2 Kings 2:12

2 Kings 2:12  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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“My impression as to the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof is, that faith in Elisha connects the chariots of God with Israel. (Compare Psalms 68:17,1817The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. 18Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. (Psalm 68:17‑18)) Hence he calls it the chariot of Israel. He sees prophetically in the angelic power which was taking up the ascending Elijah the deliverance of Israel by the same power. For us it is the power which wrought in the Christ when God raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. Connect, for this power which will finally deliver Israel, Deuteronomy 33: 2; 2 Samuel 22:9-119There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 10He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. 11And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. (2 Samuel 22:9‑11); then Psalms 68:1717The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. (Psalm 68:17) (it is remarkable, Adonai is among them); Habakkuk 3:3-83God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power. 5Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. 6He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. 7I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? (Habakkuk 3:3‑8); Revelation 8:55And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5); Psalms 18:12,1312At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. 13The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. (Psalm 18:12‑13); Psalms 104:3,43Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: (Psalm 104:3‑4), &c.
“I suppose Elisha knew the secret of this power when he picked up the mantle of Elijah—a power not yet displayed fully for Israel, but Elisha was in its secret, (See chapter 6:16,17) Elijah had passed through the waters by a power that rolled them back; the full deliverance will, come because that power has been exercised in the depths through which Jesus has passed. (Psalms 18:14,1514Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. 15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. (Psalm 18:14‑15)) I think there is something analogous to Elisha being in the secret of a power not yet fully exercised in Revelation 5. We are surely in the secret of that chapter. The Lamb in the midst of the throne having overcome to take and open the book. The throne is not yet openly acting, and the rider on the white horse not yet come forth; but I believe we are in this secret, that even now, in all the political actings, and amid the schemes of men, there is the secret acting of the throne, because the Lamb is in the midst of it. The suffering one has overcome, and is there, and the actings of God, even now providentially, are all in connection with Him. As to crisis, it is all future; but if our eyes are open, we know now the secret of the power which will accomplish all.
In 2 Kings 13:1414Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. (2 Kings 13:14) the vessel of this power is just departing, and the words of Joash recognize that Elisha was the vessel of the power of deliverance for Israel. It was a wonderful scene as the window was opened, and the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance sped on its way; but everything breaks down in man’s hand, and there is no faith in the king to use the power.”
T. H. R.