John Thomas Mawson (1871-1943) was an outstanding evangelist, teacher and author. He edited and contributed to "Scripture Truth" magazine from its inception in 1909 until 1943 (initially sharing the editorship with H D R Jameson, until the latter's death in 1912). The content of some of his books was originally delivered in series of talks to Christians, young and old, and his writings have a pleasant conversational style about them which makes them easy to follow. His comment on the story of Elisha as "enlightening to the mind and delightful to the heart" describes well his own written ministry. This book considers the life of Elisha, a remarkable prophet: of all the men who served God in Old Testament days, he stands out as the prophet of grace, and in that he was a foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ in His present place on the throne of grace in heaven, the Administrator of the grace of God to men. Only a shadow, and not the very image of Him, and as the shadow is nothing and the Substance is everything, so Elisha is nothing, except as his thrilling story does pictorially set before us the all-sufficient grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that is something, and well worthy of our study, for who can do without the Saviour and His grace? The procession of needy folk with their burdens and ills and problems and sorrows pass before Elisha in its pages. We watch them as they come and go, and recognise our own spiritual needs portrayed in them; but as Elisha was the man for them all, so is his great Antitype the Man for us. It is of Him the author writes, joyfully, thankfully, and with a full assurance. The author uses scenes from Elisha's experience to meditate on the later, and perfect, life of Jesus Christ, as he develops his theme of "the secret of spiritual victory, peace and joy".
