Retracing his footsteps, Elisha again crossed the Jordan on dry land (2 Kings 2:14).
Facing the setting sun, he could see the city of Jericho just up the hill. I suspect that the young prophet mused about Joshua’s crossing, an event that occurred about six-hundred years earlier, and a story that had been told and retold a zillion times. When the nation crossed the miraculously-opened river (Joshua 3:15-16), they saw Jericho, the great fortified city, and considered how God would defeat such an enemy.
As Elisha crossed, he must have seen the rebuilt Jericho as a welcoming city, a place where he likely planned to spend the night.
Indeed, the city was beautiful. Nicknamed the “city of palms” (Deuteronomy 34:3), Jericho was a thousand feet below sea level and enjoyed an almost-tropical climate. From the city, its citizens could see the Dead Sea to the southeast and the lush Jordan River drainage to the east and northeast.
There was just one problem. Water. Arriving at Jericho, “the men of the city said to Elisha, ‘My lord can see that even though the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful’ ” (2 Kings 2:19).
Elisha could have said, “too bad! So sad!” But, sensing God’s leading, the young prophet said, “ ‘Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.’ After they had brought him one, Elisha went out to the spring, threw salt in it, and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I have healed this water” ’ ” (2 Kings 2:20-21). Immediately the spring was transformed, and from then on, the water that flowed from the city’s spring was abundant, sweet, and refreshingly delicious.
Interesting, isn’t it! Elijah’s ministry had begun in Ahab’s court with the pronouncement of God’s harsh judgments (1 Kings 17:1-3). For the first three years of Elijah’s ministry, the land experienced draught and devastation.
Conversely, Elisha’s ministry started with a demonstration of God’s miraculous mercy and remarkable grace.
I’m so glad that God is just, righteous, and always right in His judgments and still loving, gracious, and merciful!
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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