2 Kings 2:19-2219And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. 20And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 22So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. (2 Kings 2:19‑22)
After Elisha crossed back over the Jordan river, he stopped at Jericho which was near.
You remember when Joshua led the people of Israel into Canaan that Jericho was a great city. The king and people there heard of God’s mighty power, but did not want to honor Him. They felt sure the high, strong walls would keep them safe. But those walls fell without a battle, and the city was destroyed. It was many years before another city was built there (Josh. 6:2626And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. (Joshua 6:26) and 1 Kings 16:3434In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. (1 Kings 16:34)).
And Jericho must have been quite new when Elisha came to it. But it was not a pleasent place to live, because the water there was not good, and trees and plants could not grow in the poor soil.
The men of the city seem to have known Elisha was a prophet of God, and they told him of the poor water and soil. He told them to bring him a new cruise, or jar, with salt in it, and he took the jar to the place where the spring of water started and threw in the salt, and said,
“Thus saith the Lord, 1 have healed these waters; there shall not he from hence any more death or barren land.”
We could not cleanse water or soil with salt, but it was the Lord’s way to show that He sent their blessings. Those words have been true ever since for Jericho. It is said to have later been a very fine city with trees and gardens.
Now the buildings are in ruins and it is only a small village. Yet people who travel there still find a fine spring of pure, clear water to drink from, which is called “Elisha’s Spring.” And trees and plants grow from the soil, so there are line orchards there.
That spring teaches us how willing God is to bless all with the true water of life. Our souls are much more in need than our thirsty bodies. The Lord Jesus is called “The Living Water.” When He was on earth, He said: “If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink.” John 7:3737In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. (John 7:37). And almost the last words of the Bible are an invitation to souls who thirst:
Find Jericho on a map of Palestine. It is a few miles northeast of Jerusalem, and a few miles from where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea.
ML 04/23/1939