Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-08-04
ELIJAR's SPIRIT ON ELISHA.
national Series for Augasf =.
IS0S-2 Kings 2:ei-I5.


GOLDEN TEXT.-How much more shah
your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit
to them that ask Him ?-Luke lib
THE SECTION includes / Kings % and
Kings and 2. the history from Naboths
vineyard to the beginning OF Elishas work.
T1ME.-B. z. $3.50. com. chron: or S54-
So rev. chron. The exact date is uncertain,
but il is inferred from ? Chron. 2:12 that
IL was after the accession of Jehoram, as
co-regent with his father in Judah B. c.
&3 or $50; and from Kings 3:l1 that il
was before the death of Jehoshaphat, B.
c. $50 or $50.
PLACE.-Elijah went from GilgaL in
Ephraim. to the eastern shore of the Jor-
dan. where he was translated
COMMENT.
l. The Call of Elisha Kings 1921.
We know almost nothing of Elisha's
early history. He seems to have be-
longed to a well-to-do family of Abel
meholah, in the Jordan valley. Sudden
" Elijah came TO him while he was
blowing with 10 yoke Of oxen and threw
his mantle over the young man, as an
invitation to follow him anG become a
prophet.
ii. The Test of Elisha-When the
time came for Elijah 10 leave his earth
~ work and 10 be taken up to Heaven
in whirlwind tie prophet was at Gill
gal, north of Bethel, with Elisha at one
OF the schools of the prophets. Elijah
seems 10 have received some revelation
that his last hours had come. He babe
Elisha remain at Gilgal while he went
on to the next school at Bethel. But
Elisha insisted on going with him. This
was reported at the other stations,
Bethel and Jericho, on the direct way
TO the fords of the Jordan. Why Elijah
asked Elisha not to accompany him is
not certain. But be may have desired
10 be alone in that supreme moment.
III. Elisha's High Request.-Vs. Clio.
8. "Tarry, / pray thee. here" They
were at Jericho. and Elijah was on the
way to the fords of the Jordan. where
he could cross over into his native coun-
try.
:. The sons of the prophets" That
IS, the young men attending the theo-
logical seminaries first organized by
Samuel for the preparation of religious
teachers for the people.
s. And Elijah took his mantle:" The
cloak, that outward sign Of the proph-
cts Office became the vehicle of the
Spirits power. And wrapped it to-
gether:" Rolled it up like a rod, for
convenience in handling. "Smote the
waters:" AS Moses 'smote" the River
Nile (EX. 1900. Aaron the dust zen.
SID and Moses the rock Mum 20:I)
strongly, as one smites an enemy.
9. On the farther shore Elijah said
unto Elisha, Ask what / shall do for
thee before be taken away from thee"
What is your last request, the one SUI
preme thing you desire me to do? Let
a double portion of thy spirit be upon
me-" Not twice as much as Elijah had,
but the portion of the eldest son (Deut.
21:10. The eldest son was the sue
cessor of his father, the head of the
household. Elisha's request was that
he might be fitted to be Eliiah's sue
cessor.
10. Thou hast asked hard thing"
It was hard because the granting of
this request was not in Elijah's gift, and
he knew not yet if God meant 10 bestow
it; yet be would seek it with the feryent
prayer Jas. 5:16, ~ that brought
abundant showers from Heaven q
Kings 1s:42-45). IF thou see me when
l am taken from thee" IF thou see
me-" But how could he see him if he
did not watch? All. that is the whole
doctrine. Look. expect. watch: keep
your eyes open, fixed, intense-look as
if you wanted the blessing, and you will
get it.-Parller.
". EGjab's Triumph Over Death
Us. II, y. II. They stiu went on. and
talked" So did the two disciples on the
way to Emmaus talk together. There
appeared a chariot OF fire, and horses of
fire." Il was tie angelic convoy sent
to attend the prophet in his ascent to
the mansion prepared for him above.
Comp. Kings GID. The emblem is
military one. They are deputed from
the array of the skies to escort to his
Hea' emily home in triumph, one who
had fought the battles Of the Lord val
iantly and wei, and who is himself fifty
called by Elisha, the "chariots of Israel
and the horseman ereof"-Prof. VIII
liam II. Green. And Elijah went up by
a whirlwind." The earthly means of
carrying up his body, before the trans
formation to the spiritual body of
Heaven q Cor. 15:42-49).
IL. 'The chariot Of Israel, and the
horseman thereof" BY the words my
father, my father" Elisha expresses
what the departing one was for himself;
and by the words, ''the chariot Of Israel,
and the horseman thereof" what he
was for the whole nation.
Y. The Legacy Of Elijah.-vs 1915.
Elisha saw Elijah as he assembled, and
thus he knew that his prayer was grant
ed.
10. lie took up also the mantle of
EHjab:" AS his successor, and pro-
ceeded to use it as Elijah had done. 1t
was test and proof whether he had
actually received the promised gift.
IA. Where is the Lord God Of Eli
iah?" It was a prayer to see if God had
given what Elijah had promised. How