Life From A Tomb

2 Kings 13:20-21

Elisha is dead.

I know—that's a weird way to start. And no, I'm not trying to channel my inner Charles Dickens with "Marley was dead: to begin with" here. This is just how the story begins.

Elisha—one of the greatest prophets in Israel's history—is gone. And not in the same jaw-dropping, supernatural way that his mentor Elijah went out. No, there’s No fiery chariot. No whirlwind. No standing ovation from the angels. Just… death.

Old age, sickness, we don't know exactly. Whatever it was, his time came, like it does for everyone. So, his body was placed in a tomb, the stone was rolled over the entrance, and life moved on. End of story, right? Well… not exactly.

Fast forward a few years—maybe a decade, maybe more—and a group of Israelites are in the middle of a burial. Just doing what people do when someone dies. Mourning, remembering, honoring. And then—out of nowhere—a band of Moabite raiders shows up.

Now this is Not good. Moabite raiders were bad news—violent, relentless, and always looking for an opportunity to strike. They weren’t just passing through, and they definitely weren’t the type to pause out of respect for a funeral. They didn’t care about grief. They didn’t show mercy. They were brutal, dangerous, and the kind of people you don’t stick around to negotiate with.

When Moabite raiders show up, you don’t think—you run. And that’s exactly what the Israelites did. And in their panic, they make a split-second decision. Instead of leaving their friend's body behind, they toss it into the nearest available tomb.

Which, as fate—or rather, as God—would have it, happens to be Elisha's tomb.

And that's when things get interesting.

Here’s the text: 2 Kings 13:20-21 (NIV) – "Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once, while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet."

Now, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say… no one saw that coming.

I imagine the group of Isaralites sprinting away, looking back, and suddenly realizing they’re booking it with the guy they just buried.

So seriously… what is going on here? Why did this happen?

Well, I see a couple of things on display in this amazing miracle; first of all, we see that:

1. God’s PowerHas Staying Power

Now, just to be clear, this is not about laying on dead bodies, digging up bones, or doing anything weird like that; That's not the point. The bigger reality here is this: God's power doesn't expire with time.

Now, we live in a world where everything has an expiration date. Milk spoils. Shoes wear out. Phones become outdated before you've even figured out how to use all the features. Even relationships that once felt solid can slowly drift. Everything around us moves toward decay.

But God? He doesn't work that way. His power doesn't weaken. His purposes don't wear out. What He starts, He sustains.

And maybe that's exactly what you need to hear today.

Maybe you feel like your best days are behind you.

Maybe you think your most meaningful moments are in the past.

Maybe you're just waiting to see how the story ends.

But hear me—just because a season has ended doesn't mean God's power has.

What He spoke over your life still stands.

What He deposited in you still carries weight.

And the work He started in you? He's not done.

Philippians 1:6 (NIV) says it like this: Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Even though Elisha was gone, God’s power wasn’t. What He had done through Elisha’s life was still active, still moving, still bringing life.

And here’s the thing—God’s power is still active today. We don’t need the bones of a prophet to experience it. We have something even greater—His living, Spirit-breathed Word.

Through Scripture, we have direct access to the same power that worked through the prophets and apostles. The same voice that spoke through them is still speaking. The same power that moved in their time is still moving today.

Think about it—if a dead man came back to life just by touching Elisha’s bones, how much more can God revive, restore, and renew us when we come into contact with His living, breathing, powerful Word?

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) says: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

So if you feel spiritually dry, if your faith feels buried, if your hope seems lost—open the Scriptures. Because God's Word still has the power to revive your soul.

The second thing this story reminds me of is this:

2. Resurrection Is God's Signature Move.

This wasn’t just a random miracle. It was a preview. A sneak peek of what was coming. Because this wouldn’t be the last time someone walked out of a tomb. This moment was setting the stage for Jesus.

Think about it:

• A dead body placed in a tomb.

• A moment where death gets reversed.

• A man who was supposed to stay buried… standing up again.

Sound familiar? Yeah, Because this wasn’t just a bizarre, one-off miracle. This was a preview. A foreshadowing of something even greater.

You see, the guy who fell into Elisha’s tomb? He came back to life… but only for a while. Eventually, he died again. His resurrection was temporary.

But Jesus walked out of the grave and never looked back. And because He lives, resurrection isn’t just an ancient miracle—it’s a present reality.

It’s not just something God did. It’s something God still does. Not in the "drop a body in a tomb and watch it wake up" kind of way. But in a way that matters even more—bringing dead souls back to life.

Charles Spurgeon said it like this: "The resurrection is not only a historical event but a present power. He who raised Christ from the dead is still at work today, bringing dead souls to life, reviving hearts that have grown cold, and calling sinners out of darkness into His marvelous light." — Charles Spurgeon

You see, really this was never about Elisha’s bones. This was never about one random man getting a second chance at life. This story is a signpost pointing to another tomb. Another moment where death met the power of God—and lost. Except this time? There were no bones left behind. Because the tomb of Jesus… It was empty!

Elisha’s bones brought one man back to life, but Jesus conquered death once and for all so that all mankind could be brought back to life. His resurrection wasn’t about a single miracle—it was about opening the door to eternal life for everyone who believes in Him.

So here's what you need to know:

• If you feel spiritually dead, Jesus can bring you back to life.

• If you feel buried under the weight of sin, shame, or failure, Jesus has already rolled the stone away.

• If you feel like your story is over, God isn’t done writing it yet.

Because when you come into contact with Jesus, resurrection is inevitable.

So don’t just read this as some strange, old Bible story. Read it as a promise. If God can bring a random man back to life by touching the bones of a prophet… Just imagine what happens when you touch the living Savior.