2 Kings 2:1-14 Complete Jewish Bible
2 The time came for Adonai to take Eliyahu up into heaven in a whirlwind. Eliyahu and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal, 2 when Eliyahu said to Elisha, “Please wait here, because Adonai has sent me all the way to Beit-El.” But Elisha said, “As Adonai lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Beit-El. 3 The guild prophets of Beit-El came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that Adonai is taking your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he answered; “say no more.”
4 Eliyahu said to him, “Elisha, please wait here, because Adonai has sent me to Yericho.” He replied, “As Adonai lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Yericho. 5 The guild prophets of Yericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that Adonai is taking your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he answered; “say no more.”
6 Eliyahu said to him, “Please wait here, because Adonai has sent me to the Yarden.” He replied, “As Adonai lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty of the guild prophets went and stood watching them from a distance, while they stood by the Yarden. 8 Then Eliyahu took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it; and the water divided itself to the left and to the right; so that they crossed on dry ground. 9 After they had crossed, Eliyahu said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away from you.” Elisha said, “Please! Let a double share of your spirit be on me!” 10 He replied, “You have requested a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, you will get what you asked for; but if not, you won’t.”
11 Suddenly, as they were walking on and talking, there appeared a fiery chariot with horses of fire; and as it separated the two of them from each other, Eliyahu went up into heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Isra’el!” Then he lost sight of him. Seizing his clothes, he tore them in half. 13 Then he picked up Eliyahu’s cloak, which had fallen off him. Standing on the bank of the Yarden, 14 he took the cloak that had fallen off Eliyahu, struck the water and said, “Where is Adonai, God of Eliyahu?” But when he actually did strike the water, it divided itself to the left and to the right; then Elisha crossed over.
Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
A cloak, a long, heavy, robe-like coat, is an Old Testament symbol of authority.
For a prophet in Israel, it was a symbol of the power of God resting on him.
When Elijah first met Elisha (1 Kings 19:19), he threw his cloak around him.
I wonder how it felt; the ‘weight’ of the ‘anointing’ of the Spirit of God.
When Elisha felt that, he left everything and followed Elijah.
But now, with Elijah gone to heaven, Elisha must go on.
Picking up the cloak Elijah left behind, Elisha goes back the way they came, and knows God is with him as the water of the Jordan River divides, as for Elijah.
Is there a follower of Jesus whom you admire?
Often, for example, when an old Christian grandmother dies, her children and grandchildren will speak through tears and with deep warmth about her faith.
They’ll recall how she went to church every Sunday, loved the old hymns, read the Bible every day, prayed every morning and night, stayed married to grandpa all those years. They’ll speak of how her decades long faith had inspired them.
But, in many such families the kids only come to church occasionally–and the grandkids, rarely. Though inspired by Grandma’s life, they don’t imitate it.
Have you ever had a mentor who meant the world to you?
It’s a very special bond that can have an everlasting impact.
In 2 Kings 2, we are given a profound portrait of an understudy transitioning into his mentor’s leadership role.
More importantly, we see the fierce loyalty and devotion Elisha has for Elijah.
A pivotal transition like this, from one prophet to a new one, is also seen in two other close biblical relationships: Moses and Joshua, John the Baptist and Jesus.
It’s marvelous how God continues to direct Joshua, given courage and strength, commissioned by Moses to take over leading the people into the Promised Land.
John 3:25-30 New American Standard Bible
25 Then a matter of dispute developed on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about [a]purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing and all the people are coming to Him.” 27 John replied, “A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves [b]are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the [c]Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30 He must [d]increase, but I must [e]decrease.
John the Baptist declared in John 1:36: “Look, the Lamb of God!” as Jesus passes by, John then retorts; “hands off” to his disciples to the leadership of Jesus.
The relationship between a leader and a predecessor, or a mentor and a mentee, is not always guaranteed to be close or fruitful.
But God shows us in 2 Kings 2 that when He is in it, it’s miraculous.
When God changes relationships by transitioning leaders, he is demonstrating the infallibility of his continual salvation.
In fact, the name Elisha, is rooted in the two Hebrew words “El” (God) and Yeshua (salvation), means “God is salvation.”
In 2 Kings 2, Elisha had been eagerly following Elijah in his prophetic ministry for years.
And he faithfully stays right by Elijah’s side wherever he goes.
In fact, Elisha refuses to leave Elijah three times on their way across the Jordan River. Just prior to our scripture reference today, Elijah had struck the water with his cloak, dividing the river in two… so they could cross on dry ground.
That had to be a OMG realization of the size of Elijah’s big shoes to fill, in Elisha’s eyes.
In 2 Kings 2:9, we see Elijah, who knows he will be taken away from Elisha, asking his loyal friend and follower:
“Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
and Elisha replies, wisely, “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.”
That’s like saying: if you must go, let me do what you did doubly well. Bless me abundantly with your spirit.
This is an example of someone deeply desiring to carry the torch forward, out of complete and authentic respect for his mentor.
Elisha had to be feeling some fear or sadness about losing Elijah, or about being left alone in charge without him.
But it’s possible this request for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit was Elisha’s way of overcoming his own fear of change and his dread of losing this sacred relationship.
So, he asked for Elijah’s strength, believed he could serve as well as his leader.
Just imagine the intense shock that probably struck through Elisha’s in 2 Kings 2:11, when a chariot of fire and horses appear between them and take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind!
Right after this awe-inspiring moment, scripture tells us that “Elisha saw him no more.”
In but the briefest of moments Elijah was gone … taken up to heaven.
Throughout life, our mentors, whether coaches, parents, managers, teachers, or any other honorable servants, leave us unannounced through moving away, retirement, illnesses, family matters, transfers, or just that need to get away.
Over the course of those close relationship with them, we are infused with the courage and ability to do things we would not have thought possible without their on the spot directions, encouragements, guidance, elbows in rib cages.
After Elijah is taken from Elisha, he immediately picks up the mantle.
He proceeds to split the Jordan River in half and heal the city’s water supply.
In the continuing prophetic spirit of honoring God, he confidently declares in
2 Kings 2:21: “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.”
Missions can change hands.
Leaders can pass.
But in the power of a close relationship based on unmistakable sincerity, honor, integrity, trust, truth and faith, God is always with us.
Do we know any people who walk as Elijah and Elisha walked faithfully with the Lord?
Follow their example.
Pick up their cloak ….
Wear that cloak as Elijah and Elisha did …
Cross that Jordan River …
Job 12:13 Amplified Bible
Job Speaks of the Power of God
13
“But [only] with Him are [perfect] wisdom and might;
He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.
In the matchless power of and by the resurrection, Pentecost promises of God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit …..
Praying ….
Micah 6:6-8 Amplified Bible
What God Requires of Man
6
With what shall I come before the Lord [to honor Him]
And bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With yearling calves?
7
Will the Lord be delighted with thousands of rams,
Or with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I present my firstborn for my acts of rebellion,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8
He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
Except to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion),
And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness]?
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 