First Baptist Church Ottawa

Our Online Church School Lesson - February 11, 2024

Elijah Leaves; Elisha Continues - 2 Kings 2:1-12

Today’s Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-12

Today’s Theme: Elijah Leaves; Elisha Continues

Opening Prayer: Dear God, thank you for allowing us to gather here today to learn more about Jesus. Please help our ears to listen, our minds to learn, and our hearts to love as we hear the stories of His work. Amen.

Today’s Lesson: Have you ever gone on a trip with someone? Perhaps you had a big family vacation or perhaps you went on a short field trip for school. How did you prepare for the trip? Well, it depends on where you are going and what you will need when you get there. You might have to bring lots of clothing and other supplies if you are going on a long vacation with your family but you might just need a backpack and a change of underwear if you are going on a weekend trip with a friend.

In today’s lesson, Elijah and Elisha are also going on a trip. Who is Elijah? He was a prophet, or messenger sent by God to deliver important news to people. Elijah often had a hard time with those he was sent to, but he continued to do God’s work. God sent a helper for Elijah, and this person was Elisha. Elisha followed Elijah closely until it was time for Elijah to leave Earth, which is exactly what happens in today’s scripture. The great prophet Elijah is taken up into heavens, making us think that the time of God’s prophets is at an end. The scripture is quick to point out, though, that the voice of the prophet does not disappear when God’s chariot and horses stampede out of sight with Elijah. Instead, Elisha takes over the challenging job of the prophet and works at this throughout his life.

Let’s read today’s scripture to get a better sense of this important story:

2 Kings 2:1-12
2:1 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

2:2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel.

2:3 The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent."

2:4 Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho.

2:5 The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be silent."

2:6 Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on.

2:7 Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan.2:8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

2:9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit."

2:10 He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not."

2:11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven.

2:12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

As you read this scripture, you might be reminded of two other important men from the Old Testament. Who would that be? Well, it is Moses and Joshua. The events associated with Moses and Joshua are reflected in the events of today’s story. Joshua was clearly the chosen one of God meant to succeed to Moses, the greatest prophet, and so too is Elisha shown as the chosen one of God meant to succeed Elijah, the great prophet of Israel.

As Elijah makes his rounds to Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho, he repeatedly asks Elisha to remain behind. Yet each time, Elisha demonstrates a stubborn commitment to remain with his “father” until the end. Elisha does not want to leave his teacher and master. He’s aware that God will be taking Elijah, but perhaps he doesn’t want to think about it. He also wants to make sure he can carry on the important work that God gave Elijah. In this way, Elijah and Elisha remind us of Moses and Joshua who also had this close relationship.

On the way to crossing the Jordan river, Elijah parts the Jordan. This is another reminder of Moses, who parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites could escape from the Egyptians. It also makes us think of Joshua, who parted the Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross into the Promised Land. Elijah rolls up his mantle, perhaps suggesting to the reader the image of a rod (Moses’ rod, no doubt). When Elijah strikes the water, the waters part and they walk through on dry land. And once Elijah and Elisha leave Jericho and cross the Jordan River, they are standing in the region where Moses died. Just as Moses died opposite Jericho with Joshua prepared to enter into the land, so too is Elijah taken up, with Elisha prepared to return to the land.

At this point, Elisha has given up in his efforts to hold on to Elijah, as he had earlier as they trekked around Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho. As they stand on the “other side,” of the Jordan, perhaps things look differently from there. Perhaps Elisha now sees that his task is not one of holding on, but of carrying on. Elisha knows that his time with Elijah is almost up. He wants to ask for an “inheritance” of sorts, which would usually pass from a father to a son. Since Elijah has no sons, he asks what he can give to Elisha, and Elisha has a pretty big request: to receive a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. (You might remember from our story of Jacob and Esau that in Biblical times, the eldest son received a double portion of the inheritance.)

In Elijah’s lifetime as a prophet, he called fire down from Heaven to defeat the prophets of Baal. Now, this fire is taking him up into Heaven. God’s divine army has come to take Elijah away. Elijah is one of only a few people in the Bible who does not die before departing into Heaven. The chariots take him away to his eternal reward.

The manner in which Elijah was taken to heaven, with a chariot and horses of fire, may have been mostly for Elisha’s sake. God was granting Elisha’s request to receive a double portion of Elijah’s power, and God was making sure that Elisha knew the condition had been met. Elisha had to see Elijah being taken up, and there was no way he could miss the spectacle God displayed. In taking Elijah to heaven in such a fiery, stormy manner, God assured Elisha that he would succeed Elijah in the prophetic office with twice as much divine power. Seeing Elijah going to heaven with the flaming horses, the chariot of fire, and the whirlwind would have had a profound effect on Elisha throughout his ministry. If ever he doubted that he had been chosen by God, he could remember the glory he witnessed that night. If ever he questioned the power of God, he could recall the chariot of fire and the horses of fire.

Losing Elijah is a sad moment for Elisha; he rips his garments in two. Ultimately, though, he is able to carry on. He picks up the mantle that had first been thrown upon him in 1 Kings 19, strikes the water of the Jordan, and parts it. He reenters the land, as Joshua had done in a much earlier time. Elisha knows that because he has witnessed this incredible occasion, he will inherit what he asked for, and will be used by God to carry on Elijah’s work. In taking his teacher’s clothing, he also takes up Elijah’s role as prophet. Being a prophet is not an easy or glamourous task, but Elisha knows that it is an important one, and seeks to do God’s work with his whole heart.

Today’s scripture is not really about what happened to Elijah. It is about the prophetic voice of God and how it is carried on by figures like Elijah. The story suggests that the prophet’s voice and purpose does not end with the death or ascension of one particular figure, but is available for all who hear God’s voice, are transformed by it, and in turn are able to transform the lives of others.

Closing Prayer: Dear God, thank you for giving us our purpose in life. Help us to ask for assistance in listening to you as you speak to us through different things, and to those teachers, found all around us, who have taken on the role of leading us. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.