All Roads Lead To Jesus - 2 Kings

2 KINGS – JESUS IS THE MOST POWERFUL PROPHET

We all have our role models. It’s kind of devastating when those role models fail us. We realize that they, like us, are indeed human. We sometimes turn Biblical narratives into moral tales and we turn the lead characters into role models. But even the best of the role models aren’t recorded in the Bible for us to imitate in every way. They are not there for us to find our hope. They are there to point us to our true hope which is Christ Jesus.

Out of all of the Christ-types in the Old Testament, Elisha is probably one of the most obvious if not the most obvious one. His ministry closely resembles the ministry of Christ. And yet, Elisha still died and the Kingdom to which he ministered to was ultimately exiled into captivity.

Things weren’t looking up for Israel in the time of 2 Kings. The northern part of Israel was in steady decline and ultimately was crushed by the powerful Assyrian army. Things weren’t much better in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The kings of 2 Kings attempted reforms and religious revival but the heart of Israel continued to darken to God’s Covenant. By the end of 2 Kings, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was headed into exile by the Babylonian Empire.

During this time, a prophet named Elisha inherited the ministry of Elijah. Elisha was a great prophet who performed many miracles. He raised the dead to life. He healed persons of leprosy. He was able to miraculously provide food for many people. He demonstrated many great signs and wonders which authenticated his ministry before the people of Israel. But eventually, Elisha died, and the remained of Israel was exiled into Babylon.

As great as Elisha was, Jesus was still the more powerful and better prophet. Jesus performed miracles in much the same way as Elisha. Like Elisha, these miracles authenticated the message of the miracle-worker. But Jesus’ message was much more powerful than Elisha’s message. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus claimed to be God. Jesus claimed to be equal with God.

The Gospels reveal that people were amazed wherever Jesus preached. No one taught with the kind of authority that Jesus had. No one had the command of the Scriptures that Jesus had. Jesus is the most powerful prophet that reveals God’s Word perfectly to God’s people.

Another way in which Jesus is the most powerful prophet is that the kingdom Elisha preached to was eventually exiled. But the Kingdom which Jesus brought was not of this earth and it has no end. Whereas Elisha’s ministry ended with the exile of God’s people, Jesus’ ministry on earth ended with the chains of sin and death being broken, which freed all of God’s people.

Jesus has freed us from the captivity of sin and he has given us God’s perfect Word to sustain us and encourage us until we either take our last breath or Jesus Christ returns to consummate his Kingdom.