2 Kings 13

2 Kings 13 Commentary

by Brad Boyles

What’s the context here? Well, as we have read, 2 Kings is a terrible time for Israel. The nation is continually at war because God is using their enemies as a means of discipline. On top of this, rebellious king after rebellious king is refusing to lead the nation back to repentance, choosing instead to intermingle with foreign gods. So, on the surface, it may seem that Joash is genuinely seeking Elisha, but we know from the surrounding texts that Joash only started as a “good king.”

Joash came to Elisha because he saw him as just one of many resources he could use to get out of trouble.

And so, the fear of Joash is that he is going to lose this layer of protection if Elisha dies. It’s probably a selfish meeting, but being true to his calling and mission, even on his deathbed, Elisha gives the king a prophecy to be fulfilled. Joash, by faith, will strike down his enemies the same number of times that he strikes the ground with arrows. According to Elisha, he didn’t strike the ground as many times as he could have and this actually revealed what little faith Joash had.

The Dead Bones

Sandwiched in between the feud with Syria and their defense against the Moabites, we find the obscure story of Elisha’s bones raising a man to life. It’s definitely bizarre. These guys are ready to bury a corpse but they realize the Moabites are attacking, so they chuck the body into a tomb (pick a tomb, any tomb…) and it just so happens to be Elisha’s. Can you imagine the look on their faces when their friend comes running out of that tomb alive? I’m sure this once dead man joins them in fleeing the scene and is probably running faster than any of them. He’s thinking, “I already died once and I see these enemies coming, I’m not dying again!”

So, What’s The Point?

As I wrote earlier, I don’t believe Joash was truly seeking God at this time in his life. But through the prophet Elisha, God graciously promises victory three times. Joash already demonstrated his lack of faith only striking the ground three times, so it’s very unlikely he actually believed this prophecy. I think it’s conceivable to say that he believed those words of Elisha died with his lifeless body.

How many of us have struggled to have faith in God’s goodness when circumstances extinguish our joy?

Jesus promises there can be fruit from death (metaphorically and literally)… but how?

I believe this miracle was orchestrated by God to give Joash courage and hope so that he would engage Syria in battle and experience the victory that God promised through the life of Elisha. But Joash had to wrestle! He had to place his faith in the inspired words of a mighty prophet who was now dead. Do we trust the promises of God even when they seem so impossible?