Maybe you remember that while Elijah was on Mount Horeb he was telling God how bad His people were and how he was the only faithful one left. God was not pleased to hear this faultfinding on Elijah’s part.
God gave Elijah a message: Go and anoint Elisha to be prophet in your place. And Elijah went, without arguing or complaining.
He found Elisha as God had said. Elisha and the servants were plowing a field with twelve yoke of oxen. That equals twenty-four oxen and eleven servants: Elisha was a rich man! But that didn’t stop him from following his God.
When Elisha found that God was calling him, he killed two oxen, used the wooden yoke and plow to make a fire, and boiled the meat to feed the servants. Then he followed Elijah.
That was costly obedience, wasn’t it? Instead of being a rich man, he was now a servant himself, sometimes pouring water on the hands of Elijah to wash them. And all his riches now belonged to others.
But let me tell you a secret. Elisha was richer now than he was before! It is better to follow God, the God who made the world and who has a place for you in heaven. How can you be there in His wonderful home that He has prepared? Only if you place your trust in Jesus, the Savior of sinners. That wonderful place belongs to Him since He rose from the dead and is living up there right now. If you have trusted Jesus as your very own Savior, that place will be yours too someday. “In My Father’s house are many mansions. . . . I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-32In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2‑3)).
One day the two men, Elijah and Elisha, walked together until they came to the Jordan River. When they reached the river, Elijah wrapped his mantle, or cloak, into a bundle and struck the water with it. The water divided, and the two men walked across on dry land. They both knew that the parting time had come. Elijah must go. As they talked together, Elijah said, Ask what I shall do for you.
Now there’s a big question! Guess what Elisha asked for. He didn’t say anything about money or houses or land. No, he asked for a double share of Elijah’s spirit!
Then Elijah said, That’s a hard thing. But if you see me when I am taken away from you, you will have what you ask.
We can imagine how Elisha never took his eyes off Elijah, and he saw a wonderful sight! A chariot of fire and horses of fire suddenly appeared between them, and Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into the heavens.
Elisha went back across the Jordan River alone, but he had the same wonderful power to work miracles that Elijah had, and his was even better. Elisha’s miracles were full of grace and of healing and of plenty. Our God is a God of judgment and of grace. If you refuse His loving-kindness offered to you through the death of His beloved Son, all that’s left for you is judgment! God is real, and He does not change!
Elisha went to Jericho, but the people wondered where Elijah was. They said, Let’s go search for him. But Elisha said, No. They coaxed until he said, Yes, and they sent fifty men to search for him in the mountains and valleys, but they came back without a clue. Of course not! When the Lord Jesus comes with a great shout to call all believers to heaven, no searching will ever find us. We’ll be gone, and the door of mercy will be closed.
While the door of mercy is still open, are you listening to God’s message of mercy to you?
Think About God’s Word!
1. How did Elisha get a “double share” of Elijah’s spirit?
Project: The Apostle Paul paid a large price for his obedience to Christ. You can read about it in 2 Corinthians 11-12. How do we know he wasn’t sorry about his sacrifice?