Oak Grove Church

The burning question I have always had is: Why do I know more about Elijah if Elisha had double what Elijah had? I’m sure this is true for most students of the Bible. We know all about Elijah’s powerful ministry but Elisha’s has been lost in our memory. I believe Elisha’s ministry should have a greater significance because of his double portion. As I put the pieces together we’ll see it.

Elijah is a type of John the Baptist.

Elisha is a type of Christ.

The transfer of the Leviticle priesthood to the priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek was accomplished when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan. A close examination of Malachi’s prophesy explains this in detail. The summary is that God turned His back on the corrupt priesthood and turned to the Levite and forerunner John the Baptist at age 30 to be God’s high priest in Israel. He baptized Jesus 6 months later in the Jordan transferring the priesthood to Christ! Don’t forget the Holy Spirit descended down and lit upon Jesus and His ministry began.

Elijah and John the Baptist have been linked together since John’s ministry at Jordan. They shared similar appearances and ministries. Rough and rugged they carried a powerful message of repentance and served as forerunners for the double anointed!

Elisha and Christ are linked together by 9 links:

1.Both Miracle Workers.

2. Set apart by prophets.

3. Both received the Spirit on the other side of Jordan.

4. Cleansed Lepers.

5. Healed sick people.

6. Both betrayed by a friend for silver.

7. More public than their predecessors.

8. Had more followers than their predecessors.

9. Their tombs bring life to the dead. (symbolically speaking see 2 kings 13:20-21)

Elisha was most certainly a type of Christ and this makes his ministry very significant! Elisha’s double portion is to typify Christ and His ministry after Baptism in the Jordan River. Interestingly enough Elisha didn’t began his ministry until Elijah transferred that mantle at Jordan.

I hope this s not to deep for you and that you received a blessing!!!!

I’M DEBT FREE!!!!!

That’s a phrase we have been waiting a year to say. My wife and I recently completed baby step 2 in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. Yes, we’re excited but still have a long way to go to get where we want to be. This program that follows the God’s and grandma’s financial principles has changed my life so much I plan on leading my church to take the 13 lesson course.

Getting a grip on our finances has forever changed our present and future! Our marriage is better. Our level of stress is better. Our retirement is now possible. Life is Great!

However……………………

We may be debt free in context to money, but not in regards to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said he was in debt to preach the Gospel and so are we. People every where are lost and Hell bound.

I know well the stress that comes with being in debt financially. Why do we not have any stress in regards to lost souls? WE ARE IN DEBT! We need to work with intensity to pay off the debts we owe.

If one is going to unlock the mysteries surrounding the Book of Life, he must clear his mind of any pre-conceived theories. Many popular theories on the Book of Life are concluded by man’s imagination rather than the scripture. We are going to only examine scripture and see what God says about the Book of Life.

Exodus 32:30-34

This passage states the same thing that Romans 6:23 states: “the wages of sin is death.” We are all going to die because of sin! The Biblical truth goes clear back to Eden in Genesis 3:3-4. God said if you eat of the tree you will die. What can we take out of Exodus 32:30-34? God will blot your name out of the Book of Life if you sin. Notice it doesn’t say this blotting out is immediate.

What is the Book of Life?

The most common misconception: The Book of Life is a ongoing record in heaven in which God records the names of those who are saved as they are saved-this is a common belief but has NO scriptural support whatsoever.

Revelation 17:8

When was the Book of Life written?

According to the Bible the Book of Life was written before the foundations of the world. God knew all who will be born and recorded their names in his book. The Book of Life is simply a book of all who have life. No where in scripture does it mention God writing names in the Book of Life at any other time.

Psalms 69:18-28

This Messianic psalm in which the reader gets a inside view of Christ during his crucifixion. Those that the psalmist asks to blot out would include: Judas Iscariot and Caiaphas. These two men had their names in the Book of Life, but had them blotted out because they died! It is really that simple. the Book of Life is a record of Life.

Do you believe in Eternal Life?

John 3:16

All who believe in Christ have eternal Life! They will never perish(die). Therefore their names are not blotted out of the Book of the living.This  statment is backed up in Revelation 3:3-4.

Revelation 3:3-4

This often twisted passage says he that has on a white robe (compare to Rev 7:14)will not be blotted out of the Book of Life. This is emphatic assurance of Eternal Security. The statement in the Greek contains a double negative which could say: “I will by no means blot out his name.”