“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.” 2 Kings 2:9
Dear Ones:
The calling of Elisha to take the place of Elijah the prophet, was singular and very unique. It most certainly began with a meeting of the two men, and a knowledge of God’s ways. Elisha was by occupation, a successful farmer. He had certainly seen Elijah, heard him speak or preach, and most certainly, or seen some of the miracles that God accomplished by his hands, beholding the power of God in response to the words of God by Elijah. There came a day, when after a great victory over the prophets of Baal, when fire came down out of heaven to devour the sacrifice that Elijah had prepared, that Elijah fled in fear of Jezebel, to a cave on or around Mt. Horeb, the mount of God. There, after God had mightily worked in and through the prophet, God would tell him to “…anoint …Elisha…to be prophet in thy place.” (1 Kings 19:16) The time would soon come when the mantle of authority and the calling of God would shift from Elijah, to Elisha. It would be at this time that Elisha would discover that the calling of God was not enough to fulfill his mission. There had to be something else along with that calling. There would come a day when Elijah would cast his mantle upon Elisha, indicating God’s calling. But there would come another day, when Elisha would take that mantle in hand, the mantle being a sign of the authority of God, and would use it to strike the waters of the Jordan River, in order to pass over.
The day came when Elijah would be taken up into heaven. God had revealed this to him, and then commanded him to go to three places. Each time, before he departed for that place, Elijah would say to Elisha, “Tarry here.” We are reminded of Ruth, when Naomi told her to go back to her people, as she would return to Israel after the death of her husband and two sons. Ruth refused to go because of her faith in God, and her devotion to Naomi. And so it was with Elisha, he would not leave the side of Elijah, for he also knew, as did the sons of the prophets, that the day had come for Elijah to depart.
The first place where Elijah was to go was Bethel, the place where Jacob had a dream of the ladder from the earth into heaven, with the Lord standing above it. There the Lord not only identified himself to Jacob, but renewed the covenant of Abraham to him, promising to give him the land. More importantly, He promised: “…in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 28:14) This was certainly the blessing of Christ to come. The second place that God commanded him to go was to Jericho, where the conquest of Canaan began. There the walls would fall down by the intervention of God, as the people took the city according to the ways of God, for His glory. The third place that Elijah was instructed to go, with Elisha at his side, was the Jordan River, a very significant point of passage. It is there that Elijah takes his mantle, wraps it together, and strikes the waters, which part, allowing him and Elisha to pass over on dry ground, much like the Israelites of old. These men are following the trail of the revelation of God, His ways, and the manifestation of His power and authority.
Elijah then asks Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you.” (2 Kings 2:9) Without apparent hesitation, in light of all that he had already seen of the glory of God, and the faithfulness of Elijah, would ask for the “double portion” of the spirit of Elijah. Elisha had come to understand that the calling was not enough, there had to be the power and authority by the Spirit. This he would receive.
Dear Father, Anoint us, fill us, lead us by Thy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad