HIDDEN LDS/JEWISH
INSIGHTS #29
OLD TESTAMENT Gospel Doctrine Supplement by Daniel Rona
Weekly E-mail Reminder
HIDDEN LDS/JEWISH INSIGHTS Lesson #29
Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Supplement by Daniel Rona
Weekly E-mail Reminder
<< AFTER THE FIRE A STILL SMALL VOICE >>
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(1.) The Name Elisha Means "My God Saves:"
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It includes the inference that it is God, not the prophet, who is the maker of
miracles. Jewish thought has alternated between recognizing the power of man or
the power of God. "Elisha's prophetic powers were indeed increased after the
master's death --- he performed 16 miracles compared to Elijah's eight, and
brought back to life two people to Elijah's one." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)
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(2.) Miracles, Natural or Supernatural?
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"Miracles (are) extraordinary phenomena that seem to fall outside the pattern of
normal, explainable occurrences are frequently referred to in English as
miracles." "Later thinkers, for whom "the natural order" had an existence
independent of God, were troubled by the question whether biblical miracles
were "natural" or "supernatural," but the Bible makes no such distinction and
never questions God's ability to do anything, by any means." (Encyclopedia
Judaica Jr.
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(3.) Subject to His Control:
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"Having been created by God, the universe is also totally subject to His
control. As a result, God can impose His will upon the workings of the natural
world as He pleases (the miracles of the Bible) but He can also transfer some of
His controlling power to others. This God
did when He created and blessed man. Although part of the natural world, man
was given dominion over it, and told that the natural world was to serve his
greater interests." (Encyclopedia Judaica
Jr.)
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(4.) Relationship to Governmental Authority:
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Elisha's continued theme was that he was a servant of God, even refusing payment
from Syria's highest-ranking officer in the Land of Israel at that time. The
anomaly is that the children of Israel
strongly objected to the Syrian "occupying" forces. The prophet was probably
teaching the same principle that Jesus taught and that has been revealed again
in our day: ". . . Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto
God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21) "We believe in being
subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and
sustaining the law." (Articles of Faith11)
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