14 Days in the Company of Elijahনমুনা

Day 14: Elisha Begins in the Spirit of Elijah (2 Kings 2:8–18; 1 Kings 19:19)

When Elijah is swept up to heaven in the fire and the whirlwind, he leaves behind his mantle, the same one that he had flung over Elisha when he called him (1 Kings 19:19), the same one with which he struck the waters of the Jordan so the two of them could cross over on dry ground (2 Kings 2:8). The symbol of Elijah’s prophetic call and anointing, his cloak is now lying at the feet of his faithful disciple.

When Elisha can no longer catch a glimpse of the fiery procession that carried his master away, he is galvanized into action. The first thing he does is to tear his own garments into two pieces, a gesture that expresses his deep grief over the loss of his mentor (2 Ki. 2:12). Then he bends down to pick up Elijah’s mantle (2 Ki. 2:13), a deliberate action that expresses his willingness to take on the prophetic role for which he has been chosen. His first step into that role declares his intention to be, as Elijah had been, a prophet whose loyalty would belong fully to Yahweh. Elisha strikes the waters of the Jordan, just as his master had done, and he calls out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” (2 Ki. 2:14, NRSV). With those words, he declares his awareness that the power of ministry is neither his nor Elijah’s but belongs wholly to the Lord. And the immediate parting of the waters signals Yahweh’s choice of Elisha as the anointed successor to the “man of God” who has dominated the pages of Israel’s story for so many years. The prophets who are watching from a distance understand the sign: “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha” (2 Ki. 2:15, NRSV).

So, Elijah’s story of persevering faithfulness and bold obedience becomes a narrative of legacy. Elijah’s constant submission to the Spirit of God during his lifetime, lived out before the eyes of his disciples, will be replicated in Elisha as he, too, becomes God’s messenger, bringing the word of God to the people of God (particularly the kings) in his own generation.

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