2 Kings 2:6-8 - Forward with God

Refusing to stay at Gilgal, Elisha followed Elijah to Bethel. There the sons of the prophets asked Elisha if he knew that the Lord would be taking his mentor Elijah to heaven soon. His response was “Yes, I know; be still.” When Elijah heard how he responded, he added that he should stay at Bethel for God was sending him to  Jericho. But Elisha was adamant about following him. Firmly, he told Elijah in 2 Kings 2:4, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they continued their journey to Jericho.  

The same thing happened at Jericho, the sons of the prophet from there asked the same question as those in Bethel. In 2 Kings 2:5, they asked him “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” Adamantly, Elisha’s response was the same as what he had given at Bethel, “Yes, I know; be still.”

On hearing how he responded to the sons of the prophets at Jericho, Elijah again tried to dissuade him from following him and to remain in Jericho. In verse 6, he said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” Here he also got the same resolute response from Elisha. Again he told Elijah, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they proceeded toward Jordan.

When they arrived at Jordan, 2 Kings 2:7 said that as they stood by the Jordan, fifty sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance. Elijah then took his mantle, folded it together, and struck the water of the river. Immediately, the water of Jordan was divided so that both could cross to the other side on dry land. This was reminiscence of how God had parted the Jordon for the children of Israel to cross over into the promised land.

 Jordan was a signal of the end of Israel’s wilderness wandering. Jordan had been a picture of death. It was here that all their wandering stopped as they arrived home and entered the promised land. Jordan would also be the end of Elijah’s journey as he would soon be taken gloriously home.

We saw how resolute Elisha was. He refused to be dissuaded from following Elijah three times. Nothing moved him. Neither opposition nor opportunity nor obstacle moved him. He was bent on seeing his mission through to the very end. How about us? Are we as resolute about fulfilling our mission?  Elisha’s resolve leaves us a model to follow. Like him and the Apostle Paul, we must press on towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Like them, we also need to leave our achievements and regrets behind and move forward with God.  We need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow our Lord and become true disciples of Christ. The cost is high, but the rewards are higher!