Bible Discussion Thread

2 Ki.8:24-29" Principle of Association"

And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith theLordGod of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of theLord, even over Israel.(2 Ki.9:6)

In vv.24-29 we are given a new king of Judah. Ahaziah reigned in his father's stead. He went with the king of Israel to war against Hazael the king of Syria whom Elisha had anointed as the king (in the place of Elijah.) While things are going from bad to worse for Ahaziah and Joram, we have Elisha entrusting the third task God had given Elijah to his associate. His is only called the young man, the prophet. He is to run over to Jehu who is at Ramothgilead and anoint him as the new king of Israel. We see the same chain in command as Jesus ordained in his time. His disciples are sent to preach and 'he who receives you receives me.'. So God's gospel is same as Gospel of Christ and we are all associates of Christ regardless of time in the same vineyard fellow-laborers. Our hire is already fixed as we have in the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. That day must end of an age and we shall collect ours when we are called up. ( Luke 10:16; Matt.10:40.)

God gives a task which is to be performed and it is exactly in God's time. In the eyes of God the time is 'now''. Elijah is merely a name as Elisha and he is on the same level as the anonymous prophet. The Spirit gives us an insight as to the manner he works with rise and fall of nations. We are seeing the kings in Israel and Judah are becoming nonentities a few kings better than others, that is all. In the Salvation plan of God, the prophets are shaping the spiritual landscape of Israel and we are seeing the rise of world empires. Syria, Assyria and Babylon are all becoming stronger so Israel does not know when disaster is going to strike them.