"If thou see me when I am taken from thee, it. shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." Elisha did see him ascend in a chariot of fire. "And Elisha saw it, and cried, My father, my father! the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof." He saw the ascended man who had passed over Jordan. And note how much depended on seeing Him. His whole request depended on this. What then was the effect of this wondrous sight? " 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." No longer would he be found in his own clothes, but in the mantle of Elijah the ascended man.
This is precisely the effect of the revelation of the ascended Christ to an anxious soul. It was so with Saul of Tarsus. One sight of the ascended Jesus! and his own covering, his own righteousness of works, was forever torn in pieces. He could not endure to be found in his own righteousness of law; " but that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Oh, what a sight to see the one who was wounded for our transgression, and bruised for our iniquities; now the ascended Man in glory above the brightness of the sun. Can there now be a single question to the believer, since He who has accomplished our eternal redemption is the ascended Man in the glory of God? No, as Elisha took "the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he had also smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither, and Elisha went over so the waters of death have lost their power, the believer can pass over, yea, is reckoned dead and risen with Christ. The believer is thus on new ground. As to the flesh he is crucified with Christ. He has passed from death, and sin, and law, to newness of life in Christ. Elisha was so identified with Elijah, that he had as truly passed through Jordan as Elijah had. This is a striking picture of a Christian identified with Christ. As a new creature in Christ Jesus, he is reckoned as truly having passed through death as Christ has—in Him. How different the position of the sons of the prophets who were to view at Jericho! Just as great is the difference betwixt the mere professor whose home is in Jericho, the place of the curse, and the believer identified with Christ in the Jordan of death, and now alive to God in Him. It is a searching question, Do we live in Jericho? Is this world our home, or have we really accepted the death of Christ? If we are of the world, we may view, and talk, but all will be confusion and mistake. These sons who went to view had known Elijah in the flesh, they had not seen him the ascended man; they did not know him in heaven. They were conscious there was a great difference betwixt themselves and Elisha. They perceived that the spirit of Elijah rested on him. It was so after Jesus ascended to heaven. The Holy Ghost was sent to dwell in all who had passed from death unto life. It was so from the day of Pentecost forwards. The Holy Ghost is witness to the eternal value of the one sacrifice of Christ. The spirit of Elijah resting on Elisha distinguished him from those that were of Jericho, though they went to view. The Holy Ghost dwelling in the believer is the seal of God that marks him off from this world, Jericho, the people of the curse; and from all who make a mere profession.
Oh, how many are still under the curse of sib, and have not the Spirit of Christ, though they can view, criticize, and talk! Are you of Jericho? Is this world your home? or have you passed through death with Christ? Have you really received the Holy Ghost? Not having the spirit of Elijah, they would go seek him on earth. They were strong in nature for this. There were fifty strong men ready to seek him in the mountains. But they found him not. "They sent therefore fifty men: and they sought three days, but found him not." Now there are many strong men in this day, natural man, men of the college of Jericho sent to view. These men have not passed from death to life, they still live in Jericho, not having the Spirit of Christ, but who are very strong by natural education; not knowing the risen and ascended Christ, nor knowing the eternal redemption accomplished by Him. Just as the fifty men showed their strength in vainly seeking for Elijah on earth when he was in heaven, so have these men shown their strength in vainly seeking Christ on earth on the cross, or in the wafer, when He is in heaven at the right hand of the Majesty on High.
Most blessedly the breaking of bread is to commemorate His death. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come."
There is no Christ on the cross now, there is not a dead Christ now; if there is, the gospel is rain, and faith also is vain. The enemy knows this well, that if he can get you to think Christ is on the cross, or dead only, you cannot be saved. "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." (1 Cor. 15:16.)
It is a notable fact, that all the strong theologians, who are seeking Christ in ritualism, or still on the cross, or in sacraments, are still in their sins; neither can you find one of the multitudes they mislead that knows he has eternal life, or that his sins are put away, to be remembered no more. No, the ascended Jesus is at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having finished the work that the Father gave Him to do. If Elisha was ashamed of the folly and ignorance of the strong men of Jericho, surely we may well be ashamed of the learned men of this day seeking Christ where He is not, in ritualism and sacraments. To such the apostle said in his day, and to such in this clay, " how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain." (Gal. 4:8-11.)
Thus two things marked the difference between the sons of the prophets and Elisha. He saw Elijah when he was parted from him, and the spirit of Elijah rested upon him. They saw him not, knew him not, as the ascended man—they had not his spirit, and therefore sought him by natural strength where he was not. Two things also mark the difference betwixt the children of God identified with Christ dead and risen, and such as are still of this world—the strong men of Jericho. The one see Christ risen; they know Him as having died for their sins, (and they dead with him, and risen again), now ascended to heaven, the blessed certain evidence that their sins are all forgiven, and they justified from all things; and, consequent on His ascension to glory, they now have the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. The other only views the cross afar off, gets no further, nay, do not know that eternal redemption has been accomplished. They do not see Christ raised from the dead for our justification, they therefore have no evidence that they are justified; and not seeing it for themselves, they stoutly deny such evidence and certainty to others. And not having the witness of the Holy Spirit, they continue in folly and ignorance to seek Christ and salvation in sacraments and ordinances. Thus the parallel is complete.
But why does Elisha tarry at Jericho? And if believers are dead and risen with Christ, why are they left to tarry awhile in this world where sin and the curse abide? We now pass from these foolish sons of the prophets to others. " The men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground is barren." It is well to turn from false teachers to this poor barren world. Has not our God in His kindness shown not a few men of the city, men of this world who make no pretensions, that all is barrenness and death in the place of the curse? Its water is naught, its ground is barren. Oh, blessed work of the Spirit of God when this felt need brings souls to the word of God, and to healing and life. Well for the men of the city he tarried at Jericho! " And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein." Yes, God's principle of blessing to this poor world is " a new cruse and salt therein." A cruse is a little flask commonly used to put oil in. Why a new one? Would not an old one do, mended up? What simple things illustrate the greatest and most important principles! If man is to be saved, why must he be born wholly anew? why must he be a new creation in Christ Jesus? why not mend him up with sacraments, and religiousness, and law keeping? What a question! on it hangs the whole truth of God or error of man. In the word of God (woe be to him that rejects it) the old man is entirely laid aside, no mending or improvement possible. " That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." It is wholly a new man, and that new man is Christ. " Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new: and all things are of God," &c.
The old cruse is of no manner of use. For eighteen hundred years men have returned to the old cruse, and have been trying to mend it up with Judaism and laws, seeking to perfect the old cruse—that is the flesh. What a contrast we have in " Bring me a new cruse!" The new nature born of God. The new creation in Christ. Oh, the savor of Christ in it will prove a blessing even in Jericho. As Elisha cast the salt in the waters of Jericho, so may we, as new creatures in Christ Jesus, cast the gospel of Christ in the waters of this poor world. "And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and (with the salt) he said, Thus saith the Lord." And the waters were healed. Let us remember the mighty power of " thus saith the Lord." God will bless His own word. Jesus says, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life." (John 4:14.) No more death nor barren land. What a privilege to tarry a little down here in this world as a new cruse, containing the healing and preserving salt of the grace of God in Christ!
And now, as Elijah had descended from the heights of Canaan to the depths of Jordan, so Elisha now ascends from Jordan to Jericho, and then the time came for him to go up to Bethel. So Jesus descended from the highest glory He had with the Father, down to death, and then ascended. And the time will soon come when we shall no longer tarry at Jericho, this world sunk in sin, for as surely as Jesus has gone up, so surely will He come and take us up to be with Him. This is our present position, waiting to be taken up—waiting for His Son from heaven.
Now was it not remarkable that it was not the children of Jericho that mocked Elisha as he was going up by the way. No; it was the children of Bethel (the house of God). "They said unto him, Go up thou bald head; go up thou bald head," Is it not so now? Is not professing Christendom a great house now—the professed house of God? And it is not the world as such, but the children of professing Christendom that mock at the thought of the church of God going up to be forever with the Lord. And if we were more practically going up by the way, we should have more mocking. Judgment came upon these mockers. And will it not be so again? Yes, " For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them.... and they shall not escape." (1 Thess. 5:3.) Read also 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2:1012. These words will as certainly be fulfilled, as ever the she-bears tare the children of Bethel. It is however blessed to look beyond the bears, and the judgments, or the rejecters of the truth. "And he went from thence to mount Carmel." Carmel, the mount of beauty, the garden of the Lord. Yes, after the taking up of the church, and the judgments that should follow, millennial days of Carmel beauty and blessing shall follow. Thus is this chapter complete in itself.
And how soon will that which it illustrates be fully accomplished! He who was equal with the Father, has descended, He has come in the flesh, He has humbled Himself unto death; He is risen from among the dead, He has ascended up on high. We see Jesus crowned with glory. He is the ascended Man in heaven. Oh, how soon we shall be caught up to be forever with and like Him! And how soon the long-foretold judgments will be poured on this Christ-rejecting world! Some who read these lines may be caught up to meet the Lord. And some may be alive at the judgment of the nations, when the awful words shall be uttered, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41.)
What eternal issues may be close at hand!