If you see me when I am taken (2 Kings 2 note)

2 Kings 2

Key Verse 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

1.     [1-3] When and why did the Lord tell Elijah to anoint Elisha (1a; Ref. 1 Kings 19:3-18)?  How did Elisha make a decision to follow Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21)?  When the Lord was ready to take Elijah, where were Elijah and Elisha (1b)? From there, where was the Lord sending Elijah to and what did Elijah tell Elisha to do (2a)? Why? What did Elisha answer(2b)?  What did the company of the prophets remind him of (3)? Why?

In this passage, we see that the role of Elijah as the prophet of Israel was handed down to Elisha. In the process, Elisha demonstrated a strong passion to receive the power of Elijah. We can think about this in two ways; one human perspective, i.e., Elisha’s good and commendable character; second, God’s perspective for it was the LORD who told Elijah to anoint Elisha to carry out the mission that Elijah could not finish. If we just look at only from a human perspective, we like to miss out on the greater purpose of God in this event.  

God responded to the concern and request of Elijah (1 Kings 19).  Elijah sought God’s answer to the situation that he was confronting.

13b Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

There were still remaining forces of evil in the nation, i.e., Ahab, his wife Jezebel still fuming with threats to kill Elijah. If we rephrase, “why are You silent and not doing anything for the evil forces of the nation? I cannot stand the fact that Your name is defamed and evil is rampant! I fought and fought; now I am running out of my strength. Either you give me the strength or take my life!” God heard his request and told him to do three things.

15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

When Elijah called him, Elisha showed his resolve to follow Elijah by slaughtering the oxen and cooking the meat by burning the plowing equipment.  At the outset of God’s call to him, Elisha showed his unreserved commitment to the causes of God. In other words, he fully was aware of what God did through Elijah and shared common aspiration or goal with Elijah and what God had been doing in him.   Since then he followed Elijah and saw what happened on Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 20) Surely, he saw what happened between Ahaziah and Elijah (2 Kings 1).  Still, Jezebel, the mother of Ahaziah and the wife of Ahab was still exerting her power as the queen mother of the nation. Her influence would extend further into the time of Joram (brother of Ahaziah).

It was the time When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. That is to say that the entire event in this chapter is about Elijah’s departure to heaven. It started from Gilgal and then to Bethel. As Elisha was about to follow him, Elijah told Elisha to stay there at Gilgal. But Elisha was not willing at all; he was determined to follow Elijah, saying “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” He had shown an undeterred resolve to follow Elijah when he was called. Now, he showed the same resolve to follow him.

2.     [4-8] Trace the places where Elisha followed Elijah (1, 2b, 4, 6) and find what happened on each place [4-6]. Find how many times Elisha was dissuaded to follow Elijah and how he showed his resolve to follow Elijah (2b, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6b.; cf. 1 kings 19:21) Where did their journey stop and why (7-8)? How could Elisha cross the Jordan?

So, Elisha followed Elijah from Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho and then to the Jordan River.  These were the first cities that Israel conquered. The city of Jericho was the first city that Israel conquered and totally dedicated as Harem, “dedicated to the Lord”. But in the next city Bethel/Ai, Israel was badly defeated because Achan hid ‘things that were dedicated to the Lord’. This was the city that they experienced what it meant not to by faith and obedience.  

The starting point of this trip was Gilgal. This was the first city they got into the west of Jordan River. Here Israel was rededicated to the Lord by reconfirming the covenant with the LORD, by circumcision, celebrating the Passover.  Also, here they harvested first and the manna stopped (Joshua 5). All these things that happened in this city were a glimpse of what life in the land of God’s promise should look like.

The next city, Bethel/Ai (Josh 8:9;12:9) served as an example of how they would fail and how they could overcome the failure. (Why bethel, instead of Ai? Most likely that by this time Bethel was well built out by King Rehoboam as the major cultic center for pagan God).

The last city was Jericho. This city served as an example of how they could win against all inhabitants and its paganism. They obeyed absolutely and God delivered their enemy to their hand.  So, this city served as the prime example of ‘how Israel could win’ against all pagan forces of the land of God’s promise.

This journey ended/stopped at the Jordan River. Gilgal was just beside the Jordan River, and so was Jericho.  The itinerary of this journey was reversed from that of Joshua. Right then, when God told Elijah made this tour, spiritually speaking Israel was somewhere near Bethel or in between Bethel and Jericho for they were facing the formidable force of Baalism through the remnant of Ahab’s rule.   This journey was planned by the Lord to give an insight where Israel stood then and how she must carry on their journey to victory, Jericho- Gilgal. In other words, no matter how many detours Israel would make in their journey for conquering the land, the journey must end like what happened in Jericho, which was envisioned at Gilgal that was located side by side with Jericho.  This was what it meant that they stopped at the Jordan River (along the river these two cities were located side by side). 

This journey was not much for Elijah but more for Elisha. Elijah knew what was yet to happen after his death (1 Kings 19:15-18) and had a comprehensive understanding of the forces of the ungodliness of the time. For Elisha, to carry out the spiritual fight had to have a keen understanding of how the LORD would help Israel and what was His ultimate goal.  This insight could be attained not by a new revelation from the LORD afresh but by reexamining that God laid down in what the LORD taught and did for Israel in the past. 

In this regard, this passage serves as the best and explicit example of how the LORD of heaven and earth is at work even now through the truth that He revealed in history.  More often than not, we look for a fresh and new revelation directly from the LORD, thinking that that would make us happier. But God is speaking to us through what He did and taught in the past. In this respect, the first effort to seek His will, and His purpose must be to read the Bible and search His will in what He did. In this aspect I am so happy that many missionaries and shepherds devote themselves to the reading and studying the word of the LORD. 

Elisha was persuaded not to follow Elijah. The command to go through these places was given to Elijah, not to Elisha. Elijah told him three times and a group of prophets at Bethel and Jericho told him twice. Yet he was insistent, by shutting the mouth of companies of the prophets, and showing undeterred resolve to follow Elijah, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” (2,4,6). Practically the entire community of prophets tried to dissuade him not to follow Elijah. The implicit implication was that Elisha should not follow Elijah in this journey for this was not the journey for Elisha. Or another implicit question raised was: “can you follow these steps as Joshua did and as the LORD wanted Israel to do, and Elijah could not accomplish? Israel must overcome Bethel and attain the victory of Jericho. Can you lead the way to the victory of Jericho?”   It is very difficult to oppose the suggestion/opinion of those with whom he shared the same goal and the same belief. Was it to show his loyalty to Elijah? When the teacher says three times, his student must listen. This is how a student to show his respect and loyalty to the teacher. Was it something of a personal zeal to have a power like Elijah? That might possibly be the reason.  The reason was hidden until Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan River. There Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted from him. And then he expressed what he wanted.

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,”(9b)

First Elisha saw what Elijah did; he was enamored by the power and spirit that Elijah displayed in defeating the ungodliness of the nation. It was the power that could thwart and destroy the ungodliness of the nation. He wanted to have that power.

Second, he wanted to have a double portion. It is noted that the double portion was given to the first son of a family. It is possible that he wanted to be the first among all the prophets. This means that he wanted to be above all other prophets, setting his mindset over other prophets. Was this his right that God specified in the law?  This is a common desire for children and people in general. Was his primary focus to be greater than others in power? More often than not, such desire is likely to be tainted by pride and arrogance. Highly unlikely!  

He saw how Elijah fought and yet even to the extent of total exertion and yet he could not finish what should be done (1 Kings 19:4). That was to root out the cause of evil from the nation Israel. Yet it was left undone and the evil, defamation of the name of the LORD, was still rampant. What Elijah could not fish, he had to finish. In other words, Elisha had a zeal to fight for the LORD’s name and to restore the nation back to Him. To finish that job, he needed a double portion, that would last enough to see the end of such ungodliness of the nation (God found that spirit in Elisha and commanded Elijah to anoint him (1 Kings 19:15-18). Simply Elisha shared God’s vision and hope for the nation as Elijah had. Jesus had compassion on the people who followed him a long journey into a remote place. Jesus shared God’s hope for the needy. So, he fed them to their fill. Sharing God’s hope for the nation, and God’s compassion for the needy and harassed, God’s anger against the ungodliness of the nation are the essentials for the servants of the LORD and when one has those, the LORD will surely impart His power to such servants. The nation needed such servants as much as the LORD needed such a servant.  

What did the LORD want to see in Elisha before giving him what he asked for, the double portion of the spirit of Elijah? Coming up to the place beside the Jordan River, Elisha amply showed his resolve to seek God’s power through Elijah. Yet Elijah did not ask why until they crossed the Jordan River. This suggests that though he displayed his resolution and undeterred will, that was not enough to offer what he was asking for. Crossing the Jordan river and then giving an opportunity to receive what he asked for alluding us something important.  The LORD wanted to see something more than human zeal and resolve to seek God’s power, which he had amply demonstrated already by following Elijah up to the Jordan River. Then what did the LORD want to see in him?

Elijah crossed the Jordan with the power of God

8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

Israel crossed the river/sea on dry ground on two occasions. One as they came out of Egypt, and the other when the cross the Jordan River to move into the land of God’s promise. We are to look at these two occasions to find what the event entailed in regard to spiritual lessons.

First, crossing the Red Sea led by Moses: God told Moses “16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.” (Exo 14). After they crossed the Red Sea, Israel came to have faith in the LORD and Moses

31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. (Exo 14:31)

Here trust was not an ordinary belief. Here the word ‘trust (אמן; ‘mn) is less commonly used to express faith. It was not simply acknowledging or confidence in what one can do or a simple assent to the fact given. The root of this word has the meaning of “wearing”, “prove to be firm”.  It seems to say that they were able to entrust their lives to the LORD and Moses. This is the kind of trust that is so firm and so confident enough to entrust one’s life. Can you walk while the thick and high walls of water are on both sides of the road without any protective barriers? In other words, when Israel walked on the ground of the Red Sea while both sides of the walls of water was piling up, they truly entrusted their lives on the LORD and Moses.  

Second, the crossing was the crossing of the Jordan River.  Before crossing the LORD said this to Joshua.

⁷ And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. ⁸ Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’” (Josh 3)

14 That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

As we see in these two passages, Joshua earned the trust of people of Israel as Israel crossed the Jordan River safely. They were comfortable to entrust their lives in the hand of the LORD as well as in the word given through Joshua.

As we noted in these two occasions, crossing the Jordan was a test of faith; Could Elisha entrust his life on Elijah or the LORD who was behind him? Though Elijah could have asked this question (what can I do for you? V9), before but he did after they crossed the River. Elisha was tested and confirmed that he was willing and able to entrust his life on the LORD of Elijah. This was the most difficult but necessary test for the servants of the LORD whom God calls for such a great and powerful mission. 

3.     [9-12] Why did Elisha follow Elijah this far (9)? Discuss why Elisha wanted a double portion of Elijah’s spirit (Ref. 1 Kings 19:14-16, 21c; Cf. Deut 21:17; 18:18). According to Elijah, why was it difficult and when or how could that be possible (10)?    Then what did Elisha see (11)? Seeing this, what did he cry out (12a, b; Cf. 2 Kings 13:14)? Discuss what he meant (Ref. 6:15-17). Then what did he do (12c, 13; Ref. 1 Kings 19:19)? 

Elisha wanted to have a double portion of Elijah’s power. Elijah said that that was possible if he sees Elijah was taken from him. Elisha followed Elijah wherever he went. But at a certain point, the Lord will take Elijah away from Elisha. If Elisha would see that moment, or if God let him see that moment, he would receive the double portion of Elijah’s spirit. It implies that what he was to see how the LORD take him away, would be very important.

When the time came for the LORD to take Elijah, Elijah was taken from Elisha in this way.

Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind (v11).

A chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and came in between them and passed by them. After having separated from Elisha by a chariot and horses of fire, Elijah was taken up to heaven by a whirlwind. Elisha was standing in awe and looking up to the sky as Elijah was taken up. Seeing this amazing scene, he shouted, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” What did he mean? It is obvious that Elisha was calling Elijah “father”, a word of respect and honor. Then what is the relationship between ‘My father’ and ‘the chariots and horsemen of Israel’?  There was a tight relationship between father and the chariots and horsemen of Israel. Either father is the chariots and horsemen of Israel or father is powerful with or riding on the chariots and horsemen of Israel. A sharp distinction between these two might not be necessary for both of them carry a very similar meaning. When Elisha died, Jehoash king of Israel wept over him with a cry “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” (13:14) signifying that he was a father figure of Israel for he fought against the enemies of Israel. So, the chariot of fire and horsemen of fire seems to describe the presence of God’s holy army against the enemy of Israel.

Was this army with Elijah and now would be with Elisha?  It was possibly so. Yet, Elijah’s frustration (1 Kings 19:10) seems to say otherwise.  Regardless, now, since Elisha saw chariots of fire and horsemen of fire along with Elijah’s ascension to heaven by a whirlwind, he surely received the double portion of the spirit of Elijah.  The double portion of the spirit of Elijah had to do with having or knowing of a chariot of fire and horses of fire. What Elisha saw was one chariot of fire and horses of fire (11). But Elisha understood this to be ‘chariots and horsemen of Israel’(12). Though he saw one chariot led by a few horses, he felt it to be an immense army for Israel. The force or strength of this chariot was not in number but in the power of flaming fire.  The LORD is the God of holiness. He is called God of consuming fire (Deut 4:24; Exo 24:17). The LORD would exert His power through Elisha.

Then what does it imply to us that “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”?

First, it is the LORD’s will and His prerogative to impart such power. It is not of men or men’s assertive will. In other words, God has to give His power to His servant.

Second, Elisha saw two things: a Chariot of fire with horses of fire and Elijah’s ascension in whirlwind. Elijah’s ascension gave him firm confidence in the LORD and could entrust his life on God’s hand. If crossing the Jordan River was Elisha’s willingness to commit his life on the God of Elijah’s hand, then it was God’s revelation to give him an assurance of what he hoped and committed to.  Seeing gives one certainty. Elisha saw Elijah’s ascension and this would remain in him as certainty in faith [‘trust (אמן; ‘mn)] He would and was to live by this faith (like waring a coat always) in all of his work with and for the LORD. Jesus showed his ascension to his disciples (Acts 1:9-11) and almost all of them, as much as we know, walked the way of martyrdom.

These two provided a comprehensive picture of God’s will for him as well as for His people. We also rejoice because by His grace, he gave us the comprehensive knowledge of His will through Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection and then to ascension (Col 1:9-12).

4.     [14-18] How did Elisha cross the Jordan back (14)? Who watched this and understood what(15a)?  How did they greet Elisha? What did they offer to do (16a,b)? Why? What was Elisha’s answer (16c)? What did they insist on and why (17)? How long did they search Elijah? What was the result? What did Elisha say to them (18)? Discuss how Elisha come to see Elijah’s ascension and its significance for him.

This side where this thing happened was the opposite side of the land of God’s blessing. As was the side of Egypt from the Red Sea being the realm of death, so was this side where Elisha saw Elijah’s ascension was the realm of death.  Now Elisha must cross back to the land of God’s blessing, the place that God gave His people. He received Elijah’s cloak (It is interesting to see that the concrete faith has an idea of wearing a cloak). It became his. The first thing that he had to do was to cross the river to go back to the Land of God’s blessing. As Joshua did at the Jordan River and Moses did at the Red Sea, Elisha crossed the Jordan River with the power that was vested on him through the cloak. He went back to the Land of God’s blessing. This was the proof of the fact that God was with him. He earned the respect and honor of his people (Moses-Exo 14:31; Joshua-Josh 3:7). The most distinctive quality or power of a leader is an ability to lead His people to the Land of God’s blessing. That ability would be tested and proven when or if he is able to lead God’s people to cross the Jordan River or the Red Sea, which separates the place of death to the place of God’s blessing.

When the company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.”(15)

Previously, they tried to dissuade Elisha not to follow Elijah but now they saw and knew that God was with him and gave their honor to him as their leader and teacher. They asked Elisha if they could go to find Elijah’s body. On their insistence, Elisha allowed them to do but they could not find the body of Elijah. This confirmed what Elisha saw and believed was true. The LORD took him to heaven.

This reminds us of Jesus’ transfiguration. Jesus appeared in clothes of dazzling white along with Moses and Elijah (Mark 9:3). This happened immediately after his climactic disclosure of his suffering and death as the way to glory. This was Jesus’ way to reveal his glory, which his disciples had focused on. Jesus was saying that despite of Jesus plan to suffer and die by the hands of religious leaders, the glory was waiting for him and they must be certain of the coming of Jesus in glory. Simply by showing this, Jesus was speaking strongly that the way of suffering, death, and then to the resurrection was the way to that glory. Moses died because of the unbelief of his people and no one could find his body. Elijah was translated to heaven after he fought fiercely against ungodliness of the nation and after crossing the Jordan River. By combing the works of both Moses and Elijah, what Jesus was about to do be explained clearly; Moses death, and Elijah’s translation together would happen in Jesus. The LORD was right in what He did for Moses and what he did for Elijah. At the same time, God was showing through these two what he would do in and through the Messiah, the Savior for all. In this way, Moses’ death and Elijah’s translation confirms that the way of Jesus ‘suffering and death’ was the right way to the glory. Elijah’s translation serves as the key to the understanding of Jesus’ way of glory.  In and with the Law Moses died but, in the spirit, Elijah was translated and ascended to heaven. In Jesus, these two are at work to bring about the salvation of all men.  

5.     [19-25] What was the problem of the water of the city (19)? How did Elisha treat the water (20-21)? At Bethel, how did some boys jeer at Elisha? When Elisha called down the curse on them, what happened (24)? Then where did he go (25)?

Immediately after returning to the land of God’s blessing, Elisha did two things; curing of the water and bringing judgment on children at Bethel.

Frist curing of the water. The water was bad and the land was unproductive. Even there was much water, the water was bad and the land did not produce crops. This made people of the place suffer hunger and famine. He asked for salt in a new bowl and when people brought it to him. He poured out into the spring, and delivered God’s word, ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’ By this prophetic word, the LORD gave a clear message to the people that he would cure the bad water of the land through Elisha. By this demonstration, the LORD gave a clear message that He would cure all the bad water of Israel, symbolically bad religious activities or pagan worship, through Elisha. It was a cure not destruction. This was an implicit allusion that Elisha would do work out toward purifying the bad water of the society, that was pagan worship so that Israel might yield good fruit/harvest for life in the LORD.

The next event happened at Bethel. Some boys came out and jeered at him, “Get out of here, baldy!” They repeated this, “Get out of here, baldy!”  Bethel was built up by Jeroboam to establish a new center of worship. It was utterly of pagan nature and form, that a prophet from Jerusalem cursed the place (1 Kings 12:33-13:4). The children’s’ jeers reflected the general atmosphere of the people of the town toward the servant of the LORD. Pagan worship, like Baal, was upheld high and the LORD(YHWH), the God of Israel was not respected. Instead His name was demeaned. All the more so, after Elijah killed two messengers of the king along with 100 of his soldiers, the servant of YHWH(the LORD) was not favored at all. This disdain and contempt permeated through the entire city of Jericho, and that antipathy was well expressed through the mouth of the children of that city. Simply there was no fear of the LORD(YHWH) in that city and Elisha cursed the children in the name of the LORD and two bears came out mauled the forty-two boys. It was the first of Elisha’s fight against the pagan beliefs of the society. It also served as the hallmark event that the LORD would not tolerate any defamation on His name in anymore—a fearful warning to the people of Bethel.

Quite often, a few questions could be raised, “was it right to kill so many children just because they made a few mockeries to God’s servant? Is it humane? These were just little children, not having any discernment on what was right or not!” Though it was Elisha cursed, it was the LORD who sent two bears to maul down these children. The society as a whole was so corrupted and went far away from the LORD. The LORD had made many attempts to change their beliefs and to bring their hearts to the LORD, the best one being done by Elijah at the Mountain Carmel. Yet the city went on as usual. If the LORD failed to get their attention by killing so many soldiers, then he would get their attention by punishing even their children. They were not innocent for they surely had known the stories of Elijah and three messengers of King. They followed sin of their parents.    

It seems to be like the inner city of the USA where many children grew without father and were bombarded by fear, hate, killing, and all kinds of ungodly behaviors. More often many of them have any respect honor not only to adults but also to any authorities of the society. It is truly painful to see and to endure. God will endure for a time being. But eventually He would bring judgment though we do not know when and how. He is holy and He alone is right. When he implements his holiness on sinners, we have nothing to say. Only we pray for His grace and mercy.

These two events stood side by side, one for a cure and the other for judgment. This was God’s will how He would reform the nation Israel through Elisha for he shared his heart with the LORD of compassion and judgment.