2 Kings 2:7-15 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.… The translation was to take place on the eastern side of Jordan. Dean Stanley quotes the remark, "The aged Gileadite cannot rest till he again sets foot on his own side of the river," I. CROSSING JORDAN. 1. The fifty disciples. "On the upper terraces, or on the mountain heights behind the city, stood 'afar off,' in awe, fifty of the young disciples; 'and they two stood by Jordan'" (Stanley). Of all the prophetic company, Elisha alone was permitted to accompany the master. The others do not seem to have ventured to ask. But they did not feel themselves precluded from reverentially standing at a distance, to observe what might take place. They did not witness the translation, but they saw the waters divided. There may be neophytes in spiritual experience, who are unqualified for the reception of God's grander revelations, but even to these, "standing to view," God will reveal his power in some measure. 2. The stream divided. The river flows between the travelers and the further bank, but Elijah hesitates not a moment. As if his conscious nearness to eternity had already raised him above natural conditions - had given him the faith and power before which natural obstacles are non-existent - he roiled his mantle together, and "smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground." A miracle! Truly, but there are situations in which miracles seem almost natural. When men are on the point of being taken up bodily to heaven, we need not wonder if "therefore mighty works do show forth themselves" in them (Mark 6:14). Natural laws are fixed only till, in the grasp of a higher influence, they become flexible, and bend and yield. This miracle is a repetition of an earlier one (Joshua 3:14-16), and, on a lesser scale, of an earlier still (Exodus 14:21, 22). II. ELISHA'S REQUEST. 1. Encouragement to ask. Elisha had "stood the trial of his unchangeable fidelity and perseverance," and Elijah now said to him, when they had gone over Jordan, "Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee." Elijah did not put himself in place of God. He probably expected Elisha to ask for a parting blessing, or for some other favor which it was in his own power to grant - at most to prefer a request which God might grant through him. A greater than Elijah said to his disciples, when he was about to be taken from them, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my Name: ask, and ye shall receive" (John 16:24). 2. A bold petition. Elisha was not slow to avail himself of the opportunity given. He had in view the position he would be called to occupy as the successor of Elijah, and his request took the form of a prayer for a double portion of Elijah's spirit. He "coveted earnestly the best gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:31). He asked, like Solomon, not for any earthly good or glory, but for spiritual endowment for his great office (1 Kings 3:5-14). Or rather, he asked for the office itself, with the spiritual endowment which accompanied it - for there is no reason to suppose that hitherto Elisha was a prophet, or more than the servant of a prophet. The "double portion," by general consent, is to be taken in the sense of Deuteronomy 21:17; i.e. the two portions of a firstborn son, in comparison with the portions received by the other sons. Viewing certain features of the ministry of Elisha - its longer duration, the number and character of its miracles, etc. - we might almost think that Elisha had received literally "a double portion" of the spirit of Elijah, i.e. as some have held, twice as much. But this is not the meaning, and reflection will convince us that, with all his eminence, Elisha is a lesser prophet than Elijah - less forceful, original, creative. 3. The decisive sign. Elijah replied that Elisha had asked "a hard thing" - one which there might be a difficulty in granting. To designate a prophet, and bestow on him the prophetic spirit - especially in exceptional measure - belongs only to God; and the grounds of his action in such high matters are not for man to prejudge. There was, however, a natural probability that it would be God's will to designate Elisha as heir of the prophetic gift, and a sign was given by which it might be known whether it was or not. If Elisha saw Elijah when he was taken from him, he might conclude that his prayer was answered - possibly because it was only in an exalted, that is prophetic, state of mind that the vision could be had (cf. 2 Kings 6:16); if he saw nothing, God had not answered it. There is "a vision and a faculty Divine," which is the surest token of answer to a prayer for God's Spirit. Christ's parting legacy to his disciples was his Spirit; and in this, not one, but all, may richly share (John 14:16, 17; John 15:26; John 16:13-15). We do well to realize, like Elisha, that it is not by might nor power of our own, but only by God's Spirit, that we are fitted for any great work in his service. III. CHARIOTS OF FIRE. 1. The media of translation. As the two went on, and talked, suddenly there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and Elijah was parted from Elisha, and went up by a whirlwind into, or towards, heaven. (1) There was an actual appearance to Elisha's vision of fiery chariot and horse. It is wholly against the text to explain this, as Bahr does, by mere figure of speech, even though Elisha afterwards uses this metaphor of Elijah (ver. 12). (2) It remains doubtful whether the representation is that of a chariot which conveys Elijah to heaven, or of a host of chariots and horses which surrounds him as he ascends. The word is commonly used as a collective (cf. 2 Kings 6:17), and probably denotes "chariots." In this case, the heavenly chariots appear, but the actual mode of Elijah's ascent is by the whirlwind. (3) At most, Elisha's vision could only follow Elijah's ascent for some little way upwards, till, perhaps, as in the ease of the Savior, "a cloud received him out of his sight" (Acts 1:9). The realm to which Elijah was taken is not situated in the material heavens, so that, by traversing so much space, he could arrive at it: The change that passed over him, which culminated in his reception into the invisible world, was after a fashion unknown - possibly at present incomprehensible - to us. (4) We must hold, however, that Elijah was really taken in the body to heaven. Bahr's supposition that he was simply whirled away, and disappeared from earth, perhaps undergoing some secret death and burial as Moses did (for this seems to be his idea), is too much akin to the error of the disciples who sent out fifty strong men to seek for him among the hills (vers. 16, 17). It was not Elisha's view, and has no support in the narrative. 2. The lessons of the translation. Besides being a signal honor put upon a great servant of God, and a striking Old Testament anticipation of the ascension of Christ, it gave to the Israelites, in midtime of their history, a powerful confirmation of the fact of immortality. "The impression made by the history of Enoch, that 'God took him,' is marked by the repetition of the word as to the ascension of Elijah" (Pusey). It is noteworthy, also, that the immortality typified by these cases is an immortality in the body. We believe, if careful examination of passages is made, it will be found that it was in this form, that is, as connected with a resurrection, and not as an abstract immortality of the soul in Sheol, which had no attractions for the Hebrew mind, that the hope of immortality was entertained by believing Hebrews (cf. Job 14:12-15; Job 19:25-27; Psalm 16:10; Psalm 17:15; Psalm 49:14, 15; Matthew 22:31, 32; Hebrews 11:13-22. See also the able discussion of this subject in Fairbairn's 'Typology of Scripture,' vol. 1. pp. 352-361, 3rd edit.). 3. Elisha's lament. As Elijah was parted from him, and taken up, Elisha broke out into loud lament: "My father, my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." This no more implies that Elisha did not believe that his master was being taken up to heaven, than the mourning of Christians for the loss of some revered teacher or guide implies doubt as to his eternal happiness. It is the sense of personal loss, and of loss to the world, which prevails on these occasions. Elisha did not overestimate the value of Elijah to Israel - more than chariots and horsemen - and we cannot overestimate the worth to a nation of the presence and labors of the servants of God in it. The religion of a nation is its best bulwark, and those who do most for religion are those who serve their country best. Armaments without God in the midst are of poor avail. IV. THE FALLEN MANTLE. Elisha had seen the prophet ascend, and he knew that his request was granted. He accordingly picked up the mantle of Elijah, which had fallen from him, and which be rightly regarded as a symbol of the new spirit with which he was to be endowed. Popular speech embodies the thought of this passage when it figures succession to greatness as the descent of the mantle of the great man upon his successor. 1. Test of the new power. Elisha's possession of the "spirit and power of Elias" was soon to be tested. The Jordan waters again rolled between him and his destination, but, invoking Divine power in the words, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah, even he?" he smote the waters with the wonder-working mantle, and, as before, they divided apart. 2. Acknowledgment of the new power. The "sons of the prophets" still "stood to view" at Jericho, and when they saw the prophet's deed, and still more, perhaps, when they looked on his person, to which inspiration lent a new grandeur and dignity, they said, "The spirit of Elijah cloth rest on Elisha." Then they bowed to the ground before him, and acknowledged him master. (1) The Spirit of God in a man readily betrays its presence. (2) Where the Spirit of God manifestly possesses a man, others will not be slow to make acknowledgment of the fact, and to yield him appropriate honor. (3) It is mainly the possession of this Spirit which entitles a man to obedience in the house of God. - J.O. Parallel Verses KJV: And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. |
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