Broad meadows

I’m beginning a new series today that will revolve around a different set of symbols and types. In this first installment I will be taking a look at three stories in the Old Testament that I believe point to the coming of a prophet that has part of his overall ministry dying twice. It’s a much more complicated story to put together for at least two reasons: One, this is something that hasn’t happened, yet. Unlike following the cup in the last series where we were able to look back in time to see who was being prophesied. In this case we will be looking forward in time. Secondly, there are more symbols attached to this set of symbols. I believe there is a reason for this that will be discussed later on.

In Matthew 12, the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus to see a miraculous sign from him. “He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

From this statement we can see that Jesus is equating the “sign of Jonah” as him only spending three days and three nights in the heart of the earth and then obviously resurrecting. So we can see that the sign of Jonah is someone being resurrected. But when did Jonah begin his prophetic assignment? He was commanded prior to being swallowed by the huge fish, but he didn’t begin prophesying until after he had been “resurrected” from the fish. Now of the people who were resurrected in the Bible, only Jesus spoke of the future after his death and resurrection, but Jesus only died and will only die once. Clearly Jonah went on to die at some point after his prophetic ministry had ended, also.

In John 11, Jesus hears news that his friend Lazarus was sick and that he was being requested to come and heal him. “When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4).He stayed where he was, though, for two more days. After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” (John 11:11-15). In this story, Jesus equates sleep with death.

Using the metaphor of sleep as death, let’s look at 1 Kings 19. This is the story of when Elijah was running for his life from Jezebel. Verses 3-11 are as follows:

“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.”

In this scene, we see Elijah awakened (resurrected) twice by the angel of the LORD. God goes on to tell him his final mission, to anoint Jehu king and Elisha as his successor. And that brings me to the third story in 2 Kings 2.

A common metaphor for death both in Christianity and in ancient Mediterranean nations is that of “crossing the river”. In 2 Kings 2, the prophets that follow Elijah say to Elisha, ““Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?” To which Elisha replies, “Yes, I know,” he replied, “but do not speak of it.”

Elijah and Elisha continue on with a company of prophets standing at a distance. When they reach the Jordan River, “Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.” 2 Kings 2:8-14.

There is a lot to unpack in this account, but in this story we again see a prophet begin his ministry after “crossing the river” or being resurrected. What makes it more interesting is that this prophet’s ministry is now attached in some way to the rapture as Elijah is carried away by God without dying! In the next installment, I’ll begin looking into the symbols that revolve around this character and what his ministry might look like.