And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
After the wind, the earthquake and the fire, God does not comfort Elijah with sympathy. He sends the prophet back the way he came, with an errand that answers every word of his complaint.
Sent back to the post he left
Elijah had fled from Jezebel and left his work behind. The command to return shows that God has not finished with him.
The Christian's FriendThe Lord recommissions him for service. Having restored His servant's soul, He sends him back to his work.
Three names that answer three complaints
The order of the three appointments is not random. Each one matches something Elijah had just said about himself and about Israel.
Hamilton SmithFirst the Lord says, "Go, return on your way." The prophet must retrace his steps. Then he is to appoint other instruments to carry on the work of the Lord. Had Elijah complained of the evil of the people of God? Now it shall be his sorrowful mission to appoint Hazael king over Syria — an instrument to chastise the people of God. Had Elijah fled from before the threat of the wicked Jezebel? Then he must appoint Jehu to be king over Israel — the instrument to execute judgment upon Jezebel. Had Elijah spoken well of himself, and thought that he only remained? Then he must appoint Elisha to be prophet in his place.
A prayer against Israel, granted
Elijah had accused his own nation before God. The journey north to Damascus is the shape that answer takes.
Leslie M. GrantThe Lord did not openly rebuke Elijah, but the instructions He gave were a serious rebuke. He told Elijah to leave that place and go to the wilderness of Damascus, far to the north of where he was, and there anoint Hazael king over Syria (v.15). Why this? Because Elijah had prayed against Israel, and his prayer could be answered by Hazael's vicious cruelty against Israel!
The same writer draws the lesson plainly. Elijah "would have been wiser to intercede for Israel rather than against them!"
Judgment from outside and inside
The two kings are two different instruments. Hazael rules a foreign power; Jehu rises inside Israel.
W. W. FeredayThe judgements that Elijah seemed to feel were necessary would be carried out. The broken covenant, the altars that had been defiled, and the murdered prophets would all be avenged. The judgements would match the whirlwind, the earthquake and the fire. A ruthless destroyer from outside and a fierce reformer within would be let loose on the guilty nation.
Handing over his own office
Of the three names, the third touches Elijah himself. Notice which one he carries out first.
H. L. RossierHe returns by the way by which he had come (v. 15). He finds Elisha the son of Shaphat and casts his mantle on him — the mark of identification as a prophet. If he had stuck to the bare letter of God's word, he would have had to begin by anointing Hazael and Jehu (vv. 15, 16). Instead he hurries to do the act that would reduce himself to nothing. He, the great prophet, hands his authority to another. So the man who had said, "I, even I only, am left," shows that from now on he is nothing in his own eyes.
Yet losing the office was not losing God's favour. One writer sets grace and government side by side:
A. J. PollockGrace would strengthen the prophet. Government accepted the resignation that Elijah handed in to God. The prophet had feared death at the hands of a wicked woman. Grace would take him to heaven in a whirlwind — chariot and horsemen of fire — without his dying at all. Government directed Elijah to anoint Elisha in his place.
Why Elisha came first
The account never shows Elijah anointing these two kings. One writer explains why:
H. L. RossierWhat happened was that Elijah met Elisha first, since the Lord brought him onto his path. He threw his prophet's cloak over him for the first time. In doing so he gave up his commission, so to speak, and passed it to Elisha, though his own work as a prophet was not yet over. From the moment Elisha was marked out as his successor, the other two anointings fell to him.
Summary
- Go — the first word of the answer is a direction, not a discussion. Restoration ends with the servant back at the post he abandoned.
- Granted — Elijah had prayed against Israel; Hazael is that prayer coming true. Interceding for people would have been the wiser prayer.
- Government — one judgment comes from outside Israel (Hazael), one from within (Jehu). Together they carry out what Elijah felt was needed.
- Given away — handing his office to Elisha ended Elijah's own commission. He rushed to do that one first, and reduced himself to nothing.
- Grace — the same God who accepted his resignation still took him to heaven without dying. Losing a role is not losing His favour.