Little Known Bible Stories #6: Dem Bones

 This story is by request! :)

I guess most people know about Elisha.

In case you get them confused, Elisha was after Elijah.

Remember, Elijah is the one who was carried into heaven by a chariot of FIRE!! (II Kings 2)

Elisha learned as much as he could from Elijah before he was carried away. He asked for a double portion of the Holy Spirit that was on Elijah. God performed many miracles through Elisha. 

But, one day, even this mighty man of God got sick. His body was suffering from a sickness. King Joash, of Israel, came to visit Elisha on his death bed. Joash cried when he saw how sickly and frail the mighty man of God was. 

"Oh, my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." King Joash famously cried.

Elisha had a conversation with King Joash and not long afterward he passed away. The country mourned Elisha and buried him in a sepulcher.

Elisha's body hadn't been in the ground quite a year when trouble came upon Israel. The Moabites were on the warpath! These were people of the wilderness. Bands of Moabite men would often tear through the countryside seeking to steal, kill and destroy anything they could get their hands on.

About this time a small funeral procession carried a man out to the graveyard. They were preparing to bury him when they saw a familiar plume of dust on the horizon! They knew what that meant. A band of Moabites was headed their way! Quickly, they decided to drop him into the closest sepulcher and high tail it out of there. 

The sepulcher happened to be Elisha's.

 They lowered the body down as quickly as they could.

"A little lower... almost there." 

"I don't think the Moabites see us yet... hurry..."

" Okay, he's down..."

"Hey, guys! Don't leave me down here!" their friend's voice came out of the hole.

"WHAT??!!!"

Well, evidently, as soon as the corpse touched Elisha's bones, he revived and stood on his feet! 

2 Kings 13:21 A whole story in just one verse, but what a story! I wish I knew more.

His friends must have been in quite a state of panic. 

And the poor guy who had died... 

and then revived...

only to be told he better run for his life because the Moabites were headed their way! 

Wow!

What kind of man Elisha must have been that the power of God was still pulsing through his bones a year after his death!

Elisha's God still lives today.

The power of God is still moving and miracles are still happening.

Sometimes even great prophets die.

But, sometimes, 

                                            when we least expect it, 

                                                                                            miracles happen too!

Lord,

Help me not get so overcome by the fear surrounding me that I miss seeing your power working right under my feet! You are awesome and mighty and powerful! And, I need YOU!!

written by: Sarah Whitney