In 2002, Jodie Foster and a baby faced Kristen Stewart starred in a movie known as Panic Room. On their first night in their new apartment, the mother daughter dynamic is severely tested. Intruders ransack their New York City home, and mother and child escape to a steel enforced panic room.
There they witness all the movements of the burglars through the surveillance equipment installed in their fortified room.
Unbeknownst to the mum and daughter, is the sizeable fortune in bearer bonds locked inside the floor safe, by the previous owners, in the panic room. The thieves will stop at nothing to breach the panic room in search for these bearer bonds.
A panic room serves well not just in the event of a home invasion, but also for other threats like earthquakes, tornados, terrorists, biological weapons and the like.
Of course, there was no such place for the poor Israelites to hide away in, when they were threatened by marauders. However, you could say they took advantage of a panic tomb instead of a panic room.
Refresh your memories by reading this very short account in 2 Kings 13:20-21
I’ve always imagined this dramatic event unravelling at double speed to the fast tempo of Rossini’s overture in ‘The Barber of Seville’. It captures the mood perfectly—the anxiety and panic of the funeral attendees.
The great prophet Elisha was now dead and buried. Moabites roamed through Israel in gangs, plundering and murdering those who stood in their way.
A funeral procession was heading off to a burial site—a family sepulcher or tomb. In the distance, they see a predatory group of Moabites coming towards them. Fearful for their lives, these Israelites scatter in different directions and hide.
In all the mayhem, the men carrying the corpse hastily toss the dead man’s body into the nearest open tomb. It just so happened to be where Elisha’s body was buried.
The dead man, upon touching Elisha’s bones, miraculously comes back to life. Revived, he gets up and stands on his own two feet.
What was the purpose of this miracle?
It’s important to understand this miracle’s historical and cultural context. At the time of Elisha’s death, Jehoash (also known as Joash) was king of Israel.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; but he walked therein. 2 Kings 13:11
Now, the sins of Jeroboam was an expression or a catchall phrase used by the prophets to refer to the sins of Israel.
Jeroboam was the wicked king who ordered the creation of two idols—golden calves, one set in Bethel and the other in Dan for the Israelites to worship.
Jeroboam built shrines and appointed priests. He proclaimed festivals and offered sacrifices to the golden calves he had made.
Jeroboam instituted false worship in direct opposition to the Lord’s commands.
Throughout Joash’s sixteen-year reign, he continued in the path of counterfeit worship paved by Jeroboam. Joash was considered an evil king because he did not turn from idolatry.
Like his father before him, he did not abolish the man-made religion ushered in by Jeroboam.
King Joash was a Polytheist. He worshipped many gods to cover all the bases, instead of worshipping the Lord God alone. The nations that surrounded Israel were also Polytheists. The Syrians in particular worshipped the gods of the hills and the gods of the valleys.
Elisha’s deathbed prophecy
Read 2 Kings 13:14-19
Elisha’s illness was terminal. King Joash decided to pay his respects to the prophet who had served God for over 60 years. At first glance, it appears that Joash has some affection for the dying prophet as he wept over Elisha’s face.
And said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. 2 Kings 13:14b
These were the exact same words of Elisha when he spoke of his predecessor’s departure—that is, Elijah’s “rapture” when God took him up to heaven by a whirlwind. 2 Kings 2:11-12
Joash was filled with sorrow for himself and for the kingdom of Israel. Even though Joash was an idolater, with a halfhearted commitment to the Lord, he recognized the spiritual leadership and authority of Elisha.
Now Joash feared that the main source of divine help and power—the chariot of Israel and its horses—would be stripped away upon Elisha’s passing and Israel’s security would be no more.
A teachable moment
In one last act to assure Israel’s king of God’s providence, Elisha rises up from his bed and summons King Joash to take up his bow and arrow. Joash is to aim his bow out of the east window. With the prophet’s aged hand over Joash’s hand, they both shoot. The arrow flies and strikes the earth.
In case Joash didn’t get the message loud and clear, Elisha explains the symbolism of the LORD’s deliverance.
The arrow is a symbol. The Lord would rescue Israel from the Syrians.
The lesson is not over yet. Joash is instructed to take more arrows and shoot them. Joash strikes the ground with the arrows three times. This aggravates the dying prophet. He is enraged. Either his student didn’t understand or his student lacked faith.
Joash should have inferred that the number of times his arrows struck the ground reflected the number of times Israel would win over Syria. Joash could have released Israel from Syrian oppression completely by striking the ground six times.
It was to the king’s shame that he didn’t seize this opportunity to thoroughly destroy the enemy.
Assurance for a weak King
It is clear that King Joash was not a man of faith in the one true God. He had a number of “gods” that he served. Nonetheless, he was concerned for the vitality of the nation once the late great Elisha was dead.
The miracle of the dead man returning to life after coming into contact with Elisha’s remains, would have given Joash hope. Hope that Elisha’s deathbed prophesies were still valid.
If God could make a corpse come to life from the dead prophet’s bones, then He could also make Elisha’s predictions come true.
This miracle—this demonstration of the Lord’s supreme power over life and death—was precisely what King Joash needed.
God keeps His word
The prophecies were fulfilled. The conclusion of the matter is settled in last sentence of 2 Kings 13.
Three times did Joash beat him (Syria), and recovered the cities of Israel.
Whenever you feel anxious, stressed out or panicked about anything, turn to God and His word. The Lord will fortify your heart.
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgements endureth for ever. Psalm 119:160
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
Bibliography
Blankespoor, J. 1984, ‘2 Kings 13:21 The speech of Elisha’s grave’, Christian Library. Retrieved 25 February 2022 from
https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/article/2-kings-1321-speech-elishas-grave
Deffinbaugh, B. 2004, ‘The Life and Time of Elisha the Prophet’, Bible.org. Retrieved 25 February 2022 from
Guzik, D. 2019, ‘Life from a Tomb’, Enduring Word. Retrieved 25 February 2022 from
Henry, M. 1961, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Zondervan, Michigan.
Pfeiffer C,F. 1990, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Moody Publishers, Illinois.
Walton, J. 2000, The IVP Bible Background Commentary Old Testament, IVP Academic, Illinois.
