Gilgal To Jordan (2kings2)

by Toms, A. F. | Category: Elijah | Nov 1993

"And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal". It is clear that Elijah knew his last day on

earth had come, and the sons of the prophets knew it too, and so did elisha. But it made no difference to their programme for the day. There were certain places God wanted them

to visit, from Gilgal to Jordan, and the chapter is an instructive one for those who are followers of Christ. We see how closely Elisha kept by the side of Elijah and how blessed he was because of it.

At Gilgal their journey started and that was the starting place for the people of God when they first entered the land under Joshua's leadership. Gilgal means "rolling" and there the men were circumcised and the reproach of Egypt was rolled away. It speaks to us about cutting away from our lives all that appeals to the flesh, for the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life are not of the Father but of the world. The world has so much to offer that is attractive to the flesh, but the follower of the Lord Jesus must say "No" to the world.

Nay world, I turn away; though thou seem fair and good, That friendly, outstretched hand of thine, is stained with Jesus' blood; If in thy least device I stoop to take apart, All unaware thine influence steals God's presence from my heart. Elisha could have stayed at Gilgal

if he had so wished. But his mind was made up. He was determined to follow. "As the LORD liveth, and as my soul liveth, I will not leave thee", he said. So on they went to Bethel which means "the house of God". However, God's house was not there any longer. It was now in Jerusalem, and at Bethel Jeroboam had intrO~ duced a spurious worship, setting up a

golden calf and encouragin" his people to worship there. It was all so contrary to God's desires and repeatedly He spoke about the sin wherewith Jeroboam made Israel to sin. We need to guard against any form of worship which is opposed to God's Word. His pattern for worship and service is set out so plainly in the New Testament scriptures and followers of Christ should adhere to it.

From Bethel they moved on to Jericho, the city of high walls, so challenging to faith. Hebrews 11 says "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down". Following Christ will bring us into situations where faith is strongly challenged:. Once again Elisha had opportunity to opt out, but nothing was further from his thoughts. "I will not leave thee", he said and the scripture records "they two went on".

Jordan was the final place to which God sent Elijah and Elisha went with him. Elijah took his cloak and with it smote the waters of Jordan and they parted to allow the two prophets to go over on dry ground. Then the older man said, "Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken from thee", and it drew from Elisha that remarkable request, "I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me". Obviously he was very conscious of the great responsibility resfing upon him and he knew he could only go forw'ard by the enabling of the divine Spirit who had been so much in evidence in Elijah's life. But Elijah said it was a hard thing that he had asked, for the fulness and power of the

Holy Spirit is not something which God grants lightly. It calls for a holy life, devoted to God. There are conditions to be fulfilled and for Elisha the condition was "if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee". And he did! He allowed nothing to come between himself and Elijah, nothing that would obscure his vision of him. What a lesson for those of us who follow the Lord Jesus. The scrip~ ture says "they two went on", "they two stood by Jordan", "they two went over" referring to Jordan, and then "as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven". So God's great servant was away home to glory, truly an abundant entrance into the eternal kingdom.

Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak which fell from him as he wenL He knew it well. Had ii not rested on his shoulders when God confirmed His

call to him, when the old prophet anointed him with oil? Taking it up he stood by the Jordan river. "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" he cried. Where is He indeed? He is with His young servant and He proved it by parting the waters of Jordan to allow him to pass over. And the sons of the prophets saw it happen and they said, "the spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha".

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Fathef' (John 14:12). So said our Lord Jesus and He went on to tell them about the coming of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, through whom this wonderful promise would be made possible. We might well ask ourselves, all of us who serve the Lord in any way, Are the sons of the prophets, our young men and young women, waiting to see a demonstration of God's power in us?

Toms, A. F. | Nov 1993
Elijah