2 Kings 2:9-10 – Stay through to the end

Elisha stayed close to Elijah and followed him all the way to Jordan. When they had crossed over, 2 Kings 2:9 said that Elijah was prompted to ask his protégé what he could do for him before he was taken away. Immediately Elisha’s responded saying, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 

What triggered Elijah to ask the junior prophet that question? Elijah knew that his challenges would soon be over, but Elisha’s was just about to begin. We surmise that having faced so many challenges in his prophetic ministry, he knew deeply that for Elisha to continue the work, he would need further assurance. On Elisha’s part, having stayed so close to his mentor, he must have seen how much Elijah had to face and how he had accomplished it only with divine assistance. He wanted to be sure that he would be succeeding in his ministry. So his one request was to know if he was going to succeed Elijah. Elisha knew that God had called him into the prophetic ministry, but he wanted to be sure that he was to inherit Elijah’s ministry.

From Elisha’s request, we can see his heart. For there were other things that he could have requested from Elijah. He could ask for his mentor to remain a bit longer and delay his departure. He could even ask to go with him on his glorious departure from earth. But he did not. All because he valued the ministry and what God had assigned him to do. So in asking for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit he was in effect asking for Elijah to authenticate that he would be his successor. He was not asking to be greater that his mentor. He was asking for the same passion that had dominated Elijah’s ministry throughout. He saw how he was so passionate and zealous for God. He wanted the same fervency that he saw in his mentor.

Asking to be given a double portion of Elijah’s spirit was his way of asking his mentor to authenticate if he could be his successor. This we deduced from the answer that he received from his mentor. Elijah’s answer to him in 2 Kings 2:10 was “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.” Elijah was in effect saying, “It is hard to say if you will be my successor, but you will know when you stay through with me till the moment I am taken up.”

To do the work of God calls for commitment. This was seen in  Elisha’s life. He was not easily dissuaded from following his heart. He was prepared to pay the price. Then we see that he was also not presumptuous, when asked by his mentor what he could do for him, he only wanted confirmation that he would succeed him. He was not asking to be greater than Elijah. When told that he had to stay through to the end, he was willing and prepared to do so. Like Elisha, we must not be presumptuous, instead, we must seek to clarify and once we are sure we must stay through to the end. How wonderful it will be if we can inspire such devotion!