ELISHA'S DEATH

"THEN ELISHA DIED, AND THEY BURIED HIM. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year."
2 Kings 13:20 (NKJV)

In the Bible passage of our text, we could see the death of Elisha recorded. In the next verse to it, the dead
body, the corpse of someone, was hastily let down to the tomb of Elisha and when the dead body touched Elisha's bones, the dead body received life and came back to life:
"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" (2 Kings 13:21 NKJV).
God wanted us to know, through the passage, that He could still work through a vessel that is late.

• The anointing on Elisha's bones that was still working at his death, in his grave, ought to be potentially collected or gotten by Gehazi, but he could not because of covetousness—crave or appetite for the things of this world (2 Kings 5:20-27).
• That same desire for things of the world made Demas forsook Paul and went to Thessalonica (2 Timothy 4:10).

Now, Could it be there was no other person whom the anointing on Elisha can be transfered or given?
We could see how that of Elijah was transferred to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9-15). The anointing on Elisha could have been transfered to Gehazi If he had the kind of passion or desire for the anointing on Elisha—the way Elisha had it when he was serving under Elijah.
A number of lessons that could be learnt from this are;
• If you had the opportunity to serve a minister of God, let your priority be right.
• Crave for the right thing!
• Be a protege and not a parasite!

Gehazi wanted to get rich quickly in the ministry work, he ran after Naaman to
collect the gifts, material things, brought by Naaman the Syrian which were rejected by Elisha his master; he
even told a lie to collect the gifts (2 Kings 5:15-27).
The question that Elisha asked Gehazi was: " . . . IS IT TIME TO RECEIVE MONEY AND TO RECEIVE CLOTHING, OLIVE GROVES AND VINEYARDS, SHEEP AND OXEN, MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS?" (2 Kings 5:26)
Of course, It was not the right time for Gehazi to be craving for material things, when he was still in the apprenticeship of the ministry work. In other words, there is time for everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
If you craved for what you are not qualified for or matured enough to have, you may muddle up and truncate the programme and plan of God for your life and ministry.
Gehazi who had the potential of collecting double portion of Elisha's anointing—that which consists of Elijah's and Elisha's put together—was unfortunately could not collect it, but instead, he collected the leprosy of Naaman (2 Kings 5:27).

Note:
• At the initial stage of the ministry work, the priority of a beginner—a new starter or would-be-leader—should be about having God's presence, anointing on his life.
• Your priority should not be about ephemeral or material things at all.
• Your craving should be how you would be empowered or anointed for the assignment before you.
• Another important thing to know is that proximity is not connectivity. You might be with an anointed minister of God, If your heart is not right, or your priorities are wrong, the Grace or anointing on such a minister might not rub-off on you. Remember, God is the One who would do the transference of the anointing.
EVEN if the anointed minister prayed for you, If your heart was not right, the anointing might not be released or extended to you. It takes a right heart for the anointing on a genuine servant of God to flow to you and rest on you.
AN anointed minister of God may lay hands on you and pray for you with all his heart, If your heart was not right, God might not allow the anointing to flow and rest on you! The transference of the anointing is not actually done by man, but God.

The questions are:
• How come that Elisha took the anointing on his life to the grave?
• Could it be that there was no other person whom the anointing or power could be transferred or given to?
Most probably, other sons of the Prophet who were with Elisha after Gehazi had left with leprosy might not be thirsty of the anointing, or God might see that they were not qualified to receive the Elisha's anointing, thus, the anointing was taken to the grave.

In conclusion, whatever the case may be, do not take lightly or for granted the things God wanted to give to you. Peace.