Who was Elisha in the Bible?

The one chosen to take the place of the prophet is not found among the great men of the earth. God is no respecter of persons, and in choosing His servants God is not restricted to the great and noble... at times He pours contempt on all our pride by taking up a man from the humblest walks of life to perform the highest spiritual service. He can use a little servant girl to bless a great man; He can take a lad from the sheepfolds to be the leader of His people Israel... Thus it comes to pass, in the days of Elijah, He calls a simple farmer from following the plough to be the prophet of his age.

Elisha was thus supplementary to Elijah. The contrast between the two was remarkable. The one terrible in his bearing, the other gracious; the one lived a hard, stripped-down life, the other was homely and open to all. Elijah's miracles were marked by judgment; those of Elisha, with one exception, were marked by mercy. The very way each is introduced to us strikes us by its contrast: the Tishbite bursts onto the scene abruptly, like a bolt from the blue (1 Kings 17:1); the son of Shaphat is seen peacefully ploughing a field (1 Kings 19:19).

The meaning of the name Elisha is "God the Saviour," and, in keeping with his name, he was used, above all prophets in Old Testament days, to set out the sovereign grace and mercy of God to a guilty people... Thus, the utter ruin of God's people being clear, God falls back on His own sovereignty and raises up a man who, independent of the sacred and divinely appointed temple, and the official and divinely appointed priesthood, goes through the land of the apostate ten tribes performing miracles of mercy, and giving out the grace of God to all who have faith to take it.

Not a double portion as compared with Elijah's, but a double portion as compared with any other as a successor of Elijah. A double portion was the firstborn's portion. He asked for this, for the firstborn's portion.

"Then," said Elisha, in effect, "when I cannot have you, let me represent you." It is a wonderful thing to think of: "Let a double portion of your spirit be on me" — meaning not simply double in the ordinary sense of quantity, but as if he had said, "The desire of my heart is that when you are removed you may still be here in me."

He brings mercy to the guilty but walks apart from their guilt. He enriches others with the blessings of heaven, though content to remain a poor man on earth. As another has so truly said, "It was for others he used his resources and strength in God. He was rich, but not for himself. Thus — he meets the inconveniences of nature; — without a purse he relieves the poor; — without a supply train he feeds armies; — the deadly thing he makes harmless; — without bread he gives food to a crowd, and gathers up the leftovers; — without medicine he heals disease; — without armies or soldiers, he defeats enemies; — in famine he supplies a nation; — though dead he communicates life."

Elisha goes also beyond the borders of Israel in giving out the blessing of which he is the instrument; and, when the king of Israel is troubled at Naaman's coming, Elisha heals the leprosy of this Gentile, who is brought to acknowledge Jehovah, the God of Israel, as the only true God. The Lord Jesus points out the sovereign grace of God on this occasion, which, overstepping the narrow limits of Israel, and owning no longer their rights, acts towards the Gentiles in the way of election.

The faith of the king falls short of the resources of God. The king struck three times and stopped. Had his faith been simpler, would he not have emptied his quiver of arrows? There was power at his disposal to bring about complete deliverance from the enemy; there was neither faith nor spiritual discernment to use it.

This joyful resurrection of the nation seems to be pictured in the incident which closes Elisha's history. "So Elisha died, and they buried him... And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet" (2 Kings 13:20-21).