THE PASSING OF THE MANTLE
2 Kings 2:1-25
Although
this is only the second chapter of 2 Kings, we have reached the midway point of
the unified book of Kings. This chapter
marks the pivotal point in the entire book of 1st and 2nd Kings.
|
The |
|
|||||
|
Wars of |
|
||||
|
The Ministry of Elijah (1
Kings 17 - 2 Kings 1). |
|
||||
|
The Passing of the
Prophetic Mantle from Elijah to Elisha (2 Kings 2). |
|||||
|
The Ministry of Elisha (2
Kings 3-13). |
|
||||
|
Wars of Judah and |
|
||||
|
The |
|
|||||
As
the scepter and rulership of God’s people passed from Solomon down to his
descendants, so also the mantle of the prophetic office also passed down from
one prophet to the next.
In
the passing of the mantle, Elisha was going to experience some of the glory of
God. The Jews knew it as the Shekinah - the glory cloud. The prayer of Moses had been to see the glory
of God. But you can’t see God’s glory
and live. And so, Moses was hidden in
the cleft of the rock and permitted to glimpse a bit of the “after-glow” of God’s
glory.
The
book of Revelation pictures the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven “having
the glory of God” (21:10-11). This
is not a city of bricks or mortar. It
represents the people of God. It is the “bride
adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).
Who is the bride of Christ? We
are! This is the church. And we will one day experience the glory of
God (1 John 3:1-2).
ELISHA’S
RUGGED PERSISTENCE
1 And
it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to
heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 Elijah
said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as
3 Then
the sons of the prophets who were at
4 Elijah
said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to
5 The
sons of the prophets who were at
6 Then
Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the
We
are told at the very outset that these events take place when the Lord was
about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven. By stating it in this way, the author has
removed the suspense of what is going to happen to Elijah. That is already known. He does this because he wants us to focus on
something else. He wants to direct our
attention to Elisha.
These
verses reflect Elisha’s persistent commitment to Elijah. Their journey begins at Gilgal. The word “Gilgal”
means “circle.” The Hebrew refers to
this as THE Gilgal.
There seems to have been several different places by this name. The most well-known was located on the west
bank of the
|
Location |
Significance |
Application |
|
Gilgal |
Served as the
first camp for |
The Place of
Beginnings - Revelation 2 speaks of going back and doing the “first works.” |
|
|
It was the
place where Abraham worshiped when he first came to |
The Place of
the Altar - wrong worship leads to wrong living. This had been the case in |
|
|
The first Canaanite
city to fall to |
The Place of
Judgment - |
|
|
It was through
the Jordan River that |
The Place of
Commitment - there comes a time when you must “cross over.” |
Before
traveling to each of these locations, Elijah gave Elisha permission to remain
behind. But Elisha would not quit. He was committed to staying with Elijah. What was the source of this commitment? I think that it was twofold. I think that there was a personal commitment
to the man. But more importantly, Elisha
was committed to the God of Elijah. This
was primarily a SPIRITUAL commitment.
Elisha was determined to partake of the same spiritual relationship that
he had witnessed in the life of his teacher.
Parents,
what is it in your life that your children hunger to emulate? You have a spiritual heritage to share. But this is not something that can be taught
in a series of lectures. It is something
that must be CAUGHT in the same way that one is infected with a virus.
THE
CROSSING OF THE
7 Now
fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a
distance, while the two of them stood by the
8 Elijah
took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were
divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. (2
Kings 2:7-8).
Moses
had divided the Red Sea when the Israelites were departing from
Why
did they cross the
ELISHA’S
BOLD REQUEST
9 When
they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you
before I am taken from you.” And Elisha
said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10 He
said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken
from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” (2 Kings
2:9-10).
Elisha
is asked a question: “What shall I do
for you?” It is similar to the question
which the Lord asked of Solomon at the beginning of his reign. It was a test question. It was designed to show the heart of the man.
Solomon
had asked for wisdom from the Lord — the quality of an understanding heart (1
Kings 3:9). Elisha’s answer is along
similar lines.
|
The
honor for which Elisha asked came on the heels of great humility. He had already held the role as servant to
Elijah for some time. The preparation
for leadership comes in the form of servanthood. |
Elisha
asks for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah — literally a “double
mouthful.” The double portion was always
the portion of the firstborn. It was the
inheritance of the heir of the family.
Elijah had no children that we know of.
Elisha wished to be his spiritual heir.
Do you have that desire? Is there
a spiritual mentor in your life? Is
there someone whom you desire to emulate with regard to his or her spiritual
walk?
The
good news of the gospel is that Jesus is the firstborn Son who gave us the
privileges that were rightly His own. He
has given us of His portion. He has
given to us the fulness of His Spirit.
Elijah
makes no guarantees. He does not answer
the request of Elisha because he CANNOT answer his request. The Spirit is not Elijah’s to give. Only God can give His Spirit.
There
is a principle here. Not everyone can be
an Elijah. I would like to be Steve
Brown, but God didn’t give me that gift.
But I CAN exercise the gifts that God has given to ME.
ELIJAH’S
MIRACULOUS ASCENSION
11 As
they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and
horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a
whirlwind to heaven.
12 Elisha
saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of
|
The Hebrew word translated “whirlwind” is a
general word for a stormy wind. It is
used to describe: |
We
normally think that Elijah was taken up to heaven by means of a divine
chariot. But that isn’t what the passage
says. The chariot and the horses served
only to separate Elijah from Elisha. It
was the whirlwind which took him to heaven.
Fire
is symbolic of the presence of God.
When Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden, the
angel kept them out by means of a flaming sword.
When the Lord led the Israelites through the
wilderness, He made His presence known through the cloud and through the pillar
of fire.
Wind
is a symbol of the Spirit of God.
The Hebrew word for “spirit” also means “wind.”
What
did the Christians experience at Pentecost?
Tongues of FIRE. The sound of a rushing
WIND. The same God who took
Elijah UP send His Spirit DOWN.
The
image of the chariot of the Lord is a common one among the writings of the
prophets. The chariot was a symbol of
strength, of protection and of judgment.
The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon
thousands;
The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
(Psalm 68:17).
For behold, the Lord will come in fire
And His chariots like the whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire. (Isaiah 66:15).
Behold, he goes up like clouds,
And his chariots like the whirlwind;
His horses are swifter than eagles.
Woe to us, for we are ruined. (Jeremiah 4:13).
Did the Lord rage against the rivers,
Or was Thine anger against the rivers,
Or was Thy wrath against the sea,
That Thou didst ride on Thy horses,
Or Thy chariots of salvation (Habakkuk 3:8).
The
chariot was a tool of war. It was to the
ancient world what the armored tank and the jet aircraft are to the modern
mechanized world. If Elijah had been
caught up today, he would have been accompanied by the B-1 Bomber.
Elisha
had been promised that he would have his request for a double portion of
Elijah’s spirit fulfilled if he saw Elijah being taken up. The spirit of Elijah was one that was able to
see past the physical world to the spiritual realities which go unseen by
most. His seeing of Elijah’s going was
the first such use of that spirit.
You
need to know that the physical events you experience are only a cover for what
is going on in the spiritual realm. When
you see the news and the things that come into your life, you should recognize
that there is a spiritual reality behind those external events. God’s army is actively at work in this world
and you have a significant role in that spiritual conflict.
THE
MANTLE IS TAKEN UP
13 He
also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by
the bank of the
15 Now
when the sons of the prophets who were at
The
Lord took Elijah, but not his mantle.
The mantle was significant. It
signified the prophetic office. When
Elijah had first called Elisha into ministry, he did so by taking his own
mantle and casting it over the shoulders of Elisha. This was the badge of the prophetic
office. As Elijah was taken to heaven,
the mantle was left behind.
Elisha
takes the mantle and comes back to the
Elisha
was to Elijah what Joshua was to Moses.
In the same way that Joshua repeated the miracle of the Red Sea by
stopping the waters of the
In
a similar way, we are reminded of the greater prophet of God, the One whom the
Bible describes as a prophet greater than Moses. The risen Jesus was caught into heaven in the
sight of the apostles and they were left with the same Spirit and power. It is that same Spirit that indwells the
people of His church today. John 1:16
says that of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
A
FRUITLESS SEARCH
16 They
said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men, please
let them go and search for your master; perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has
taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send.”
17 But
when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send.” They sent therefore fifty men; and they
searched three days but did not find him.
18 They
returned to him while he was staying at
Elisha
had crossed the
A
search is made for three days. Once
again, we are reminded of the similarity to the events surrounding the coming
of Jesus, the greater prophet of God. He
died and was buried, and He lay in the grave for three days. But no longer. You can go to His tomb today and it is
empty. The enemies of Jesus were unable
to keep Him in the grave. You can search
for His body, but it will not be found.
He is risen and living.
A
FRUITFUL MIRACLE
19 Then
the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the situation of this city is
pleasant, as my Lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”
20 He
said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.”
So they brought it to him. 21 He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it
and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I have purified these waters; there shall not
be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.’”
22 So
the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha
which he spoke. (2 Kings 2:19-22).
The
city referred to here seems to be a reference to
The
city was a picture of the spiritual condition of
There
is a poison in the world today. And the
cure is the same. The cure is to be
found in the Word of God AS IT IS LIVED IN GOD’S PEOPLE. I didn’t make that up. Jesus did.
He said that you are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). You are called to purify the poison of this
planet with the truth of the gospel.
I
am all in favor of ecology. We have been
entrusted with this planet and we ought not to pollute it. But we are also called to stop spiritual
pollution — that which poisons men’s souls.
This can only be accomplished through the cross.
A
SOBER JUDGMENT
23 Then
he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads
came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go
up, you baldhead!”
24 When
he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then
two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty‑two lads of
their number.
25 He
went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to
As
Elisha begins retracing his steps back to
The
Hebrew term translated “young lad” is n’arim
ketannim. While the word by itself is often used of a
young man (Genesis 14:24; 22:3; 33:11; Joshua 6:23), the further description of
“little” or “small” indicates that these were adolescents.
This
is out of accord with our modern sensibilities.
Our culture does not generally hold children to be accountable for their
actions. And as a result, we have a
generation of children that are out of control.
This mob of children came out from the city and waylaid the prophet of
God, taunting him with a mocking chant:
“Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” There were two aspects to this insult.
(1) They may have heard of the ascension of Elijah and therefore
they are goading Elisha to also ascend to heaven.
(2) Their reference to his baldness might have been the result of
a Nazerite Vow, a portion of which called for the
shaving of one’s head.
(3) In light of the description in 2 Kings 1:8 of Elijah as a
“hairy man,” they may have been indicating that Elisha was too unlike his
predecessor and therefore unfit and unacceptable as a prophet.
|
“If
then, you act with hostility against Me and are
unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according
to your sins. |
In
any event, they were mocking and taunting the prophet of the Living God. They showed no respect for their elder nor for the man of God.
Their sin was against both man and God.
And as such, it brings upon them a curse.
In
response to this curse, two mother bears come charging out of the forest,
attacking the mob of uncontrollable children.
In the ensuing attack, 42 of their number were “tore
up.” Though some have maintained that
this number were merely wounded, when this word is used elsewhere within 2nd
Kings, it refers to the violent act of ripping a pregnant woman’s belly open to
kill both her and her unborn child (2 Kings 8:12; 15:18).
In
any case, this was a bloody, violent punishment. It ought to cause you to cringe. And sin ought to cause that same
reaction. Our problem is that we no
longer cringe in the presence of sin. We
have labeled some sins as being “acceptable.”
The question is not why God sent out two mother bears to tear up these
children. Rather the question is why God
has not sent out two mother bears to tear us up.
There
are several lessons which we can learn from this passage.
1. The Lesson of the Representative Nature of God’s Prophet.
When you speak against God’s spokesman, you are
speaking against God. It is a dangerous
thing to attack a man of God. It is like
attacking a bear cub— you may invoke the wrath of the mother. God was to Elisha what a bear cub was to its
mother.
God takes seriously actions and insults to His
people. You are His children and He
doesn’t let anyone hurt His children with impunity.
2. The Lesson of Liability.
We are called to account for our actions. If not in this life, then in the judgment
which it to come, we shall be judged for every action, whether good or
bad. The only way to escape such
judgment is to go to the cross. It was
there that God “tore up” His own Son on your behalf. It is there that you can find forgiveness.
3. The Lesson of Leniency.
God is a gracious God.
He is not willing that any should perish, but rather that all should
come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). The
fact that judgment has been temporarily withheld is a sign of His
PATIENCE. He is waiting for repentance
to take place. He calls you to come
today.
Ultimately,
this passage reminds us of God’s better prophet who, when He was mocked, did
not answer with a curse, but with a prayer on behalf of His mockers. When Jesus went to the cross, He was mocked
and reviled. Yet He prayed, “Father,
forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
Instead
of sending in a pair of bears to tear up His enemies, Jesus Himself was torn
for our sin and for our rebellion. He
paid the price that was deserved by His enemies so that He could bring us to
God.
Return to Stevenson Bible Study Page