Sermon Tone Analysis

Elijah and Elisha 14.

We come now to the end of the story of Elijah!

His departure; the transition from Elijah to Elisha.

Let’s turn to 2 Kings chapter 2. [P] In the introduction to this series, if you can remember that far back!, I said that “Elijah” means “יהוה is God” – and that has been the issue right throughout Elijah’s ministry.

Jesus Himself said that John the Baptist was Elijah: [Matthew 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.]

After John came ….? Jesus!

Jesus means “יהוה saves” – the Hebrew equivalent is “Joshua”.

After Elijah came …..?

Not Joshua, but Elisha, not “יהוה saves” but “My God saves”.

All this took place in the northern nation of Israel; [P] its capital was Samaria.

Judah and Jerusalem were to the South.

Elisha came from Abel Meholah, right on the Jordan river.

So, after Elijah, the one who turns a wayward people back to the living and true God, יהוה; there comes one with the message of God’s salvation: Elisha.

You can’t push the parallels too far; but prophetically, these prophets picture the coming of John and Jesus; of first a message of repentance, and then the coming of salvation.

So, with that in mind, let us read of the transition from the ministry of Elijah to that of Elisha: [2 Kings 2:1–18 And it came about when יהוה was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

Elijah said to Elisha, [P] “Stay here please, for יהוה has sent me as far as Bethel.”

(there, as always, Elijah was directed by יהוה, moving at His direction, doing what He said) But Elisha said, [P] “As יהוה lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So, they went down to Bethel.

Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel [P] came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that יהוה will take away your master from over you today?”

And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”

(the word means be quiet, he was telling them to shut up) Elijah said to him, [P] “Elisha, please stay here, for יהוה has sent me to Jericho.”

But he said, “As יהוה lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So, they came to Jericho.

The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha [P] and said to him, “Do you know that יהוה will take away your master from over you today?”

And he answered, “Yes, I know; be still.”

(hush) Then Elijah said to him, [P] “Please stay here, for יהוה has sent me to the Jordan.”

(Why did Elijah go to the Jordan?

יהוה sent him) And he said, “As יהוה lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So, the two of them went on.

Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.

[P] Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, [P] and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

(shades of the Joshua crossing the Jordan, and Moses the Sea of Reeds) When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, [P] “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” (Told him three times to stay and he refused to leave; now his loyalty is rewarded: Elisha is granted a request.

Elijah knew he was going, the prophets of Bethel knew, the prophets of Jericho knew, the prophets at the Jordan knew, Elisha knew – everyone with a smidgen of spiritual discernment knew!)

And Elisha said, [P] “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” (remember the fairy stories of genies granting wishes?

You can have anything you want.

Given a blank cheque!

What would you ask for?

Elisha wanted something spiritual!

More of the Holy Spirit) He said, “You have asked a hard thing.

Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”

As they were going along and talking, behold, [P] there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them.

And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.

[P] (Elijah didn’t go up in a chariot of fire, but a whirlwind; a bit like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz) Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

(the spiritual army of Israel, the heavenly host, the fiery horses, led Elijah home – a triumphal entry into the heavenly realm!)

And he saw Elijah no more.

(Gone!

He didn’t die!

He was just taken directly up to heaven!

Elisha saw him as he was taken directly into heaven, he looked into heaven, that is where the double portion of the Spirit came from.

Elisha received a double portion of the Spirit, filled with the Spirit) Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

(cutting ties with his old life, taking on the new role) [P] He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned [P] and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters (nothing happened!) and said, “Where is יהוה, the God of Elijah?” (what was the message of Elijah?

“יהוה is God!” – well, if this be so, where is He?!

If God is real, He should be evident!)

[P] And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

(the same Spirit, the same power) Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”

(and those with spiritual discernment knew that it was the same Spirit) And they came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

[P] They said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of יהוה has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.”

(they saw the tornado pick him up; when that happens, it eventually deposits somewhere else, what it has taken up.

The prophets thought that Elijah would be put down again.

But Elisha knew better) And he said, “You shall not send.”

But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.”

[P] They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched three days but did not find him.

They returned to him while he was staying at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”]

He knew that Elijah had gone directly up to heaven itself to be with God.

Being fairly thick of skull, I often only take notice when things get repeated.

And there are a few things that get repeated in this passage before us; so, I take notice of them.

God must think them important, He repeats them so that even I get it.

He wants us to take notice!

It says repeatedly that: 1/ Elijah was leaving – all the various prophets knew, Elijah knew, Elisha knew.

Everyone knew that Elijah’s time was up; 2/ “Stay here”; repeatedly Elijah tells Elisha to stay.

To sit, remain where he is.

He entreats him.

Did Elijah not want Elisha, was he sick of him, hanging around like a bad smell?

No, I don’t think so.

He had appointed him as his successor.

He was testing him, proving his loyalty.

He did not want him under obligation.

He was seeing what was in Elisha.

And what was in Elisha was revealed.

Because: 3/ But repeatedly Elisha refuses: “I won’t leave you” – he says it over and over again.

Is he disobedient, rebellious?

No, his is utterly committed to Elijah and to following in his footsteps.

He was completely loyal.

[P] Remember a few months back when I spoke about Elisha being appointed?

There he was ploughing with 12 yoke of oxen and Elijah placed his mantle upon him.

He was appointed Elijah successor; יהוה had told him: [1 Kings 19:16 Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.]

Elijah did not want him to leave, he was his successor.

But did Elisha have what it takes?

Elijah had experienced continual opposition; those who gave up at the first bit of flak would not last the distance.

Elisha, from that day he was appointed, had taken the humble place and faithfully served Elijah.

He broke ties with his past left all, sacrificed the oxen, burnt his bridges and [1 Kings 19:21 Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered (served) to him.]

In the following years, he had stayed with Elijah.

We don’t hear anything of him, he played second fiddle to Elijah – we hardly know that he is there.

But he was – we get an indication in 2 Kings 3:11; this is after Elijah is gone and Elisha is established in office and King Jehoshaphat sought a prophet; he was told: [2 Kings 3:11 And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”]

No mention, all we see is Elijah and what he was doing but there was Elisha, all that time, serving in the most menial way.

Not some great spiritual ministry; he was pouring water on the hands of Elijah.

They had no running water, so someone poured water from a jug into a basin, while you washed your hands – Elisha acted as Elijah’s tap!

He needed water to wash his hands, Elisha would pour it!

He used to do this – not just once but habitually.