2/9/2024 0 Comments Bible study about elijah![]() The work is not supposed to die if the leader of the work dies. What we see from the lives of Elijah and Elisha and what we learn from other places in the Bible is the work of the Lord is never supposed to stop. It follows a pattern that we often see God always has a succession plan. The relationship between Elisha and Elijah in the Bible is one that is common in Scripture. I know sometimes we like to jump over these steps, but these are the building blocks that make you a better leader. There is nothing better as a leader than to know what those you are leading are going through. If applied properly the experience of “carrying the bag” should prepare them to be better managers because they can relate or empathize with the situations of their salespeople. When I used to work in sales, we had this term called “carrying the bag.” This simply means that managers know what it is like to be on the front line selling because they have done it before. Without being a servant, you may not relate to the experiences of those who do serve, and it can reduce your ability to lead effectively. How can you identify with people who you will lead and at times will serve you, if you have never served anyone before? Elisha chose this path of serving Elijah. If you have never served someone before then I believe you weaken your capacity as a leader. We miss the lesson of empathy – Being a servant also positions us to have more empathy. When you remain humble it is then that you are positioned for God to use you because he gives grace to the humble. If we follow the model of Christ and the example of Elisha, we will embrace the role of being a servant because it keeps you humble. ![]() When we miss this step, we can falsely believe that being a Christian is about being served, especially if you are in a leadership position. The truth of the Christian walk is that it is about serving others above serving yourself. We skip over the lesson of humility – One of the most important things we can do in life is serve someone else. When we do this there are some valuable lessons we miss because we don’t want to serve other people. We want to jump to the front of the line and be served. It seems like no one wants to serve anymore. Today this seems to be a lost art and a lost desire. ![]() Elisha kissed his father and mother goodbye for the purpose of becoming a servant. This is ironic because the very nature of Christ was that he took on the form of a servant which is what we should be doing as well. One of the things that gets lost in the culture we live in today is the principle of servanthood and simply being a servant. Important Principles from the Lives of Elijah and Elisha in the Bible In essence, he was an apprentice and would assume the mantle that Elijah left. When Elijah anointed Elisha, he decided at that point to leave his parents’ home and follow Elijah. In 1 Kings 19, God instructs Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah." - 1 Kings 19:19-20Įlisha, whose name means God is salvation, was the son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah, which was a city in ancient Palestine. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. "So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. As the meaning of his name suggests, he often during his time in Israel was constantly proving not only that Jehovah was his God but that Jehovah was the only God. Elijah was a prophet or mouthpiece for God, chosen to speak the truth to the nation of Israel and kings Ahab and Ahaziah. The heavens were shut up for three years and no rain fell on the earth. The first thing Elijah does when we are introduced to him is he pronounces judgment on Ahab and the nation of Israel. Ahab had become king and like all the previous kings of Israel, he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He is introduced to us in 1 Kings 17, almost seemingly out of nowhere. His name means Jehovah is my God, and his name matched the reality of his life. ![]() "Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, 'As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.'” - 1 Kings 17:1Įlijah was a Tishbite, from the settlers in the land of Gilead. ![]()
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