1 Kings 19:15-21
Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
When Elijah fled from wicked Queen Jezebel, he wound up in a cave at Mount Horeb. There God encouraged Elijah and gave him specific orders to anoint three men to continue the work God had started through him. The first person Elijah anointed was Elisha the son of Shaphat, a wealthy landowner from the village of Abel-Meholah in the Jordan Valley. Elisha was to succeed Elijah in his prophetic ministry.
So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!”
Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.”
So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.
Elisha was working in the field when Elijah walked up and threw his cloak over Elisha’s shoulders. Elisha immediately slaughtered his oxen, fed the meat to the neighbors, bade farewell to his parents, and followed Elijah. But God was about to dramatically confirm Elisha’s call.
2 Kings 2:1-14 Elijah Is Taken into Heaven and Elisha Receives his Call from God
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” So they went down together to Bethel.
The group of prophets from Bethel came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”
Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Jericho.” But Elisha replied again, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together to Jericho.
Then the group of prophets from Jericho came to Elisha and asked him, “Did you know that the Lord is going to take your master away from you today?”
“Of course I know,” Elisha answered. “But be quiet about it.”
Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to the Jordan River.”
But again Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you.” So they went on together.
Fifty men from the group of prophets also went and watched from a distance as Elijah and Elisha stopped beside the Jordan River. Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground! When they came to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.”
And Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”
“You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah replied. “If you see me when I am taken from you, then you will get your request. But if not, then you won’t.”
As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River. He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.
Elisha had one of the most dramatic calls recorded. First, Elijah threw his cloak over Elisha’s shoulders and then Elisha watched as Elijah was taken up into heaven in a fiery chariot. Elisha’s persistence earned him a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and anointing, setting him up for a magnificent future ministry.
One of the most important things Elisha did was to shadow Elijah, observing Elijah’s every move. From the day that Elijah threw his cloak over Elisha, Elisha copied Elijah’s prayer practices and his behavior as a prophet. Elisha’s humility and his servant’s heart gained him the spiritual power he desired.
What can we learn from Elisha’s call? First, ask God to show you the person whose ministry you are to study. Second, be humble and learn as much as possible. Third, keep praying! Even if you are learning from someone else, God will still give you your own ministry; God never does anything the same way twice. And finally, give God the chance to do miracles; after all, He’s the One who empowers us.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to seek Your Will for our lives and to remain humble so that we can learn as much from fellow believers as possible. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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