This World and the Next

Context

The story of the life and ministry of Elijah in this world continues and ends in 2 Kings chapter 2. I want to call our attention to the location of where Elijah and his successor Elisha begin their final journey together. Notice in 2 Kings 2:1.

2 Kings 2:1 ESV

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

Gilgal. This place has historical significance, and it’s not the first time we read of this location in the Scriptures.

Joshua 4:19–20 ESV

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.

Gilgal was a base of sorts where Joshua and the Israelites used to go out from. It’s also the first place the people came upon entering the Promised Land. The reference to the 12 stones, which were set up as a monument and a reminder of God’s deliverance of Israel into the Promised Land. The stones were a reminder of God’s provision and His grace and that God continued to work among His people as He did in the days of Joshua.

But there’s something else that took place in Gilgal during the days of Joshua:

Joshua 5:2 ESV

At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.”

Joshua 5:6–9 ESV

For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way. When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

So here we know why this place was called Gilgal. Gilgal means roll away. What was meant to be understood in that name is that God had rolled away the reproach of Egypt from Israel. No longer was Israel living under the oppression and were now separated unto YAHWEH which is what circumcision pointed to. Israel was now separated from their painful past and dedicated to God for His glory.

This is where Elijah and Elisha begin their journey. The story of God’s people continues… a people separated to God for His good purposes and glory. A people who were graciously delivered to the Promised Land, but through the final day of his existence on earth, this final and glorious event of Elijah’s life reminded Israel and reminds us that this world is not all there is. There is more to come, and knowing this is crucial to our living in the present.

2 Kings 2:1–14 ESV

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please 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. And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please 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. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” Then Elijah said to him, “Please 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. Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

Introduction

Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity

Hope is one of the theological virtues. In other words, hope is inseparable from God. Hope is theological in nature, and for those who are unified to God through Christ, much of our hope is based upon the fact that regardless of what may happen in this world, and despite the many occasions for disappointment, hurt, disillusionment and discouragement, this world is not the end. There is a world to come… Eternity for the Christian is to be in the presence of our Savior.... a world free of pain and sorrow and without end.

And what is key for the church to make an impact in this world for the cause of of the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ, is to not allow the cares of this world to eclipse our view of the next.

In our text today, it is clear that everyone knew that Elijah was going to be taken out of the world that day. Elijah knew it, Elisha knew it, the sons of the prophets knew and I’m sure many others knew it. We can’t relate to this. None of us know when we’ll leave this world. It’s a certainty, but we don’t know when. Elijah, and many others knew the day he would be taken out of this world. Elijah’s concern for eternity has been evident in his ministry. We have seen the highs and lows in this brief series, but perhaps on his last day on earth, he was especially aware of the world to come. I don’t think he could begin to imagine what it would be like… but the certain hope of heaven impacted the way he lived in this world.

FCF

People tend to be consumed by the cares of this world.

Main Idea

Maintaining a clear view of the world to come protects us against being consumed by the cares of this world.

Analytical Question

What must we filter through the reality of the world to come to guard against being consumed by the cares of this one?

Of course, the answer to that question is ultimately everything. There is nothing about our lives that we should not view through the lens of eternity, however for such a massive consideration, I think it will be helpful for us to get as specific as out text permits us. So, I’d like to suggest the following areas of our lives, which are massive considerations in and of themselves, must be viewed in light of eternity… in light of the world to come to guard against being consumed by the cares of this world:

Our trials

Our relationships

Our desires

Our expectations

So, let’s begin with the first of these

Our Trials (1-6)

Now with this first point, I’m revealing an interpretive decision I made in the course of my preparation. Notice in verses 2, 4 & 6, Elijah says to Elisha please stay here, for the Lord has sent me… The question we should ask is why did Elijah ask Elisha not to follow him to where God directed him to go? There are two primary possibilities:

could have been that Elijah had a concern to spare Elisha the emotional distress of his departure. What will be clear as we walk through this passage together is that the nature of Elijah and Elisha’s relationship was that of a father and a son. Elijah loved Elisha, and perhaps he possessed a concern to spare him this sadness.

could have been, and this is where I landed, a means to test Elisha’s faithfulness. Would Elisha stick with his mentor until the end, or would he turn away and go back? Given that Elijah offers Elisha a gift at the end of their journey, we could conclude that testing Elisha’s loyalty and commitment was always the plan.

Deuteronomy 8:2 ESV

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Regardless of where we land on this particular question, there is no doubt that saying goodbye to his beloved mentor and enduring this journey would be difficult for Elisha. How are we to process our trials so that they do not obscure our view of the world to come? Or to ask it positively, how does a clear view of the world to come help us process our trials?

They pose no threat to the peace of God (3,5)

I want us to see something that may not be so clear if you’re using the ESV translation of the Bible this morning.

In verses 3 & 5, we see and exchange between the sons of the prophets and Elisha. Now we suggested a couple weeks back that the sons of the prophets, some of them at least, were disciples of Elijah. Certainly, Elisha was one of Elijah’s disciples, but these sons were coming up to Elisha talking to him about the departure of Elijah. And I think they were distressed about this. This was not a casual consideration for them. They were distressed. They were sad at the thought that Elijah was not going to remain with them on earth.

But notice how Elisha responds to them: Yes, I know it; keep quiet.

Now the reason I think we might misunderstand, especially if we’re using the ESV, is because the phrase keep quiet may lead us to think that Elisha is dismissing their concern or perhaps is annoyed with them.

NAS: be still

KJV: hold your peace

The same word is used in

Nehemiah 8:11 ESV

So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.”

be quiet here is meant to be a consoling word. Be at peace.

And I think this is what Elisha was saying to these individuals. Be at peace. It’s going to be OK.

We all know that trials are as regular a part of our lives as anything else we experience with frequency. But we need to remember the truth of the gospel is not interrupted by our trials.

Romans 5:1 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The peace we have with God in our justification is not diminished nor extinguished by the difficulties of our lives, and it is this truth… this eternal truth that makes Elisha’s words, be quiet… be still… hold your peace true and comforting.

And if Elijah had any concern to protect Elisha from distress, consider the pain that is associated with the trials our loved ones experience. What may immediately come to mind are our children. Parents hurt when their children hurt. And those of us who are parents, have an inclination, perhaps a strong one, to protect our children from distress.

You may have heard of helicopter parenting. Helicopter parents "hover overhead", overseeing every aspect of their child's life. A helicopter parent is also known to strictly supervise their children in all aspects of their lives, including in social interactions.

One of my Thursday Morning Men introduced a new idea to me called snowplow parents. Snowplow parents seek to remove all obstacles, all potential roadblocks and pitfalls from their children’s lives so that they will be able to go through their lives unscathed by their experiences. Of course, it’s an impossible task and an unhealthy one.

And this brings us to another way a clear view of the world to come helps us process our trials

God uses our trials as instruments of intimacy with Him (2,4,6)

This is what part of what makes snow plow parenting a bad idea. As difficult as it is for us to see our kids experience difficulty, we need to keep in mind that their trials are one of the primary means through which God brings about greater intimacy between Himself and His people, and that is far better than avoiding temporary suffering.

Notice how Elisha responds to Elijah’s request that he not follow Him in verses 2,4 & 6: As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live...

Elisha understood his commitment to Elijah as his God-given duty. As noted before, Elijah and Elisha had a very close relationship. But Elisha was troubled by the idea that Elijah was leaving… we’ll see that soon. But this trial did not stop him from remaining committed to what God had called him to do. God used this traumatic event in Elisha’s life to draw him closer to Himself. We will think through what Elisha’s request for a double portion of the spirit that rested on Elijah, but this is what was given Elisha through this trial.

Our trials are often God’s instruments of intimacy, and what will help us to process our trials this way is a clear view of the world to come. A clear view of the gospel. A clear view of God.

Another aspect of our lives that must be filtered through our view of the world to come are

Our Relationships (2-6, 12)

There is very little about our experience that is unaffected by our relationships. But what must we recognize about our relationships to maintain a clear view of the world to come?

They are meant to point to the primacy of God (1 Ki. 19:16-21)

Our relationships should remind us of the primacy of God. Be it our parents or our co-workers, we need to see all of our relationships as connected to God.

It’s important that we know that this is not the first time we read about Elisha. Scripture first mentions him in 1 Kings 19.

God instructs Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor. The prophet who would come after he is gone.

I won’t take time to read the call of Elisha that is seen v. 19-21, but to summarize, Elijah throws cloak upon Elisha as a symbolic way of transferring the prophetic power from one man to the next. Elisha says farewell to his family, then slaughters his oxen and burns his plow which demonstrates the break between his old life and his new one.

Perhaps this is what Jesus was reflecting upon when He said:

Luke 9:62 ESV

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

I’m suggesting that the relationships, in some way and on some level, are given to us by God to, in part, to remind us of the primacy of God in all of life. Elisha, in response to this new dynamic to their relationship (one of succession) was to prioritize his calling as a prophet of God even above his family and the family farm.

The primacy of God in our marriages is what makes our marriages more than a cultural norm. The primacy of God is what makes our relationships with strangers more than just a series of meaningless turn of events. Our relationships with people are potential opportunities to point each other to our Creator, to offer one another real hope, to demonstrate the gospel.

And so we need to be mindful of the primacy of God in our relationships.

The are opportunities for discipleship (2,4,6)

Succession is an important theme in this passage. We will consider the parting of the Jordan river in a few moments, but the parting of the waters certainly reminds of of how Moses was used to lead the people of Israel and how Joshua was used to lead the people of Israel and now how Elijah was leading Elisha who would then lead...

Joshua followed in the footsteps of Moses. Elisha would follow in the footsteps of of Elijah. No of them had identical experiences, but they were used by God for the same purposes. To lead God’s people and point them to God.

Church, discipleship is fundamental to who we are. We are mandated to make disciples. This past Wednesday, someone prayed for the children of this church. Not just for their safety, but for their love for God. It was a prayer that centered on a concern for their spiritual health. It was a prayer that recognized our need to pour our lives into the lives of these children to contribute to securing a strong spiritual legacy.

Certainly God is in control of this, but we have a responsibility to make disciples. Moses poured his life into Joshua’s. Elijah poured his life into Elisha’s. The idea of succession is relevant. Who will come after us? Our relationships are opportunities for discipleship.

In light of eternity, our relationships are also

Familial in Nature (3,5,12)

I wonder if there may be times when those of you who are not married, or do not have children feel like you are part of the frays of the church because of how much our discussion is connected to marriage and raising kids. I want to suggest that one of the ways you can know that you are not part of the frays is because being part of the family of God is not dependent on your marital status or if you have kids.

Notice again the phrase, sons of the prophets in verses 3 & 5. The relationship between teacher student… discipler and disciplee was more than teacher student. More than that of an apprentice. As much as teaching was part of this relationship, relationship was foundational.

What captures this well is what Paul said towards the end of his life

2 Timothy 3:10–11 ESV

You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

This is what Paul said to Timothy. Their relationship was much more than teacher student. Timothy was intimately connected to Paul… his conduct.... his aim in life.

Paul referred to Timothy as his true son in the faith.

1 Timothy 1:2 ESV

To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Why? He was not the one who shared the gospel with Timothy and lead him to the Lord. Timothy’s family… mother and grandmother were used that way in his life. Paul and Timothy had a father/son relationship because of the nature of their relationship. Paul cared for Timothy, nurtured his spiritual development, encouraged him, rebuked him, modeled godliness for him, trained him.... loved him.

We need godly fathers and mothers… biologically related or not. The words of Jesus are helpful here:

Matthew 12:48–50 ESV

But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Those who were connected to Him by faith were His family.

Notice how Elisha responds to Elijah’s departure in v. 12:

2 Kings 2:12 ESV

And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

My father, my father! Elijah was a father to Elisha. This was at the heart of their relationship, and church when it comes to our relationship with one another.... look around you. Many here are our mother and father and brothers and sisters.... distant cousins maybe.

Viewing our relationships in light of the world to come will prevent the cares of this world from consuming us. Another aspect of our lives that must be impacted by this truth are

Our Desires (9-10)

After crossing the Jordan, Elijah gives Elisha an opportunity to request something of him before he departs, and Elisha’s request is what I will call a next world request. In other words, Elisha’s request reflects desires that go beyond this world. It shows that his desires for his life in this world were shaped by the hope he had of the world to which Elijah was about to go.

What is indicative of next world desires?

They are yielded to the will of God

Of course we need to be clear on what Elisha requested of Elijah. Verse 9 states it very plainly

2 Kings 2:9 ESV

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.”

What does his request mean? This request seems to be connected to what is stated in Deut. regarding inheritances:

Deuteronomy 21:17 ESV

but he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the firstfruits of his strength. The right of the firstborn is his.

referencing how an inheritance was to be divided among the sons of a man’s wives.

Elisha’s request was not a request for twice as much of the Spirit as Elijah possessed, but was a reference to the privilege the eldest son of the family enjoyed in Israel. The eldest son was entitled to two fractions of the whole… two portions or a double portion of the whole.

Elisha was saying that if it pleases God, let me be the one upon whom your mantle falls. Elisha not only desired to serve with Elijah, but serve God after he is gone, and he knew the only hope he had to serve God faithfully and with power was by the enabling of His Spirit.

Really, what Elisha was asking was the the word of God wold be fulfilled in his life. Remember, God had already identified Elisha as Elijah’s successor. He was now asking that the promise of God would be fulfilled.

This request is spiritual in nature, that God’s will would be done.

Elisha had been so impacted by the life of his mentor Elijah, and ultimately transformed by the power of God, when it came to requesting something from someone through who the power of God flowed, Elisha’s heartbeat was for God’s word, God’s will to be done.

and when it comes to our desires, not only do they need to be yielded to the word of God, we need to recognize that

Their fulfillment is dependent upon God

Notice Elijah’s response in v. 10: you have asked a hard thing. Elijah is acknowledging that only God can grant this desire.

But he does put a condition forth: if you see me as I am being taken from you it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.

And so, it was required that Elisha see this all the way through. And he did… v. 12 the condition was fulfilled - and Elisha saw it...

And we know that God granted Elisha’s request by the fact that Elisha was able to part the Jordan just like Elijah did.. v. 14.

Next world desires are ones that are yielded to the will of God and are dependent upon God for their fulfillment. Perhaps it would be helpful to remember that Elijah prayed for rain after the Mt Carmel incident. He desired that God’s word would be fulfilled, so he pleaded that promise to God. You and I have desires for our families, our work lives, our church… when it comes to these desires, we need to focus them on the promises we have in Scripture. Do we want our children to be successful? Of course. What is success? For our children to love God and to love their neighbors as themselves. To seek the glory of God in whatever they do now and after they leave our homes. Next world desires in our retirement… I’m not retired yet, but again what you do with your time, how you take care of your bodies all of it focused on the truths of God’s word.... yielded to His will and dependent upon Him to fulfill your desires. Otherwise, we will be consumed by the cares of this world

Maintaining a clear view of the world to come protects us against being consumed by the cares of this world. Our lives, the trials, relationships, desires filtered through our view of the next world.... One more area of life to consider

Our Expectations

To bring this to a close, we want to focus on the chariots and horses of fire and the parting and crossing of the Jordan.

The fire, I would suggest makes clear that

God’s grace always prevails

This fact must impact our expectations in life. But where am I seeing the grace of God in this chariots and horses of fire?

The imagery of fire conveys more than one idea in the OT

The burning bush in Ex 3 brings God’s holiness to the forefront

The fire that guided the people of Israel at night during their years of wandering in the wilderness pointed to the presence and guidance of God

The fire that came down from heaven on Mt Carmel and, as we saw last week, on the captains and their 50 soldiers displayed the power and judgement of God

But what do the chariots and horses of fire makes clear about God?

Now, instead of fire from heaven bringing judgement, it is providing deliverance from death.

And it was difficult for Elisha to witness his beloved mentor leaving him behind… he cries in v. 12 my father, my father! But the hope of Israel had not departed with Elijah. Perhaps part of Elisha’s double portion was to be able to witness deliverance from death.

Despite the heartache associated with departure of Elijah, and even the suffering the people of Israel experienced as a result of Ahab’s rule, Ahaziah’s rule, Jezebel… their own sin, the grace of God prevailed.

After Elijah’s departure, Elisha crosses back over the Jordan (v. 14) reminds us that our expectations in life should be

Connected to redemption

Now when Elijah parted the water in v. 8, I suggest what he was saying to Elisha, and any other bystander, was that his ministry centered on redemption. This is what was displayed through the parting of the Red Sea. Israel was rescued from their slavery in Egypt, and this rescue was given vivid display in the parting of the waters so that they could pass safely and escape their enslavers.

And certainly the exodus of Israel is a picture of redemption. This is God’s gracious act. He liberates His people from the bondage of their sin.

And perhaps Elijah’s message to Elisha is an encouragement to continue live under God’s grace, and not to allow for their lives in this world to be so removed from the world to come that the redemption of people from their bondage to their sin becomes disconnected from their expectations in life.

Some of us have observed a passion for evangelism among some in the church. We praise God for it. God is still at work in this world. God is still redeeming people. We do not redeem, but we should expect it. This is the way God has always worked among sinful people, and we should expect Him to continue this glorious work until He returns. Elijah’s legacy in Elisha’s life had much to do wit the passing of the emphasis of redemption in ministry. This must be the heartbeat of our ministry, which is fueled by our view of the world to come.

Conclusion

So those massive areas of our lives:

Our trials

Our relationships

Our desires

Our expectations

must be connected to the reality that this world is not all there is.

Maintaining a clear view of the world to come protects us against being consumed by the cares of this world.

We do not know when our time in this world will end, but knowing that it will end should bring eternity to surface. God has placed a sense of eternity in our hearts, and for those of us who are in Christ, knowing we will be with our Savior for eternity should now only cause us to look forward to that day, but should invigorate us with zeal to impact this world for the glory of God.

Perhaps the words of Paul could help us maintain this perspective:

2 Timothy 4:7–8 ESV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.