The Miracle Of Elisha's Bones Poem by Tan Pratonix

Elisha died, and they buried him in a grave.
In those days the Moabites would invade the land
Every year in spring.
And the Israelites were burying a man,
When they saw a marauding band
Of Moabites, and threw the body into Elisha's grave.

Why Elisha's grave was open we do not know.
It was certainly not a tomb protected by a massive stone;
No rich man's grave, but the burial plot of the poor;
Neglected, like the graves of God's prophets are.
(The shrines of false prophets are visited by thousands every year,
While the faithful servants of the Lord lie forgotten
In some remote place.
God in His infinite wisdom ensured
That Moses' grave could not be traced;
And He translated Elijah to heaven,
Or else syncretic Jews with mercenary minds,
Would have erected monuments over their graves,
And revenue from the pockets of the devoutly blind
Would be rolling still into the treasuries in modern Palestine.)

Whatever the case may be, the great man of God lay
Slighted in an open grave,
His bones exposed to sun and rain, and frost at night;
And the burial party flung the corpse into Elisha's grave
And fled to escape the ravaging Moabite.

Imagine their surprise when they heard a sound
And turning back, they saw the dead man
Come up from the open ground.
His body had touched Elisha's bones, and he revived,
Springing to his feet, (and then he ran!)
Just like Jairus' daughter whom our Lord took by the hand.

The Holy Spirit took special care to mention
The resurrection power flowing through the bones
Of the prophet who had seen Elijah's ascension -
And it was flowing still, even after he was dead and gone.

What we gather from this little story
(And may the Lord grant us revelation to see it!)
Is that resurrection power and resurrection glory
Is given to those baptized in that sunken river,
Determined to have a double portion of the Spirit.


**(Note: 'Sunken river'>the river Jordan, the lowest river in the world. Elisha, with Elijah, passed through the river Jordan before Elijah's translation to heaven.)