And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; (2 Kings 2:9-13)
Elisha joined Elijah in the prophetic ministry. He requested a double portion and received it by staying with Elijah when Elijah was taken up to be with the LORD in a fiery whirlwind, accompanied by a chariot and horses of fire. Once Elijah was departed, Elisha returned and carried on the ministry which Elijah had been called to.
This simple, yet memorable, account of Elijah’s rise to Heaven is a record of God’s recall of His prophet and the passing of the mantle and call upon God’s man and prophet unto Israel. God had shown Elijah that he was going Home and he promised Elisha that the prophetic and servant ministry he would conduct would be more than that of Elijah just as Elisha had asked. God blessed Elijah in this unique Homegoing and blessed Elisha in giving him a double portion of the spirit of ministry which had been upon Elijah.
God calls those who are available and will obey His commands and direction. He calls His people, regardless of their talents or abilities to use all that God has given them to perform God size tasks for Him and through His power. Just as He used Elijah and later Elisha to minister in prophecy and in service to the people of Israel, so God uses those who say yes to Him in ministry, missions, and discipleship to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word as we go in the Spirit and grow through the Word of God. Those who are His by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus through the body of Christ, His Church, and serve as His ambassadors and servants to those who need Him. We are to go to those who are as we once were and reach them where they are that they may come to know Christ as we have and be born again. We obey the commands of our Creator, Redeemer, and King until He takes us up to be with Him just as He took Elijah and as He will take the many who are His who now sleep in Jesus and await His return.
Until that day, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
This simple, yet memorable, account of Elijah’s rise to Heaven is a record of God’s recall of His prophet and the passing of the mantle and call upon God’s man and prophet unto Israel. God had shown Elijah that he was going Home and he promised Elisha that the prophetic and servant ministry he would conduct would be more than that of Elijah just as Elisha had asked. God blessed Elijah in this unique Homegoing and blessed Elisha in giving him a double portion of the spirit of ministry which had been upon Elijah.
God calls those who are available and will obey His commands and direction. He calls His people, regardless of their talents or abilities to use all that God has given them to perform God size tasks for Him and through His power. Just as He used Elijah and later Elisha to minister in prophecy and in service to the people of Israel, so God uses those who say yes to Him in ministry, missions, and discipleship to reach the lost, teach the nations, and preach His Word as we go in the Spirit and grow through the Word of God. Those who are His by faith in Him and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus through the body of Christ, His Church, and serve as His ambassadors and servants to those who need Him. We are to go to those who are as we once were and reach them where they are that they may come to know Christ as we have and be born again. We obey the commands of our Creator, Redeemer, and King until He takes us up to be with Him just as He took Elijah and as He will take the many who are His who now sleep in Jesus and await His return.
Until that day, God has commanded those of us who are His saints and know Him to go out into this world to reach the lost that they might be saved from sin. He desires that His people strive to be holy and obedient unto Him that we might minister to those around us who are hurting and in need as He provides. We serve others, equipped with the Word of reconciliation and righteousness, rightly divided and fitly spoken, that they may see Christ in us, the hope of Glory. Our God has commanded us to love one another with an unfeigned love, even as He first loved us, and to disciple one another in the Word of God so that we may all grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our Lord has commissioned those who are His with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to go where He sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we go, we are to proclaim the Good News of forgiveness through repentance and reconciliation with the Father through faith in His Son, that those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God might have life in His Name.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. God calls you to faith in Christ and His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary to pay your sIn debt. He has provided the only way of reconciliation with God, forgiveness from God, and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is God the Son, to give you a new life in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
RSS Feed