Start Time:	06:40AM
End Time:	07:11AM
Date:	June 26, 2014

 

TITLE: Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1 – 25

God’s Message / God’s Commands / God’s Promises:

→ When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.  Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”  Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.  The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”  Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.  Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.  When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.  “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”  As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.  Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.  Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.  The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him.  “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.” “No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”  But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

NOTES:

Ø  God wants His children to have the determination and fixation of Elisha!  Despite of the many number of times that Elijah said to Elisha to stay, Elisha was determined to go with Elijah.  God wants us to have the same passion in seeking His presence; that we should not be easily discouraged or give up when things don’t go the way we planned it… or if we are just traveling like there’s no goal or destination..God wants us to seek for Him the same way that Elisha was determined to be with Elijah. 

Ø  Those who faithful seek the Lord will get what they asked for.  Elisha refused to be left behind and stuck to Elijah wherever he go.  He asked for a double portion and even if Elijah’s answer was not a complete yes, Elisha still decided to be with him until his request is given.  God wants us to have the same determination that when things doesn’t seem to fall the way we want or plan it to be, we should still continue to pursue him!  Because there is reward to those who are faithful and persistent.

→The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”  “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.  Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.  From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!”  He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

NOTES:

Ø  When we speak ill of the man of God, we are literally speaking ill of God!  Know that when the people persecute or speak negative things about us, God’s children, they are directing their words to God, Himself, and it hurts not only because we are the recipient of those insults but because God is hurting at the same time.  However, God will not allow His Name, and His people get insulted.  He will avenge us because it is avenging Himself.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, the great I am!  Thank You because You long for us to seek You and be determined like Elisha.  Thank You Lord because You are searching for Elisha’s in us and You long to reward us for our faithfulness and determination.  Lord thank You because those who are faithful are rewarded and we will always receive Your goodness and blessings.  Thank You Lord for Your loving kindness.  Thank You Jesus for Your mercy and grace.  Lord, remind me always never to speak ill of Your chosen people.  Help me Lord to always see You in the lives of the people You have appointed.  Keep my mouth from speaking negative or ill words to Your chosen people who represents You Lord.  And open my eyes to see You in them always.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!