Heart Prep:
As Elijah’s days on Earth came to an end, God appointed Elisha as a new prophet to His people. Through Elisha and his ministry, God displayed miracles and spoke wisdom and truth to His people. The miracles not only showed His power over His creation, but also His care and provision for people. Elijah and Elisha were both special prophets, performing miracles and being messengers of God’s truth. But there is One greater than Elisha and Elijah. Jesus not only performed miracles and taught with authority; He is also the true Light of the world who saves people from sin. Help boys and girls understand that when we follow Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit who empowers us to be more like Jesus and shine like lights in the world, proclaiming to all that He is the one true God.
Message:
Elijah was a powerful prophet to Israel, but God had a plan for another man to be a prophet after Elijah. That man’s name was Elisha (ih LIGH shuh). Elijah went on a journey, and Elisha refused to leave his side. When they came to the Jordan River, Elijah rolled up his robe and struck the water. The river parted, and they crossed on dry ground. Elisha asked Elijah if he could receive twice as much of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah replied, “If you see me taken away from you, then you will have it.” As they continued walking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire separated the two men, and Elijah was taken up into heaven in the whirlwind. Elisha picked up the robe Elijah left behind and walked back to the Jordan River. He struck the water, and it parted. Elisha crossed over. Everyone who saw it said that the spirit of Elijah had rested on Elisha. From that moment on, Elisha performed many miracles. In the city of Jericho, the water was not good to drink or water plants. Elisha asked for a bowl of salt and threw some into the spring. The water was healed! Another day, a widow cried out to Elisha, saying “My husband has died, and now I don’t have enough money to pay the people I owe. I will lose everything if I can’t pay them.” Elisha told her to borrow lots of empty containers from all her neighbors and pour into them a small jar of oil she had. The oil kept pouring out until all the containers were filled. She could sell the oil and pay back her debts. When Elisha would pass through the town of Shunem, a woman who lived there would invite him to eat some food and rest. One day, as he was heading toward her town, the woman rushed out to him to tell him that her only son had died. When Elisha arrived at the house, he prayed and laid down on top of the boy’s body. Then Elisha got up and bent over the boy. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes! On another occasion, a commander of the Aramean army, Namaan, had a skin disease. He heard from a servant girl that there was a prophet in Samaria who could heal him. He sent word to Elisha, who replied with these instructions: “Go wash seven times in the Jordan River and your skin will be clean.” Namaan followed these instructions, and his skin was clear of the disease. Namaan said, “I know there’s no God in the whole world except in Israel.” Elisha performed all these miracles and more as the prophet of God!
Main Point:
Elisha spoke the truth of God and performed miracles. Jesus taught with the authority of God and performed miracles as well. Elisha was a prophet, but Jesus is the Son of God, our Savior.
Discussion:
How did Elisha’s miracles show that God is the one true God?
Discuss how Elisha had no power on his own. God called Elisha to be a prophet, and He gave Elisha power to perform miracles. Each miracle showed that God has power over life and death and that He cares for people. Jesus’ miracles also showed the He has power over life and death and cares for people. (Read Deuteronomy 32:39.)
How did these miracles show that God cares for people?
Remind kids that each miracle performed by Elisha was done to help people. Elisha made the bad water good so the people of Jericho could drink. He helped the woman pay off her debts by multiplying the oil. He raised a boy to life. He healed diseases. God’s words and power were displayed through Elisha, showing God cares for people. (Read Isaiah 46:4.)
How does Elisha point us to Jesus?
Tell kids that Elisha’s ministry was like a shadow of what Jesus would come to do. Like Elisha, Jesus performed miracles. Jesus is the perfect Prophet because He is the Word of God and shows us what God is like. Jesus showed His love for people by laying down His life to save them from sin. (Read Hebrews 1:1-3.)
