Introduction. Elisha, the
servant of Elijah, has taken up the mantle, which fell
from his master, when he was caught up by a whirlwind
into heaven, and he immediately enters his course in the
Prophetic office.
The state of Public affairs
in Israel at the time of Elisha's ministry was, as follows.
King Ahab, by the hand of God's judgement, had been slain
in a battle at Ramoth Gilead.
Ahaziah, his son and successor,
is no longer among the living, because he had sent to
inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, as if there had
been no God in Israel.
The Prophet Elijah-- had
been sent to this man with a message from Jehovah.
"Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which
you are lying but shalt surely die"
This man's unrepentant
death terminated a life, which had been spent in forgetfulness
of God. Friends, people, may forget about God, but God
will remember them and bring them to the place of Judgement.
The Crown then went to
Je-hor-an, the second son of Ahab and Jezebel, it is in
his reign that Elisha's ministry commences. The Scripture
records of him
2 Ki 3:2 and he wrought
evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father,
and like his mother:
Alarmed by the divine judgement,
which had fallen on Ahab his father and on A-haz-iah his
brother, Je-hor-am removed the worship of Baal, which
his father had set up. But he still maintained and adhered
to the golden calves in Bethel and in Dan. He also fully
restored and supported the order of "Jeroboam's Idolatrous
priests, though there were times when he did pay homage
to Jehovah
Generally speaking, there
was a disgusting Idolatry, that was mingled with every
conceivable kind of vice, which was the religion of the
day.
The whole realm was filled
with a darkness, which was engineered by the powers of
darkness. Yet, there was a rainbow on the dark cloud of
those troublesome times. It was the mission and the ministry
of Elisha, whose name means "God is Salvation"
Elisha, through his Preaching
and the miracles he wrought he would make known to Israel,
How gracious a Saviour is the God of heaven and how wonderful
and free, are the blessing of His Love, mercy and His
Grace.
We see this illustrated in the first act of Elisha's public
life, which clearly sets forth the character of his mission,
as portrayed in the "Healing of the Waters"
The Condition of the Place
19 And the men of the city
said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of
this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water
is naught, and the ground barren.
The Place where this miracle
occurred was Jericho. Jericho had been the first city
of the Canaanites to defy the children of Israel when
they entered the land of promise. This city had been closed
against them, therefore this city was pronounced accursed
by divine judgement.
(Josh 6:18) And ye, in
any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest
ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed
thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble
it.
Josh 6:26 And Joshua adjured
them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the
LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho:
Jericho was rebuilt, but
it was still the city of the curse. The water was poor
and the ground was barren. Yet this is where Elisha commences
his public ministry.
All the wealth and Wisdom in Jericho could not remove
the plague and the bitterness of the waters.
Friends, neither can the power and the wisdom of men ever
remove the plague and the bitterness of their sin.
The need of this city represents the need of our land
today, and the need of every sin polluted soul who dwells
therein.
The great need today is
for divine healing, and for the power of God to sweep
through the land bringing a wonderful change to life and
to living. The change that Jesus alone can bring, when,
He dwells in the heart by faith.
Now, it did not take the
people of Jericho very long to know that there was a Prophet
in their midst, and they brought before him the sad condition
of the place.
A. The Situation is Pleasant…
Jericho was a pleasant
location. Its external surroundings were very desirable.
At one time the soil had been very favourable to vegetation.
The fig trees and the palms trees used to flourish, and
there was an abundance of Fruit.
But this has now changed;
Jericho no longer maintained its ancient beauty and fertility,
because of the devastating effects of the curse upon it.
The Palm trees drooped dejected. The cattle were starved,
where once they had fed on green pastures.
The flocks cast out their young in the field, prematurely.
The trees shed their fruit before it was mature. People,
were afflicted with disease and with early death.
The Misery, which the people
of Jericho had to endure from these causes, must have
made them regret that Hiel, the Bethelite, had rebuilt
the city.
As far as outward privileges
were concerned the situation was pleasant, the soil had
rich possibilities!
But the water was Naught.
It was (bad, disagreeable, unpleasant, evil, giving pain)
Labour as they may, their
toil was in vain, they gained no satisfaction because
what they depended on for life was unpleasant, giving
pain and it was evil. Before they could no blessing, these
waters would have to be healed.
Surely, this situation
that is described by the men of Jericho to Elisha so long
ago would apply to our own land and to its people in the
realm of the Spiritual.
The Situation is pleasant, but the ground is barren and
the waters are evil.
There are the corrupt waters of Sin in
The Individual Life…
An unregenerate person
may live in a pleasant and beautiful situation.
They may live in favourable circumstances where the Gospel
of God's Grace is being preached. They may have great
possibilities for a full and useful fruit bearing life
for the Glory of God.
There is just one big problem.
The springs of their innermost being are corrupt and evil.
The waters are naught, for they are polluted by sin.
Every, part of man's nature is tainted with sin. From
the head to the foot there is no soundness in man. Then
we have the corrupt water currents of sin
The National Life…
Today's political parties
have often the waters of an evil stream flowing through
them. Sleaze, lies and corruption are often headline news.
It is also true, that the standing of our Politicians
is high in comparison with those in other countries.
Yet, in the light of the
teaching of God's Word, how far short they come of God's
Standards. They have passed many laws, which are contrary
to God's law. They have legalised Sodomy, and have lowered
the age of consent. They have legalised Abortion! And
have passed laws, which blatantly break the higher law
of God.
There are the corrupt waters of Sin in
The Individual Life…
The National Life…
The Social Life.
You have only to read your Newspapers, watch the T.V.
newscasts, and watch the social life in your own community.
Soon you will that the waters of Social life are rampant
with evil.
The Commercial Life…
Here we see men getting rich quickly, through dishonesty
and fraud. Great is the wealth, which has been gained
by some at the expense of others.
Then we have to be Faithful, and remind you, that the
corrupt waters of sin are to be found in
Spiritual Life… There
are spiritual fountains, which are corrupt. The waters,
which should ever be cleansing, nourishing, and refreshing
to the soul, are polluted by sin, by compromise, by coldness
in the hearts of God's people.
The Church of Christ has
become polluted, often times there is no longer a sure
Word from the Pulpit, as "thus saith the Lord"
The One who walks in the midst of the Golden candlesticks,
in the midst of the Churches says
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I
have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy
first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen,
and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come
unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out
of his place, except thou repent.
Is it any wonder that the
ground, spiritually speaking, is barren? Oh, that the
God of Elisha would move in mighty power and heal the
waters.
Then the barrenness would be removed and the fruits of
righteousness would blossom forth and bring glory to His
Name. For the Soil of man's heart is barren. He can never
produce righteousness by himself.
How then, can this foul
stream be purified?
Good works, fresh resolutions
and new laws cannot change the heart or remove the evil.
"From out of the heart flows the issues of life"
Only the Grace of God, and the Precious blood of Jesus
contain the healing virtue.
Jesus is the spring of
living water and the Gospel of His saving power is able
to heal all the polluted waters of sin, which abound today.
He still says to men & women
John 4:14 But whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in
him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Christian, never be ashamed
to stand fast for the Gospel, whether it be in the home,
shop, factory, or when you are with your friends. For
the Gospel is still the power of God unto salvation and
the fountain of healing waters to the soul.
How Blessed to be able
to say with assurance "I have cast my heavy burden
down and I am living where the healing waters flow.
The human heart must have
satisfaction, but there is only one who can satisfy the
last abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus
Christ.
The Condition of the Place
v19
The Application of the
Remedy v 20
I Ki 2:20-21 And he said,
Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought
it to him.
21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and
cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD,
I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence
any more death or barren land.
As soon as these men brought
their problem to Elisha, he acted to bring a remedy for
their problems. "Bring me a new cruse and put salt
therein"
1. - They had come for the right reason
To solve the problem of the bitter waters! No doubt, these
men had taken many measures and tried many methods, but
still the spring set forth bitter water. They were at
the end of their resources. They were ready to admit their
inability to heal the spring.
2. - They had come to the Right person
The people of Jericho turned to the right man for help.
(2:15) The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. One,
who has the Spirit of the Lord upon him, can certainly
make a difference.
Elisha was therefore requested to do something about their
problem. When was the last time the church was asked to
do anything by the world?
Christians today are often regarded as fools: fakes and
charlatans. We are rarely consulted for our views on anything
of importance, let alone the answers to the nation's ills!
To be a Christian is to be a key person in the world situation
today, but we have to make presence felt.
Illustration--Vance Havner once said, " The same
church members who will yell like Comanche Indians at
the football game on Saturday, will sit like wooden Indians
on Sunday in their place of worship."
It's not just Christians we need today; it's Christians
of the right kind! And mark it well.... the man, who is
in touch with God, will always be sought out by those
in need
Elisha was a man who could make a difference. The means
that he used was simple. A New Cruse and some Salt.
a) An Approach that was new
" Bring me a new cruse." Can you imagine the
look on the faces of these inquirers? " A new cruse....
what does he want with a new cruse? Does he think this
is the way to work a miracle? I've never heard of such
a thing! I don't see any point to it."
A new cruse would be a clean vessel, one that was free
from defilement. The Lord is still looking for the new
cruse, through which He can work His Miracles today.
The Lord is ever looking
for His people to be clean Vessels and fit for His use.
People who are Vessels of honour and channels of blessing
to a bitter and a perishing world.
Is your life a channel
of blessing is the love of God flowing through you?
b) An Antidote that was new.
" Bring me a new cruse and put salt therein."
2:20 Then into the cruse was placed some Salt.
Salt was used primarily for two purposes in the ancient
world: as a preservative, to arrest corruption, and as
an additive, to bring out the flavour in food and help
with digestion. Salt is ever the grand Purifier and Preserver.
Salt, prevents corruption. Salt is essential to life and
to health.
Back in the dark ages,
to withhold salt from a Prisoner was a very cruel way
of bringing about a slow and gradual death, in a most
loathsome form
Salt is also the best seasoning.
How unsavoury are many foods without a sprinkling of salt.
Salt in the Scripture, is the symbol of "Divine Holiness
and Grace"
This is why we hear Paul saying to the Believers
Col 4:6 Let your speech
be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer every man.
As believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ we are to exercise our influence as the salt
of the earth.
Jesus had said "You are the salt of the Earth"
We are to be as a new cruse
in His hand. A cruse that has been purified through His
blood and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, so that
we might exercise a purifying influences on this evil
and corrupt world.
Those, who profess the
Name of Christ, are the Salt of the earth, God's antidote
for corruption.
Like Elijah and Elisha-Like-- Nehemiah, Daniel, Paul,
Peter, John, we are to denounce all that is not of God.
We are to influence the Moral Conduct of men, the social
conduct of society, Family life, the Laws and the activities
of Nations.
It is not sufficient to
have a " new cruse," It must be filled with
salt: the purifying Word from God, which is relevant to
all of life's problems. It is not enough for us to be
saved; we must take the life giving salt of the word of
God and share it with others.
If Christianity, is really
the 'salt of the earth,' where is the effect of it which
Jesus spoke?"
What real effect is Christianity
having today in our nation? What effect is our Christianity
making upon our community?
Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt
of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith
shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing,
but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Could it be that as the
Salt of the Earth, we have lost our Savour, and our effectiveness
for God. Could it be that the spring of our lives has
become polluted with sin, because it has gone unchecked,
and our cruse is no longer a clean vessel?
Those, sinful waters have
left a bitterness in our soul and a barrenness in our
labour. Let the Lord heal the waters as He did of old.
He will forgive and He will purify.
Notice, where Elisha cast the salt--
2: 21 KJV) And he went
forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt
in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed
these waters; there shall not be from thence any more
death or barren land.
He did not attempt to heal
the streams; he went directly to the source he went to
the spring, to the fountain. So it ever is with the Lord,
He deals with the source of all problems, which has brought
bitterness.
On that old cross on Calvary, He cast the salt of His
Holy and sinless person-- as a sacrifice into-- the spring
of sin that man might be healed.
Isa 53:5 he was wounded
for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
Today in Grace, He says
to those who are under the curse "I have healed the
waters come unto Me and drink" Those who have received
of His Grace with Wesley can say
The Condition of the Place.
The Application of the
Remedy
The Transformation of the
Waters.
2 Ki 2:21, Thus saith the
LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from
thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were
healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha
which he spake.
Having cast the salt into
the spring, Elisha boldly declares, "Thus saith the
Lord I have healed the waters" He gives the Glory
to God to whom alone it belonged.
Obviously the salt by itself could not heal these waters,
which had been cursed neither could the new cruse. God's
power must operate, if anything is to be accomplished.
But when it's thus saith
the Lord miracles can happen.
The perfect power of God is always superior to man's greatest
Problems and obstacles.
The power, which brought
the world into being and placed the sun, moon and stars
in their appointed place. He spoke a word and a mighty
Transformation took place and the waters were healed"
All traces of former desolation and bitterness has disappeared
This was not just a temporary healing. It was a permanent
healing
I have healed these waters;
there shall not be from thence any more death or barren
land. So the waters were healed unto this day,
When God does a work of
Grace, it is not a temporary fix, its a permanent transformation
and a perfect solution to man's greatest need. He has
the perfect solution to your need whatever that need may
be.
It was God who did the
healing; Elisha was a ready instrument in His hand. This
is what the Lord wants us to be clean vessels, and salt
that has not lost its savour.
May we cast what God in
His grace has given to us, into the lives of men and women
that they might experience His Transforming power.
