The Sunday of the Transfiguration (OTA)

2 Kings 2:1-14

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.

Don't worry your leader, master, will be taken away from you this day. He will be taken up into Heaven and hid behind a cloud. He will later come in like fashion. Jesus is our master, and leader, he has ascended into Heaven behind the cloud. Elijah was taken by a whirlwind, and fire separated Elisha from his master.

I really want to tell you that you probably do not read enough of your bible. There are so many little things going on in this passage which can compare to Acts lection, or the Deuteronomy lection, or even the transfiguration of our Lord. It is amazing to me how many people will read these passages and not make multiple connections. It is all about how much we read and understand.

Jesus, St Paul, Moses, and Elijah would all instruct their followers to read holy scripture. Granted Elijah and Moses would have emphasized hearing and learning the word of God, to live it out in your life. St Paul would urge you to investigate and search for what is truth. Jesus would stand before us and say He is the way the truth and the life.

Read your bible, and better understand why Elisha cross the river on dry ground, and why he won't leave his master's side. Elisha recalls the entering into the Promised land. Elijah knows where Moses died and was taken up. The word of God opens to you the gates of Heaven and Jesus is the only way to your salvation.