December 3 | 2 Kings 1:5-8; 2:1-14
- Pamela Mann
- Dec 3, 2024
- 3 min read
DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Extraordinary God
By Pam Mann
Malachi 4:5 says: “I will send you Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.”
Then, in Luke 1:17, the angel declares that John the Baptist “will go in the spirit and power of Elijah.” In Matthew 11:14, Jesus says of John the Baptist, “He is Elijah who is to come.”
Now, in Advent as we ponder John the Baptist’s wilderness plea to prepare the way of the Lord, let’s ponder this 2 Kings passage to see how God worked in the prophet Elijah.
Don’t you love how God sends Elijah to stop King Ahaziah’s messengers in their tracks? They’re on their way to seek the counsel of a false god when the living God Almighty dwells in Israel! When the chided messengers return to the king, how does Ahaziah figure out who this bold prophet of Yahweh is? By his signature fashion look of haircloth with leather girdle. No surprise that John the Baptist also opts for the same wild wilderness look when he preaches along the Jordan. Likewise, no surprise that John the Baptist in his own day does not back away from confronting royals who defy God. John the Baptist is definitely a guy going “in the spirit and power of Elijah.”
As we continue in 2 Kings 2, we read what a tough time Elisha has as prophet groups in Bethel and in Jericho warn him that God is soon taking Elijah up into heaven. How mightily God has used Elijah throughout the prophet’s life! Elisha knows that the end has come for Elijah’s work, but who wants that? Elisha refuses to leave Elijah’s side. He sees Elijah roll up his cloak and strike the Jordan River so that the water parts. He sees the chariot and horses of fire that take Elijah up in a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha tears his own clothes in his grief and then picks up Elijah’s dropped mantle from the ground. This is the sign of the spirit and power that God gave to Elijah. When grieving Elisha touches it to the surface of the Jordan River, that very garment parts the water. Elisha had asked, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elisha?” Clearly, the Lord God is with Elisha. Elisha has lost his dear mentor, his father in the faith. But Elisha is not alone. Nor are we alone.
The living God Almighty is our God. We do not have a cloak. We have the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:2)
PRAYER
Lord God Almighty, our heavenly Father, we are thankful for the faithful work of Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. It’s likely they were ordinary guys with an extraordinary God, as are we. Thank you for being God with us. Be our extraordinary God. Use our ordinary ears, our ordinary mouths, and our ordinary hands. Be Lord of our ordinary lives. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PAM MANN
I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.
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