coming. So the first stop on the journey was Gilgal. Now alone, Elisha crosses the Jordan again, returns to Jericho and thence back to Bethel. With 2 Kings 2:1-12, we have just such an occurrence of the torch being passed from one generation to another. Nor, do we in the present age. Joshua was in the presence of the Lord! In the NFL, much is made of "coaching trees." iv. Joshua sees this guy, he's got a sword and he looks as if he is going to be a real good fighter and so Joshua obviously wants to know whose side he is on - 'Are you with us, or are you with our enemies?' Unknowingly, Elijah would soon be taken from Elisha to be with God. Elijah feels hes being called away, but Elisha sticks with him to the end. [6] Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be . Did Jehu put words in Elijah's mouth in 2 Kings 9:37? Bianca Jurez Olthoff, 10 Friendships of the Bible to Learn From Their job was to walk around the walls. Jericho therefore was a throwback to the (circular) wilderness wanderings, where the desert was a place of death and unfruitfulness (2 Kings 2:22). Even the New Testament talks of the anticipated return of Elijah, a role answered by John the Baptist, the precursor or the one to proclaim the arrival of the Messiah. ID: 594023 Language: English School subject: Religious Studies Grade/level: Grade 6 Age: 9-11 Main content: About Elijah and Elisha journey Other contents: Add to my workbooks (16) Download file pdf Embed in my website or blog Add to Google Classroom His ways bring glory to the one who truly deserves the glory - God! Never again shall death or sterility come from it. * [2:12] My father: a religious title accorded prophetic leaders; cf. "When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal." ( 2 Kings 2:1) The author of 2 Kings . Cool plan huh?' He left his servant there and went a day's journey into the wilderness, until he came to a solitary broom tree and sat. Elijahs Caveat the foot ofMount Carmelin modern-dayHaifais said by Jewish tradition to be the cave in which Elijah hid from King Ahab before fleeing south towardsBeersheba. Instead, he chose to stay, follow, and ask for a double portion of his mentors spirit. Elijah and Elisha were prophets, recorded in the Old Testament in the books of 1 and 2 Kings. Elijah was afraid and fled for his life, going to Beer-sheba of Judah. vii. I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt, I have separated you from all those taunts that you had that you would never get into the Promised Land'. When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ' Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it .' And you will remember that what we also looked at the testing of Elisha. As they were walking along together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. (2Kings 2:11). It's fair to say that's a mighty big change for Elisha! *, 2Elijah said to Elisha, Stay here, please. 16 (A. V. 15). You need to add something to your answer that addresses the question, "What is the purpose of Elijah's travels?". We need to trust our Father. Joshua went up to him and asked, ' Are you for us or for our enemies?' So when we look at this I am not talking about what Jericho is like in the spring or how big it is. 3 The guild prophets who were in Bethel went . But each time Elisha refused to leave his master's side. We need to learn to relax like this little boy does in the hands of his father. ', And that is what he was meaning. You are not an archetype. Inside the chapel is a replica of the stone altar that Elijah built to make his sacrifice to God. Elijah and Elisha are strong role models in devotion, faith, prayer, and unwavering obedience in the face of corrupt power and persecution. Though his earthy body was buried in the ground, the miraculous raising of the man mentioned above represents the life-giving power of God. Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! I will try to answer with emphasis on spiritual significance. (Psalm 27:4). my father! My question, though, still is why? For example, the author of the Book of Hebrews enters his theological discourse by indicating that the "rest" of God follows death (see Hebrews Chap. TheMount Carmelrange (HebrewKerem-El -the Vineyard of God) stretches inland from theMediterraneancoast atHaifaand runs south of theRiver Kishonand theValley ofJezreel. At Gilgal "the shame of Egypt" was removed (Joshua 5:8-10), when the foreskins of the Israelites were taken away. Acts 20-28. These two men were chosen by God to call His people to revival. Article Images Copyright , What Christians Need to Know about Elijah and Elisha in the Bible. So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. 38 a company By doing so, he is able to witness the miraculous whirlwind which takes Elijah to heaven! The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 587 BC. She ended up coming second. It was a sign that they had made a covenant with God. And He's more than any earthly father could ever be. : the words in Hebrew have an incantatory quality, as if Elisha is invoking both the divine name and the name of his departed master in an attempt to duplicate Elijahs miracle. Bethel in Hebrew means the house of God. 15, In a miraculous visual of a chariot of fire and horses of fire, Elisha witnessed the a glimpse of a spiritual world which is always active, but not often seen by human eyes here on earth. 870-795 BC. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here, please. The entire Bible tells the story of Jesus, not just the New Testament. (Elisha made the death and unfruitfulness of Jerichos desert into potable water in 2 Kings 2:22). Bethel is the House of God and Jericho means the first fruit. What are some tools or methods I can purchase to trace a water leak? As we take a peak into the lives of two great prophets, let it inspire us to pray for the purpose God has placed in our lives for His Kingdom. Then the throne was turned over to Ahab who married Jezebel. Mount Carmel and Elijahs flight to Beersheba. of prophets lived, is usually identified with the Jiljilya mentioned And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. There Elijah is taken up in the whirlwind and Elijahs mantle of power comes to Elisha. It seems his impending departure was in some sense enjoined with some sense of dangers and Elijah seems to wish Elisha saftey from the dangers, but whether he inteded to be testing Elisha's commitment or not, the situation does seem to draw out Eliasha as a faithful disciple. Most of A. W. Tozer's quotes are quite convicting! iv. They would be thinking, how are we going to beat Jericho? The LORD has sent me on to Jericho. Elisha replied, As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. But how different was King David [3] . Finally, after the Israelites left Sinai, they had circled the wilderness before arriving at the River Jordan. Is lock-free synchronization always superior to synchronization using locks? This outstanding new resource from Pathway to Victory covers the footsteps of one of Gods greatest prophets: Elijah! Click a "+" icon to open the menu accordion. 17But they kept urging him, until he was embarrassed and said, Send them. So they sent the fifty men, who searched for three days without finding him.f How to choose voltage value of capacitors. Those six decades were characterized by murder, deception and hatred proceeding from the very throne of Israel. What did the still small voice say to Elijah that drew him out of the cave in 1 Kings 19:12. After Elijah was taken into heaven, Elisha returned to earth by back-tracking the same steps. Elisha shall received 3 dimensions of Elijah, namely : The background and context of 2king chapter 2 is Israel spiritual decline and decay. ") It is another Gilgal located in the highlands above Bethel. So would Elisha go as far as the Jordan? The passage is full of feeling and pathos. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. passage supporting these identifications, is, however, rather doubtful Elijah and Elisha illustrate the way in which a holy friendship helps us draw close to God. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Elijah went up to him. Saving faith realizes our purpose is to bring glory to God. One pastor exits and another is installed with prayer and a laying on of hands. Photo Credit: Getty Images/BibleArtLibrary The LORD has sent me on to the Jordan. Elisha replied, As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So the two went on together. Moody Bible Commentary. The little boy will laugh his head off because he trusts his dad. In Nm 11:1725, God bestows some of the spirit of Moses on others. Elisha's Journey - How far do you want to go? He said to the Israelites, 'In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' And this is where the nation of Israel always started from. Jordan was the initial boundary for the Promised Land. Often we get those two things mixed up. condemned by the Prophets (Amos iv. My father! he cried. Salem Media Group. Miracles performed by Elijah can be found in these passages: Miracles performed by Elisha can be found in these passages: But Elisha said, As surely as the LORD lives as as you live, I will not leave you. 2 Kings 2:2. The Conquest Of Canaan. Assyrian Captivity. Spiritual meaning ofBethel (House of God), 2 Kings 2;2 Elijah said to Elisha, 'Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.' At that time, Israel was ruled by corrupted Kings whose evil ways caused the drought from God upon the land. So Elijah retraces the conquest, but in reverse. They were now a separated people, separated from the past, but also separated unto a living God - which is what circumcision speaks of. Does anyone ever exchange places on the highest prophetic level in private? The presence of God was his desire. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. God places people in our lives purposefully. Paul's Fourth and Fifth Missionary Journeys. Salem Media Group. As others have well noted in answering, the route has multiple layers of significance. Some of Elishas miracles were the turning of bad water into clean water (2 Kings 2:19-22), making a widows oil to fill many jars (2 Kings 4:1-7), and even raising a boy from the dead (2 Kings 4:32-37). [2]. They are two of the most notable prophets from scripture helping to restore Israel in a time of wicked rulers. After witnessing the transfiguration, Peter suggests putting up three shelters. xi. When Elisha returns, he will carry Elijah's prophetic responsibilities and--most importantly--a double portion of God's Holy Spirit to anoint his work. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. He is our Father. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. Jesus teaches how to receive the Holy Spirit. But Elisha said, 'As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.'. The Bible story of Elijah and Elisha is found in both books of Kings from the Old Testament. The location of Gilgal is crucial in this response - the Gilgal mentioned in the battles of Joshua is most likely not the same location as that mentioned in the travels of Elijah and Elisha. After Elijahs victory over the prophets of Baal when he called down fire from heaven, the drought ended. It is my conjecture that the writer of Luke/Acts is drawing a parallelism of the mantle of Elijah coming upon Elisha as a result of him seeing Elijah taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2:10) with that of the mantle of Jesus Christ (the power of the Holy Spirit) coming upon the disciples as they witness the ascension of Jesus Christ. Then he went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan. ' (Joshua 5:13). But that's another matter. [6] Jesus repeatedly said 'He who loses his life for my sake shall find it.' We should, in our lives, be separated from that which would seek to draw us away from God, and be separated, as living sacrifices, unto the living God. As she approached the last jump, there was no one else in camera shot and the commentators were saying - Oh, she's doing a lap of honour now! Once while some Israelites were boring a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the mans body into Elishas tomb. One commentary I read mentioned that this is a rather indirect route for Elijah to leave the land, but didn't comment beyond that. Elijah is initially presented in 1 Kings 17 as the seer who foretold a three-year drought in the land of Israel. Most theories stick with two cities named Gilgal: one in Samaria and one near Jericho. rev2023.3.1.43269. Maybe you too need to value the time you are spending in the House of God because it will be critical in the times that lie ahead. (2 Kings 3:11) This was a servant's duty when the master washed his hands, for in the East they do not wash in a basin but in running water. God inspired 1 and 2 Kings to retell the history of his people and remind them of his promises, assure them that his promises had not failed, David Mathis explains on desiringGod.org, and declare that his word remained as sure as ever.. Gilgal was a very important place in Israel's history. 2 Kings 2:2 states that Elijah and Elisha "went down to Bethel" from Gilgal, suggesting that the place was in the vicinity of Bethel, and hence in a mountainous region (and at higher elevation than Bethel), which is somewhat different from the place associated with Joshua. This is a poor quality post for this site. Residing in the desert, Elijah is saved by God when ravens bring him food amidst the drought that he predicted. Can the Spiritual Weapon spell be used as cover? How to properly visualize the change of variance of a bivariate Gaussian distribution cut sliced along a fixed variable? So this little passage gives us the reason why it is called Gilgal. Elijah taken up into heaven in the vicinity of Bethel and Gilgal. They show us all how to stand for God, even when we feel like we may be the last voice for Him. But, a friend to run the race of faith with is irreplaceable; this is the companionship Elijah and Elisha had. Predicted drought as Gods punishment; prophesied against kings Ahab and Ahaziah of Israel at capital city of Samaria in ninth century B.C. There above it stood the LORD, and He said: 'I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ', So it was Jacob who called the place Bethel. What is the author saying by showing Elijah take this path at the command of the LORD? 20Elisha said, Bring me a new bowl and put salt into it. When they had brought it to him, xv. Otherwise they didn't really seek him a heck of a lot. This Gilgal may have been located in the area of modern Jiljulieh, approximately seven miles north of Bethel, which seems to preserve the ancient name. When the body touched Elishas bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet. 2 Kings 13:20-21. 9b When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, Request whatever I might do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha answered, May I receive a double portion of your spirit.* Today, visitors toMount Carmelcan look out across theRiver Kishonand towards theMediterranean Seafrom the Carmelite monastery atDaliyet el Carmel. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. Why Do We Need to Be Crucified with Christ? For example, when he died on the battlefield during the Civil War in 1863, Stonewall Jackson is said to have remarked, "Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.". Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. Elijah is initially presented in 1 Kings 17 as the seer who foretold a three-year drought in the land of Israel. I am staying with you and I don't want to be anywhere else.'. 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