1 Kings 19
When Elijah’s powerful witness of law had failed to turn Israel back to the Lord, he went back to Horeb and heard the still small voice, “What doest thou here?” Though he seemed to have perceived that his ministry had failed, God’s witness to Israel was not over. Three others were needed to complete God’s testimony to Israel — Hazael, Jehu and Elisha. Of the three, Elisha was the only one anointed by Elijah. He was to follow Elijah with a different ministry to Israel. The other two would be used to bring judgment upon Israel for their wickedness. We see in this how God passes the torch from one to another. In the case before us, we see how that after law failed, God brought in undeserved blessing to Israel before the following judgments. That is why Elisha must fulfill his ministry of grace before Jehu slays the house of Ahab and Hazael destroys many in Israel. The case of these last two took place after Elisha finished his ministry.
The Ministry of Grace
Ministers of the grace of God in the present dispensation of grace may well profit by observing how Elijah transferred the mantle to Elisha. The transfer began with the Lord’s word to Elijah. “The Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room” (1 Kings 19:15-1615And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. (1 Kings 19:15‑16)). We see in this how God raises up different ones to do His work. Then He may set them aside. None of us have all the gifts or are sufficient to do all of the Lord’s work.
As to the case we are considering, it seems that the Lord took Elijah’s reaction to his being rejected as the indication that his ministry was over. Elijah, then having been told what each of the three would do to Israel, chose to go to anoint Elisha first. From Horeb he went to Abelmeholah (son of dancing) where Elisha was plowing. Without a word, he cast his mantle on Elisha, who took it from the Lord as a call to follow. The action of Elijah was no more than an outward indication of what Elisha should do. The real call must come from the Lord to the heart of the called one. Elisha responded in a way that showed the exercise he had before the Lord. This was not a case of human ordination or a simple succession of prophets. In Luke 9:6262And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62), the Lord Jesus rehearses it as an example of true discipleship. Elisha returned to bid goodbye to his family, sacrificed all to serve the Lord and then followed Elijah. No doubt there were things to be learned from Elijah before he began his own ministry. Elijah had not asked him to do this; it was the work of God in his soul. It is good for older ones to prompt younger ones in their service for the Lord, but older ones must be careful not to dominate in a way that would take away the individual exercise on the part of younger ones. We are to follow the faith of those who go before (Heb. 13:77Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. (Hebrews 13:7)).
They Left Gilgal, a Namesake Place of the Covenant of Circumcision
Until the time when Elijah was taken up to heaven, not much is revealed of Elisha’s time of discipleship with Elijah, other than that he poured water on the hands of Elijah (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)). It is good to learn in the simple things how to serve and wait on the Lord. The course of the two from Gilgal to the wilderness teaches us important principles about the transition from one kind of ministry to another. Without this process of learning of the law and the reasons for the ending the administration of law, a right appreciation of the true grace of God cannot be understood.
In 2 Kings 2 we have the journey of the two prophets described. It began in the city named after the place where the children of Israel were first circumcised when they came into the land. But, what benefit is there in such a custom when they were idolatrous? God would not allow them to misrepresent Him in such a way. The two leave the place together. Elijah had given up on his ministry toward Israel and was leaving them. It is a test whether Elisha would follow with him. Devotion to the Lord is required to follow this path. The people of Israel cling to their covenant, even if they did not keep it.
They Left Bethel as the Representative of God’s House
When they came to Bethel, “the house of God,” the sons of the prophets had a certain intelligence of what was happening, but they were not willing to leave their place of identification with “the house of God.” They stayed in Bethel. What is such a house if the Spirit of God is not present? Later, in New Testament times, the Lord said to the Jews, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:3838Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (Matthew 23:38)).
They Left Jericho, a City Still Under Curse
Next the two prophets came to Jericho, where there were more “sons of the prophets”; they also knew that the Lord was about to take away Elijah. They seemed anxious to inform Elisha of it, but he would not accept their proffered insight; he walked by his own faith in the Lord. It is sad when there are those who know of prophetic events but are not willing to follow a path consistent with those prophecies. Elisha alone was faithful in following him.
Jericho had been destroyed when Israel came into the land and had been put under a curse. It was not to be rebuilt; nevertheless, they had rebuilt it. It is a picture of the world under a curse, which today men still try to make into a good place to live. Israel did that; the church has done it too. The minister of the law showed no interest in fixing up Jericho, and Elisha again swore, “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.” He had in his soul the awareness that he was following the living Lord and His servant Elijah.
They Crossed the River Jordan, the Place of Death to the Flesh
Fifty sons of the prophets stood afar off and saw Elijah smite the river Jordan, divide the waters and cross over to the other side, but Elisha alone saw what took place after that. This miraculous action confirmed that Israel no longer had the claims of blessing given at the time of Joshua when Jordan’s waters parted to let them into the land. Elijah, the Lord’s servant, exited, leaving them behind. The rejected minister was being called to heaven. He is a picture of the Lord Jesus, the ascended man in heaven, through whom God could send a better message of righteousness through grace. A new ground of blessing was about to develop.
Elisha Requests a Double Portion, a New Opportunity for Israel
“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 2:99And 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)). An unconditional offer was made. It was not restricted by the requirements of law. Elijah had ended the administration of law as the means of righteousness. Elisha, too, would leave the law behind. Now with boldness of faith, he lays claim to the generosity of sovereign grace. Such a thing could not take place until they had crossed the Jordan. You cannot mix law and grace.
Elisha Witnesses Elijah Taken to Heaven; a New Basis of Blessing Is Established
Elijah said, “Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And he saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more” (2 Kings 2:10-1210And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. (2 Kings 2:10‑12)). Such a free outflow of spirit seemed a hard thing to the administrator of the law. Heaven had not revealed its store to him yet. The ascension of a man into glory changes the perspective. When One who has perfectly kept the law is in heaven, the perspective changes. We have the Lord Jesus Christ, a man in the glory, to intercede for us. There is no hindrance to blessing for that which is according to Him.
Elisha Takes Up the Mantle and Commences to Bless Israel
Then Elisha “took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; and he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over” (2 Kings 2:12-1412And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. (2 Kings 2:12‑14)). The first reaction of Elisha is to rend his own clothes, a recognition of his own unworthiness. Self-worthiness only hinders the ministry of grace; the more we recognize our true condition, the more freely the ministry of grace will flow.
The act of smiting the waters of Jordan with Elijah’s mantle was done in faith. The words, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” may appear otherwise, but I apprehend them to be taken as Elisha saying, “All these years God has been limited in blessing Israel because of their failure to keep the commandments; now it is time for God to show His power and blessing according to His desire.” This is the true grace of God. May we each lay hold of this and carry that mantle with us in submission and obedience to the gracious will of God to bless, because of Jesus Christ.
D. C. Buchanan