Prophetic Succession: The "Going Up" of Elijah

Elijah Review:

Confronting Baal Worship:

1 Kings 17: Ahab was a very evil king and did more to provoke YHWH than all the kings in Israel, the northern kingdom, before him.

Baal worship was promoted by Ahab due to his marriage to Jezebel.

Elijah confronted Ahab and proclaimed to him that there would be no rain or dew for three years except by his word.

God protected Elijah by a brook on the east side of the Jordan River where he was fed by ravens. When the brook ran dry, God directed him to Zarephath in Sidon (the home of Baal worshipers).

In Zarephath, he met a widow and through him God miraculously provided food for her and her son and Elijah. When the son died of an illness, God restored her son’s life through the ministry of Elijah.

After a time, Elijah again confronted Ahab and told him to gather the prophets of Baal and all Israel at Mt. Carmel.

There Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a test to see whether Baal or YHWH was truly God. Each prepared an altar with an animal sacrifice and called on their god/God to send fire.

Baal was silent, but God sent fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.

As a result of what YHWH did, the hearts of the people turned to YHWH and Elijah killed the 450 prophets of Baal.

God then sent rain to end the drought.

Discouragement and Depression:

Jezebel threatened Elijah and he fled to Mt. Horeb, discouraged and depressed.

He believed the worship of YHWH was essentially non-existent and that he alone was God’s man and they were seeking his life. He wanted to die.

Another Assignment:

He was sent to anoint two kings and to anoint Elisha as the prophet in his place.

God told him there were 7000 in Israel who had not bowed to Baal.

Naboth’s Vineyard

Elijah was sent to confront Ahab again over his murder and theft of the vineyard of an innocent man.

Elijah promised him destruction would come upon him and his house would be swept away like that of Jeroboam and Nebat.

Ahab Died in Battle (at the end of 1 Kings)

YHWH Send Elijah to Confront Ahaziah, Ahab’s Son and Successor:

Ahaziah was injured in a fall and sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub as to whether he would live.

YHWH had a message for Ahaziah that Elijah was to give him. On his way, Elijah confronted the messengers and sent them back with a message:

2 Kings 1:6 NASB 2020

6 They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’ ” ’ ”

The king then sent three captains with 50 soldiers each to get Elijah; however, he called down fire from heaven on the first two squads. The 3d captain pled for his life and Elijah went with him to the king.

Elijah gave Ahaziah God’s message and he died not long thereafter.

Summary: With the exception of the widow at Zarephath, Elijah would not be described as a “people person.” He lived at a time when there was great idolatry in Israel. The nation was led astray by a king who built a temple to Baal and who was more concerned with pleasing his wife than he was with honoring God. The king’s son followed in his footsteps. God asked Elijah to confront the kings. He faithfully brought the word of YHWH to whomever YHWH told him to confront. At times he saw the magnificent power of God in his life; yet, he also struggled with his own worthiness, with significance and he became so discouraged, he asked God to take his life. With all God did through him, he was still a man with weaknesses like us.

Elijah Prepares to Meet YHWH

2 Kings 2:1–3 NASB 2020

1 Now it came about, when the Lord was about to bring Elijah up by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left Gilgal with Elisha. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”

Elijah had some knowledge, as did others to whom YHWH had revealed it, that this was his last day on earth.

Elijah was at Gilgal and Elisha was with him.

The LORD sent Elijah to Bethel and he instructed Elisha to remain where he was (at Gilgal).

Why?

It was a test for Elisha. Elisha’s oath reminds me of that of Peter on the night before Jesus was crucified. Luke 22.33, Peter told Jesus he was ready to go with him to prison or to death. Jesus corrected him.

Unlike Peter, Elisha was resolute in his commitment and never backed up. He knew he was about to lose his mentor and he wanted no distractions even from the sons of the prophets who tried to tell him Elijah would be taken away that day.

The sons of the prophets are in a position to be witnesses to Elisha’s succession of Elijah.

Elisha reminds us of Ruth and her commitment to Naomi.

Elijah prepared to leave for Jericho and the same scene occurred again.

2 Kings 2:4–6 NASB 2020

4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” 6 And Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

Elisha went with him to Jericho.

Sons of the prophets were there too. They had the same message for Elisha and Elisha responded as he had to the earlier group.

Jericho was test number two. It was a repeat of what happened at Bethel.

Again, Elijah told him to stay there as YHWH was sending him to the Jordan.

Elisha is unmovable in his commitment to remain with Elijah.

2 Kings 2:7–8 NASB 2020

7 Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his coat, folded it, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

50 men, sons of the prophets, followed them at a distance from Jericho to the Jordan.

Elijah took his mantle and struck the waters and they parted so the two could walk across on dry ground.

this is similar to Moses leading Israel across the Red Sea in Ex 14.16 or Joshua 3.7-17 where Joshua led the nation across the Jordan into the promised land.

they are in the same area as when Moses transferred the leadership of the nation to Joshua.

2 Kings 2:9 NASB 2020

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

We’ve got to consider what a “double portion of your spirit” means?

What it doesn’t mean is that Elisha wanted twice or double what Elijah had. Elijah could not give more than he had.

What it likely means is that he wants to be treated as the firstborn. This was not about a material gift, but it is a plea to have twice as much of the spirit of Elijah as any other heir.

Deuteronomy 21:17 NASB 2020

17 On the contrary, he shall acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the unloved wife, by giving him a double portion of everything that he owns, for he was the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the firstborn.

In this case he seems to have meant he wanted more of the inner spirit that enabled Elijah to be the prophet he was. To be the successor of Elijah, something YHWH had already promised Elijah, he realized this is what he needed.

v. 15 indicates “the spirit of Elijah” came upon Elisha.

2 Kings 2:10 NASB 2020

10 He said, “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.”

Elijah did not control the gifting of Elisha. Thus, he could not promise the request would be granted. But, for him to be a prophet like Elijah, YHWH must give him the ability to see, to perceive, God’s supernatural revelation. Therefore, if he were to see Elijah when he was taken up, that would mean his request had been granted.

2 Kings 2:11–14 NASB 2020

11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see Elijah again. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

As they walked along, alone and talking, the moment arrived.

A chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire. They separated the two men; one to continue on earth; one to continue in heaven.

Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind. In the past, he had repeatedly “gone down” to confront Ahab or Ahaziah, but here he “went up.”

Fire often speaks of the presence of God. Consider Mt. Sinai; the fire Elijah called down on Carmel. Whirlwind also speaks of God as in Job 38.1

Job 38:1 NASB 2020

1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind and said,

The chariot of fire and the horses of fire also speak of the power of God, the protector of Israel.

Elisha cried out: “my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen.” Elisha saw it all and it is a precursor of what Elisha and his servant will see later in 2 Kings 6.17.

2 Kings 6:17 NASB 2020

17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Don’t miss the great contrast we see between the deaths of Ahab and Jezebel and Elijah. God’s servant didn’t taste death but was taken to heaven. Ahab died from the arrow of an enemy and Jezebel was eaten by the dogs and didn’t even have a burial.

The fact that Elisha called him “father” speaks to Elijah being his spiritual father and mentor. Pupils of prophets were often called their “sons.”

Elijah was his mentor. “Mentoring is not always so much a transfer of information as it is coming alongside another to help them in their development.” It is modeling a lifestyle for them. If you are the mentor, it’s letting them see how the life of Jesus is expressed in your life.

After Elijah was taken up, Elisha took the mantle of Elijah; he went to the banks of the Jordan and struck the waters as Elijah had done. And, he called on YHWH, the God of Elijah. The waters divided and he walked across.

God had indeed conferred upon him the role Elijah had held.

Elisha’s Succession Begins

Dealing with the Sons of the Prophets

2 Kings 2:15–18 NASB 2020

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” But he said, “You shall not send anyone.” 17 Yet when they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

It was difficult to accept that YHWH had taken Elijah into His heavenly presence.

Since YHWH had previously moved Elijah around, they were persuaded that is what really happened here.

They insisted on looking but after three days of searching they came back to Elisha in Jericho.

Purifying the Water in Jericho

2 Kings 2:19–22 NASB 2020

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.’ ” 22 So the waters have been purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.

What a great opportunity for Elisha.

The water of Jericho was polluted and was unfit for growing their crops.

This was symbolic of the spiritual condition of the land.

Like the new jar he requested, Elisha was a new prophet to speak for YHWH.

He had salt put in the jar and threw the salt on the spring of water. This is what YHWH ordered and the water was purified.

One of the things people attributed to Baal was his perceived ability to rule the waters on and under the earth. Just like in 1 Kings 18 at Mt. Carmel, YHWH proved His control over the land and the water.

Only YHWH could bring fertility back to the land or to His people.

Judgment on the Mockers

2 Kings 2:23–25 NASB 2020

23 Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and ridiculed him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two of the boys. 25 He then went on from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Remember Bethel from 1 Kings 13. It was a center of idolatry in Israel under Jeroboam.

Apparently, Elisha’s coming to Bethel cause a bit of a ruckus. A mob of young men came out to oppose him and ridicule him.

They made fun of his bald head which was disrespectful and they challenged him to “go up” as Elijah had done.

Elisha cursed them “in the name of the LORD.” Their disrespect of him was disrespect of YHWH.

Two bears came out and eliminated 42 of them.

Leviticus 26:21–22 NASB 2020

21 ‘Yet if you show hostility toward Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins. 22 I will also let loose among you the animals of the field, which will deprive you of your children and eliminate your cattle, and reduce your number so that your roads become deserted.

Benediction

2 Corinthians 5:6–9 NASB 2020

6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—8 but we are of good courage and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.