Following Elijah or Watching Elijah

2 Kings 2:1–2 (ESV) 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.

What impresses me about Elisha is his earnest desire to have the same spirit and kind of ministry as Elijah. We know from our position in human history that Elijah is beloved and respected around the world. But in HIS day, Elijah was vilified, hated and seemed in many ways to fail on the stage of human affairs. 

Yes, Elijah did stop the heaves from raining through his prayers and yes he did call down fire from heaven. But his ministry was still disregarded by many as Israel grew more apostate and her kings led the way. So it is incredible how much desire there is in Elisha to have the same ministry and spirit as Elijah. Even Elijah acknowledges he is asking for something hard.

2 Kings 2:9–10 (ESV) 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.”

Let's backtrack in the passage to get a wide-angle view:

2 Kings 2:3 (ESV) 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.”

Now this passage is meant to inform us that there was a contingent of Israel (the sons of the prophets) who had the same mind as Elijah and Elisha. They knew the Lord's call on him and understood the season of his ministry was ending. And we are asked to see that while they all knew Elijah was leaving, only Elisha was willing to follow Elijah to the very end. 

First, they go to Gilgal, and then to Bethel, another instance with the sons of the prophets announcing Elijah's departure, then to Jericho and finally the Jordan. 

2 Kings 2:7 (ESV) 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.

With 50 sons of the prophets watching this happens:

2 Kings 2:8 (ESV) 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.

The Lord spoke this word into my spirit when I studied this passage: Many people like to watch the man of God serve the Lord, few want to get into the arena with him and participate. Which one are you? 

Think of Christianity in the modern world. A great number of Christians shuffling from church to church to find the better preacher, worship music style, children's church program or facility. From church to church they go never really sacrificing for the call of Christ but simply seeking to consume from those who are ready to dispense religious programming in a more compelling way. 

Is this what Christian living is about? Not if you read scripture. God wants you involved in the mission. He wants you active and serving. He wants you part of the same movement that brought you to Christ because there are many more who need Christ and this movement is not a performance of the especially gifted but a mission of every single one of us. 

Are you involved at your church or are you just watching? Join in. It may not be popular in the world we live in, but it makes all the difference in the world to come!