Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
The moment a little baby takes his or her first breath outside the womb is spectacular isn’t it? But equally significant and awe inspiring is the moment a person breathes their final breath here on earth. I wonder how many of you my friends have experienced either or both of those unforgettable moments? I’d love to pass the microphone to you right now and invite you to tell us the story of the memory which has just flooded into your mind.
Come, let’s rejoin Elijah and Elisha where we left them yesterday, standing on the east side of the Jordan river, looking at a group of young prophets on the other side of the river. Elisha is pondering what could be a life changing question old Elijah has just asked him, do you remember?
Elijah had said to Elisha: “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” (2 Kings 2:9) Elisha has been thinking, perhaps praying, trying to discern what the most significant thing could be to request of Elijah before his ‘departure’. I wonder what you would have asked for? Both Elijah and Elisha, as well as those young prophets over there watching, knew that today was Elijah’s last day on earth.
God had somehow informed all of them that Elijah would be taken by God from Elisha today and that’s why Elisha had not left Elijah’s side all day as they had walked from Gilgal to Bethel, about 13 miles, and then back again to Jericho, about 12 miles, and now here to the east side of the Jordan river perhaps 3 or 4 miles. All day long Elisha has been on high alert, watching and listening, not knowing what God was about to do, but knowing somehow Elijah would be taken from them by God Himself.
Elisha finally drew in a thoughtful breath and responded to Elijah’s question: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.’ Elisha replied.” (2 Kings 2:9) Oh my! Now what do you suppose Elisha meant by that? Everyone knew the Spirit of God was upon the prophet Elijah in an unusual, remarkable way. The miracle of dividing the Jordan river, so they could walk across on dry land, was just the latest of several great miracles God had performed through Elijah.
The power of God’s Spirit upon Elijah had given him great courage in the face of wicked King Ahab, Queen Jezebel and 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah! The power of God’s Spirit upon Elijah had enabled him to trust God even in the most outrageous situations like receiving daily food from ravens in the wilderness. Elisha knew that despite the great work God had accomplished through Elijah, the leaders who followed King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had learned nothing from what they had seen and were just as rebellious against God as Ahab and Jezebel had been!
If Elisha was to continue Elijah’s work, Elisha knew he would be declaring God’s truth to a people and leaders of Israel who were even more hard hearted than their parents and grandparents had been! Oh Elisha needed the wisdom, the power, the presence of God’s Spirit if he was to continue Elijah’s work in ever darkening Israel!
Elijah thought for a few moments and probably pulled on his beard, rubbed his forehead, maybe looked up into the sky imagining what Elisha’s life and ministry was going to be like after Elijah was gone. Finally old Elijah spoke: “You have asked a difficult thing, yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours – otherwise it will not.” (2 Kings 2:10) Perhaps Elijah said more, but that’s all we have recorded. It appears they walked on together just a little further. Toward what destination? The record doesn’t tell us.
In my OT maps I see the next little town, perhaps 3 miles away, was “Shittim”. That is famous as the very last place the Israelites camped as they finished their 40 years of wandering in the desert. (Joshua 3:1) Sadly it was a place some terrible rebellion occurred among those Israelites before they left the desert and entered the Land of God’s Promise. (Numbers 25)
It appears Elijah and Elisha had only walked a very short distance from the Jordan river when suddenly one of the greatest events in the Old Testament happened. The record says: “As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, ‘My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’ And Elisha saw Elijah no more. Then Elisha took hold of his garment and tore it in two!” (2 Kings 2:11,12)
The great, old prophet Elijah was gone. God had taken Elijah up to heaven in a unique way, unlike anything God had ever done before. Elisha was stunned speechless and by tearing his garment he was declaring his deep grief but also his awe of the majesty and greatness of the God of Israel!
Let’s pause and ponder this scene a moment. What does it mean, my friends? You may know there is one other time in the Old Testament, where the chariots and horsemen of fire from heaven come to earth on a mission from God. It happened in the life of Elisha. We’ll look at that in a few days. It is found in 2 Kings 6.
We know Fire from Heaven is a significant symbol of God declaring God’s Holiness, Purity and God’s judgment on sin. God sent fire from heaven to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, cities of great wickedness. (Gen. 19:23,24) God sent fire to burn up King Solomon’s sacrifice at the dedication of the great Temple of God in Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 7:1) God sent fire to burn up Elijah’s sacrifice on Mt Carmel as the false prophets of Baal and Asherah’s cry to their god Baal had gone unanswered. And God sent ‘tongues of fire’ upon 120 followers of Jesus in an upper room on the day of Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit of God filled them. (Acts 2:1-4)
But here with Elijah and Elisha God sent a chariot of fire to carry the God honoring prophet from earth up into God’s presence! Please note: Elijah did not die a normal human death. He was evidently swept up to heaven alive, just as Jesus ascended alive to heaven.
We presume, Elijah receive his glorified, heavenly body in the instant he traveled from earth to heaven, just as believers in Jesus Christ will receive their heavenly bodies in that moment of rapture as Paul described in 1 Thess. 4:15-18. It all happened to Elijah in an instant and only one thing remained with Elisha as Elijah was swept up in that chariot.
2 Kings 2:13 says: “Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him…”. This was the cloak that Elijah had thrown over Elisha when first Elijah called Elisha to leave his farm and follow Elijah as his apprentice. (1 Kings 19:19) This was the cloak that Elijah had rolled up and struck the Jordan river with, and then the river divided so Elijah and Elisha could cross on dry ground! (2 Kings 2:8) Now Elisha held it in his hands. The mantle of prophetic leadership was being passed, by God Himself, from Elijah to Elisha!
I imagine Elisha stood there for a long time, not moving one step, just replaying in his mind over and over what he had just witnessed, and holding the prophet Elijah’s cloak firmly in his hands. Elijah had ‘departed’, just as God had promised.
It’s a picture my friends, of the ‘departure’ of EVERY true Christian, every person who has been redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ! That’s why the apostle Paul used the word “departure” twice in his writings. (Phil. 1:23 & 2 Tim. 4:7,8) At the moment of death, our spirit and soul leaves our body, and for Christians, our soul & spirit FULLY ALIVE goes immediately to be with Jesus! (2 Cor. 5:6,7)
It’s a glorious, wonderful, miraculous moment and only God knows WHEN that moment will be for you and me and every Christian. Are you excited that you have great confidence that one day God will send a chariot of fire for your soul & spirit and bring you instantly into HIS presence, even if we who are alive at that moment don’t actually see the chariot, as Elisha did?
Let’s pause right here and celebrate with this worship song, and tomorrow let’s see what miraculous thing God did next with Elisha!
Today’s Scripture: 2 Kings 2:9-12.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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