Years of Elijah & Elisha

Very little is written The bible listed years of reign are given as
a b o u t E l i j a h ’ s appendix. By which the time of Elijah’s work was
background. His about 20 years. Elisha asked a double portion of
introduction says Elijahs’s spirit. This request was answered in many
Elijah was ‘of the aspects. Commonly noted are the 2 fold increase in
i n h a b i t a n t s o f miracles of Elisha over Elijah. Also the drought of
Gililead,’ east of Elisha was twice as long as that under Elijah.
J o r d a n . Elisha’s work was twice as long, 40Y vs 20Y. The
Commentaries list total time of the two was 60Y. Jesus at Cana,
him as a prophet changes the water into wine in 6 earthen jars. That
d u r i n g r e i g n o f represented salvation to the called of mankind
wicked Ahab. By throughout all time of fallen men. It seems these
s c r i p t u r e works refer to the work of God in the affairs of men
introduction, Elijah after Adam’s fall. These works started when God
is introduced after established a blood covenant with fallen man by
A h a b m a r r i e s clothing him in animal skins & promising the
Jezebel. Assume Ahab was inaugurated as King for Redeemer. Under Elijah God spoke of a preserved
a year, then married Jezebel & became corrupted 7000 who did not fall into idolatry. Perhaps, the
after a year of marriage. At which time Elijah begins 7000 allude to the righteous throughout completed
his works and declares the start of 3.5 years time?
drought. Toward the end of Ahab’s reign, when
prophesied to by Elijah of his fate repents in some Thiele introduced the concept of inclusive vs
measure. For which Ahab was told that this exclusive reckoning. The Inclusive reckoning
judgement would pass until his son, Joram (aka reduces Israel kings year by 1Y/each. Where-as
Jehoram), reign. The last mention of Elijah was exclusive reckoning has no reduction in years.
after the death of Ahab’s son, Ahaziah. The time of Elijah’s work is determined by markers
to Judaea kings. These come to the same years if
Simply said, Elijah presence is noted for only 2 the times of Israel kings are recognized by inclusive
kings, Ahab & Ahaziah. These two Samaria kings reckoning, where as Judah’s kings are exclusive
have a listed reign of 24Y, combined. Taking off dates.
Thiele’s mandatory 2 years, leaves just 22Y of
reign time for the 2 kings. But Elijah is not Also the idea of overlapping kings is presented in
introduced in scripture until after Ahab’s coronation 2Kgs1:17. The Geneva commentary explains
and marriage to Jezebel. Allowing 2 years for briefly: ‘Jehoshaphat going to battle against the
Syrians, made his son Jehoram king in the 17th
year of his reign: and in the 18th year which was
Works of Elijah & Elisha the 2nd year of his son, Jehoram the son of Ahab
reigned in Israel: and in the 5th year of this
Elijah Elisha
Jehoram, Jehoshaphat died, and the kingdom of
Ends 3Y-6M Drought Ends 7Y-0M Drought Judah was confirmed to his son.’ To wit others have
agreed adding, ‘it was a usual practice among
Raised 1 from death Raised 2 from death
kings.., to make their sons sometimes their
Multiplied oil&meal Multiplied food 2X viceroys and deputies (aka, Crown Prince) in the
Crossed Divided Jordan 1X Crossed Divided Jordan 2X administration of the kingdom; and sometimes
formally kings in conjunction with themselves...’
1Chr23:1, 29:22, 2Chr26:21, 2Kgs8:16.
completion of these two events, leaves a 20Y
ministry for Elijah. Another way to speculate is by And to make it perfectly muddy, near the fiasco of
Moses, who set the time of active ministry service Ahab, reigned 2 pairs of kings in Judah (ben-
at 20Y. By same token Elisha double portion Jehoshaphat) and Samaria (sons of Ahab) by the
service would be 40Y. same name. Ahaziah & Jehoram (aka Joram) were
sons of Ahab. The other Ahaziah (aka AZARIAH
......... October 2019 1 of 4 OP Armstrong ............
 Years of Elijah & Elisha
and JEHOAHAZ) was a son of Jehoram, king of read to really get the depth of sin existing in the
Judah, ben-Jehoshaphat. To further muddy the Judaea nation. Add to this, the books of Moses
waters, if the phrase, ‘x years reigned YYY in were nearly lost. This can in no-wise justify the
Jerusalem’, is taken literally, then what if a king is goings on in Samaria. The phrase, ‘sins of
alive but not in Jerusalem? What if a king is alive Jeroboam’, is used 17 times to describe Samaria’s
but not ruling in Jerusalem? For example see kings & aptly described the fallen state which Elijah
2Kgs14:13, 24:8&12, 2Chr36:9. found.

Elisha appears in reign of Jehoram, ben Ahab, who Sin is Labor

reigned 12Y, 2Kgs3:1. Died in rule of JEHOASH,
aka Joash, ben Jehoahaz, ben Jehu. Jehu cut off
the house of Ahab.
To get the significance of these 60 years, it helps to
look at the big picture. For since Adam’s fall, God
had promised to redeem man thru the seed of the
woman. Specifically by the house of David,
• "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with
your fathers, I will set up your seed after you,
who will come from your body, and I will establish
his kingdom. He shall build a house for My
name, and I will establish the throne of his
kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall
be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten
him with the rod of men and with the blows of the
sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from
him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from
before you. And your house and your kingdom
shall be established forever before you. Your
throne shall be established forever."'"
After Solomon’s death the kingdom was split.
Israel, (Samaria or Ephram), being ruled by kings
with no direct linage to the house of David. Yet, the
Samaria kings began to get the upper hand.
Sovereign God foreseeing this crisis mounted a
counter plan. Just as in the days of Noe when ‘the
wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually.’ or the similar Babel crisis.
Into this crisis God sent the prophets Elijah &
Elisha to try restore the hearts of men to goodness.
That failing, left but one choice, cut off those who
sought to destroy God’s plan. As told to Elijah by
the Rauch, “And it shall come to pass, that him that
escapes the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and
him that escapes from the sword of Jehu shall
Elisha slay. 1Kgs19:17”
The depth of depravity that crept in between
Solomon’s fall and Josiah’s reformation can be
understood in 2Kgs23. It will take more than one
......... October 2019 2 of 4
The present labor of God is to restore man from the
fall of Adam. Were it not for sin there be no labor to
make a new heaven, new earth. Recall the 6 days
was God’s labor and sin makes the Almighty to
labor. So perhaps the 60 year of Elijah represents
such a concept. For these 2 prophets labored to
return a lost people to a faithful God. Sin brings
unrest, righteousness brings peace. Elijah could
represent the days of God’s redemption to the age
of idolatry, before the Abrahamic covenant. Elisha
could represent the age of God’s mercy under the
Abrahamic covenant age.
Crossing Jordan
Only once before these two prophets, was the
Jordan parted supernaturally. The priests carried
the holy Ark across on dry ground under Joshua
near Gilgal. As the Jordan was parted by both
Elijah and Elisha, at Gilgal, indicates these two
ministries should be considered as two parts of a
whole. Some have erroneously declared the Gilgal
of these prophets was not one and same of
Joshua. But 2Kings ch2, 4, & 6 tells otherwise. The
Jordan was parted at Gilgal, east of Jordan for
both Elijah and Elisha. Also from this Gilgal went
the prophets to Jordan to take wood. Parting
Jordan going west is akin to the risen Christ
ascending to heaven, and the parting traveling from
the East is akin to the return of Christ. David also
foreshadowed
Christ goings and
return with his
crossing Jordan at
Gilgal as type of
The Messiah.
Please read the
hypertext links to
better see the
background of these events. The file is here.
OP Armstrong ............
 Years of Elijah & Elisha
Appendix1 follows Return

Elijah&Elisha Yrs: Judea Kgs

Elijah & Elisha Years by Samaria Kings
King Yrs Used Sum
King Yrs Xclv Used Sum
Asa 41 1 1
Ahab 22 21 19 19
Jehoshaphat 25 25 26
Ahaziah 2 1 1 20 34
Jehoram, 8 8
Jehoram, Joram 12 11 11 31 Joram
Ahaziah 1 1 35
Jehu 28 27 27 58
Athaliah 6 6 41
Jehoahaz 17 16 2 60
Joash Jehoash 40 19 60

......... October 2019 3 of 4 OP Armstrong ............

 Years of Elijah & Elisha

......... October 2019 4 of 4 OP Armstrong ............