Isaiah 27:6 BSB “In the days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit.”
This will happen when we follow and walk as Jesus in His righteousness. When we follow a person, we are going where HE goes. We eat what He eats. We do what HE does. We say what HE says. We start to mimic and copy Him. HE is our mentor. We obey Him. We serve Him. We carry His bags. We clean and do the chores. We leave everything and start a new life. We do not look back when things get difficult. This is a good thing. Jesus wants us to be like Him because in Heaven, it is about Him. We endure and tough it out. Why? Because our God has found us. HE is saving us and taking us home.
2 Kings 3:11 AMP “But Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there no prophet of the Lord here from whom we may inquire of the Lord?” One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water over Elijah’s hands.”
12 “Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.”
The story in Second Kings chapter 3 is about a battle in which the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom are set out against Moab, but they run out of water during their travel. It is like three Christians representing three kings spiritually fighting, but running out of energy and strength, and needing help from the Holy Spirit. But these three Christians do not have the anointing authority and need to seek a pastor for help.
This story, like many stories, teaches us that we need help from those who have higher authority. This is a Kingdom principle. One of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water over Elijah’s hands.”
At first, even I thought this statement meant that Elisha poured water into Elijah’s cup. But he said, “used to pour water over Elijah’s hand.” Literally, it does mean to pour water over one’s hand as the other washes his hand. Elisha started out as a handmaid.
During Sunday preaching, I tried to pronounce a word. The word is “Hermeneutic,” which is the theory, methodology, and study of interpretation, particularly of literature, biblical texts, and philosophy, aiming to understand the deeper meaning of texts, human actions, and experiences.
This term, “who used to pour water over Elijah’s hands,” is hermeneutical. In today’s terms, we can associate with a modern term, “he was his right-hand man!”
In the Western cultural mindset, we think a right-hand man is a person who fights equally alongside his partner. But in biblical in Hebrew culture, it would be more a hand servant who is being mentored and trained. This one is being schooled. They may be serving as a low servant in all areas, just as Jesus wrapped a towel and washed the feet of His disciples.
But such devoted and humbled servitude represented a loyal and established graduate. When the servant of the king said that “Elisha is one who poured water over Elijah’s hand,” the king knew that Elisha’s advice and help would come with all the teachings and, more importantly, the spirit of Elijah on Elisha! And this is why in Second Kings chapter 3, verse 12, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, said: “The Word of the Lord is with Elisha!” Therefore, the three kings sought the advice and word of the Lord from Elisha, who was now the prophet of the Lord after Elijah.
For the modern-day church, how do we become the right-hand man for the higher authority? If you bring your Western mindset, customs, and behaviors, it will only end in offense to those who try to serve. The western mindset serves for a wage and not out of pure gratitude. You need to renew your mind and think outside the box, and understand what kingdom principle of servitude, loyalty, and honoring your authority really means as defined by God. Then the angels can say that you are one who pours water over your teacher’s hand.
We need to come to a full understanding of spiritual authority so we may honor properly and receive the reward of the prophets and righteous men.
Senior Pastor Steve Kim