Today’s passage: 2 Kings 13:1-25
Helpful thoughts:
- The name of the “savior” or “deliverer” is not given in verse 5. What Israel needed to know was that their Lord was to be their true deliverer.
- Joash and Jehoash refer to the same king. And, there was a Joash reigning as king in Israel and in Judah at the same time.
- Israel’s king Joash was the grandson of Jehu, who had eliminated the line of Ahab.
- Israel’s king Joash walked in the ways of Jereboam, the first king of Israel, and then named his son Jereboam as well.
- When the man touched Elisha’s bones and resurrected, it was a sign to Israel that the promises and prophecies of God through Elisha were still as valid as when Elisha was alive.
- They saw Elisha as their father and their defense, or at least he was the personification of it. But again, the Lord was their savior, not Elisha.
Questions to consider:
- What would allow a people to believe they are trusting in the Lord and loving his prophet while at the same time, worshiping against God’s will and sharing their worship with other gods? How does that happen? What is needed to bring repentance?
- When were the times when Israel cried out to God (Just like they did during the period of the judges)? Why would the king have been scared to see Elisha die…just before it was the time of year for wars?
- The church is given to us for fellowship and mutual edification. We grow together as a community. But, who do we gather to worship? Who is our King? Who is our Savior? Who will make our church victorious?