Title: OT Lesson 33 The Ministry of Elisha, Jonah and Amos

Text: 2 Kings chapters 8 – 13; Books of Jonah and Amos

Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapters 16-17

BYU Lecture 38: As we open the 8th chapter of 2 Kings, the author reverts back to a previous time period. Gehazi (the servant of Elisha when Naaman was cleansed of leprosy) was telling King Ben-Hadad II, king of Syria, the many miracles performed by the prophet Elisha. At the time, King Ben-Hadad II was suffering from a disease and sent his servant Hazael to ask Elisha if he will recover. Elisha says the king will not die from the disease but he will die nonetheless, knowing that Hazael will murder the king and take his place as the new king of Syria.

Elisha faithfully serves God through six different kings of Israel. He endured 65 years of horrific wickedness, conspiracies, wars, murders, military coups and all manner of evil.

Next is the study of the prophet Jonah and his calling to Ninevah. He flees his assignment and is intercepted by a whale. He finishes his mission call, and the Assyrians actually repent, albeit temporarily.

Amos comes on the scene prophesying and preaching repentance to all Israel. He prophecies that Israel will be conquered and taken into slavery beyond Damascus. His prophecy was literally fulfilled 3 decades later when Assyria smashed Israel in 721 BC driving the 10 tribes into obscurity and lost.

Text: 2 Kings chapters 3 - 7

Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapter 15

BYU Lecture 37: Barely had Elisha returned from witnessing the translation of Elijah when the people of Jericho asked him to purify their water supply. In the name of the Lord, Elisha performs this miracle and purifies the water by symbolically sprinkling it with salt.

As Elisha left Jericho, he was set upon by a mob of rebellious youth mocking him and mocking the translation of the prophet Elijah in derision. In the name of the Lord, Elisha turned back and called two bears out of the wild and “tare 42 of them.” We are not told of any fatalities.

Elisha continues in his ministry, performing many miracles, providing counsel to kings and interceding in wars. On one occasion, the king of Syria was frustrated with Elisha because his plans were constantly thwarted by this prophet. Sending an army to capture or kill Elisha, the prophet’s servant was frightened at their large number. Elisha opened his servant’s eyes so symbolically, he could see that the Lord’s strength was with them. Elisha went out to the Syrian army, confused their minds and led them helplessly into Israel’s stronghold in Samaria. Rather than kill the Syrian army prisoners, Elisha directed them to eat in peace and go home.

Among his many miracles, in addition to those already mentioned, Elisha:

• Raised the dead
• Cured and caused leprosy
• Neutralized toxic poison
• Healed a barren woman
• Raised a heavy axe head from the river bottom
• Increased the supply of oil
• Cured and caused blindness
• Fed 100 men with only 20 small loaves

Notice the similarity of these miracles to those accomplished by the Savior about 850 years later.

Text: 1 Kings chapters 20 - 22; 2 Kings chapters 1 - 2

Supplemental Text: The Fourth Thousand Years chapter 14

BYU Lecture 36: Elijah returns to Trans-Jordan after meeting the Lord at Mt. Sinai. Here, he finds Elisha plowing his field. Elijah gives Elisha his mantel, demonstrating to Elisha his calling as the next prophet. Elisha accepts his calling and follows after Elijah in his final days.

Meanwhile, King Ahab had defied the Lord again. He had allowed the wicked king of Syria to live after being commanded by the prophet to slay him. In addition, murder was committed in order to obtain the coveted vineyard of his neighbor. Elijah finds King Ahab and tells him that both the king and the queen will die because of their wickedness, and dogs will lap up their blood; their posterity shall also be destroyed.

In the next war against Syria, King Ahab was killed in his chariot, and upon washing out the chariot his blood poured out upon the ground where the dogs licked it up.

The Lord reveals to Elijah that it’s time for him to come home (translated). He travels with Elisha to visit his brethren of the church before going. As they cross the Jordan River, Elijah strikes the water with his robe, and the waters divide and they cross on dry land. Fifty of the brethren watch from a distance. Elisha made one request of Elijah which was to have twice the spiritual power as Elijah. He gave Elisha his robe and said if God grants this request you will be able to divide the river as I did upon your return. When out of sight of the fifty brethren, Elisha watched in amazement as a chariot of fire appeared and took Elijah across the veil. On his return trip to the brethren, Elisha struck the water with Elijah's robe, and the waters did indeed divide.

Over 800 years later, on the Mount of Transfiguration, this translated prophet Elijah will bestow the priesthood keys to Peter, James and John, and then as a resurrected being, the sealing keys bestowed to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1836.