In my family, we spent the last few weeks studying the life of Elisha. One of our elders in church preached about Elisha and we were attracted to the character of Elisha that we decided to study about him. We felt strongly that God has something to say to us. And indeed He has spoken a lot to us from the life of that faithful prophet of God. I do hope to share with you some of the things God revealed to us in the future.
In this piece, I intend to share with you three kinds of believer that we saw as we studied the life of Elisha. Let me say that there are more characters that featured in the story of Elisha that may make the list, but these three stood out to me.
Elisha himself represents the first type of a believer, one who fears the Lord and lives in the economy of God – having all sufficiency. As we studied his life, we saw how he feared the Lord, paid careful attention to hear and do what God was saying over every issue. He was a man who practically lived under heaven’s economy. He had all his needs met always. He fully understood how to walk in divine provision and be content at all times. He was never in debt, no he always has more than is needed. He understood 2 Cor. 8:9: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. Apostle Paul also walked in this realities: And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Cor. 9:8).
The prophet who died and left his widow and two sons is the second type of the believer, one who fears the Lord wholeheartedly and lived a godly life. However, he did not have proper understanding of the economy of God and how to live under heaven’s provision for his life. He did not know how to appropriate the economy of God and the divine provision of God for his family. He lived in debts, died in poverty and his creditor was going to take over his sons after his demise. His wife had to run to Elisha, the man who knew how to tap into the heavenly treasures of God right here on earth.
Gehazi is the third type of the believer, one who neither fears God nor understand the realities of the economy of God. He is an example of a carnal, self-blinded believer who is constantly in the danger of being swept off his feet by the waives of life and the deceitfulness of riches of this life. He is the type of believer that has not allowed God to deal with their appetite, their lust of the eyes, their lust of the flesh and the pride of life. The Bible is clear about what this type of believer must do: Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17).
