Bible Men: Elijah the Prophet Anoints Elisha and Elijah is Taken into Heaven

1 Kings 19:19-21

2 Kings 2: 1-17

In previous posts on Elijah, we read of God withholding rain for 3 years because of the disobedience and wickedness of king Ahab. We read of Elijah hiding at the brook Cherith, and how God sent ravens to feed him there, and then how Elijah was sent to Zarephath where he was sustained by a widow who had been prepared by God to receive him and how they were sustained through the drought until Elijah heard the word of God that rain was coming.  We learned of Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal, when the LORD God sent fire down from heaven.  We learned how after that Elijah went to the top of Mt. Carmel and prayed, and how the sky became dark with clouds, and how by the power of the Lord, Elijah outran Ahab's chariot back to Jezreel. 

Then we learned how Elijah ran for his life and how an angel fed him for his next journey which took him to a cave where God appeared to him after a mighty wind, in a still, small voice.   Elijah was sent by the LORD God to Damascus where he was to anoint Elisha to be prophet in his place. By this Elijah knew that he would soon be taken to heaven, but he had no idea of the wondrous way it would happen.

After Elijah left the cave, he found "Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen before him."  That is a lot of oxen for one man to handle, Elisha must have been very strong.  "Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him" (1 Kings 19:19) This would signify that Elisha was to be Elijah's successor but he would be tested. "And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said Let me, I pray thee,kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.  And he said unto him, Go back again:....." (V20) Elisha was given the opportunity to say goodbye.  After Elisha returned he sacrificed a team of oxen, gave to the people who were there, and then he "went after Elijah, and ministered unto him" (V21)  



"And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal."(2 Kings 2:1)  "And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel." (V2)  This was a test for Elisha, to see whether or not he would continue to follow Elijah.  And so Elisha replied "As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." (V2) This verse so reminds me of the book of Ruth when Naomi told Ruth and Orpah to return to Moab, and Ruth replied ".....whither thou goest, I will go;....." (Ruth 1:16).  just as we are to follow the Lord Jesus,  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

And when they got to Bethel, the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came to Elisha and asked him "knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head today?  And he said Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." (V3)  Elisha speaks with authority. Then again Elijah said to Elisha "tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho.  And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.  So they came to Jericho." (V4)And again, Elisha tells him that "I will not leave thee."  and so they come to Jericho.  And here also the sons of the prophets ask Elisha if he knows that Elijah is going to be taken from his that day. (V5) And yet a third time, and a third test for Elisha. "And Elijah said unto him Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan.  And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.  And they two went on". (V6)

It is very interesting that both in Bethel and in Jericho, the sons of the prophets had been given the foreknowledge that Elijah was going to be taken.  And indeed, they send fifty men of the sons of the prophets to stand afar and be witnesses of what would happen to Elijah, but Elijah and Elisha stood by Jordan. (V7)

This is just so wonderful to dwell upon.  Can you imagine how Elisha and the fifty men must have felt? being there, even if far off, knowing that somehow Elijah was going to be taken by the LORD?  Especially knowing that by the prayers of Elijah, fire had been brought down by the LORD, and that by his word, rain had been both withheld, and came again?  Surely they must have wondered by what manner Elijah would be taken.

And so at the Jordan river, "Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground." (V8)  A reminder of the crossing of the Israelites on dry ground when the LORD parted the Red Sea by a wind that blew all night, and when the Israelites with Joshua, crossed the Jordan river on dry ground, after the water parted when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant dipped their feet in the Jordan river. (Joshua 3:15-17)

And so Elijah and Elisha cross the Jordan river on dry ground.  And Elijah asked Elisha "Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee." (V9)  And like Solomon, Elisha does not ask for great riches, he  said "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me."  It seems to me that Elijah did not know the manner in which he would be taken, because he next says "If thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." (V10) And so they walk on, no doubt wondering what would happen next.

Let the Word of God speak:  "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.  And Elisha saw it, and he cried "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.  And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces."(V11-12)

There is no point in trying to speculate about what actually took place here, about what the "chariot of fire and horses of fire" was in reality, all we can say for sure, is that it came from heaven, and took Elijah to heaven without seeing death, the same as Enoch was taken to heaven also. "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Genesis 5:24) Psalm 68:17 tells us "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place."

 Elijah and Enoch are the only two men in the bible who have been taken into heaven without seeing death.   The book of Malachi tells us in Chapter 4 that "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: ....." (Malachi 4:5)   We know that Peter, James and John saw Moses and Elijah with the Lord Jesus at the transfiguration, and more than that, recognized them as Moses and Elijah.

Elisha was very, very saddened at the departure of Elijah, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.  And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces." (V12)  But he took up Elijah's mantle, and went back to the Jordan River "And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over." (V14).  By this the sons of the prophets knew that Elisha was the anointed prophet in the place of Elijah.  And all the fifty men who had been witness of the event saw that "the spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha.  And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him." (V15)

The fifty men thought that perhaps if they looked for Elijah, they might find him in a mountain, or in a valley,and so they asked Elisha's permission to go and look for Elijah and so 50 men looked for him for three days, but they did not find him.

vcg/September 2015