It is November, how quickly this year has gone! I invite you to take a good 'dose' of the medicine depicted in the image below. Do you know that a dose of 'gratitude' will prevent grumbling, anxiety, stress, fear, discouragement? Are you feeling the symptoms of any of those conditions? Gratitude, take a spoonful ... its a natural supplement!
A Man we have not Met
The thoughts I want to share with you today concern a Bible character you have probably never heard of. His name is Elishama. Am I right you would not have recognized his name as a Bible character if you heard it?
I am always curious about the characters we don't know much about and yet they were important enough to have their names recorded in our scriptures.
There is a special reason Elishama's name is mentioned in God's word which I will share at the end.
Okay, who is Elishama?
Elishama was a scribe , a prince , a secretary in the palace of the King in Jerusalem.
He served the ruling king as the head of the council that governed the affairs of the King.
At the point Elishama steps into our scripture timeline there was a new King. A king who concerned Elishama because King Jehoiakim was not proving to be as godly a king as his father Josiah. King Josiah is an interesting character whose story I may explore another time but Josiah was a king who sought God and brought healing and restoration to the people who had suffered under a wicked king, Josiah's father...
And now, I'm sure, Elishama was concerned that everything Josiah had done would be for naught.
The little we know about Elishama is because of the part he played in Jeremiah's life.
The story is found in Jeremiah 36.
God had told Jeremiah to write down God's words of judgement against Israel and Judah.
A proclaimed fast brought all the people to Jerusalem and at this gathering Baruch, Jeremiah's personal scribe read all the word's he had recorded by Jeremiah's dictation.
A man standing in the crowd, by the name of Michaiah, listened and heard every word Baruch read.
He realized this was a very important message, one that required a serious response.
He knew who needed to know what was going on, namely Elishama.
Michaiah knew where to find him - In the King's house, in the scribes chamber or office. He did find him there and found with him his fellow-scribes, Delaiah, Elnathan, Gamariah and Zedikiah.
Michaiahl informed them regarding why he had sought them and they agreed to hear what Jeremiah's message was. We note that Michaiah had a good memory because he was able to repeat all the words he had heard Baruch read..
When Elishama heard the message he knew the King had to hear it, but first he had to be sure the message was indeed given through Jeremiah. A servant was sent to bring Baruch and the scroll to the scribes' chamber.
Baruch came and they asked him to sit down and read it again, which he did.
Now thoroughly alarmed the scribes looked at one another in fear. What were they going to do?
First they questioned Baruch if he had truly written down the words Jeremiah had spoken. Barack was convincing in his answer, yes the words were the words the Spirit gave Jeremiah.
Elishama understood the danger Jeremiah was in. The message would more likely anger the King than make him receptive to respond in repentance.
Elishama's mind searched for what he could do. One thing he could do, warn Baruch and Jeremiah. ""Go .." he said to Baruch ,"go and hide you and Jeremiah, and don't let anyone know where you are."
Elishama then took the scroll and hid it in his chamber. He did not trust what the king would do, when he learned of the message and Elishama wanted to protect the scroll. He and his three friends went to the King and told him all the words that were on the scroll.
The King demanded to see the scroll for himself. He sent Jehudi tp get the scroll. hidden in Elishama's chamber.
When Jehudi returned, he ordered him to read it.
The King was sitting in his winter house in front of the hearth where a fire was burning.
Jehudi had read only three columns and the King's anger burned hot! He grabbed the scroll and a scribe"s knife.
Elishama and his friends begged the king not to destroy the scroll.
But the King and his servant had no fear of God, and had no stirring of repentance in their hearts.
The King continued cutting up the scroll and threw the pieces into the hearth-fire until it was completely consumed.
The King then ordered the arrest of Baruch and Jeremiah, but thanks to the Elishama's warning they were hidden and the Lord covered their hiding place so they could not be found.
Name meanings are important in the Bible and I found the meanings of the names of Elishama and his friends interesting.
Elishama - God hears
Elnathan - God has given
Delaiah - the Lord delivers
Gamariah - God has completed
We could put the name meanings together and they tell the story..."God hears, and has given deliverance and has completed His work!"
Why is it important that Elishama's name was included in Jeremiah's story?
Because it is included we know that we can trust that even the details in the Bible are true. .
How?
In 1986 archeologists working just outside of Jerusalem, found a seal that had on it the words "Elishama, servant of the King"
I love that the Lord took the care to provide proof that His word is true in the smallest detail. If God is so careful to confirm the truth of His word, can we not also trust Him with the details of our lives? A God who cares enough to count the hair on our head (which means a new count every morning) can we not trust that He is also faithful to keep all His promises to us ? What an awesome God we serve!!!
