May 22

Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. — 2 Kgs 13:14

It is interesting, while we stand beside this old man’s deathbed, to think of the blessing he was to the country in which he lived.

He first appears as a young farmer ploughing, when suddenly behind him comes the prophet Elisha and throws over his shoulders a sheepskin cloak. This cloak was the emblem of the prophetic office, and the young farmer was called to the ministry. From that time his life was given up to God’s service, first as the attendant of Elijah, and then as the prophet of Israel. He was a man of gentle mood and kindly spirit. But a few incidents are recorded of him, but these show us the spirit of the man. The friend of the poor and the oppressed, he was also the counsellor and helper of kings.

There is no time when a man’s life and work can be seen quite so truly as from amid the shadows of his death hour. We should live so that when the end of our life comes the world may speak approvingly of us.