2 Kings 13:25

REFLECTIONS

I PASS over every other consideration, which the perusal of this chapter affords, to take the larger, and more attentive review of the dying moments of the man of God, Elisha. No doubt the recollection of the wicked reign of Jehoahaz and Joash; the infinite clemency of a most gracious God, notwithstanding showed to such impious monarchs and their people, and the deliverances wrought out for them by the Lord; no doubt these contemplations would open a large door for improvement. And indeed, I pray the Reader not wholly to pass them by. May the Holy Ghost sanctify them to the soul both of Writer and Reader. But I pass the more quickly over those things, to take a more deliberate view of the dying prophet, which this chapter records. And as with this chapter, the life and ministry of Elisha terminates, methinks I would gather up, from the fragments of a life so illustrious, and so highly honored, somewhat to contemplate to the honor of the saint, and yet infinitely more, to gather therefrom in reference to the Saviour.

And shall I, blessed Spirit of all truth, shall I humbly venture to ask, while lying low in the dust before thee, is there not somewhat in thy servant the prophet Elisha, which forms a resemblance, however imperfect and far short of the original, to the person, character, and offices of our Lord Jesus Christ? Didst thou, blessed Spirit, graciously design that thy church should be led to such a contemplation! Look then, my soul, while waiting the Holy Ghost's teaching, look to Elisha, and see whether he was not intended to shadow forth somewhat of Jesus, in his life and ministry!

A double portion of the Spirit was promised Elisha at the river Jordan, when entering on his prophetical office, on the departure of Elijah. And was it not at the same river the Holy Ghost descended on the Person of the Lord Jesus, at his entrance on his ministry, when the Spirit was given to him without measure? Did Elisha divide the waters hither and thither with the mantle of Elijah, in testimony that the Lord God of Elijah was with him: and are not the waters of death, and the depths of destruction dried up, and a passage made through Jordan for Christ's ransomed to pass over, by his robe of righteousness, which forms the justifying covering and mantle of all his people before the Lord Jehovah forever? Did Elisha work miracles; heal the waters, and cure the barren ground by the cruse of salt: and hath not our Jesus healed all the springs of bitterness in us and our corrupt nature, and by the salt of grace, and the covenant blessings, his precious and finished redemption work hath wrought in us, and for us; hath he not brought in such everlasting healing to the nations, that henceforth, Jehovah himself hath said, and confirmed it with an oath, There shall be no more dearth, or barren land, for in Christ Jesus his people shall be saved with an everlasting righteousness, and shall be neither ashamed nor confounded, world without end! Did Elisha multiply the pot of oil, raise the Shunammite's son; restore the poisoned food to wholesomeness; feed an hundred men with twenty loaves; cure Naaman, the Syrian, of his leprosy in mercy, and fasten it on Gehazi in punishment: and did he those great deeds in the name of the Lord? Yes! all these and many more, in confirmation of his commission, in whose name he acted; and, like another Moses, was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. But as for thee, thou blessed Jesus, thou, as a Son over thine own house, and as the Lord and Sovereign of Elisha, to whom he, and all that went before, and all that followed, ministered to thy coming; thou hast indeed in an endless perpetuity of miracles, not only during the days of thy flesh upon earth, but now in the everlasting possession and exercise of thy glory in heaven, still carrying on the same gracious and blessed designs in the accomplishment of thy redemption. The widow's oil which the prophet multiplied, might indeed shadow forth the oil of grace, which thou art dispensing, by thy Spirit, upon all thy people; but oh! how weak a representation of the fulness, by which thou art forever supplying the impoverished state of the insolvent, and the wretched. Elisha, by thy command, did raise the Shunammite's dead son. But thou, blessed Jesus, art raising millions of dead sinners to a new and spiritual life, which are by nature dead in trespasses and sins. Elisha to manifest the power and grace of the God in whose name he acted, might be permitted to convert the poisoned broth into wholesome food. But thou, Almighty Jesus, in thine own power, and by thine own sovereign mercy, hast converted the very poison of sin into streams of salvation: by death thou hast destroyed him that had the power of death, that is the devil; and hast delivered them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage. Hail! holy, blessed, precious, Lord Jesus! Lamb of God who hath all power in heaven and in earth. Not one or two only of widowed women, leprous Syrians, or famished men hath thy grace and mercy been manifested to by the ministry of thy servants, but millions of souls and bodies of thy redeemed, amidst all their poverty, leprosy, and famished state of endless ruin, but for thy gracious interposition, hast thou restored to life, and health, and joy, and liberty. Men shall be blessed in thee, and all nations shall call thee blessed. Here let me bow down before thee thou Lord God of the prophets, Elisha's God and Saviour, in whom, and through whom, and for whom, all his ministry was exercised. And in the view of his life, and indeed of all thy servants who shadowed forth thy coming, may this one gracious truth be fully brought home to the soul, and made blessed both to him that writes, and him that reads, that to him, even to Jesus, gave all the prophets witness, that through thy name, dearest Lord Jesus, whosoever believeth in thee, shall receive remission of sins.