2 Kings 2-3 Elijah and Elisha, Chariot of Fire and Return to God's Ministry

PPKD Lession 8: Elijah and Elisha 2 Kings 2-3 What would happen if God reacted to our grave mistakes and shortcomings the way we wish every sin and evil in the world would be immediately eradicated as soon as they happen? We would be in ignorance of many important truths. We would not know the character of His grace. We never know how truly detestable and horrific sin was and why God cared so much about sin's hold of our lives. We could never appreciate what Jesus came to do to atone for and save us from our sins. And finally, then... because we could not know the great cost of grace, we could not begin to sense His great love for us. Today we’re looking at Elijah, his magnificent departure from this world, and Elisha’s call to fill Elijah’s position as the prophet to the king of Israel. Having prophets in the kingdom was a gift, they were a living demonstration of God’s grace on the northern kingdom that was constantly going after foreign idols and false gods. The prophets did not have to live in the northern kingdom rules by these terrible, vain-glorious kings, they could have easily moved to Judah, the southern kingdom to live a more comfortable life under king Jehoshaphat where there was the comfortable and easy routines of true worship at the Temple and among the Levites. But they stayed where the need was great because of God’s ministry of grace to a lost and dying people. You may wonder why you are in the place you are at, when things are hard and people are against you or your trust in and devotion to God's Word. But the places of ministry is among those in need, not in places of our own comfort. We will look at the ways these dedicated "stealth" prophets and ministers of God’s work in today's study. Out-tro: Dear to the Heart of the Savior (hymn)