Year One, November 29

We Shall Not All Sleep, but We Shall All Be Changed1

2 Kings 2:1-14

1Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” (Gilgal was where a school for the prophets was located. Elijah’s last earthly work was to visit these schools. No one can overestimate the importance of our theological colleges being filled with holy men. Do we pray for students as we should?) But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. (Elijah knew his time for leaving this world was near and he wanted time alone to pour out his soul before the Lord. He was also a humble man and did not wish others to see his glorious departure and perhaps think more of him than they should. However, God had arranged that Elisha would see his master’s ascension to heaven. The Lord does not intend for his finest works to go unnoticed. Believers who would rather not have attention called to themselves are still “known and read by all.”2)

3And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”

4Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 

6Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. (Elisha could not be shaken off. He felt that he must see the last of his master and must obtain a parting blessing from him.) 7Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. (In the past, the river had been at flood stage or dried up at the command of the prophet as he opened or shut up heaven. Now it opened to give him a dry passage. In this, as in many other ways, Elijah was like Moses, who divided the waters of the Red Sea.)

9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”

Elisha understood how difficult it would be to be Elijah’s successor. He concluded that he would need a double measure of grace to follow in his footsteps. His request shows that his heart was in his lifework and that he had forsaken every selfish desire. Hs only ambition was to serve his God.

10And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” (It was not in Elijah’s power to give the Holy Spirit. But he could ask it for his friend and give him a sign that the request was granted.) 11And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.  (This was a proper departure for one whose fiery spirit and whirlwind force had made all Israel tremble. Elijah was the only mortal to be visibly carried to heaven. Remarkable faithfulness was honored by a remarkable departure.)

12And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” (Elijah had been the protector of Israel, the chariot and horseman of the nation. Now that he is gone, what will Israel do? This was Elisha’s main thought.) And he saw him no more.

Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

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¹ 1 Corinthians 15:51

² 2 Corinthians 3:2