#48. Elijah’s Ascension, Part 2: The Preparation of the Lord
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”
II Kings 2:7-10 NKJV
There are some people that pass from this life to the next without whom we do not think we can live or carry on our work. As children, we may think this way about our parents. As adults, we may think this way about our children or spouse. As Christians, we may think this way about a pastor or theologian who has helped us come to know Christ more fully. For the believers in Israel, the person they did not want to live without was the great prophet Elijah. When Elijah was carried up to Heaven in verse 11, Elisha called him, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen.”
Nevertheless, the Lord does not leave His people when they experience great change or loss in their lives. He who is the Almighty God is also the kind Father, and He prepares us for those great and terrible days when those we love dearly and hold in high esteem depart from this life to the life to come. He prepares us in at least three ways: 1) by His Word; 2) by His works; and 3) by His Spirit.
As Elijah went from place to place he asked Elisha to stay and allow him to depart alone. In each instance Elisha refused to leave Elijah so long as the Lord lived and Elijah’s soul lived. Since we have souls that can never die and the Lord God always was, always is, and always will be, Elisha was saying, “I will not leave you until the Lord takes you away from me.” As he went the sons of the prophets confirmed God’s Word to Elisha: “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today: (vs. 3 and 5). As Elisha prepared to lose his closest friend on earth and father in the faith, the Word of the Lord through the prophets prepared Elisha for that great and terrible hour.
Until the Jordan River, God had been preparing Elisha through the testimony of His Word by the mouth of the prophets; but when they arrived at the Jordan River the Lord used another testimony for the comfort of Elisha: Elijah performed a miracle by the power of the Lord. Elijah struck the Jordan River with his mantle, and as the Lord drew apart the Jordan to create a gateway for the Israelites into Canaan* so the Lord parted the Jordan this second time, preparing Elisha through this mighty work of the Lord and creating a gateway for Elijah’s triumphal entry into the eternal promised land.
When they crossed over the Jordan on dry land, Elijah knew the time of his departure was near and did not try to dissuade Elisha from following but asked him what he could do for him. Elisha’s request was wise: “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (vs. 9). This request has been translated in different ways, but I take it to mean Elisha was asking for even more (double) the Spirit of the Lord that had been with Elijah to be upon Elisha in his work that lay ahead. This was a hard request for Elijah, for it was not in his power to grant it. Who can give the Spirit of the Lord but the Lord Himself? Nevertheless, the Lord let Elisha know how this request would be answered. If Elisha saw Elijah depart then the Lord had granted the request. If he did not see him depart then it was not granted.
The Lord prepared Elisha for the departure of his dearest friend with His Word, His Works, and His Spirit. He prepares us and carries us in this life in the same way. His Word, Works, and Spirit are all given to us for at least two reasons: 1) to comfort us through every trial, sorrow, and grief; and 2) to lead us on our Christian walk through whatever work the Lord has prepared for us, until at last we shall be conducted up into heaven and be with the Lord and His saints for all eternity. If you are reading this, that latter time has not yet come, but the former time is here. Let us go forth in service to the King.
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