READING 2 KINGS TWO
READING 2 KINGS TWO
The subject before us is the establishment of the reign of grace as set forth in the ministry of Elisha.
In this chapter we have the groundwork of what follows: that is, the death and resurrection of Christ, and His ascension; and, as a consequence of this, His Spirit here on earth.
Elijah is, typically, Christ as in the midst of Israel, and his movements from one point to another indicate how fully God took account of the breakdown of the nation as having been set up in responsibility. Each point visited by Elijah and Elisha spoke of some particular feature of God’s testimony as it had been developed in connection with the people, and they had failed in respect of all.
In Gilgal there was a testimony to God’s power over death — the twelve stones from the bed of Jordan were placed there; and there the reproach of Egypt was rolled away — circumcision took place. Bethel spoke of God’s faithfulness, Genesis 28; and God’s house had been in Israel. Jericho had been the seat of the enemy’s power as possessing the land of Canaan, but God overthrew it. In the movements of Elijah here God is showing that He remembered the wideness of His love for Israel, and that He had fully judged their utter unfaithfulness in regard to Him. All this may be seen in the Lord’s position as presented in the Gospels. But He died and rose again, so that where law had failed, grace should triumph. This latter the following chapters in this book set forth in type.
Elisha’s persistence in following Elijah points to the affection begotten in the Jewish remnant by the [p. 322] Lord during His ministry among them. And now they come to Jordan. Elijah smites it with his mantle, and they both cross over. Christ went into death, and by that act overthrew him who had wielded the power of death. He leaves Israel as having utterly failed, and the remnant are seen with Him in resurrection. And they should partake of His Spirit, so as to be qualified to be vessels of grace where He had been rejected.
It is touching to think of Elijah and Elisha walking together in resurrection. It says, “As they still went on, and talked”. 2 Kings 2:11. Elisha had asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit this was a hard thing; nevertheless, if Elisha should see him when he was taken from him his request should be granted. We can understand how vigilant Elisha would be! It is remarkable that the reception of Elijah’s spirit was made to depend on Elisha seeing him as he was taken. Of course he was taken up. He received the spirit of the ascending man. This points to the heavenly Man, for the Son of man ascended to the place where He was before, John 6:62. The Spirit we have received is the Spirit of the heavenly Man. This is “the Spirit of grace”. The “double portion” is what belongs to the first-born, and this points to the assembly, Hebrews 12:23. Elisha sees the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof — there should be power connected with his ministry, but it would be exercised in grace.
Elisha now undertakes the journey travelled by Elijah, but in the reverse way. Jordan is thrown back again by the power of the God of Elijah. The power that wrought in Christ, when God raised Him from the dead, works in us. Elisha rends his clothes in two pieces — it was discarding himself for the man he had seen going up. He takes up the mantle of Elijah. It was the mantle of Elijah that fell from him. We have to note this. It is the character of [p. 323] the heavenly Man that we put on. Elisha stands by the bank of Jordan, and smites it with the mantle of Elijah, saying “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” 2 Kings 2:14. It is in this way that the power of the enemy is practically overthrown by God’s people.
Elisha returns to Jericho, and the ministry of grace begins. The marks of the curse were there but all is changed by Elisha. The situation of the city was pleasant, but the water was naught, and the ground was barren. Elisha asks for a new cruse. In Christianity, the vessels used are entirely new. Salt refers to the purifying and preservative character of God’s grace as active in the midst of a world where the curse had been. Healing takes place at the fountain-head.
The sons of the prophets were not opposed to the testimony but here they show the unbelieving state of their hearts by suggesting to Elisha that his master may have been somewhere on earth, whereas he had gone up to heaven. They had been content to remain at Jericho when Elijah and Elisha were crossing the Jordan. They viewed the wonderful spectacle “afar off”. A corresponding state is often seen among God’s people, but it is marked by unbelief as to the fulness and greatness of the truth. A Man is in heaven as having accomplished redemption. The Spirit of that heavenly One indwells, and marks others here on earth. The suggestion of the sons of the prophets would deny the heavenly side of the truth.
The little children who mocked Elisha on his way to Beth-el represent the terrible opposition of the natural man to God revealed in grace. “They have both seen and hated both me and my Father”. John 15:24. But this came out more fully in the attitude of the Jews toward those who were the vessels of the Spirit of grace sent down from heaven. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit, “and all that sat in the council,
[p. 324] looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel”. Acts 6:15. On this man they gnashed with their teeth. Such is man, when left to himself, in the presence of the Spirit and testimony of the heavenly Man. The little children do not represent the leaders of the people, but rather the generation. Elisha turned back and cursed them in the name of the Lord. This is like the Lord cursing the fig tree. But this came to pass historically when the Jews rejected the testimony of the Holy Spirit. As the apostle says, “wrath has come upon them to the uttermost”, 1 Thessalonians 2:16.
From Jericho, Elisha went to Beth-el, from Beth-el to Carmel, and thence to Samaria. God would establish in grace every testimony in which Israel had failed. But each believer has to visit these places in the history of his soul so as to be qualified for testimony. In Samaria (the place of the enemy’s power and influence, for Jezebel was there) the testimony of Elisha was to be rendered. In the Acts, Jerusalem answers to Samaria.