One Greater than Elisha

Like Jesus, Elisha goes from place to place meeting the needs of people. He does miracles, similar to those of Jesus, but not as great. He provides for a poor widow by causing her vessels to be filled with oil through the power of God. The implication is that if the woman had the faith to gather vessels with twice as much capacity as she did, she would have had them all filled. So often we receive little from God because we expect little. William Carey, the pioneer missionary, said, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”

Elisha raises a person from the dead. It is recorded that Jesus raised three people from the dead. Elisha feeds one hundred men with twelve loaves of barley and some fresh ears of grain. Jesus feeds many more people with only a few loaves of bread and a few fish.

At first Naaman is too proud to use the means he is instructed to use, but he humbles himself and is cured. Elisha had been Elijah’s servant and took his place as a prophet. Perhaps Elisha’s servant would have, in turn, taken his place were it not for his foolish greed. The blessing of God comes upon those humble enough to obey Him and depend upon Him.