Focus: The Word and Spirit of God are still with us. Do not despair.
Function: To encourage the people to respond with faith and obedience to the Word and Spirit of God.
Text: II Kings 2:1-18
Where is Jesus? A few Sundays ago, we took note of the story and celebrated the bodily ascension of the Lord Jesus into heaven. At one time, some 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ walked on this earth, talked and worked with people, did miracles, and revealed himself as a human being, like you and me, except for sin. Where is this “in-the-flesh,” fully human Jesus today?
The Scriptures lead us to say that the incarnate, resurrected Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus has physically ascended into heaven. And thus he is physically absent from us today.
That physical absence of Jesus causes problems for many people. Some of us suffer from the “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome. Since Jesus can no longer be seen with the naked human eye, why bother to think of him, let alone follow him and worship him as Lord?
Others suffer from the “seeing is believing” syndrome—the syndrome that says that if you can’t verify something with the eye or microscope, then it can’t be true. So, since Jesus is physically absent from us, his existence can’t be verified, and therefore believing in Jesus has no credibility.
These two syndromes—and their numerous variations—lead many to think of Jesus as a historical figure (at best) or a mythological figure (at worst)—a figure of our imagination perhaps. The physical absence of Jesus is a problem experienced throughout the centuries.
Today’s Scriptures, however, remind us that God’s Word and Spirit are still with us. Therefore, do not fall into the trap of unbelief. Do not walk the paths of agnosticism or secularism, for these paths lead to loneliness, selfishness, and ultimately to despair and death. Yes, it’s true, Jesus is absent, yet present. The Word and Spirit of God are still with us today.
As we enter the story of the prophet Elijah’s ascension, we must remember the spiritual condition of God’s people, Israel. It’s tragic, to say the least. Many people have fallen away from worshiping Israel’s God; they now follow the Baals of the Philistines. King Ahab and his wife Jezebel are on the forefront of idolatry. And Elijah has confronted their idolatry in a contest between Baal and the God of Israel. Baal and his prophets lost the contest. But Ahab and Jezebel have not given up their allegiance to false gods. In fact, they have threatened to kill Elijah.
Idolatry and apostasy—these factors make up the context of the story.
Another important factor to consider is Elijah’s status or role in Israel. Elijah is the bearer of God’s Word. Where you see Elijah, there you see God’s Word; when you hear Elijah speak, you hear God speak. When you touch Elijah and threaten him, you touch the Word of God. Elijah gives feet or mobility to the Word of God in Israel.
The company of prophets in the “seminaries” or schools of the prophets teach and declare God’s Word as it has come down to them from the past; but Elijah proclaims God’s Word (given to him in visions, for example) with demonstrations of power. Elijah, then, is the “mother” of all prophets. He is their leader par excellence. Elijah encourages and inspires the company of prophets. He is their model and unquestioned leader—the bearer of God’s Word.
The context of the story indicates that Israel and the company of prophets are wrestling with a huge problem. They know (for God has revealed it to them) that Elijah will be taken from them. Now what? If God should take Elijah up into heaven by means of a whirlwind, what does that mean for God’s people? What will the absence of Elijah mean?
Will it mean that Israel no longer has God’s Word and Spirit in her midst? Will God’s people be abandoned and left behind like orphans? Will Israel then all together go down the drain of apostasy and idolatry? That’s the crisis Israel and the company of prophets and Elisha are facing.
Now let’s make some observations from the story. First of all, the story teller takes us down memory lane—the memory lane of God’s mighty acts, saving Israel and leading Israel into the promised land. Did you notice: Elijah and Elisha take us on a trip from Gilgal to Bethel; from Bethel to Jericho; and from Jericho we cross the Jordan River.
Gilgal is the place where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, set up 12 memorial stones, and had their first campsite in the promised land. Gilgal is the place where the future of God’s people opened up, and where the promises of God (about a land of milk and honey and blessings) took on new meaning. Gilgal is a historic place of great religious significance. No wonder we find there a company of prophets! It’s a sacred place.
Bethel leads us further back into Israel’s story with God. Bethel is the place where Abraham stopped on his pilgrimage throughout Canaan and offered sacrifices. Bethel is the place where God re-issued his covenant promise with Abraham and his descendants. Jacob, for example, had his dream at Bethel, where he saw a ladder reaching to the heavens, and angels descending and ascending, with the Lord God standing on top of the ladder, making a covenant promise to Jacob and his descendants. Bethel is a historic place of great religious significance. No wonder we find there a company of prophets! It’s a sacred place.
Ancient Jericho is a town that instills wonder and fear in the hearts of the Israelites. For it was here that God showed his power to the Israelites and to the Canaanites by collapsing the city at the time of Joshua. Only Rahab and her family escaped. Ancient Jericho is a historic place of great religious significance. No wonder we find there a company of prophets!
The climax of this memory lane trip is Elijah’s parting of the waters of the River Jordan. Here Elijah did with his mantel what Joshua did with his staff. As Joshua parted the waters to lead the Israelites into the promised land, so Elijah parted the waters to leave the promised land as the bearer of God’s Word. No wonder we can “taste” the anxiety of the company of prophets. Are the Word and Spirit of God leaving them for good?
Here’s the insight that comes with this observation: by taking us down this memory lane of God’s saving acts and covenant promises to his people, Elijah grounds us, anchors us, roots us into that story of salvation. Elijah prepares us for his whirlwind ascension by tracing God’s dealings with us and his people Israel. The prophets, Elisha included, are all worried about the absence of Elijah! Will God’s Word and Spirit be absent from us? they wondered. Are the mighty acts of God in the past all for nothing, then?
Here’s another observation:
Elijah realizes that Elisha knows that God will take Elijah away from him, up into heaven. So Elijah asks Elisha: “What can I do for you before I am taken from you?” Elisha responds like a first-born son would do to his father when he is about to inherit his father’s estate: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.”.
Elisha’s request is not inappropriate, as some may think; Elisha is NOT asking that he may outshine or outdo Elijah in his work as a prophet. No, Elisha wants to continue the work that was begun by Elijah. But he can’t do it in his own strength. He needs the power of God’s Spirit given to Elisha as he proclaims the Word of God.
Elijah recognizes that only God himself can grant Elisha’s request. So he says “You have asked a difficult thing, yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not!”
Then, suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated Elijah from Elisha. And Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha trembled at the sight. He realized the loss to Israel as Elijah—as the bearer of God’s Word—has gone into heaven. The absence of Elijah as Israel’s powerful commander in chief—as Israel’s Chief Prophet and commander of God’s Word and power—leads Elisha to cry out: “My Father, My Father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” No longer is Israel’s strong man present with his people! Will Israel be without God’s Word and Spirit?
No! Though Elijah is absent; God’s Word and Spirit remain—now Elisha is the bearer of God’s Word and power. Elisha found the mantel of Elijah; he goes back to the River Jordan; he takes the cloak and strikes the waters saying: “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?”
The answer comes back in the separation of the Jordan River; and the message is crystal clear: As God led his people into the promised land by Joshua, so he will also lead his people again with his Word and Spirit as born by the witness and actions of the prophet Elisha. It’s true: Elijah is physically absent, but the Word and Spirit of God remain with his people.
The story of Elijah’s ascension forms the background of the ascension of the Lord Jesus centuries later. In fact, Elijah’s ascension is a shadow of things to come.
Jesus is far greater than Elijah. Jesus is the eternal Son of God who has taken on our flesh. He is God’s Word incarnate, in the flesh. He not only spoke the Word of God in power; he is the Word enfleshed. You see and hear Jesus, you see and hear God’s Word; you touch Jesus, you touch the Word of God. You appeal to Jesus and his Word, you are reaching out to the power and Spirit of Jesus.
Where is Jesus today? He is absent. Yet he is present. For just as the Spirit of God’s Word was given to Elisha, so Jesus has given us his Holy Spirit at Pentecost. All who are baptized in Jesus, who embrace him by faith, have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not leave us as orphans; he gave us his Spirit and Word to live and serve him in these difficult, idolatrous and apostate times.
Here’s what the Scriptures call us to do: bow before God’s Word; embrace it, obey it, live it, study it, let it nurture the faith God gives you. Go through life and seek to honor God’s Word.
Do not only bow before God’s Word. Anchor your life in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God. In the power of his Spirit, given to us, embrace Jesus Christ by faith and serve him as Lord.
Physically, Jesus is absent from us; yet, he is present with us—in his Word, by means of his Spirit. He also reveals himself to us in the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper. Look for, expect to encounter the very presence of the Lord Jesus as you eat the bread and drink the cup.
In humility, with joy, thank God for revealing himself today. And go on—not as people who doubt or despair—but as people who know that the story of God’s great salvation will climax in the final coming of Jesus in his glory. And then, then we shall live, forever more! Absent? Yes, Jesus is; physically, Jesus is absent from us. Yet he is present, here with us. Now and forever! Amen.