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Note: This blog post is part of a series titled "The Work of Elisha." To view all parts, click the link below.
The work of Elisha is divided into two “portions.” The first portion essentially is the Elijah portion, and the second is the double portion that goes beyond the Elijah ministry. As we have already stated, Elisha received the double portion of the Elijah ministry (2 Kings 2:9).
The Double Portion
So Elijah performed eight miracles as prophetic signs; Elisha performed sixteen.
Elijah’s eight miracles are as follows:
1. Shutting heaven (1 Kings 17:1)
2. Oil multiplied (1 Kings 17:14)
3. The widow’s son raised (1 Kings 17:22, 23)
4. Fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:38)
5. Rain (1 Kings 18:45)
6. Fire on the 50 arresting soldiers (2 Kings 1:10)
7. Fire on another 50 soldiers (2 Kings 1:12)
8. The Jordan parted (2 Kings 2:8)
Elisha’s sixteen miracles are as follows:
1. The Jordan parted (2 Kings 2:14)
2. The waters healed at Jericho (2 Kings 2:21)
3. Bears from the woods (2 Kings 2:24)
4. Water for the kings (2 Kings 3:20)
5. Oil for the widow (2 Kings 4:1-4)
6. The gift of a son (2 Kings 4:16, 17)
7. Raising from the dead (2 Kings 4:34, 35)
8. Healing the poisoned food in the cauldron (2 Kings 4:41)
(Double portion:)
9. Bread multiplied (2 Kings 4:43)
10. Naaman the leper healed (2 Kings 5:14)
11. Gehazi smitten with leprosy (2 Kings 5:27)
12. Iron axe head swims (2 Kings 6:6)
13. Sight to the blind (2 Kings 6:17)
14. Smiting with blindness (2 Kings 6:18)
15. Restoring sight to the blind (2 Kings 6:20)
(Elisha dies and is buried. The final miracle happens after he dies.)
16. Resurrection (2 Kings 13:21)
The first portion of Elisha can be viewed as the “Elijah” portion, so the first eight miracles are preparatory to the second portion. In my experience, the first portion was fulfilled from April 9, 2009 until July 15, 2010. We then entered an unexpected transition before starting the second portion. Having never walked through this prophetic pattern, we were surprised by this, yet God gave confirming signs along the way which showed us that all was well and that we had not strayed from the path.
Meaning and Modern Application
It seemed clear from the beginning that, insofar as it applied to our own ministry, the two phases of Elisha were to be fulfilled in two phases as well. The first phase was preparatory for a world-wide ministry yet to come. The ninth sign had to do with funding and opening doors to this greater ministry. In 2020, with the lockdowns and travel restrictions, it became clear that the ninth sign was also about removing the obstacles that governments were imposing on travel.
The tenth sign, that of the Syrian leper being healed of leprosy, relates directly to our own ministry. Our logo pictures the two doves that are necessary to heal lepers (Leviticus 14:4). These doves are prophetic pictures of the two comings of Christ.
It reveals the purpose of each dove as well. The first dove was to be killed, even as Jesus came the first time to die on the cross. The second dove was released in the open field (Leviticus 14:7), which is to be interpreted in light of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13:38, “the field is the world.” That second dove was to be dipped in the blood of the first dove and then released into the world. So we find that in Christ’s second appearance in the world, “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood” (Revelation 19:13).
So as this sign applies to us, it is apparent that means launching the ministry beyond our borders into the world-wide outreach. Naaman was a Syrian, and his healing brought the ministry of Elisha beyond the borders of Israel. In fact, Naaman even brought back to Syria “two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord” (2 Kings 5:17).
He refused to worship on land that had been dedicated to the false god, Rimmon (2 Kings 5:18).
Our logo, depicting the law of healing leprosy, was designed in 1999, ten years before the start of the work of the house of Elisha. God prepared us years in advance without our direct knowledge of how this would fit into the divine plan. We may chafe at Him for withholding the revelation of the future, but when He does such things, He establishes the fact that this is His plan and that it is being done according to His timing. We are shown what we need to know at the right time, because every revelation has its appointed time, and it is not wise to try to peer into things before they are ready—and before we are ready.
Note: This blog post is part of a series titled "The Work of Elisha." To view all parts, click the link below.
Dr. Stephen Jones has been writing blog posts since 2005 on a variety of topics from Bible Studies to World News, and he has been writing books since 1992. Dr. Jones' most important writings came after God brought him back into the full-time ministry in 1991. It is here that all his earlier years of searching the Scriptures began to come into clear focus. He combines a knowledge of the Old and New Testaments with a personal revelation of God that began and developed during the "wilderness" period of his life, which he often refers to as God's True Bible College... Read More
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