2 Kings 2:1-14
1 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”
4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.
Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (2 Ki 2:1–14). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Elijah is one of the few people who are taken up into Heaven. Elijah travels a great way before he is taken up into Heaven. He travels with his loyal friend, Elisha. Elisha sees his master Elijah taken up into Heaven by a whirlwind. The Chariots of fire and horses of fire come to separate the two prophets. Elisha will be left on the other side of the River Jordan outside the land of Israel. It is there where Elisha no longer sees his Master.
Elisha has been told repeatedly, his master will be taken from him this day. Elisha even knows this to be true, but still desires for there to be some other way out. Elisha desires for his master to remain with him. There are all these people who continually remind him of something he does not want to have happen.
For most of us, it is not the lose of a master or teacher. For most of us, we can hear it repeated over and over again but will not listen. We do not want to hear the truth anymore. We do not want to listen to instruction. We only desire to know what we want to know. Even when the truth is staring us in the face, we do not want to listen to it.
Elijah was taken up into Heaven. Elisha was left with a truth he did not want to believe. There may be many of us that face truths we do not want to believe. But God has shown us to be sinful human beings. He has shown us that we are corruptible. He even reminds us that what we want is not always what is best for us. But God has a plan for his people. He had a plan for Elijah and Elisha. He had a plan for His only Son who died on a cross. He has a plan for you also.
Listen and you will hear the truth God has set forth for you. He has called you to believe in Him. He has called you to see the truth of your sins. He has called you to new Life through His only Son. He has a plan for you also.
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