Elijah's Last Words Before He Left This Earth Series

Elijah’s reply to Elisha’s request is an admission that Elijah himself had very little to contribute;. He and Elisha knew that Elijah had no power in and of himself to do anything, only through the power of the LORD. Elijah admitted, “You’ve asked a hard thing” (remember, he didn’t have what Elisha was seeking to give personally) but added, “If you see me when I’m taken, you’ll get it but if you don’t, you won’t (paraphrased)”. Elijah was realistic enough to know there were some things he just could not do; only the LORD could do this.

“They walked and talked”. It’s maybe best the Holy Spirit did not see fit to include these conversations as part of the text. Elijah had much to say and Elisha had much to learn—after all, there is no record that Elisha had ever been one of the “sons of the prophets” himself. But at an unknown location, these two men were separated one from another! They saw a chariot of fire, and horses of fire (most likely symbolic) and then Elijah went to Heaven! There is some difference of opinion about the word “whirlwind” but it’s enough to know that, first, Elijah obeyed the LORD; second, the LORD sent a special conveyance to take Elijah home to Heaven, and third, there was an eyewitness to all of this—Elisha!

Elisha stood and watched, and clearly saw Elijah departing because he exclaimed, “My father, my father, Israel’s chariots and horsemen!” This may be a poetic description of how Elijah’s influence was stronger than any kind of pure military strength. Besides, Elisha had just seen one of Heaven’s chariots and some of Heaven’s fiery horses, and the comparison was easy to make.

After Elijah disappeared from view, Elisha tore his own clothes in half. This was a sign of mourning, perhaps a display of great distress. Several other men had done this beforehand, and Elisha was one of those who did so here. But that wasn’t all—Elisha saw the mantle of Elijah on the ground (“mantle” could mean garment or robe per https://biblehub.com/hebrew/155.htm). Elisha picked it up then went back to the bank of the Jordan River.

What was going to happen next?

5 The beginning of Elisha’s prophetic ministry

Text, 2 Kings 2:14-15, KJV: 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

Elisha had picked up the mantle of Elijah and apparently walked to the Jordan’s bank. Clearly the waters had returned to the same state as they were when he and Elijah had crossed the Jordan just a relatively short time before. Now in the first act as a prophet, Elisha took Elijah’s mantle and smote or struck the Jordan just as Elijah had done.

Elisha exclaimed, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” This is maybe a rhetorical question, not for us to answer. Elisha was on his own, and on the other side of the Jordan, with prospects of crossing over not that great. After all, Elijah had had to smite the waters so they could cross.