"The Double Portion"

2 Kings 2 v. 1 - 15 "The Double Portion" - Note

1. THE RESOLVE - v. 2 "And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel." e.g. Ruth ch 1 v 14 "And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her." - different places

2. THE REVELATION - v. 3 "And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace."

Leadership is limited as to time, to teaching, and as to training

Isaiah 6 v. 1 "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple."

3.THE REQUEST - v. 9 "And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me."

Note the :-

(a) Context of the Request - Elijah's Departure

(b) Content of the Request - Elisha's request for the Spirit of God i.e.

double portion - inheritance of firstborn

Deuteronomy 21 v. 17 "But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his."

Elijah's spirit was a spirit of:-

Conviction in God's Word, God's Person, God's Presence, and God's Power

Conformation to God's Will i.e. his obedience was instant, intricate and innocent

Confrontation in God's Work - i.e. by his stand he:-

Revealed the Sin, Rebuked the Sinners, Reprimanded the Soverign, Restored the Sacred

(c) The Character of the Request - v. 10 "And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so." Hard :-

Because of its Source - "Power belongeth unto God"

Because of its Sacrifice - "A double portion of the Spirit of God"

Because of its Scarcity - "How few know the anointing"

(d) The Condition of the Request - v. 10 "And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so."

Ephesians 5 v. 18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" Note:-

1. Elisha's Desire for it - "THe greatest need for his ministry"

2. Elisha's Dependance on it - for God's glory not his

3. The Discipline with it - i.e. word of God- Isa 8 v 20 "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

4. The Demands of it - i.e. letting God do as he will - Philip

5. The Direction to it - Luke 11 v 13 "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" i.e. faith

6. The Duty through it - i.e. The three tenses

(1) Acts 4 v. 8 "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel," - Apostle filled - decisive experience

(2) Acts 13 v. 52 "And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost."

"being filled" - i.e. ongoing

(3) Acts 6 v. 8 "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people." "full" - perpetual experience

4. THE ROAD - Note v. 1 - 8

(a) Opposition did not shake his resolve - v. 3 "And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace." "sons of the prophets"

Wholehearted committment - Job - "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him"

(b) Opportunity did not shake his resolve

v. 1 Gilgal - place of beginnings - Joshua ch 5 Passover celebrated in promised land,