It is interesting to observe that in some portions of the Word of God the Spirit of God condenses much truth, while in others He gives more general histories.
In the passages before us, we are brought into the very heart of God's ways in preparing the soul for the new and final order of the kingdom of God.
"And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:61,6261And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:61‑62)).
"So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him" (1 Kings 19:19-2119So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. (1 Kings 19:19‑21)).
There is a special connection between these two portions of Scripture, the subject of both being "fitness" for the kingdom of God.
It has been said that one who undertakes to go forth and preach the gospel, but turns back, is not fit for the kingdom of God. This may be a cursory deduction, but it does not rise to the full meaning of the passage. Service is not the issue here, though it surely is involved.
The Word of God declares, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). The terms to man are simple, but how dear was the debt our Savior paid in order that we might have life.
Life has the property of manifesting itself after its kind. This will be seen in the verses we are considering.
There is something very special and rare in contacting an empty vessel, a man or woman who has been in the presence of God as to his sins, one who has been plowing, digging deep, securing a good foundation upon which to build for eternity. This, beloved, is what is meant by fitness for the kingdom of God.
Is not the kingdom of God in its full, final condition a vast order of which the Holy Son of God, who is the Son of man, is the Head?
Is my profession of this kingdom real? Is there faith in Christ? Do I dare live an unreal life when the consequences are eternal? Do I dare deceive myself into a false security, hiding under traditions?
Do my habits and deportment betray that at heart I am part and parcel of this world, even while breaking bread with saints gathered to the blessed name of the Lord Jesus Christ?
As Elijah passed through the country, he found Elisha plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him and Elisha with the twelfth. Plowing figures repentance. "He with the twelfth" would suggest that the end of the dispensation of law had come and a new order was in the offing.
"The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it" (Luke 16:1616The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Luke 16:16)). John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord by preaching repentance. He was the "Elias, which was for to come" (Matt. 11:1414And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. (Matthew 11:14)).
The Apostle Paul reminded the Ephesian elders of how he had insisted upon two main themes while among them, "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:2121Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21)).
Surely there is no permanent foundation without true repentance toward the God whom we have offended. Have we bowed our souls before Him, confessing our sins?
Repentance is more than an act. It becomes a state of soul in which I abhor myself and adore my precious Savior. In this I give evidence of fitness for the kingdom of God.
Those who hold the greatest amount of truth will be held most responsible for the truth entrusted to them. This is not only a corporate, but an individual, responsibility.
The highest testimony ever placed in the hands of men is that which has been given to the saints. Have we carelessly forgotten what lies beneath this testimony and what empowers the soul so that a true testimony will result?
Would it be in keeping with the character of the kingdom to publicly set forth lovely doctrines while I lead my family into the world?
It is much better to be humbled before God. "He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope" (Lam. 3:2929He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. (Lamentations 3:29)).
We are living in a day of increased gospel activity. How thankful we are that the Word of God's salvation for sinners is being proclaimed. Do we rise out of the dust to proclaim it? Has the gospel had power in our own homes? We are living at a time of high profession but little manifest reality.
Hell will be filled with people who are intelligent as to the letter of Scripture, but this will only add to their eternal woe. They were not fit for the, kingdom of God. There had not been an inward change, simply an outward assent to truth.
Elijah, typifying the Lord Jesus, prepared others to carry on the work before he went to heaven. All those who are thus prepared are tested by certain principles to qualify for the kingdom.
It is God who tries the heart. The unchanging Word of God is the criterion of all our doings. The principles of the Word of God are as stable as His character; they change not.
The fact that Elijah cast his mantle upon Elisha did not mean that there was fitness in Elisha for the place he was about to occupy. He personally had to press into the kingdom, as Luke tells us (Luke 16:1616The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Luke 16:16)). Only one who has a nature born of God can or will press into the kingdom of God.
Many may have mantles cast upon them, that is, have special advantages, being reared under the sound of God's Word, besides enjoying Christian privileges outwardly, but they may have never pressed into the kingdom because of not having life. It is through violence that I take the kingdom by force (Matt. 11:1212And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12)).
"And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?" (1 Kings 19:2020And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? (1 Kings 19:20))
Elisha ran after Elijah, leaving the oxen, but crying, "Let me... kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee."
This request of Elisha needed a prompt rebuke. The issues of the kingdom of God are urgent, immediate, and binding.
There is nothing, not the dearest thing to my soul, that is worth exchanging for entrance into the kingdom of God. Besides, I must make my decision when the Spirit of God calls.
The following statement of the prophet Elijah tested Elisha for fitness for the kingdom of God. "Go back again: for what have I done to thee?"
To run after the prophet Elijah, who typifies Christ, is not enough. This might pass in religious circles but never at the great tribunal. A declaration of moral bankruptcy is called for, putting the flesh in the place of death (Luke 14:3333So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33)).
When one is thus equipped, death is brought in upon everything with which he was formerly occupied. Such spiritual severance is complete, no turning back (Luke 9:6262And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62); Rom. 6:3-63Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:3‑6)).
"And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him" (1 Kings 19:2121And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. (1 Kings 19:21)).
In returning back from Elijah after the solemn rebuke, he did not go to kiss his father or mother, but only to slay the oxen with which he had been plowing.
In Christianity warmth is added to light. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, not only truth. Grace came first.
To cast the instruments of the oxen (wooden yoke and plow) into the fire is to dedicate the energies of the new man to the use of the Spirit of God in service in this world. In Num. 19:66And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. (Numbers 19:6), everything from the cedar to the hyssop, which is the smallest of all trees, is cast into the fire.
Only what was prompted by the Spirit of God could be of use to God from that time on. Elisha arose to go after Elijah and minister to him.
In passing these moral tests, Elisha proved his fitness for the kingdom of God.
"And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:61,62).
In the remaining history of events in the life of Elisha and his ministry, there are not only many manifestations of a changed life but also new energy representing a heavenly, exalted Christ. "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" (John 17:1818As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. (John 17:18)).