Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

II Kings 2

Elijah Ascends to Heaven

II Kings 2:¹ And it came to pass, when the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal (meaning a wheel/to roll/round).

II Kings 2:² Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) has sent me on to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.

II Kings 2:³ Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) will take away your master from over you (Lit. from your head) today?”

And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

II Kings 2:⁴ Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) has sent me on to Jericho.”

But he said, “As the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.

II Kings 2:⁵ Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) will take away your master from over you today?”

So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

II Kings 2:⁶ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) has sent me on to the Jordan.”

But he said, “As the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on.

II Kings 2:⁷ And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. ⁸ Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

II Kings 2:⁹ And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

An Outrageous Request!

Is it acceptable to make a request to God; even an outrageous request? Isn’t it is up to God to say “yes” or “no”.

Yet you do not have because you do not ask. James 4:2

II Samuel 12:⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!

Satan convinces us that it is pride to ask, but pride is not to be confused with dignity. Dignity is developing your God-Given gifts; Pride is puffing yourself up to be more than you are.

Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave him both wisdom and riches. Psalms and Proverbs begs men to ask for wisdom. (Wisdom is knowing the value of one thing over another thing which can change a man’s life in every area.)

Do not sleep, but ask. Let God be God in the final decision.

The right to ask is one of mankind’s “inalienable rights” given to them by their Creator – along with Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

You decide what your “outrageous request” would be. Furthermore; there is no limit on what you can ask from God.

II Kings 2:¹⁰ So he said, “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.”

II Kings 2:¹¹ Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

• @Prophecy Fulfillment Alert: Luke 24:51 (The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated) (Old Testament prophecy fulfilled by Jesus)

II Kings 2:¹² And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

• God said “yes”.

II Kings 2:¹³ He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

• The mantle of Elijah is a transfer of prophetic authority.

~Take up the Mantle of your Calling~

II Kings 2:¹⁴ Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God (Yᵊhōvâ ‘ĕlōhîm) of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

II Kings 2:¹⁵ Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho (Or at Jericho opposite him) saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.

• It also rested on John the Baptist.
  
  • Luke 1:17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
  • Matthew 11:¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he (John the Baptist) is Elijah who is to come.

II Kings 2:¹⁶ Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.”

And he said, “You shall not send anyone.”

II Kings 2:¹⁷ But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him. ¹⁸ And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Elisha Performs Miracles

II Kings 2:¹⁹ Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”

II Kings 2:²⁰ And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. ²¹ Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ): ‘I have healed (purified) this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ”

II Kings 2:²² So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

II Kings 2:²³ Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

• Now the readers know that Elisha was bald.

II Kings 2:²⁴ So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ). And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.

II Kings 2:²⁵ Then he went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

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