Bible Men: Elisha Part 1, Anointed by Elijah

Elisha Part 1:  Anointed by Elijah and Witness of his translation into heaven

1 Kings 19:16-21, 2 Kings 2:1-17

Elisha is one of the more colorful people in the bible.  He was a prophet, a man of God, anointed  by Elijah in obedience to the word of the Lord God "...and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room." (1 Kings 19:16).  This shows us that prophets were chosen of God, not men that lifted themselves up.  And so it should be today.   God has given various gifts as it pleases him, and moves believers to use those gifts each in their particular way, and then the gift/gifts bear fruit to the glory of God.  Some men (and women) lift themselves up, and strive to do works they desire to do themselves, without the leading of the Lord.  By their fruits we shall know those whom God has chosen..

And so Elijah departed the place where the LORD God spoke to him and found Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth (V19).  Elisha was found not sitting at leisure, but passing the time in a meaningful way.   And so when God wants us for a certain task, how will He find us?  Will we be idle? or will we be passing the time by the leading of the Lord?  Ephesians 5:15-17 "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." 
At any rate, it is now that Elijah came to Elisha and cast his mantle (cloak) upon Elisha, thus showing Elisha that he was chosen for the special purpose of being Elijah's servant and successor.  Elisha was taken from plowing a field  to sow the seed of the word (of God), in the same way that some of the apostles were taken from their lives as fishermen, to be made "fishers of men".

After anointing Elisha by casting his mantle upon him,  Elijah was continuing on his way, because Elisha had to run after him (V20) with this request:  "Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee." The Lord Jesus, in a similar instance, when someone desired to go and bid farewell to his family before following Jesus, told them "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  (Luke 9:61-62)  But in this instance, Elijah graciously gives him permission to go back again, saying "Go back again, for what have I done to thee?" (V20) And so, after slaying a yoke of oxen and feeding the people, Elisha "rose and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him"  (V21) Important here that Elisha did not see himself as an equal, but a servant to Elijah, the man of God. 

 

The next part of this post is copied from my post of when Elijah was taken into heaven with Elisha as witness.
 
"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 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 before him, 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)

Elisha was very, very saddened at the departure of Elijah, as can be seen by his tearing of his clothes.  But he took up Elijah's mantle, and went back to the Jordan River, and smote the water, and the Jordan river parted and Elisha went over.  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, but they looked for him for three days, and did not find him. 

to be continued in Part 2

vcg/September 2015