4/2 2 Kings 2 - Laboring In A Hostile World

Does it seem like the world rejects God’s message? This is not new. Today we’ll look at the beginning of Elishah’s ministry and see that his message was rejected from his first day. Yet we’ll also see that this was the very work that God had called him to do. Join us!

DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS:

1.    The podcast begins by taking us back to 1 Kings 19 when Elijah met Elisha on his way home from Mount Sinai. What happened at the end of that passage? 
2.    The podcast explained that Elisha’s plowing with 12 oxen reflected a custom where the local farmers would all farm together in rows. In this instance, it was 12 rows. What do you think was the significance of the fact that Elijah let 11 farmers pass before calling Elisha into the Lord’s work? What does Elisha do at the end of that passage to indicate that he was “all in” with serving the Lord? 
3.    Going on to 2 Kings 2, the podcast mentioned that the “Sons of the Prophets” were students at the “School of the Prophets.” This school had branches in Gilgal (vs. 1), Bethel (vs 3) and Jericho (vs 5). What do these verses indicate about the relationship that Elisha already had with this school? How does 1 Kings 19 help us understand this dynamic? 
4.    What was the significance of Elijah parting the Jordan River in verse 8? How about verse 14? When did a similar miracle happen in the past? According to verse 7, how many people witnessed this miracle? How did they respond to Elisha later in verse 15?
5.    In verses 9 & 10, what did Elisha ask Elijah for? The podcast discussed some possible reasons for this request. Why do you think that Elisha would have asked for such a thing? What did this request show us about the heart of Elisha? 
6.    What happened to Elijah in verses 10 & 11? What was the significance of this event? 
7.    According to verse 19, what was the situation at Jericho? How did Elisha rectify that situation? What principles can we glean from how God’s people ought to be a blessing to the community around them? 
8.    On the heels of Elisha blessing Jericho, he then went to Bethel in verse 23. What was the people’s reaction to him there? 
9.    In verse 24, the Lord sends two bears to attack this crowd. How many were killed? How does that fact help us understand the size of this crowd? Since Bethel was also home to one of the “Schools of the Prophets” what might this youth’s hostility to Elisha indicate about the general opinion of the townspeople about the Lord’s prophets?
10.    Considering that this is still the beginning of Elisha’s ministry, what does this event indicate that Elisha should expect from his service to the Lord? What do you think would go into Elijah’s success in laboring among these people? 

1. In verse 1, what tribe was Saul from? What tribe did the Lord say would produce the kings back in Genesis 49:10? 2. What was Saul’s father like, according to verses 1 & 2? How might this have influenced the people to want Saul to be their king? 3. In verses 3 to 17, how did the Lord prepare the details for Saul to meet Samuel? 4. According to verses 15 and 16, what would Samuel be expecting from this encounter? 5. What can we learn about Saul’s perspective on this whole situation from verse 21? How was Saul getting in the way of hearing what the Lord had to say through Samuel? 6. In terms of application, how did the Lord use Saul’s difficulties to bring him to this divine appointment?