Download the whole book, “A Comparison Guide between the Muslim Qur’an, the Jewish Tanakh, and the Christian Bible: A Simple and Helpful Summary of the Main Stories, Characters, and Beliefs of Global Monotheism” free HERE or on Kindle/Print/Audiobook HERE

36. Elisha (Al-Yasa)

· Read in The Qur’an - 6:83-86, 38:48

· Read in The Tanakh and The Bible - 1 Kings 19, 2 Kings 2-9, 13

Readings from The Qur’an:

· The Qur'an 6:83-86. And that was Our Proof which We gave Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. 84. And We bestowed upon him Ishaq (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob), each of them We guided, and before him, We guided Nub (Noah), and among his progeny Dawud (David), Sulaiman (Solomon), Ayyub (Job), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses), and Harun (Aaron). Thus do We reward Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers - see the footnote of V .9:120). 85. And Zakariya (Zechariah), and Yahya (John) and 'Isa (Jesus) and Iliyas (Elias), each one of them was of the righteous. 86. And Isma'il {Ishmael) and Al-Yasa' (Elisha), and Yunus (Jonah) and Lut (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the 'Alamin [mankind and jinn (of their times)].

· The Qur’an 38:48 “And remember…Alyasa' (Elisha)… all are among the best.”

· Since the Qur’an says revelation and guidance came Al-Yasa' (Elisha), and through the Torat (Torah), shouldn’t Muslims know the full story of Al-Yasa' (Elisha), given in the Tanakh and Bible?

· As prominent as Elisha is in the Tanakh and Bible, why doesn’t he show up more in the Qur’an? Why aren’t his numerous miracles shared in the Qur’an?

Readings from The Tanakh and The Bible:

Lessons on How to Live with Confidence in God:

· Eliminate Distractions to Following God - So he [Elijah] departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, …and [Elisha] took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. (1 Kings 19:19-21 ESV)

· Seek the Holy Spirit’s Empowering - When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” [10] And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” (2 Kings 2:9-10 ESV)

· Enter into God’s Work - Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. (2 Kings 2:14 ESV)

· Speak God’s Truths, Prepare for Rebellious Responses - And they came back to him while he was staying at Jericho, and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?” (2 Kings 2:18 ESV)

· Remember God is the Provider - Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” (2 Kings 2:21 ESV)

· And he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools.’ [17] For thus says the LORD, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals.’ [18] This is a light thing in the sight of the LORD. He will also give the Moabites into your hand (2 Kings 3:16-18 ESV)

· Continue in the Face of Opposition - He went up from there to Bethel, and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” [24] And he turned around, and when he saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. And two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys. [25] From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. (2 Kings 2:23-25 ESV)

Elisha is unique in the types and frequency of miracles God performs in his life:

Divides the Jordan River. 2 Kings 2:14

· 2 Kings 2:14 “Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.”

· Purifies water at Jericho. 2 Kings 2:19-22

· 2 Kings 2:19–22 “Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” [20] He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. [21] Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the LORD, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” [22] So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.”

· Increases a woman’s oil. 2 Kings 4:1-7

· 2 Kings 4:1–7 “Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” [2] And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” [3] Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. [4] Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” [5] So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. [6] When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. [7] She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.””

· Raises a woman from the dead. 2 Kings 4:18-37

· 2 Kings 4:32–37 “When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. [33] So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. [34] Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. [35] Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. [36] Then he summoned Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” [37] She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.”

· Neutralizes a poison. 2 Kings 4:38-41

· 2 Kings 4:38–41 “And Elisha came again to Gilgal when there was a famine in the land. And as the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” [39] One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. [40] And they poured out some for the men to eat. But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. [41] He said, “Then bring flour.” And he threw it into the pot and said, “Pour some out for the men, that they may eat.” And there was no harm in the pot.”

· Increases the bread. 2 Kings 4:42-44

· 2 Kings 4:42–44 “A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” [43] But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” [44] So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.”

· Heals Naaman the leper. 2 Kings 5:1-19, Luke 4:27

· Luke 4:27 “And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

· Sends leprosy to Gehazi. 2 Kings 5:26-27

· 2 Kings 5:26–27 “But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? [27] Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.”

· Floats an axe head. 2 Kings 6:6-7

· 2 Kings 6:6–7 “Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. [7] And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.”

· Allows his servant to see angels. 2 Kings 6:17

· 2 Kings 6:17 “Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

· Makes an army blind. 2 Kings 6:18

· 2 Kings 6:18 “And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.”

· His bones bring a dead man to life. 2 Kings 13:21

· 2 Kings 13:21 “And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.”

· What similarities do you see between these miracles and Jesus’ miracles? What differences do you see?

· Why does God choose to do so many miracles in Elisha’s ministry? In Jesus’ ministry?

· Why does the Lord allow these specific types of miracles and not just prophecy?

· Does the same Spirit that rested on Elijah and Elisha rest on us today? Why or why not?

· How does the Lord work in our lives in similar ways? In different ways? Why?

See also:

· “What does the Bible say about Elisha?” www.trustworthyword.com/elisha

· “The Miracles of God” www.trustworthyword.com/miracles

· “The Kings and Prophets of the Old Testament (Tanakh)” www.trustworthyword.com/kings-prophets

· “What does the Bible say about Prophets?” www.trustworthyword.com/prophets