"And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on." Beautiful! Something new has been added: communion. Elisha had an object that did not interest him before, not now plowing in this world, but with his eyes fixed upward he went on in communion.
The communion shown here, "and they two went on," seemed to enlarge and deepen as they stood together by Jordan, the river that speaks of the death of Christ.
"And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground." 2 Kings 2:7,87And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. 8And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. (2 Kings 2:7‑8).
The sons of the prophets came again manifesting their unbelief. You are either following, as Elisha, or you are a hindrance among the people of God. Fifty sons of the prophets stood to view afar off as these two stood by Jordan, the river of death. "And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground."
Do you know why the Apostle says in Romans, "Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin"? It is because the man is still alive; he has not crossed the Jordan yet. The Red Sea is a picture of the death of Christ and the river Jordan is a picture to us of our death with Christ. The crossing of the Red Sea is a picture of the death of Christ for us, all enemies lying dead on the seashore.
It is not through efforts of the flesh but in the work of another, Christ, that we receive a new life. We must in spirit go down into the waters of death with Christ and be risen with Him.
With his mantle he smote the waters. What a vivid illustration of the work of Christ! The mantle speaks of complete subjection to the will of God in His whole life and character. It was with this that Christ won the day.
The action of Elijah typifying Christ going through death for us along with Elisha going through death with him leave us with a most salutary lesson of the position of the new man.
For us, traversing the path with Him in memory of His death, we go over on dry ground. The judgment is spent, we are free.
The sons of the prophets, curious, but not in on the blessings, stood and viewed afar off, still in unbelief.
"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." 2 Kings 2:9-129And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12And 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. (2 Kings 2:9‑12).
Elisha requested a double portion of his spirit; and seeing Elijah go up into heaven he would receive it.
Every godly soul has been born anew, the work of the Spirit, and "after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." This is the double portion of the Spirit.
The flesh always makes its bid first, and those, as the sons of the prophets, who do not have faith cannot cross Jordan in the power of the Spirit to witness to a risen, glorified Master.
The two still went on and talked in precious communion. It was then while in communion that it all happened-the chariot and horses of fire, the whirlwind, and then he saw him no more. From then on, Elisha must walk by faith.
"My father, my father"-or, "Abba, Father"-this is Christianity. Elisha rent his clothes; his whole character was changed.
Elisha was told that he had asked a hard thing. Christianity is a path of rejection and is a hard thing because of Satan, who tempts by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. The eye must be on Christ. To have a pure object before us-Christ in heaven-is necessary for a double portion of the Spirit.