Elisha, A Type of Christ

We saw Elisha's predecessor, Elijah, as a foreshadowing of Christ in the last issue of Grace and Truth. Let us now turn to Elisha for a few moments and view him as a foreshadowing of our Lord. Elisha was in many respects a type of our blessed Lord. In his peaceful, mild and gentle character, in his healing virtue, he resembles more than any other prophet the Messsiah of whom all prophets were more or less shadows and figures.

Elisha, whose name signifies "God is Savior," went down in Jordan, coming forth on the resurrection side, and began his work from this place. Elijah departed from Horeb and "found Elisha the son of Shaphat, . . . and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him" (I Kings 19:19). And Elisha took Elijah's mantle which fell from him as he ascended into heaven, and smote the waters of the Jordan which parted hither and thither, and Elisha passed over (II Kings 2:14). From here Elisha went forth in his work and "the Spirit of Elijah rested upon him" (II Kings 2:15). Elisha went down into Jordan, which signifies judgment, and came forth on the other side. So Christ went down into Jordan. "Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan" (Mark 1:9). And here we have the setting forth in his baptism what actually took place later on the cross, "All of God's waves and billows rolling over Him:' The water set forth the judgment which overwhelmed Him on the cross. And from here Christ went forth on His mission among the people.

Elisha healed the leper, Naaman. Naaman was certain of death for he was a leper. But he was directed to God's prophet, Elisha, by the maid of Israel. He came to the prophet and was healed of his leprosy (II Kings 5:10-15). "There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet: and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian" (Luke 4: 27) God used Elisha in restoring Naaman to life. So Christ healed many lepers. "The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed" (Matt. 11:5). "And as He entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers" (Luke 17:11-19), and they were cleansed. Leprosy is a type of sin. so here we have Christ cleansing them. Christ cleanses the sinners from sin through faith in Him.

Elisha restored life to the dead. The son of the Shunammite "fell on a day, saying unto his father, my head, my head." The lad was taken to the house and died soon after (II Kings 4:18-21). The mother hastened at once to the prophet and besought him to restore the child. "And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead .... He went in therefore and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes." The mother came in then and found her son alive (II Kings 4:32-37), and took him and went out. Christ, too, restored life to the dead. We see Him raising the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-16). And again Jairus' daughter is raised (Luke 8:49-56). But how much greater is Christ than was Elisha, for He not only restored to physical life, but also gave spiritual life. Christ healed for eternity. "You hath He quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). "And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). "The spirit and the bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift" (II Cor. 9: 15).

Elisha fed the famishing multitude. An hundred men were before him and "twenty loaves of barley and full ears of corn in the husks thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. And his servitor said, What, should set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, they shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord" (II Kings 4:42-44). Christ fed the famishing multitude. He fed the five thousand and had left from five loaves and two fishes. He asked His disciples, "When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven" (Mark 8:19, 20). In each case there was food left over.

Elisha had an unfaithful and covetous servant. Naaman had offered great sums to Elisha when he was cleansed of leprosy, but he refused to take it. "But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought; but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him and take somewhat of him" (II Kings 5:20). And when he had overtaken Naaman, he said Elisha had sent him. He was most unfaithful. Christ had an unfaithful and covetous servant. "Judas Iscariot went unt6 the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him" (Matt. 26:1416). Judas was the traitor. He was "a devil from the beginning." How he loved this paltry silver! Many a man today loves the same worthless stuff, and chooses eternal death rather than accept God's gift to them, eternal life (Rom. 6:23).

Elisha pronounced judgment upon this unfaithful Gehazi. Hear the fearful words: "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow" (II Kings 5:27). Christ pronounced judgment upon the traitorous Iscariot. Hear his words falling like blots of lightening: "The son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him: but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed! Good were it for that man if he had never been born" (Mark 14:21). Those fearful words, "Good were it for that man if he had never been born!" His malignant unbelief! Better not to have been born! The only time the Saviour spoke these words. Fearful judgment!!

The sin of unbelief is the sin that damns (John 3:18). "Flee from the wrath to come." Accept Christ and be saved (Acts 16:31), and live gloriously for Him.