As soon as Elisha had crossed the Jordan with Elijah, they could speak together freely, as we notice. Elijah no longer speaks to Elisha about going back as he had before, for how could he, so to speak, when the Jordan, figurative of Christ’s death, rolled between them and the old things? Elisha was in a new position now. It is the same with us, for it is not until we have seen our new position as dead and risen with Christ that there is any real liberty in the soul. How many dear Christians know their sins are forgiven, but have never learned this precious truth. Like the sons of the prophets who stood afar off as they viewed the crossing of Elijah and Elisha through the Jordan, so they can see a little of the blessedness of it in others, but do not know it for themselves. Often they remain “on the other side of Jordan,” because they cling to some vain or empty thing of this Jericho world and will not “buy the truth.” What a challenge! Have we each laid hold of the truth of all this for ourselves? Is it our desire to so break with the things here that Christ may be our all in all, as Elijah was now everything to Elisha?
Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee.” If such a question were asked of you or me, what would be our answer? What are the desires pressing upon our hearts at this time? Are they for earthly or material things, or for the unseen and eternal things? One might say that we are not in a position to answer this question aright, until we are in the conscious enjoyment of our new position. Because of this, Elijah did not ask Elisha what he desired until after they had crossed the Jordan. He had once desired to return to his father’s house, but how different it was now. The new life has new desires, a new object, new affections, and so Elisha’s request shows he was in the enjoyment of his new position. He does not mention material blessings at all, but says, “I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” What a marvelous request this was! His desire was to be here in the spirit of the rejected one who was going up, and so if you and I are in the secret of the thoughts of God, we will have such a desire too. We will desire to be in this scene, showing the life of our rejected Saviour who is now gone up on high, manifesting His love and grace before others. The “double portion” which Elisha requested would make us think of that verse where the Lord Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:1010The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10). This is to have life in a risen Christ, which is now true of all believers. May the thought of it stir our hearts. What a position! What a responsibility to manifest this life!
Elijah said to Elisha, “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.” It is not an easy thing in a crooked and perverse nation to shine as lights in the world. Indeed it is impossible to do so in nature, but if the “old man” is in the place of death (as the Jordan typified) and our eyes are upon Christ in glory, then we will reflect His likeness here. (2 Cor. 3:1818But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18).) It is not by effort, in that sense, but by having a living Christ at God’s right hand before us, His life within us, am the Spirit, the power by which we live for His glory here.
ML 10/14/1956