"The arrow of the Lord's deliverance."--_2 Kings 13:17._
ELISHA grew to be a very old man, and when at last he fell sick and was
near his death, the king of Israel, whose name was Joash, came and kept
by his bed-side.
Elisha said, "Open the window eastward;" and he opened it. Then Elisha
said, "Shoot;" and Joash took his bow and shot an arrow. And Elisha
said, "The arrow of the Lord's deliverance." Then he said, "Take the
arrows; smite upon the ground."
Joash struck three times on the ground, but he did not go on striking,
for he did not think enough of God and His prophet to understand that
if he obeyed Elisha God would bless him. So Elisha told him if he had
struck many times, he would have had a great many victories over the
Syrians, but as he had only struck three times, he would only have
three victories. For it is when people begin by obeying in little
things that God gives them a great deal.
Then the great Prophet Elisha died, and was buried; and Joash beat
the Syrians three times, but no more, because he had not believed and
obeyed.