The Call to Service

From: Elijah and Elisha By: William Woldridge Fereday

• 3 min. read • grade level: 8

Elijah journeyed to Abel-Meholah to find a successor, and lo, in the goodness of God, he found a companion. For the fiery prophet’s trials were not yet ended, and he was henceforward to be comforted by the fellowship of a kindred heart. “Two are better than one, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow” (Eccl. 4:9-10⁹Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. ¹⁰For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9‑10)). How truly Elisha refreshed his master’s spirit is suggested by the words in 2 Kings 3:11¹¹But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. (2 Kings 3:11): “He poured water on the hands of Elijah.” In 1 Kings 19:21²¹And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. (1 Kings 19:21) it is said: “He arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”

A pleasant picture is exhibited to us in 1 Kings 19:19-21¹⁹So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. ²⁰And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? ²¹And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. (1 Kings 19:19‑21). In the midst of Baal worshippers, a pious farmer pursued his course, his soul doubtless sorely grieved by the apostate condition of God’s people, yet himself wholly separate in heart and mind from the prevailing unfaithfulness. His call to service and testimony came to him when Elijah passed by. The call is given in 1 Kings 19:19¹⁹So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. (1 Kings 19:19); his anointing is found in 2 Kings 2:9⁹And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. (2 Kings 2:9). In like manner, the apostles of our Lord heard the call in Matthew 4:18¹⁸And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. (Matthew 4:18), etc., and received the anointing in Acts 2.

It was but the work of a moment, Elijah’s casting of his mantle upon Elisha, but it was the turning point in his spiritual history. It the great crisis of his life. If he had failed to perceive the significance of that moment his whole after career would have missed the divine intention.

Similar crises occur in the history of souls today; what we need is the spiritual sensibility to recognize them when they come. Thus a disciple may hear the distinct call of the Lord to forsake all and devote himself to the work of the Gospel in a wild land. If he hesitates, the honor may pass by him forever. If, on the other hand, he humbly submits himself to the divine mandate, his whole course is “Forward” from that moment. Our lives, as far as usefulness is concerned, are either made or lost by ability to discern these crises when they arise. We are only really useful when in the place where God would have us.

Elisha left all to follow devotedly the footsteps of another. Here is our example. “Follow thou Me” is the voice of Christ (John 21:22²²Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:22)). Let us cultivate the spirit of Ruth in her fervent outburst to Naomi: “Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me” (Ruth 1:16, 17¹⁶And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: ¹⁷Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. (Ruth 1:16‑17)). This is devotion indeed.

Further, Elisha left all to tread a path of loss. Elijah was a proscribed man, and danger tracked his every step. From the quietness and security of the farm, Elisha went forth to be his disciple. His complete breach with the past seems indicated by the fact that he not only slew the oxen, but also “boiled their flesh with the implements.” So to speak, he burned his boats behind him. From that day there was to be no looking back. We, brethren, are followers of a rejected Christ. Loss, not gain; suffering, not ease, are the appointed accompaniments of true discipleship. Are we really prepared for these things! Our apostle trod an unparalleled path (his account of it will be found in 2 Cor. 11:12¹²But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. (2 Corinthians 11:12)); but what sustained him therein! Hear him in Philippians 3:7-8⁷But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. ⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:7‑8): “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but rubbish, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him.”

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