Elisha Takes Up Elijah’s Mantle

Transcript

GRS 2-101
3/2/2008
Elisha Takes Up Elijah’s Mantle
2 Kings 2
Gil Rugh


We are in Second Kings, Chapter 2 and as the name of the book implies we are studying Israel’s history under its kings. The kingdom has divided, so we have the nation Israel but now it’s in two parts, the northern ten tribes, which we generally call Israel and then the southern tribe, the southern kingdom which we call Judah, which is comprised basically of Judah, and then a small tribe of Benjamin.

We are coming to the conclusion of the earthly ministry of Elijah the prophet. And Elijah’s ministry was centered in the northern kingdom which is interesting. And it’s a striking ministry considered by many as the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. In fact when John the Baptist comes on the scene to introduce Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, he is identified as one who comes in the spirit and power of Elijah. And yet as far as the outward appearance, Elijah’s ministry humanly speaking accomplished little. He is privileged and given opportunity, sent by God to confront the kings of Israel and yet none of those he confronted became believers.

He does mighty miracles in the nation, but there’s no indication that there’s any kind of turning in the nation from their sin and rebellion against God, the belief in the God that Elijah represented. When we think of these as glorious days and we look at the ministry of Elijah and we say what a ministry and the mighty miracles he does and now perhaps the greatest of all the miracles associated with him his translation to heaven without experiencing physical death, but you know what, it’s like rock thrown in the water and it sinks to the bottom and the water closes over and it’s just the way it was. And Elisha will pick up and he will be no more effective, humanly speaking. He’ll confront kings, he’ll do mighty works, and when his ministry is over the nation will be just as bad as it was when he started and none of the kings that he confronts will have come to believe either.

So the ministry of the prophets they standout because they had great ministries as they represented God, but as far as impact is concerned, God’s testimony is, I kept sending my servants the prophets but nobody listened, nobody listened. So the northern kingdom will go into captivity, and you know what, the prophets in the southern kingdom didn’t have much better success either because God’s testimony is they didn’t listen to my servants the prophet either so they have to go into the Babylonian captivity.

So the prophet’s ministry was a hard one and Elijah, we’ve seen him in his times of discouragement and despair and now we come to the end of his earthly ministry. In Chapter 2 of Second kings and it not only records the climax of Elijah’s ministry, but it also establishes Elisha as the successor to Elijah the one that God has ordained and appointed to carry on the prophetic ministry in Israel the northern kingdom. And Elisha will settle in Samaria when he takes up the ministry from Elijah which was the capital of the northern kingdom.

Major event of this Chapter and the one that we are most familiar with is the translation of Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind and the whole Chapter revolves around that event leading up to it and then events following it which establish Elisha as God’s successor.

Okay, let’s pick up with verse 1. It came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And we’ll refer to this in a little bit, but remember earlier in First Kings Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha and in fact called him to follow him with the anticipation he would be his successor. Now these events are going to come about. Gilgal is seven miles from Bethel and remember Bethel is the centre of calf worship in the southern part of the northern kingdom. Dan is far to the north and it was another center of calf worship, so that’s the region that we are in at this time.

In verse 2 Elijah said to Elisha "Stay here please for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel" but Elisha said "As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you" so they went down to Bethel. It’s going to be the first of three times that Elijah says the same thing to Elisha, and Elisha responds the same way all three times down in verse 4 Elijah said to him "Elisha please stay here for the Lord has sent me to Jericho “As he keeps moving from place to place he says to Elisha, please stay here. We were, perhaps we might say you’re welcome to stay and remain here if you would like, that’s the idea of it. It’s obviously not a command and Elisha recognizes that and Elijah does too.

In other words what is going to be happening on these occasions? He’s giving Elisha the opportunity to decide not to proceed. They both know where this is going. Others in the prophetic community know what is about to happen to Elijah. So in fact this is an opportunity for Elisha to back out, but that when you originally called me and cast your mantle over me, yes but now we come to the time when it’s about to happen and Elisha shows here his determination to follow through the call of God that is come to him and carry on the ministry of Elijah after he’s gone. That’s an intimidating prospect. I mean Elijah was intimated by his own ministry. Remember when he ran and hid and was discouraged, disappointed with his ministry Elisha’s well aware of these things and now he’ll have to carry it on without Elijah but he says as the Lord lives and as you yourself live I will not leave you. So they went on to Bethel.

Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him do you know the Lord will take away your master from over you today? He said yes I know be still. So you see the Lord has revealed to the prophets broadly that this is the day of Elijah’s departure. Elisha knows, the prophets know they’re called the sons of the prophets and these are sort of a guild of prophets, apprentice prophets. But they are those, they did receive direct revelation, they function as a prophetic community in Israel and they are often associated with a key prophet as their leader like Elijah they will be seen associated with Elisha.

They were present in Samuel’s death back in the last Judge of Israel, Samuel as a prophet and Judge of the people who anointed Saul as the first king of Israel and then David as his successor. Back in First Samuel 10:10 and First Samuel 19:20 you’ll see these prophets gathered around, the sons of the prophets has their call. So I would say may be apprentice prophets they are a school or guild of prophets associated with a major prophetic ministry but they too receive direct revelation, God has revealed to them today is the day Elijah will be removed from the earth. They know it’s going to be a unique event. They don’t say do you know today Elijah is going to die, but you know today God will remove Elijah from over your head. How much they knew of what would happen we don’t know. Evidently part of their ministry is to be a teaching guild in Israel. And interesting here you find them at Bethel, the center of calf worship in the northern kingdom but there is this guild of true prophets that are carrying on ministry.

Elisha’s response to them is yes I know that just be quite we are following this through will but the Lord do as he will. So Elisha doesn’t know when this will happen, how it will happen, where it will happen but he knows it will be today, that’s why he’s not willing to be left behind. He’s committed to follow Elijah and ready to pick up his ministry.

Verse 4 Elijah 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. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today, he answered yes I know be still. So you see these guilds of prophets in these locations have all received the same revelation from God. This is the last day of Elijah’s ministry. They recognize Elisha’s connection to Elijah. So they ask him about that and he says yes, the Lord revealed it to me as well.

Verse 6, then Elijah said to him please stay here for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan. He said "As the Lord lives as you yourself live I will not leave you, so that two of them went on." Now fifty men of the sons of the prophet went and stood opposite them at a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan. So now from Jericho the last stop as they are going to the Jordan River, fifty of the prophets from the schools of prophets you are going to see this can be a large contingent. Followed at a distance because they are interested in what is going to happen. How will this come about, what exactly will take place?

You know in each of these occasions Elijah has told Elisha the Lord has sent me to such and such a place, verse 6 which we just read. "Please stay here for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan" and each of his moves. Elijah credits to the direction of the Lord as he moves him to the place where he will step from earth to the realms of glory. His fifty prophets are following at a distance and they will become witnesses not of Elijah’s translation to heaven but of the fact that Elisha is God’s appointed successor to Elijah.

You know miracles as we’ve noted accompany Elijah’s ministry in all ways. Remember he was fed by the Ravens, just the thing relates in the normal outflow of life he had a life of miracles, and here he comes to the River Jordan and he Elisha need to cross the Jordan, what are you going to do, look for a raft, look for a shallow spot. No you just off your mantle role it up like a towel and hit the river and the water is part. And not only part but they part and leave dry ground, they don’t part, and then Elijah says to Elisha you know we’re going to have to sit here now for a couple of days till the ground dries out no, it just parts and now they can walk right across. Similar to Mosses and some of those earlier activities in the days of Mosses and following, immediately following Mosses when Israel came into the land. So he strikes the waters there divided here and there, the two of them crossed over on dry land.

When they have crossed over, now the fifty prophets don’t get to come. They’re following at a distance and now Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan and there’s the two of them. When they had crossed over Elijah said to Elisha "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." Elisha said "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." Very simply he is asking yes, I want to be your successor.

In Deuteronomy 21 the eldest son received a double portion of the inheritance. He was legitimate successor. So Elisha is simply asking that he indeed be Elijah’s successor. Back up to that occasion I’ve been referring to back in First Kings 19. When Elisha was originally called by Elijah. First Kings 19 verse 19. Verse 16 was the instructions from God to Elijah to go and anoint Elisha. We’re in middle of verse 16. Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place down to verse 19 so he departed from there and found the Elisha the son of Shaphat. He was plowing with the twelve pairs of oxen before him and he was the twelfth. Elijah passed over him threw his mantle on him. That was a symbolic activity that Elisha immediately recognized. I mean the prophetic mantle of Elijah is now placed on him.

So at the end of verse 21 he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him. So both Elijah and Elisha are aware of God’s appointment. So the comments of Elijah when he said please stay here and Elisha’s response so I say that was just a confirmation that have already taken place. Where Elisha shows his commitment to follow through and be the successor of Elijah. So we have come to that and Elisha says that is the only thing I would want from you, that I could be your successor.

Verse 10, he said "You’ve asked a hard thing. Nevertheless if you see me when I’m taken from you it shall be so for you, if not it shall not be so." Good thing Elisha stayed. Elijah said I can’t even guarantee that. Now final decision is still in God’s hands alone. If you are with me when I am removed that will indicate that God has appointed you to be my successor. If not, no. That would leave Elisha as a general prophet like some of the prophets we’ve seen but to carry on that ministry of Elijah will require this special action.

Verse 11, as they were going along in talking behold there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them and Elijah went up by a whirlwind to haven. Then you should be aware Elijah was not taken to heaven in a chariot. The chariot and horses come to divide, they separate Elijah from Elisha. Then a whirlwind comes and Elijah is transported to heaven in that whirlwind, remarkable, remarkable event.

I mean, I have to say studying through this again I have to look at and say I am just amazed, there’s not more said about it. I mean, this is the second person who has been taken to heaven without dying, the only two there will be until the rapture of the church and it just ends up in a statement. He’s gone.

Go back to Genesis Chapter 5. If I was going to have opportunity or the Lord was going to ask me where we would like me to elaborate I would say tell me less about Ahab and tell me more about what happened with Elijah. I mean when he ascended up what took place and what are happened when he got to heaven. Look in Chapter 5 of Genesis, this Enoch. And you note how this begins follows through from beginning to end. You have the descendents here pick up with verse 5 all the days that Adam lived were 930 years and he died.

Verse 8 all the days of Seth and he died. Verse 11 all the days of Enosh and he died. In the end of verse 14 and he died, the end of verse 17 and he died. Verse 20 and he died. Then you come to 21 and you have Enoch. In verse 22 Enoch walked with God, 300 years after he became the father of Methuselah and he had other sons and daughter. All the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him. Then we can pick up the line again. Verse 27 all the days of Methuselah and he died. Enoch didn’t die, God took him.

So he now you have the second person and that’s all you have God took him. Lord, you have to fill in the little bit of the details here. Now here comes a chariot of fire and horses from heaven and separate Elijah from Elisha a whirlwind transport Elijah to heaven and that part of the account is over remarkable event. Two men that have been taken to heaven without having to experience physical death. The chariots of fire and the horses I take that they represent God’s power, God’s might in battle I mean Elijah was God’s servant, God’s warrior in fact look at verse 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, "My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw Elijah no more and he tore his garments.

Now here the chariots come, the horsemen come, and Elijah recognizes in all of this that -- Elisha recognizes that Elijah was God’s instrument a power of battle, of war in representing him against the Idolatry of Israel. So he calls Elijah "My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" One commentator called Elijah God’s war machine. I mean it was a constant relentless battle, remember that’s when Elijah told God I am just worn out and I am not having any results. Its better that you just take my life. Elisha sees Elijah as God’s instrument in the battle against the Idolatry of Israel and his testimony, when he dies he will have the same epitaph.

Turn over to Second Kings Chapter 13 verse 14. When Elisha became sick with the onus of which he was to die the Jehoash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said "My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen" he’s recognized as God’s warrior, the one who acts on God’s behalf in his battles and his conflicts even this Godless king recognizes the special role that Elisha had. And you can’t measure the impact and effectiveness of the ministry by its results on the human level because both these prophets go off the scene seemingly having accomplished nothing. The nation will be just in their same wretched deteriorated spiritual condition where they started administering. Even their personal contacts with the kings didn’t result and the kings getting saved and demonstrating change.

So that expression, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen that’s its significance where perhaps 60 years away from the death of Elisha. So he had a long ministry ahead of him. The tearing of the garments is a sign of great grief and loss. I mean Elisha, there’s no arrogance here of now I am the man but he sees the great lose and senses the great lose that the great prophet of God is gone and so he expresses his grief. He takes up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan, he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" and when he had also struck the waters they were divided here and there and Elisha crossed over.

You know what, the sons of the prophets, verse 15 when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite side they may said "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." They came to meet him and bow themselves to the ground before him, why? They had been there, they’ve been waiting, they had watched Elijah and Elisha go off together. They knew only one was coming back. They saw when Elijah gone to the Jordan what did he do, he took his mantle, struck the waters and they parted.

Now Elisha returns without Elijah but he has the mantle of Elijah when he strikes the water, the same thing happened which says the indication of the spirit of Elijah; the spirit that empowered Elijah anointed him as God’s prime representative in Israel is now on Elisha, he’s the successor and so they honor him accordingly. When he says where is the God Elijah he’s actually asking God to act on his behalf. He’s not saying well you’re not God you’re Elijah’s God but he’s asking God to act now on his behalf as he had done for Elijah and obviously God answers his prayer.

The sons of the prophets, they had received revelation, they knew Elijah was going to be removed on that day. They saw Elijah and Elisha go over the Jordan, Elisha return and perform the same miracle of power by striking the water, but they still have a concern. So verse 16, they said to him, to Elisha "Behold now there are with your servants fifty strong men, please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the spirit of the Lord is taken him up and cast him on some mountain or in some valley." Elisha knows that’s not the case, he says "No, you don’t send anyone." But when they urged him until he was ashamed he said well they keep going on. You know the spirit does transport prophets from one place to another Elijah had experienced this in his ministry.

You have to understand maybe it was the Lord intention to remove him for a time but now perhaps he’s there on a mountain alone or in a valley alone. Elisha knows that it’s not so but he’s embarrassed, they keep going I mean this is something you need to do. And he says all right, go ahead, send them. They sent fifty men who spent three days looking they returned to him while he was staying at Jericho he said to them "Didn’t I tell you not to go?" you wasted your time. But that’s been resolved, the Elijah’s not been left some place by the Lord.

Now we come to the first two independent miracles of Elisha if you will. That first miracle of striking the water was indeed a miracle but it was sort of a carryover from Elijah where he took his mantle, demonstrating the power of God from Elijah was on him. His next two miracles are total opposite, one is a miracle of mercy, one is a miracle of judgment, and they show something of what will be the character of the ministry of Elisha, that combination. Something which is an act of mercy and kindness, and something that is an act of devastating judgment on the unbelief in Israel.

The first one is the healing of the waters at Jericho. Verse 19 then the men of the city said to Elisha, and he’s in Jericho remember? "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant as my Lord sees but the water is bad, the land is unfruitful." He said "Bring me a new jar put salt in it." So they brought it to him. He went out to the spring of water threw salt in it and said "Thus says the Lord I have purified these waters there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer." So the waters have been purified to this day according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. The major spring at Jericho it evidently become contaminated in some way it wasn’t good for drinking, it wasn’t good for watering crops.

So that has a devastating impact on the whole region. Elisha takes salt as a purifying agent and throws it in the waters and says now the Lord has cleansed the waters. Obviously the salt in it itself doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t make it more usable of anything you’d say well you had, he added enough salt, you have salty water you can’t drink salty water and you can’t irrigate with the salty water. So the salt is an agent just indicating something of the activity here that by this action the waters will be cleansed by the power of God. Remember did this with the bitter waters of Marah. And they are made drinkable.

Demonstration of God’s power. Now this may be connected here with demonstration you say well, it’s just a nice act of kindness but commentators have noted that their worship dominates the northern kingdom and Baal was the God of fertility. At Ugarit, a stone monument picturing Baal as ruling the waters under the surface. So the underground waters, from which the springs come has been found. And the Canaanites honored Baal as the God of fertility, the God who brought fertility to the earth. So Elisha’s action here shows God’s sovereignty, the God of Israel’s sovereignty, the God of Elisha’s power.

Baal didn’t purify the waters even though they were worshipping him as the God of the underground waters and springs. God couldn’t bring fertility to Jericho, the God Baal. But the God of Israel, even though Israel rejected him, rebelled against him he could. So this is beyond just a miracle of mercy for Jericho which indeed is that but is shows now Elisha acting on behalf of the true and living God who does what Baal could not do.

So while that is a miracle of kindness and mercy and shows God’s power over Baal, the second one is a devastating demonstration of power in judgment on unbelief in Israel. Elisha’s retracing the steps and we don’t do this and I don’t have a map up but if you take a time to look at a map you can see he’s retracing the route that he journeyed down with Elijah to where Elijah was translated to heaven.

And now we’re at Bethel where he had stopped with Elijah. Remember Bethel is the center of calf worship for the southern part of the northern kingdom, the northern ten tribes is the center of calf worship is at Bethel. Started in First Kings Chapter 12 with the first king Jeroboam of the northern kingdom and it continues through the entire history of the northern kingdom as major focal point of worship.

Verse 23 then he went up from there to Bethel as he was going up by the way young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him "Go up you baldhead!" "Go up you baldhead!" when he looked behind him and saw them he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods tore out forty-two lads of their number. He went from there to Mount Carmel and from there he returned to Samaria. I mean, you talk about judgment. They tell him "Go up baldhead! Go up baldhead" and for that forty-two of them are going to be torn apart by two bears. I mean, you imagine what that scene look like? We have enough documentaries and so on in TV and you see a bear in a rage and we’ve seen some individuals that have been mauled by bears. You think what it was like forty-two bears on a rampage; I mean two bears tearing apart forty-two young men. What a gruesome scene that would be when these bears were done forty-two bodies all torn apart. Literally they torn limb from him, I mean what a bloody gruesome scene. Nothing is said about that. Elisha just continues on the Carmel and then comes back and settles in Samaria.

They are called young lads. Sometimes the translation causes to wonder you know what are these, you see here this grade school kids coming out then by kids can do, teenagers get carried away well, we have to understand they are called the young lads and it can be used of anyone between the age of 12 and 30. So we shouldn’t really just think these are just kids. They’re young men, they’re held accountable for their action.

Come back to First Samuel Chapter 16 here Samuel is at the house of Jesse he’s ready to anoint the successor to Saul as king of Israel. In First Samuel Chapter 16 verse 11 after looking over all the sons of Jesse and none of them are ones the Lord selected in verse 11 Samuel said to Jesse "Are these all the children?" the young lads, the young men “There yet remains the youngest." So you see that they can, you’re not talking about twelve or thirteen year old, you are talking about young men, because by this time verse 18 David the son of Jesse the Bethlehemite is a skillful musician, a mighty man, a valor, a warrior one prudent in speech and a handsome man the Lord is with him. So he’s a man of proven character, proven capabilities and he’s the youngest of the man, of the children, of the young lads of Jesse. So we can be dealing with men in their twenties here. They’re the men of significant capabilities could already be proven warriors, men of valor. David was a complete musician already and so on.

So when you come to Kings and you have this group, we don’t know how the large the mob is, forty-two of them are going to die but the mob could’ve been bigger, it probably was. What is being said probably more than we get of making fun of someone who is bald. Elijah may have been bald, he may not have been. It was customary to wear a head covering so it may be just they are expressing their division here. One commentator said this would be basically equivalent of saying go up you empty skull, empty, head a mockery. That expression to go up. Go up, go up. Remember we are at Bethel; this is the center of calf worship. You have these righteous young men who have an attitude of total disrespect, despising the prophet of the Lord, that expression go up.

Look back in Chapter 2 verse 1 It came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah and literally translated that would be when the Lord would cause Elijah to go up exact same word as we have these young men saying. "Go up baldhead" or empty skull. In other words they are ridiculing, they have heard of Elijah supposedly going up. These are ungodly men who’ve reject the God of Israel, who reject the prophets of God. So what they’re saying to Elijah is go up empty head, do what your master did. They’re making fun of him; it’s a mockery of the whole thing. Like they did of Christ on the Cross. You did for others let’s see if he can. Elijah will come to help him now, the mockery of it all. So it’s a much more serious offence here. It’s making fun of the supposed going up of Elijah or making fun of Elisha get of here why don’t you go up like your master supposedly did the old empty head. Well, this is not just is where this goes on from here, the danger to Elisha we don’t know, it doesn’t matter it’s amazing.

Verse 24 when he looked behind and saw them he cursed them in the name of the Lord brought down God’s judgment on them and immediately the bears come out and start to tear them apart. Forty-two of them don’t escape. Those that may have got an object lesson on the seriousness of mocking the God of Israel. So again it’s not just a miracle that’s done, it’s not just done to protect Elisha, although that may have been necessary when you get a mob going but the point is it demonstrates Gods judgment on the unbelief of his people these are Jews mocking.

You see amazing isn’t it? No wonder that Elijah could get discouraged, now he’s been translated to heaven words gotten around of what is happened but it doesn’t impact them. Now they make fun of Elisha, want to get rid of him too but the consequences. Then he after he goes to Carmel he comes and sits down takes up residence in Samaria you know where he is, he’s at the capital of the northern kingdom where the king of Israel has his palace, he’s going to continue the ministry in the northern kingdom that Elijah had. All this anticipates and we’ll see it when we get there the judgment God’s going to bring on the nation it’s going to be a devastating Judgment.

The Assyrians so noted for their cruelty, you know they don’t any lessons. You don’t find mass revival sweeping through the northern kingdom as a result of this. I mean you have mighty miracles, you have men who are proclaiming truth from God and that revelation they’ve received, the fact that it’s being supported by these kinds of powerful miracles nothing spiritually is changing in the nation and it will result in the devastating judgment overtaking the whole nation you just get a preview. The devastating judgment coming to Assyrians and the people who practiced impaling, conquered preamble things like that.

Well I’ve just note a few things about the ministry that has taken place in this Chapter. Number one, we must persistently pursue the will of God. Three times Elijah gave Elisha the opportunity to drop-off, to bailout. Elisha persisted, he doesn’t say well the Lord’s given me an out here I think I will take it. It’s probably an easier course I can serve the Lord but I may be, he’s going to have a difficult ministry and he asked to do at right in the centre of opposition at the king’s capital but he doesn’t flinch. We must persistently pursue the will of God.

Secondly, the work of the Lord does not depend on man. A reminder here, no way to minimize the ministry of Elijah, Israel’s mightiest warrior is gone. The chariots of Israel and its horsemen, I mean no one to compare with Elijah as God’s representative during his ministry on earth, but you know God’s mightiest warrior is gone but God is not gone. So the ministry will continue on, good reminder. Elisha saddened, recognizes the loss but then he picks up the mantle and goes on because the God of Elijah is still here.

Thirdly, no one is irreplaceable; there is an Elisha to replace Elijah. Well how do they compare was he is greatest as Elisha doesn’t matter he’s God’s man for this time. He may not have the stature of an Elijah, you don’t find the John the Baptist comes in the spirit and power of Elisha, he comes in the spirit and power of Elijah, but we’re not called to compare God’s servants. Elisha is God’s man now that Elijah is gone that’s what matters.

Fourthly strength and power come from God not man. Elisha can go on without Elijah but you know what he has to have Elijah’s God that’s why he says where is the God of Elijah. Not where is Elijah, where is the God of Elijah, that’s where my strength and power will come from.

Now go back to Deuteronomy 31, Deuteronomy 31. Moses is transferring power from himself to Joshua, let’s be honest will be no Moses. There was only one Moses. There is no one like Moses who spoke with God face-to-face and so on. Joshua won’t be a Moses but that doesn’t matter, Joshua will be God’s man when Moses is gone. So Moses prepares for the transfer of power verse 6 what is he have to say. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or tremble at them "the opponents and that "For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not sail you or forsake you." That is his instructions to the people.

Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel. "Be strong and courageous for you shall go with this people in the land which the Lord has sworn to their father to give them. You shall give it to them as inheritance. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you." It may have because Moses won’t be there to lead us. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you. He will be there with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed, a remarkable charge to the people into Joshua. Moses saying "I am leaving God is not." I won’t be leading you. The God is one who is been leading us and he will continue to lead you. Good reminder for us.

Our fifth observation back in Kings, God is both kind and harsh. You know some people have a hard time with this. Oh the God of the Old Testament, he’s so harsh. He’s so vengeful. Here’s a fearful thing to follow in the hands of the living God. He is a God of infinite wrath as well as the God of infinite love both are true. Listen to Roman Chapter 11 verse 22 "Behold then the kindness and severity of God." To those who felt severity but to you God’s kindness if you continue in his kindness otherwise also, you also would be cut off, it’s not a game. He is a God of great kindness. The love of God is overwhelming, immeasurable. The heights, the depths the length, the breadth immeasurable, but you understand he is a God of infinite wrath that will send people to an eternal hell. "Behold the kindness and severity of God "and that’s seen in Elisha’s first independent miracles here, the kindness and healing the waters bringing prosperity to the region and the severity, the judgment on those who mock the God.

Sixth we’re to be the lights in the midst of darkness. We’re to be the lights in the midst of darkness. You know we somehow can’t get over that we ought to be popular. What’s working, what will people like, fun nights, comedy nights. So I read to you in an earlier part of the evening. Where does God placed Elisha, In Samaria. You know who’s still alive in Samaria? Jezebel. You know the last place I’d want to go if I was Elisha, Samaria. Lord why should I go to Samaria. Elijah, if anything was greater than me couldn’t get anything done in Samaria, why put me in Samaria. We’re to be lights in the midst of darkness.

God places Elisha in Samaria to serve in the very presence of the godless kings of Israel. You know it is a high honor, a great calling to serve the living God in the midst of a pagan and hostile world. Isn’t it? But sometimes, it’s hard for us, we all would like to be like we sang the song and saw the words up there earlier this evening. And oh yeah, we don’t mind taking pain that’s pleasure when it’s for the Lord. Easy to do that, hard to do it though. Easy to sing it, hard to do it. Shall I speak up for him? Oh I don’t think people will like me for it. Why do people say negative things about us, our church we should do popular things. We should do what people would like. God didn’t send Elisha to Samaria to be popular. He didn’t send Elisha to Samaria to do fun things. He sends Elisha to Samaria to represent him in the same failed ministry that he had called Elijah to go preach the people that weren’t going to listen. Weren’t going to respond and weren’t going to change their ways.

And lastly, we would have to say the anticipation of the church is our translation of what we’re talking about in our earlier study today. You know, look at Elijah and I think oh boy that could happen to me today and you if the Lord would come in glory, we’d be caught up from this earth in that instant of time and be gathered into his presence so a little bit of a preview although the New Testament never uses it that way. Paul doesn’t talk about in the First Corinthians 15 or First Thessalonians Four that we will be caught up just like Elijah was but from what is recorded there, there is at least a similarity that can heighten our anticipation. Until it does we are called do a ministry it may not be an easy ministry, it won’t be a popular ministry. It won’t be the ministry that people want to hear be a ministry that may be mocked, but what greater honor than to serve the Lord like Elijah did. Be his representatives in these days to proclaim his truths and to honor him by being faithful to him.

Let’s pray together. Thank you Lord for your word, thank you for these faithful servants recorded in the history of your word, and the history of your people Elijah and Elisha. Lord it’s easy for us to be in awe of mighty prophets like they were, to look at the miracles they did and think oh, what amazing ministries, and then to consider that we have been entrusted with the precious truth of your word. We have the completed revelation, the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, how often we are intimidated ashamed reluctant, concerned that we won’t be popular, concerned that people might say negative things, concerned that we’ll be misunderstood.

Lord, may we take a lesson from these faithful servants and our concern must be to be faithful to you, to have ministries that honor you, to turn our eyes from the response and the reaction of the world around us to you our God and to be consumed with the desire to be pleasing to you. Lord, we have to say that we do have an anticipation that you have given us of the hope of perhaps of being caught up in the glory and what a hope and even considering Enoch and Elijah reminds us that perhaps the days of this week may be the days we depart this earth into the glory of your presence. May we serve with zeal and we pray in Christ’s name, amen.