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Story 7
Historical setting:
Time:Around 900 B.C.
Places: Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, the Jordan, and
the mountains eastward
Persons: Elijah, Elisha, the
sons of the prophets
Scripture: II Kings 2:1-18
Little is heard of Elijah during the latter part of his
life. But we do know that when Elisha left farming life and
took up following after Elijah, he became Elijah's willing
servant. He rarely left his side, so eager was he to learn the
Scriptures and to become a worthy prophet of God.
As
well as devoting his time in training Elisha, the old prophet
concentrated on looking after the schools of the prophets.
These schools were equivalent to our Bible schools of today.
They had been started by Samuel, the last of the Hebrew judges
and first of the prophets. There were at least five of these
schools in Elijah's time, the principal ones being located in
Gilgal, in Bethel, and in Jericho. The young men at these
schools were called "the sons of the prophets," meaning
"spiritual sons." They were trained in the law of the Old
Testament Scriptures, and in the duties of prophetic office.
However, power to foretell the future was bestowed on very few
of them. They were more like the "Preachers in Israel."
* * *
It was the last day of Elijah's life on earth, and his
mission was to make his rounds to the schools of the prophets,
giving them his last instructions and bidding the students
farewell. After leaving the first school, at Gilgal, he headed
for Bethel. Turning to Elisha, he said, "You stay here, I must
go on to Bethel."
"Father Elijah," said Elisha, "I shall not leave you.
Wherever you go, I am coming with you."
So the two of
them headed for the school at Bethel. As they approached the
school, the students gathered around the great prophet and
Elisha. Turning to Elisha they said, "Don't you know that
today your master will be taken away from you?"
"Yes. I know. Just be quiet!" said Elisha, nudging his way
around the thronging students. He was sad enough. He did not
need their niggling, know-it-all remarks to make him feel any
worse.
Now, as the two prophets made their way to the next school,
Elijah once again turned to his servant, "You stay here," he
said. "God is sending me to Jericho."
"No!" came Elisha's vehement answer. "As the Lord lives,
and as your soul lives, I will not leave your side." So Elijah
and Elisha headed to Jericho.
The same thing happened as they came into Jericho. The sons
of the prophets all gathered around them, pushing and shoving
to be close to their leader. Elbowing up to the two prophets,
they also began their chant to Elisha: "Don't you know that
your master is going to be taken away from you today? Don't
you know that your master is going to be taken away from you
today?"
"Of course I know!" Elisha was annoyed at these impudent
youths. "Why wouldn't I know? Just get on with your own
business and be quiet." He turned away from them and followed
Elijah out of the city.
Once again, as they left the city, Elijah said to Elisha,
"God is sending me to Jordan," he said. "Perhaps you would
like to stay here."
Although Elisha didn't know it at the time, Elijah was
testing him for his final endowment. And Elisha's answer was
the same as before: "I am going all the way with you. I shall
not leave your side until you are taken away from me."
As they entered Jericho, a group of fifty young men, sons
of the prophets, thronged around them. They were eager to see
their leader, and somehow they knew that this would be the
last time. All talking at once, they said to Elisha, "Are you
aware that your master will soon be gone from you and you will
have to travel alone?"
"Of course I am aware," replied Elisha. "Silence your
mouths! Get away from me and leave me alone."
But this
time the students did not leave his side. They followed Elijah
and Elisha to the Jordan River, standing off a little way,
just to watch these two leaders. They were eager to see what
was going to happen. Perhaps they too would be given the
privilege to see their master leave this earth; although they
were not aware when, where, or how it would happen.
When Elijah and Elisha reached the edge of the river,
Elijah rolled up his mantel and struck the water. It divided,
leaving a path of dry ground for them to walk over. Once they
were on the other side, and the river was flowing again,
separating them from the watching crowd, they headed further
into the hills. As they walked, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask
whatever you want from me before I am taken away from you."
Without hesitation Elisha said, "Oh my lord, let a double
portion of thy spirit be on thy servant."
In other words, Elisha was asking Elijah that he be given
the Hebrew blessing: that of the firstborn, to be granted a
double share of the estate...or in this case, he was asking to
become Elijah's successor. He was asking that God's spirit be
cast upon him so that he could perform miracles just as Elijah
had done, and that he would be the spiritual leader to the
young prophets, and be the prophet for the nation of Israel.
Elijah replied, "You have asked a hard thing; nevertheless,
if you see me be taken away, then God shall grant you your
request. But if you do not, then you shall be just like the
other 'sons of the prophets.'" Elijah wanted Elisha to be
aware that having these supernatural powers was a
responsibility. Elijah remembered all the times when his
powers caused him isolation and a feeling of desolation. He
remembered the lonely times he had spent in the mountains,
thinking that God had deserted him, thinking that he alone was
left of the prophets of God. He wanted Elisha to be aware that
there was never a moment's peace. There was a great burden of
responsibility that went along with this inheritance.
And then it happened. As they walked further up the
mountain, suddenly, from the sky there appeared a fiery
chariot, being pulled by fiery horses. Elisha watched in awe
as he saw Elijah rise from the earth, as if being drawn by the
fire, until he could see him no more. He cried out: "My
father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen?"
Then the apparition disappeared. Elisha looked toward
the heavens, but all he could see was a bit of smoke, like a
lingering cloud. So grieved was he by the loss of his master,
that he began tearing his clothes. Stooping down, he picked up
the mantel that had fallen from Elijah and headed back to the
Jordan River.
At the edge of the river, Elisha rolled
up the mantel just as Elijah had done. Furiously he struck the
water, crying out in a loud voice: "Where is the Lord God of
Elijah?" And as it had happened when Elijah had done the same
thing, the waters divided and Elisha walked over on dry
ground.
When he reached the other side, the young students were
waiting for him. Thronging around their new leader, they began
pelting him with questions. "Did you see him?" "How was he
taken away?" "Do you think God just took him up and dumped him
on the mountain somewhere?"
Then they began to pester Elisha. "Don't you think we
should go up into the mountain and see if we can find our
master's body so that we can give him a proper burial? See?
There are fifty of us. We could form a search party to look
for, and bring back our father to us. Please give us
permission to go."
"No!" Elisha shot back. "You shall
not go up. God has taken our master away, and no one shall
find him. He is not on the mountain. God has taken him up to
be wherever God is. Now get back to your studies and leave me
alone."
But the students were not satisfied. They pestered Elisha
until he was ashamed. Finally he said, "All right! Go! But I
am telling you right now. You will not find him. But satisfy
yourself. Go up into the mountains and search all you want."
So the young men formed a search party, dividing into
groups and searching earnestly for Elijah. Meeting after three
days at the foot of the mountain, the sad and tired group of
students declared defeat and headed back to Jericho.
"See! I told you that you shouldn't bother to go looking
for Elijah, as you would not find him."
Now came Elisha's first test. The leaders of the city of
Jericho thronged around him. "Master, you can see what a fine
and beautiful city we live in. But the problem is, the water
is poisonous. It is so bad that we cannot drink it, and it has
caused the ground to be barren."
"Go get a new bowl and fill it full of salt," commanded
Elisha. "Bring it to me."
Elisha took the bowl of salt and poured it into the source
of the water supply. "The Lord has healed your waters," he
said. "No more death will result from the water." Elisha
had passed his first test as Elijah's replacement and gained
great respect from the people.
He left the city of Jericho and headed to Bethel. As he was
walking up the road a mob of youths jumped out of the bush and
stood in his pathway. Surrounding him, they shouted: "Hay
there, you bald-headed old man. Why don't you follow your
leader and go UP like he did? Where did he go, baldy? Come on!
Why don't you follow him? Go UP! Go UP!"
Elisha turned and looked at the throng of rogues. "In the
name of God, I put a curse on you, you foolish and wicked
young men."
No sooner had he said it than two female
bears came out of the woods and mauled all forty-two of them.
Elisha continued on his way to Samaria.
Helen Dowd
Any historical information I have used is
gleaned from "The Chosen Word" copyright 1915 The John A.
Hertel Co.; consequently, the dates stated in these stories
may not agree with dates of other historical records.
Please read Story 8: Sons Saved From Slavery
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