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,
males circumcised, covenant renewed - some fall at first
v. 2 Bethel - place of dreams - Genesis 28 Jacob's ladder - some see the need
v. 4 Jericho - place of victories - Joshua 6 - some settle on past victory
v. 6 Jordan - place of death - no going back - some go all the way
Paul says "I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me"
(c) Obstacles did not shake his 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."
waters of Jordan v. 8 "And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground."
v. 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."
5. THE RESPONSE - v. 11 - 14 Note
(a) Elisha witnessed the Miracle - v. 11 & 12 "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces."
(b) He wore the Mantle - v. 13 "He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;"
(c) He woke the Master - v. 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."
v. 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."
