The second time

Elisha, theman of God, was the son of Shaphat. He was a cultivator. While he was working in the fields, the prophet Elijah asked him to serve as his disciple and servant. When Elijah ascended to heaven in the whirlwind, Elisha took on themission of his master. Elisha was exactly like Elijah: a Yhavist. He certainly played an important role in the coup d'état which gave the power to general Jehu. General Jehu was also a Yahvist. Reading the Bible, we quickly realize that the life of Elisha contains even more miracles than the life of his master Elijah. It is Elisha who made the water wholesome, who miraculously punished insolent youngsters and who, no less miraculously gave oil to the widow. He resurrected the son of the Shunammitess, purified a poisoned soup, multiplied loaves of bread and healed Naaman the leper. It is Elisha who made their axehead float at the surface of the water.

Even dead Elisha performed miracles. Once, as a man was being buried, themoabites came in. Those who had to bury the corpse panicked and threw the corpse in a sepulcher on their way. It happened to be the tomb of Elisha. When the corpse touched Elisha's body, it came back to life and stood up on its feet. (1)

Elisha was a man who was the head of the prophets of this time. He was actively involved in the wars against the ennemies of the people of God. But Elisha was also respected in the neighbouring countries. Foreign kings sought his advices and he even prophesied on the kingship of Ben-Hadad. Elisha was also instrumental in the overthrow of the dynasty of Achab which had so much mistreated Elijah.

Elisha truly had the spirit of Elijah. He was strong, and could be filled with compassion for the Israelites as well as for the foreigners.

Elisha had Elijah's spirit, and yet was not Elijah. Elijah was of a higher level. Elisha was not taken to heaven like his master, but died of sickness. (2)

When he died, the spirit of Elijah returned to the Father and stayed there until the day a boy was born, whose name was John.

John was the son of a Jewish priest named Zechariah and of Elisabeth, whose birth had been announced in a wonderful way by the prophets.

When John started his ministry, he was asked who he was. He simply answered that he was the voice of he who was shouting in the desert: " make the highways of the Lord straight. " Saying so, he opened the eyes of those who loved the truth and closed the eyes of the others. As a matter of fact, John knew very well who he was and what kind of spirit was with him. He was John, with the soul of John, but his spirit was that of Elijah. Also, when ill-intentioned people asked him whether he was Elijah, he answered: " No, I am not. " He was not lying. He was not Elijah. He was no more Elijah than Elisha had been. He simply answered that he was theman whom the prophet Isaiah had spoken of long ago. (3)

John made the connection between himself and the one Isaiah had announced. But those who were there to hear John tell who he was, still had many questions.

What did the Scriptures say about this voice shouting in the desert?

They said that this voice announced the coming of God Himself. All the hills had to be levelled down, and the all the valleys had to be risen (4), this means levelled up. (5)

The envoys of the Levites and of the sacrificators were embarrassed. What kind

of story would they be able to tell, back home?

They imagined themselves, facing thereligious leaders, telling them : " Alright, gentlemenn, we went to the desert and we met John, the son of Zechariah your colleague. He told us he was the incarnation of the prophecy of Isaiah 40. He says he is preparing the coming of ... God. "

This group of clerics, who already had to face internal divisions, was witnessing a problem which might jeopardize their professional and social position. Because, if God Himself is coming, what will be the use of clerics?

Actually, thereligious leaders who knew the secret meaning of the terms used by the prophets, knew very well that in the prophecy themountains and the hills represented the established powers whereas the valleys represented the lower classes, the people.

John then was saying, " I came to pepare the coming of themessiah who is God Himself and the clerics will be lowered down, will have to make room for the people so that they can have an access to God without mediators. "

It was exactly what Isaiah had prophesied and it was exactly what was going on at this precise moment in history.

Yes, God had decided that, in order to prepare His first coming on the earth, he would one more time use the spirit of Elijah.

John-the-Baptist was terrible like Elijah and like Elisha. He told things which frightened the faithful believers. He didn't mince his words. John-the-Baptist found his Jezabel in the person of themistress of king Herod. And he insisted so much that he finally faced a violent death. (We should stress that the violent death of a man never showed that he was rejected by God. Some believers spread this false belief, what a shame!)

He was baptising in the Jordan river and there, the crowds would gather around him. The spirit and the power of Elijah were with him.(6)

Jesus testified about this fact when he said that Elijah had already come and that the incredulous had not recognized him and had treated him as they pleased. (7)

John baptised with the baptism of repentance (8). He was announcing the coming of the kingdom of heaven. (9)

He baptised Jesus-Christ to fulfill what was just (10)

It is John who presented Jesus-Christ to the world.(11) And when he was presented, this meant something very important. Presenting Jesus-Christ like the one for whom he had paved the way, John was thus saying: " I show you God in the Flesh who came to cleanse the sin of this world. "

He actually knew and had told plainly to those who were ready to hear him, that he was the voice shouting in the desert: " Prepare in the desert the way of the eternal! " (12)

By the way, this meant that another prophecy of Isaiah continued to be fulfilled. It was the prophecy which told: " ... For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called 'Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.(13)

This is exactly what was so scary for the clerics. Therefore, when they tried to lapidate Jesus, he asked them : " I showed you many good deeds coming from my father. For which one are you lapidating me? " the Jews answered: " Not for a good deed do we lapidate you, but for a blasphemy, and because you who are a man, you make yourself God. " (14)

The religious leaders knew very well what John-the-Baptist had told and also had grasped that Jesus presented himself like God without clearly telling it.

They were facing a man named John who told them: " Jesus-Christ is God. I am his forerunner. "

One needed a bold spirit to say such things to such an audience. Actually, is there anything more dangerous than a cleric who feels that his authority is threatened? History sadly shows us, still nowadays, what clerics can do as soon as they have the licence to do what they want.

I am sure that during your life, you may have met such religious leaders who behave like little kings. They are authoritarian, always hide themselves behind the Scriptures to harass the life of people, but they will never accept to live with those people. They are kinglets without a true kingdom. They just have a flock on Sunday morning. Some of them have a very small flock, but we would think, when we listen to them, that God counts on them for the good managment of the world. Thanks God, in our country, these people only have the authority which is granted to them and cannot lit the stake any more.

John-the-Baptist was an authentic messenger of God. His coming had been announced by the prophets who had preceded him. He was adamant against the disorder organized and protected by the a faithful clerics of his time. This is because God had given him a righteous spirit, capable of doing it: that of Elijah.

Therefore, God had decided to send the spirit of Elijah in the son of Zechariah and Elisabeth. John did a wonderful job.

His soul (15) was troubled by the end of his life and John turned to Jesus to receive some light. And Jesus declared that never the earth had known a man of the value of John. How pitiful!