READ: 2 KINGS 2:1-12 TEXT: v11 ELIJAH’S DEPARTURE
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.
There are only two men in the Bible who did not taste/death
[i] Enoch (7th/Adam) of whom we read (Hebrews 11:5):
By faith Enoch was translated that he
should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated
him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased
God.
[ii] Elijah who also skipped this experience/circumstances
Matthew Henry quotes a certain Mr Crowley:
Like Enoch, he was translated, that
he should not see death; and was the second man that leaped the ditch
where all the rest of mankind fell, and went not downward to the sky.
I am unaware of anyone else having this experience
Of course, there is a future event known as the Rapture
When this happens, all the Christians still alive will skip death
For this we say unto you by the word
of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the
Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord.
This experience seems to have been foreshadowed here in the removal of these two men
Although it cannot be claimed that Elijah died, yet this departure has
many things/common with the departure of the saints of God:
4 main thoughts
1) ELIJAH KNEW THAT HE MUST DEPART THIS SCENE OF TIME:
A/ He knew that he was not going to spend forever on this earth
Knew that sooner/later he must take his leave
B/ There was a time appointed of God for this grand occasion
Passage makes that clear: v1
“When the Lord would…” = it was God’s specific will to do so
It was at the time appointed by God
God has a diary and every event that ever comes to pass is written in it beforehand
We can use a diary for two reasons:
[i] Record personal history – “Today I did this/that…”
[ii] Make future appointments which we hope to keep
Sometimes with these future appointments we openly recognise the possibility that we might not be there:
“Pencil such and such a date into your diary – confirm later”
The use/pencil (as opposed to indelible ink) is significant
But God always uses indelible ink/his diary with on these matters
These things are certain in the plan/God
C/ Like our Lord Jesus, Elijah went through a time when there were those who sought to take away his life prematurely
Prematurely, not merely, in that they sought to murder him, but
prematurely in that: it was long before the date/God’s diary
Ahab seemed to desire to take Ahab’s life (1 Kings 18)
When Ahab’s servant (Obadiah – a faithful believer) found
Elijah and was told to tell Ahab – Obadiah faltered because he
thought Elijah would have hidden himself (for fear/death)
But Elijah did not – his appointed time/death had not come
He did not fear Ahab because he had a work/to do
Significant that he did fear Jezebel (Ahab’s wife) esp. after she threatened to take away his life the next day
Well asked: Why not there and then?
It was the words of a bully, but Elijah fled to the wilderness
State/Depression…he wished that he might die
But God rebuked him and refused to answer that prayer
Because it was not the will/timing of God for him to leave
E/ When we read this passage, it becomes obvious that Elijah knew that his days were greatly numbered
True: we can all say at any time: But a step between me/death
Would be very foolish to think otherwise
Ever only a heartbeat away from our departure from this earth
D/ Therefore (without being morbid) we must give some consideration to these things
Elijah knew that he must depart this scene of time:
It appears that he could go further than a general apprehension
However, he was a prophet with some inside information
Furthermore, the other prophets (including Elisha) seemed also to be aware of this fact
We cannot expect this to be the case in regards to us
It is not essential that the fine details be given us
We must therefore live each day as if it were our last/earth
2) ELIJAH ENTERTAINED NO FEARS ABOUT THIS DEPARTURE:
A/ Some of the Jewish writers believe that Elijah was an angel(!)
Basis: That he stepped un-introduced into the pages/Bible (1:17:1)
No details given about his genealogy – his father/mother etc.,
But the Bible is very careful to protect us from such folly
James (writing to the Jewish converts) who tells us that Elijah was a man of like passions as we are
He was not an angelic being – but a real man of human descent
Being then of like passions as we are – he knew the different temperaments that we are all subject too
Already mentioned his depression at the hands/Jezebel
But there is no record that he ever feared death
B/ Death is described as an enemy in the Bible
It is the last enemy that shall be destroyed (15:26)
It came into this world as a result of sin
Left alone, there is nothing really good to say about it
True that death is often a release for those suffering in this world
But even this thought is not a stand alone thought
It is not so for the wicked who live without Christ
It
may be so for those who live godly in Christ Jesus, but only because
death itself is but the doorway – the means – that brings them into the
presence of God
Death is just the entrance to eternity
C/ I do not know for sure if Elijah anticipated such a departure
There is no clear statement here that he/others did
The event itself should not colour the words beforehand
But it is largely immaterial to the point we are trying to make
D/ Whatever way God would take him, Elijah had no worries
The Bible tells us that the wicked fear meeting God
(We did not get excited at the thought ourselves when still unsaved)
Why is this?
Because they are yet in the guilt of their sins
This fear goes right back to Adam/Eve hiding/Garden of Eden
Man has ever been seeking out ways to hide from God:
Some go into denial:
[i] Atheists: I don’t believe in God therefore he does not exist
[ii] Agnostics: No body can be certain – get on with your life
[iii] Modernism: My god doesn’t worry about my little mistakes
[iv] Hippies/New Agers: Didn’t you know that I am a god?
E/ But the saint has no fears about meeting/His God
He has already met Him in the person of the Lord Jesus:
For
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in
our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
We met Him when he offered us a full/free salvation
Like the Prodigal Son, we made our way home from the far country in our filthy rags and need
Our Heavenly Father ran to meet us and forgave us our sins
He brought us into His Banqueting House/His banner over us was love
So, why should Elijah or any Christian fear?
F/ When Elijah ministered on this earth, God had graciously taken care/His servant – even in the time of deadly famine
He commanded the ravens to feed the man/God
He arranged for the widow woman/Sareph to do likewise
All these were tokens for good
Child/God: When you get to the end/journey, you can look back in thankfulness for the way that God led you
You can raise your Ebenezer and say: 1 Samuel 7:12
And you can look ahead, even down into the dark valley itself
God says: I will never leave thee/ forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5)
Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
(Psalm 23:4)
F/ In our passage, Elijah had the company/Elisha
They were great friends together
Yet it seems that Elijah sought to be alone without Elisha
These are not the actions of one who was afraid
Fear would have induced Elijah to have gripped Elisha
There is no evidence that he sought the human company of the various schools of Prophets who also appear in the narrative
Nothing wrong with leaving earth in believing company
Much to be argued for it from many different viewpoints:
But its absence here can surely denote that Elijah knew no fear
He could echo the words of David:
Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. (Psalm 73:25)
3) ELIJAH DEPARTED: SCENE/TIME IN ABSOLUTE VICTORY:
A/ This goes a little further than saying he left without fear
Must say that history records how some Christians did leave this scene of time in great fear
Seems that the Devil assaulted them right up to the very last
But their souls were safe
Words like fear/joy etc., are all subjective words
Which boat would you rather be on?
One
that was battered night/day by severe winds/storms and yet arrived safe
at the other end or one that almost glided over the sea but sank before
it reached port?
Ideally: One that both glided and arrived safe
Perhaps in reality: The battered one that arrived safe
Many hypocrites experience the second kind/crossing
We do not envy them their easy ride – their hope/perish
B/ Nevertheless…the leaving/ world by Elijah: obvious triumph:
A chariot and horses of fire came and took him away
C/ Let us aim for such a death as this
The outward circumstances of our death are largely irrelevant
Question is asked: Do we die in faith?
These
all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and
confessed that they were strangers/pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews
11:13)
We can surely die in triumphant faith
John Wesley said; “Our people die well”
Such
was the triumph of the deaths of the tortured Christians who often sang
and praised God before they were fed/lions that many onlookers were
converted at the time
Human reasoning finds that hard/grasp but it is true
The death bed scenes of many Christians are very affecting because they die in the triumph of faith:
There’s a land that is fairer than day! By faith we can see it afar
For our Father waits over the way - To prepare us a dwelling place there!
C/ Text makes no mention of angels
Often supposed that they were there – but no direct evidence
I think they were and that partly because of another death bed
This time the dying believer is not as glorious as Elijah
He dies in abject poverty at the unmerciful gate of a rich man
He is covered in sores which were licked by the curs/street
But he was a believer – went to Abraham’s bosom (Heaven)
How did he get there?
And
it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels
into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (Luke
16:22)
Matthew Henry gives an elaborate argument to show that they were indeed present/Elijah’s case, but it is not so important
D/ No wonder Balaam said: Let me die the die/righteous (23:10)
4) ELIJAH ENTERED INTO HEAVEN ITSELF:
Text says so: Elijah went up with a whirlwind into Heaven
This that me interpret Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16) as Heaven
A/ Heaven is the home of all/God’s redeemed from both OT/NT
Some, even among Evangelical Christians, who want to separate us from
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob etc., driving a wedge between the
Kingdom/Heaven and the Kingdom/God
This cannot be done
There shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the
prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And
they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north,
and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. (Luke
13:28-29)
Just to get the point across, Matthew has the same trio sitting down with the NT-and-after converts in the Kingdom/Heaven
B/ His entry into Heaven shows that he was reconciled to God
One thing that keeps the sinner out of Heaven is his sin:
And there shall in no wise enter into
it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or
maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
(21:27)
Jesus said of those who die in their sins, that they would never enter the Kingdom of God (John 8:21)
They are bidden to depart from God as a cursed people
Why is this?
Because they have not been reconciled with God
Their chosen sins cling to them like leprosy and God refuses to let them into His heaven and they are banished to hell itself
But Elijah gets in because his sins have been forgiven Him
You remember when he faced down the prophets/Baal…
He did something very important at that time:
He repaired/ altar and drew near at the time/evening sacrifice:
Signified his faith in the atoning blood of the Lamb/God
Can be said of Elijah:
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him (Romans 5:9)
C/ This is the only way to get to Heaven
The way of the Cross leads home
D/ All for whom Christ made atonement will infallibly make it to Heaven when they die
Sin cannot keep them out of Heaven, for it is truly gone
They will have been brought to faith in Jesus Christ
They will have given every evidence that they have been born again of the Spirit/God
When they die, they enter into the glorified state
E/ We mentioned earlier about pencilling dates into our diaries
Use pencil to denote our uncertainty, even by earthly standards
Can be easily rubbed out if necessary without leaving a mess
Let’s think about another great OT saint: Job
Job got his diary out one day when he talked about seeing God
Such talk was in the context of a personal living Redeemer
He spoke clearly about his salvation
Job didn’t talk about pencilling anything in
Oh
that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
(Job 19:23-24)
This is the language of faith
This is the faith that saves
This is the faith that takes a man at death to heaven
Hymn writer wrote these words (3 weeks before her death):
We speak of the land of the blest, A country so bright and so fair,
And oft are its glories confessed, But what must it be to be there!
Every child of God will one day know the answer to this question
Appeal
THE END
