Friday, July 29, 2005

The call of Elisha

1 Kings 19:19-21

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yolk and oxen, and he himself was driving the twelvth pair. Elijah came up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by." he said "and then I will come with you."
"Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?" So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equiptment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attedant.

So this is where it all starts for young Elisha. (Beforehand God had asked Elijah to go and find Elisha and put his cloak around him).

I find it really interesting that Elijah never commanded nor asked Elisha to join him. He simply put his cloak around him. Yet Elisha felt that he needed to join him. I love Elijah's response. "What have I done to you?" as if to say, I never said that you had to follow me, go if you want to. Why ask me permission!

There is so much to learn and understand here. Why did he burn the plowing equiptment? Why not give it to his parents. Was it prophetic in a sense of putting his former life to death? I love his devotion to follow Elijah. Also I find it very interesting that Elijah never said that Elisha had to be his attendant, but that was the role that Elisha walked in. I'm not sure but I think that he would have known what Elijah was doing when he put his cloak on him. He could have been filled with pride and rose himself up, but he did the exact opposite and became his attendant.

Tomorrow we are going to read about when Elijah is taken up into heaven.

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