05/21/2024 – Faith for Eternal Life
2 Kings 13: 20 Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. 21 So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
Elisha had performed many miracles and led the people in faith to many victories in this life…but they meant nothing unless his faith and his relationship with God continued beyond death. Do you trust God for all eternity? Do you believe Him when He tells you that He will give you an everlasting life? For many, faith is limited to this life. They only want God to help them get through this life the best way possible. The Bible says that if we only trust God for this life, we are of all men the most miserable.
Faith beyond death is common to the ministries of Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind. Elisha was placed in a tomb…but that did not diminish the power of God in him. In fact, I would argue that Elisha’s greatest miracle was performed after his death. He performed many wonders in life: he made an ax float, and multiplied food for the people. He even raised the dead. But I call this his greatest miracle because it proved that it was not Elisha…it was not his power at all, or anything he did. He was dead… and all that was left of him physically were his bones. But the grace of God was sufficient when there was nothing he could do! And the grace of God continued beyond death itself! Beyond our failures and sin, the grace of God continues, and it is able to reverse and indo the work of the devil and even death itself!
A man was placed in the tomb of Elisha, the man of God. He was dead…but God is alive! His power was alive in his body! And it was able to reverse death! The faithfulness of God beyond the grave proved forever more the power of God through genuine faith!