Reading Portion: 2 Kings 2:7-18
Elisha was determined to receive what he was longing for. So, he stayed close to Elijah. The fifty men of the sons of the prophets were curious to know what would happen to Elisha and did not have the vision to acquire the anointing from Elijah. They stood from afar off to watch the whole scene. Elisha had two choices as they stood by the River Jordan: he could take a decision to go back to where he came from or he could choose to move with Elijah. His strong desire to receive the power of the LORD made him move with Elijah across the river Jordan. Was it the desire to receive the power of the LORD that made Elisha follow Elijah? I will say No! Elisha would always remember the words of Elijah when he appointed him as his servant, “What have I done to thee?” This was the assurance for Elisha to follow Elijah. He was clinging onto the call for which he was called. And he had the desire to follow Elijah till GOD took him away from him.
And they came to the final point, the point of departure. “What shall I do for thee, before I be taken away from thee?” The response of Elisha was quick: “Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” He had planned what to ask beforehand and was waiting for the right moment. Elisha saw how GOD was using Elijah in his life. Though their relationship was short-term, Elijah had imparted a passion in Elisha’s heart to be a firebrand for the LORD. A true mentor impacts and imparts to his mentee. We see no previous events when Elisha asked something from Elijah, but he keenly observed his mentor and the impact of Elijah’s life made him submit more to the Spirit of the LORD than to anything else. Elisha was asking for the double portion that was for the first born (Deuteronomy 21:17). Elisha wanted to be the first-born of Elijah in the ministry, the right to be the successor to Elijah’s ministry. Though Elijah appointed Elisha as his successor (1 Kings 19:19), Elisha was asking to receive the spiritual power to stay faithful in the calling he received.
“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.” (Vs.10).
Special anointing can be received only by taking a pain. Elijah never said a no to Elisha but gave him a condition to fulfill or work with: “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.” Elijah motivated Elisha to be keener and more attentive to every minute thing that was going to happen. The double portion of the spirit can be received only if we are ready to wait upon the LORD with patience and by being vigilant. The things that are about to happen may force you to close your eyes and look down, but the unquenched thirst of the spirit within you will make you endure the pain.
As they were talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw it and he cried: “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” Elijah had asked Elisha to see him taken up to the heavens, but Elisha’s eyes saw the chariot of the LORD of Israel and its horsemen. His vision was high above the expectation of his mentor. When we desire to walk in the path of righteousness, GOD’s presence and guidance must be given more importance than the directions of the men of this world. Elisha understood that, without seeing the true might of the Most Holy, he can’t go out for ministry.
“And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.” Out of his pain Elisha cried out like a kid who lost his father. The only inheritance that he had from his ‘spiritual father’ was the double portion of the spirit. He took the mantle of Elijah and began his journey. It was not the mantle that made Elisha powerful instead it was the vision that he saw, when Elijah was taken up to the heavens. The mantle was a representation that he became the successor of Elijah. Elisha began from where Elijah finished. He crossed the Jordan with the mantle and moved on.
Dear reader, if you are a minister of the LORD and if you lack the strength and courage to move on in your ministry, pray to the LORD to show you His might. We pray to see the might of the LORD destroying our enemies but start praying to the LORD to change our hearts than destroy our enemies. When we walk righteous in His path, He will clear the ways ahead of us.
