IV. Close companionship
Close companionship
God did not say to Elisha, ‘I think I'll send you to one of the schools of the prophets. Which would you prefer - Bethel, Jericho or Jordan?’ Clearly these groups did exist (2 Kings 2:3, 5, 7) and accurately prophesied that Elijah would be taken up into heaven. But God wanted Elisha to learn from personal involvement with his anointed servant. He was going to take Elijah’s cloak, Elijah’s place. He was not going to receive information alone; he was going to acquire something of Elijah’s spirit. As a symbol of what was to come, the cloak which Elijah wore was to be placed on Elisha’s shoulders.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, ‘I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church... He is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should refuse to accept him’ (1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10-11). Why should the church receive Timothy so readily? Because Paul’s ‘mantle’, his approval, rested on him. This young man had worked alongside the great apostle. He knew Paul’s ways and would faithfully represent him.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, ‘I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church... He is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should refuse to accept him’ (1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10-11). Why should the church receive Timothy so readily? Because Paul’s ‘mantle’, his approval, rested on him. This young man had worked alongside the great apostle. He knew Paul’s ways and would faithfully represent him.
Not possessive or exclusive
Although Elijah knew that Elisha was going to replace him in ministry, he was not possessive. ‘Alright, Elisha, you’ve got to cling to me now. Keep away from that school of the prophets. Don't you dare listen to anybody except me. This is the way I do it. You just follow suit.’ It was not like that at all. When Elijah called Elisha, he threw his cloak over him, but he put no pressure on Elisha to go with him. He wanted Elisha to know from the start that discipleship would not bring him into frightening personal bondage, so he gave Elisha space, the chance to think about it, the freedom to turn back (1 Kings 19:20).
He trained the same attitude to the end. On the very day of his triumphant ascension into the heavens, he made no demands on his young disciple. If anything, he tried to dissuade him from an overdeveloped personal commitment. But Elisha would not be sidetracked. He had come to love his master and freely followed him — but more of that in our next chapter.
This light touch on the reins continued throughout their relationship. Just before Elijah returned to heaven, he said to Elisha, ‘Stay here, the Lord has sent me to Bethel’ (2 Kings 2:2). In other words, “You don’t have to continue with me. I’m not forcing you.’ But Elisha would not leave his master. The disciple’s devotion was tested twice more, when Elijah went to Jericho and the Jordan, but still Elisha refused to be left behind (2 Kings 2:4, 6).
He trained the same attitude to the end. On the very day of his triumphant ascension into the heavens, he made no demands on his young disciple. If anything, he tried to dissuade him from an overdeveloped personal commitment. But Elisha would not be sidetracked. He had come to love his master and freely followed him — but more of that in our next chapter.
This light touch on the reins continued throughout their relationship. Just before Elijah returned to heaven, he said to Elisha, ‘Stay here, the Lord has sent me to Bethel’ (2 Kings 2:2). In other words, “You don’t have to continue with me. I’m not forcing you.’ But Elisha would not leave his master. The disciple’s devotion was tested twice more, when Elijah went to Jericho and the Jordan, but still Elisha refused to be left behind (2 Kings 2:4, 6).
