What a Way to Go!

2 Kings 2:1-14
1 Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, 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. 3 And 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.”
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. 5 The 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.”
6 Then 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. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then 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.
9 When 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.” 10 And 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.” 11 And 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. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.
Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then 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.

What a fantastic story to take up on a Monday morning! This is one of those scenes I hope are repeated for us on video display once we get to heaven. I want to see the fiery chariot and horses! Elijah in his wildest imagnination probably couldn't have predicted that this was how he would leave the earth. And while the events of Elijah's passing are fantastic, there are several small details in this story that are facinating as well.

1. Elijah most certainly knew that this would be the day that the Lord drew him unto Himself. (see vs. 1 & 10) Despite this knowledge, Elijah goes about his normal duties. He visits his students. [On a side note, think back to the story of Elijah and Ahab's battle on Mt. Carmel. Elijah was convinced at that point that he was "the only one left" in Israel who was faithful to the Lord. Now, there are three pockets of prophets who are the direct result of Elijah's ministry in Israel.] Elijah's students too know that he will depart this earth although they are sensitive enough to not mention it in front of Elijah. Even on his last day, Elijah just wants to do his job, not be the center of a great deal of attention.

2. Elisha faces three opportunities to step away from Elijah. This most certainly conjures up images of the three temptations of Christ in the Gospels, as well as Peter's three denials (and three restorations) found there as well. Elisha, like Jesus (and unlike Peter) remains firm!

3. As Elijah nears the end of his journey, he passes out of Israel, through the Jordan River. Generations earlier, the Children of Israel had passed through the Jordan River as God opened it up for them so that they could cross on dry ground as the entered the Land of Promise. Now, as Elijah's ministry ends, he passes out of Israel on that same dry ground. 

4. Notice that there are 50 witnesses (Elijah's students) who see three miracles in rapid succession (the parting of the water, the fiery chariot, and the parting of the water again). From our study yesterday, remember that there were three groups of 50 sent to harrass Elijah and bring him back to the king who hated him.

5. When Elijah is taken up, his mantle (cloak) is left behind. Elisha picks it up, thus picking up the prophetic ministry that Elijah leaves behind. He has been blessed with a double portion of God's spirit and willingly takes up where Elijah had left off.

These are just the details the immediately jump out. I'm sure there are more! Can you find any?

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