Wrapping up our series, we’ll look at two seemingly different stories in 2 Kings 6; the first, a prophet loses an axe head in the Jordan River; the second reveals a large-scale geopolitical conflict. And yet, this story in the life of Elisha reminds us that God is in the middle of all of it even when the events themselves seem so distant from our day-to-day lives. God is in our midst of as the one who has compassion, is sovereign over all things, and sustains us by his grace.

This Easter Sunday, we unpack the all-encompassing effects of the resurrection of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul makes the case that Christianity and everything it entails falls apart if there is no resurrection. If Jesus hasn’t risen from the dead there is no redemption for our sins, no purpose in following Jesus, and no hope for the future. The resurrection isn’t just one brick among many in a system of belief, but instead means everything for our past, present, and future lives.

In 2 Kings 5, the washing of Naaman is one of the great baptism passages in the Bible. Naaman represents an all-too-familiar pride that must be set aside for him to see his need of God and Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, represents the similarly familiar pride of self-righteousness as he struggles to grasp God’s saving grace. These obstacles to God’s gracious work rear their heads in every generation. This story is a powerful reminder of our need of God’s cleansing mercy—a mercy wonderfully displayed in the waters of baptism.

The prophet Elisha moves from scene to scene in 2 Kings 4, bringing the kingdom of God to bear on women and men throughout Israel through miraculous works. Elisha’s ministry isn’t just about revealing the power of God; it's also reminding us of the God who sees and saves his people in distress. Amidst kingdoms that are passing away, Elisha the man of God, and ultimately Jesus the God-man, come bearing the hope and promise of a kingdom of redemption and restoration.

In 2 Kings 2, Elijah dramatically departs as the Lord ushers him away with chariots and horses of fire. The mantle is passed to Elisha, who will now take center stage. Elijah represented a ministry of judgment, often leaving Israel without God’s Word, Elisha represents a ministry of life, bringing God’s life-giving Word to bear on Israel. Elisha enters Israel a new Joshua on a mission of spiritual conquest and as Israel’s new spiritual leader, points us forward to our greater deliverer Jesus.

This week we look at the book of James where James tells us to count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds because the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. It’s through trials that God shapes us and instead of trying to escape them, we should embrace them. Trials are the soil in which hope and joy and peace are grown. It is through trials we find true joy, knowing that we have a savior, that our sins are forgiven, and that we have an inheritance in heaven.

After following the exploits of King Ahab and Elijah’s confrontational ministry, this week Ahab’s life ends. One theme emphasized in this book is whether the king and the people will hear and obey God’s Word, just as we are continually challenged; do we let ourselves be confronted by a Word outside of us or do we prefer to have our ears tickled by a word we want to hear. This dramatic story reminds us this is the perennial question for every generation in the church.

This Sunday in 1 Kings 21 we begin to see the demise of King Ahab. In a defining scene of his character, Ahab stands by as a faithful Israelite is murdered in order to take his land. This passage gives us a deeper understanding of God, reminding us that our God sees oppression and injustice in this world. And astonishingly as Elijah comes back on the scene, God interrupts sinners bent on their own destruction in extending mercy to the least deserving.

This Sunday, we look at the aftermath of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal. Instead of revival and faithfulness sweeping through Israel, nothing seems to have changed. Queen Jezebel is only more committed to putting an end to Elijah who enters the wilderness discouraged in the lack of fruitfulness of his own ministry. Here we see compassion and tenderness as God ministers to His prophet; refreshing and reorienting Elijah, equipping him for his return to Israel with a fresh reminder of God’s sovereignty and His covenant faithfulness.

In this week’s passage, Elijah confronts King Ahab and the 450 prophets of Baal. During this time of Israel’s profound spiritual darkness, God is patient and merciful. Through his sustaining work of band of prophets hidden away from Ahab and Jezebel’s persecution to the confrontation of the false prophets of Baal, to the call to the Israelites back to faithfulness, we see God’s grace in the midst of his people’s sin and idolatry in a story that finds its culmination and perfection in the grace of God revealed in the person and work of Christ.