Elijah asked Elisha to tarry at Bethel, thus testing his faith again, but Elisha’s answer is sweet and touching as before: “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.” He wanted the company of Elijah above everything else. It meant parting with loved ones at home—a great test at first—and now with many others of the sons of the prophets; but his mind and heart were set on being with Elijah. May we all be stirred up to more of this devotedness to Christ. Elijah and Elisha then went on to Jericho, a beautiful city but under the curse. Elisha met the same test again here, both from the sons of the prophets and from Elijah. He would not remain in Gilgal with its empty forms, nor stay at Bethel with its false gods, but Jericho presented another test to his soul. We might break with the empty formalities and false associations of Christendom, yet how often, though in a separated position, we can be taken up with the pleasant things of this world. What a snare this is to those gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus in a special way. “The situation of this city is pleasant” is a thought and expression all too common to our hearts. Is there not a great need of more devotedness to Christ—of being willing to leave even the pleasant things to follow our rejected Lord? He not only took His place apart from the empty religiousness of the scribes and Pharisees, but He said, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” Luke 9:5858And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Luke 9:58). It is easy to limit separation to a position that does not cost us too much, but there is more involved in it than our poor selfish hearts are prone to realize. The Lord Jesus has marked out the path for us, as Elijah did for Elisha, and we are to follow Him. Are we willing to do so, even when it means a putting to death of the flesh, typified here in the Jordan? Is the company of Jesus dear enough to constrain us to do this, as the company of Elijah was to Elisha?
Even the sons of the prophets were stirred as they watched these two servants of the Lord leave their city behind and move on to Jordan. They too left their homes and stood to view afar off. May our hearts be stirred as well, not merely to view afar off, not merely to be observers, but to choose the company of our rejected Saviour above everything else.
A scene opens before us here! “And 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.” What a picture of the Lord Jesus going into death! The nation had rejected Him, though He “was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.” Romans 15:88Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: (Romans 15:8). He alone could bring the promised blessings to the guilty nation of Israel, but they would not have Him. Elijah taking off his mantle and smiting the waters, no doubt pictures to us the Lord Jesus laying His glory by, going into death, taking our place, and Israel’s too in that sense, in condemnation. He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21).) How wonderful that we, like Elisha, can be identified with Him in His death and resurrection, going through “on dry ground”! He did it all — we share in the victory.
ML 10/07/1956