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  • Whatever happened with…?

    Two children in plaid shirts gaze into the distance outdoors

    Whatever happened with…?

    Sometimes, we will think about someone from our childhood or an actor you haven’t seen in a while, and wonder “whatever happened with them?” There are a few people in the Bible that seem to disappear from the scene, then reappear later; we can learn from their experiences.

    Elisha

    In the book of 1 Kings in the Old Testament, we see the prophet Elijah. He was an incredible man of God, used in very powerful ways. God told him to anoint a man named Elisha to be his successor. Elisha became his servant, always with him, helping him in any way he could. At the same time, Elisha was learning how to be a true man of God.
    After Elijah was taken up into heaven (2Ki.2:11), Elisha became the main prophet in Israel. He had asked for, and apparently did receive, a double portion of Elijah’s anointing.
    After Elijah was gone, Elisha had a servant by the name of Gehazi.

    Gehazi

    We first meet Gehazi in 2 Kings 4:12, where he is helping Elisha thank a Shunammite woman for her hospitality. The woman said that she did not need anything, but Gehazi suggested to Elisha that she did not have a son, and her husband was old. At this time, it was very hard for a single woman or widow to make a living, because most jobs were hard, manual labor. A son would be able to take care of her in her old age. Elisha told the woman that she would have a son by that time next year, which she did.

    2 Kings 4:13-14 (NASB)

    13 He said to him, “Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army? ” And she answered, “I live among my own people.”
    14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.”

    Years later, the son died, and Gehazi was there, assisting, when Elisha raised the son from the dead. Gehazi was observing, ministering, and learning, just like Elisha had ministered to Elijah. Maybe Gehazi was picturing himself in that position.
    At some later point, we see Gehazi again, still ministering to Elisha.

    Naaman

    The nation of Israel at this time had been unfaithful to God, so He allowed the nation of Aram (Syria) to be used to discipline Israel. The captain of Aram’s army was a man named Naaman, who also happened to have leprosy. This was a horrible disease in that day. It had no cure, would continue to spread, and made the leper an outcast, because no one wanted to catch it from him.
    Naaman heard about the prophet Elisha, so he took a large amount of money and treasures with him to meet Elisha and ask for healing of his leprosy.

    2 Kings 5:9 (NASB)

    9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha.

    Naaman was a very important person, and he came to Elisha, prepared to show him just how important he was. Elisha, though, was not impressed by worldly possessions and strength.

    Jordan River

    2 Kings 5:10-11 (NASB)

    10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”
    11 But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.

    Naaman was insulted. Didn’t Elisha, a lowly (in that day) Jew, realize how important he was? Didn’t Elisha care that Naaman could make him very rich? Eventually, Naaman’s servants convinced him to humble himself just a little and do what the prophet said. Naaman did that, and he was healed, and convinced that Elisha’s God was the only true god. He went back to Elisha, prepared to give him all the treasures that he had brought with him – ten talents of silver (about 750-100 pounds), six thousand shekels of gold (about 40 pounds of gold), and 10 changes of clothes. Keep in mind clothes were also very valuable, because they were all hand made, including the fabric and even the thread.
    Elisha, however, was not impressed. He knew the power and provision of God.

    Jordan River

    2 Kings 5:15-16 (NASB)

    15 When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.”
    16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

    God wanted Elisha to depend on him, not riches from an ungodly king. Elisha was not being rude, just obeying God. Gehazi, however, saw all of these riches that they could have. He might have even reasoned that his master, Elisha, seemed to only be getting by, and there were times that Elisha, Gehazi, and the schools of the prophets barely had food to eat. Besides, Gehazi thought, this was a pagan. It’s only right that he should pay for the blessings of God.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
    21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?”

    Now, Gehazi goes from lusting after the treasures to lying.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    22 He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes. “
    23 Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
    24 When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.

    God wanted Naaman to know that His blessings were not for sale. He is looking for righteous people, not those who could buy their own “blessings.”
    It’s amazing how we sometimes think, consciously or unconsciously, that we can hide our sins from God.

    2 Kings 5:20-21 (NASB)

    25 But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.”
    26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?
    27 “Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

    Gehazi not only lost his position serving Elisha, he also lost the approval and respect of all of the prophets and everyone else that he knew. Because he was now a leper, he also became an outcast from society. He thought that he would improve his standing in the world, but he totally destroyed it.
    Whatever happened to Gehazi?

    Gehazi Later

    2 Kings 8:4-5 (NASB)

    4 Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done.”
    5 As he was relating to the king how he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”

    Gehazi was now reliving some of his “glory days” when he was serving the man of God. Instead of being a man of God, he was remembering how he once served a man of God.
    What great plans did God have for Gehazi? What could he have been? If only he had remained faithful and focused on God, his calling, and his ministry to Elisha, his life would have been far different.

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  • No Job Too Small

    No Job Too Small

    No Job Too Small

    We have all seen this expression. It could be in an ad or on the side of a truck: “No job too big or too small.” This is showing that this person is ready to do whatever you need done; they just want to work.

    Obadiah

    Obadiah 1:1a (NASB)

    The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom

    In the Old Testament, there is a short book – only one chapter – written by a prophet named Obadiah. It has a very simple message of God’s deliverance of His people and judgment on those who were hurting them.
    We know nothing about this prophet. We don’t know where he lived. We don’t know when he lived. We don’t know if he was rich or poor, whether he was married, whether he had children. We do know that he had a message from God and He was faithful to deliver it.

    Obadiah’s Purpose

    Some people might question why Obadiah had to write this book. We have many other prophets who told almost exactly the same message. Why did we need one more? There is no way for us to know exactly what was happening at that time and why they needed this particular man to be sent to them. We do know that God had a purpose and a plan for Obadiah and His people.
    We also know that we can receive encouragement from this book even today. God always takes care of His people. In the end, the righteous and unrighteous will be judged justly.

    Business Efficiency

    In business, the way to make money is to minimize your expenses and maximize your income. To some extent, every business has to do this, so that they will have money to pay rent, pay their employees, etc. If all they care about is making money (and that should not be all they care about), they will focus on what makes them the most money.
    Suppose a business had a customer who comes in once every year or two and buys something for $3.00, and it costs the company $2.00 to make it. That business only makes $1.00 every year or two from this customer.
    Then, suppose that the same business had a customer who came in every day and bought another item for $300.00, and it only costs the company $20.00 to make it. The business makes $280.00 every time this customer comes in.
    Which customer do you think will get more attention? The business will probably also ask the $300.00 customer if they have any friends who would like to come in. The business might even tell the $3.00 client that they don’t want them to come in anymore; they only want to focus on the rich people.

    God’s Economy

    God does not operate that way. He already owns everything. What is valuable to God is usually different than what most people consider valuable.

    Jesus had many people following Him. Everywhere He went, many people came to hear Him and see Him heal people and cast out demons. People were coming from all over Israel, and even other countries.

    Matthew 4:23-25 (NASB)

    23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
    24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.
    25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

    The Individual

    Jesus always focused on reaching people, whether in crowds or just one person. He cared nothing about fame and fortune. He wanted to reach people who were hurting, people who were suffering, people that society did not consider valuable, much like our $3.00 customer earlier.

    John 4:3-6 (NASB)

    3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.
    4 And He had to pass through Samaria.
    5 So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;
    6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

    Judea was in the southern part of Israel, and Galilee was in the north. Samaria was in between. There was a lot of hatred and racism between the Jews and the Samaritans. “Righteous” Jews, when they had to travel between the northern and southern regions, would usually go around Samaria, so they could avoid becoming “unclean” by being around the Samaritans.
    In verse 4, we see that Jesus “had to pass through Samaria.” He knew that someone was there who needed Him, and He wanted to reach her. He “had to pass through Samaria” to reach her.
    Jesus and His disciples came to this town, Sychar, in Samaria, around noon (the sixth hour). He was hot and thirsty.

    Breaking Barriers

    John 4:7-9 (NASB)

    7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
    8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
    9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

    In that day, there was no indoor plumbing, except maybe for the king and very rich people. Usually, the women would go early in the morning (when it was cooler) to the town’s well, so they could get water for the day. This woman came in the hottest part of the day, so she was probably an outcast in that town.
    Jews would typically not even speak with Samaritans, because they felt that they were “unclean.” In addition, Jewish men would not want to speak alone with a woman, especially a Samaritan woman, because someone might think they were being immoral.
    Jesus did not care about the traditions or prejudices of people. He wanted everyone to experience true, abundant life – the life that only He can give.

    Living Water

    John 4:10-12 (NASB)

    10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
    11 She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?
    12 “You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”

    Jesus now tells her about a supernatural, eternal gift that He has, waiting right in front of her. All she has to do is ask Him, and He will give it to her. This is just like today – Jesus is right here, waiting to give each one of us a new, abundant life. All we have to do is ask Him.
    She still thinks that He is talking about natural water, because the term “living water” was commonly used to refer to water that moved, like with a spring. At the same time, she is seeing that there seems to be something different about this man.

    Never-ending Water

    John 4:13-14 (NASB)

    13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;
    14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

    What Jesus had to offer was better than a never-ending, artesian well. He came to give her new life.
    Jesus told her about her five husbands, and the man that she was currently living with. He told her that there is a better way to live and worship. The way that she had been taught to believe was wrong. He was there to show her a better way. He was there, because He was the better way. He was the Messiah, the Savior of the world, sitting right in front of her.

    Eternal Life

    John 4:39-42 (NASB)

    39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”
    40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
    41 Many more believed because of His word;
    42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

    Jesus brought eternal life to a town that probably never would have heard His message otherwise.
    Even though he had places to be, He took two days to be with these people and give them everlasting, abundant life.
    Even though He was tired and thirsty, He still took time to speak with this woman.
    Even though society said that He shouldn’t talk or associate with her or any of the other Samaritans, He did not care. He wanted them to have new life, and be with Him forever.

    John the Baptist

    John the Baptist came just before Jesus did. Let’s look at his life a little.

    Luke 7:28 (NASB)

    28 “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

    Jesus had some very high praise for John, as did the average Jewish person. People heard John’s message and knew that they needed to change.

    Matthew 3:1-6 (NASB)

    1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
    2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
    3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT! “
    4 Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
    5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;
    6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

    Ministry

    The Old Testament prophets prophesied about John. He also had an angel announce his miraculous birth. As he ministered, though, some people did not like how he was preaching righteousness and living a godly life. This included the king and his wife, who were living in adultery. Up until this point, it looked like John was having a major impact. People were turning away from their sins and turning to God, but not everyone.

    Mark 6:17-20 (NASB)

    17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her.
    18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
    19 Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so;
    20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him.

    Herodias and her daughter plotted to kill John, in spite of the king’s wishes, which they were able to do. John was only thirty years old, just starting his ministry as a priest and a prophet, then he was thrown in prison and killed by evil people.

    John’s entire ministry only lasted about six months.

    A Wasted Life?

    We see this tragedy and think what a waste this was. Why would God allow this? How much more could John had done, if only he had not been tragically murdered. What was his purpose?
    When we are first introduced to John the Baptist, we see him pointing out who Jesus was.

    John 1:29-36 (NASB)

    29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
    30 “This is He on behalf of whom I said, After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.
    31 “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
    32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.
    33 “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.
    34 “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
    35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,
    36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

    John had to come and prepare the way, then baptize Jesus, then testify that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. His ministry, as short as it was, had to occur before Jesus could come!

    Your Purpose

    It can be tempting sometimes to wonder why we were put here on this earth. Why did God create me? What is my purpose? Why does it seem that everyone else is used by God, except for me?
    God has a purpose and a plan for each one of us. Just because our purpose doesn’t seem like something big to us doesn’t mean it’s not important. Just because other people resist you or try to stop you does not change the fact that you are created in the image of God – created to do great things, even if they are “small” things.

    Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)

    10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

    Rejoice in God that He cares and has a purpose for you, even if you or anyone else can’t see it right now.

    More

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