by the hand of Jehoash.

Jehoash came to visit Elisha. A young king came to an old, dying prophet. In a way, this can be compared to the combination of the young Elisha and the departing Elijah. Jehoash also used the words Elisha speaks when Elijah was taken from him (2Kgs 13:14; 2Kgs 2:12). Jehoash thus said the same as Elisha said about Elijah, that in this one man the whole power of Israel was concentrated and that the whole power was to be taken from Israel when Elisha died. The latter was not the case with Elijah, because Elisha followed him while his spirit rested on him. But if Elisha died, there would be no successor to continue in his power.

With Elisha, God’s power was present. Wicked Jehoash was well aware of that. He used the same words as Elisha, but he did not have the same faith. That is clear from what followed. He was tested whether he wanted to have the spiritual power of Elisha, as Elisha had wanted from Elijah and had also received it.

The test consisted of the way he handled a bow and arrows. Jehoash had to get them for Elisha. When he had put his hand on the bow by order of Elisha, Elisha put his hands on Jehoash’s hands. This action shows that Jehoash was the instrument to break the power of Hazael, but he had to understand that his power lay in the power of Elisha. Of course, this was not physical strength, but the spiritual strength of this man of God. By Elisha placing his hands on the hands of Joash, what the LORD has said about them is fulfilled (1Kgs 19:17).

Jehoash was then instructed to open the window to the east. The east speaks of a new day, of new hope. Through that open window Jehoash had to shoot an arrow. The order to do so sounded with force from the mouth of the weak, dying prophet. Elisha declared that this arrow was “the LORD’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram”. In this arrow the power of the LORD was present. Elisha added: “For you will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you have destroyed [them].” If he expected it from God’s power, he would bring about the deliverance of the enemy, Syria. From everything Elisha said, it became clear that all actions had a symbolic meaning.

After the education came the test to see if he had understood. Elisha told him to take the arrows in his hand and strike the ground. Jehoash did what Elisha said. From what he did it becomes clear that he had understood something about it, but that the essential message had passed him by. He should have empathized with this symbol (cf. 1Kgs 22:11) of victory. Then he would have struck many times. But he only struck three times. As a result, he was not able to completely destroy the enemy.

If we have little faith, little will come about. Just like Jehoash, we often lack the energy of faith that God will do a great work. We often remain passive. Jehoash received what he believed. He struck three times, and would achieve three victories (2Kgs 13:25).