ELIJAH: YOUR REPLACEMENT

Samuel, God’s prophet, had anointed Saul as king, and then years later, he’d anointed David as Saul’s replacement. Remember when God send Samuel to the house of Jesse? Samuel obeyed. Arriving in Bethlehem, he thought the oldest son looked like a fine candidate to be king. “Nope,” God said. It wasn’t the second son, or the third… it was the eighth son, David. Young. Small. Just a shepherd boy. But God chose David, and Samuel poured oil on his head and anointed him as Israel’s next king.

That was then… Now it was Elijah’s turn.

Elijah had been having a personal pity party far from home. God instructed him to leave Mount Sinai and return to Israel. “Return to your place of duty and responsibility. There is more for you to accomplish. You’re job isn’t done!” 

God instructed Elijah to anoint and commission three men.

First, “anoint Hazael as king over Aram” (1 Kings 19:15). Aram, also known as Syria, was an enemy nation, north of Israel’s northern boundary.

Second, anoint “Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel” (1 Kings 19:16). He would replace evil Ahab.

And third, anoint “Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place” (1 Kings 19:16).

God told Elijah to go find Elisha, a younger man who would take his place. “Go find your replacement. Anoint him. Teach him. Mentor him. He’s going to become God’s ambassador to the nations.

That’s what Paul did. He poured into Timothy and then instructed Timothy to pour into others. “You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:1–2).

Our job isn’t complete until the next generation is ready to take our place!

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).