Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-04
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON
For Feb. S. II Kings Ellis.
BY DIR. MARION NH. HULL

IIlijah's ministry ended during the
reign Of Jehoram, the grandson of
| Ahab. Another Jehoram, the son Of
Jehosphaphat, was king of Judah
! at the same time. Both were eX-
| ceedingly wicked kings, and God, in
His mercy, removed Elijah out of
their midst. Jezebel was still living,
and as she was the grandmother of
both Jehorams, she probably was
stirring them up to do evil in the
sight Of Jehoval, as she had influ-
enced Ahab.
Elijah had prayed that he might
die; but instead of answering that
prayer as he asked it, God answer
ed it by giving him at least ten
years more of service, a loyal friend
and companion in Elisha, and there
took him to heaven in a whirlwind
without letting death have him at
all. Neither Jezebel's threats nor
Elijah's ill-advised prayers could
overcome Gods plan. Elijah was
invulnerable and immortal until his
work was done. And elijah was
man Of like passions with our
selves"
The time having now come when
God would take up Elijah into
heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went
with Elisha from Gilgal. One Gill
gal was in Ephraim north of Jeru-
salem; another was in BENZ min just
west Of the Jordan river and east
of Jericho. 1t is practically certain
| that the former one is meant here.
Both the older man and the younger
! one had some revelation that the end
of Elijah's ministry was at hand;
/ but neither knew just how or when.
| AS they were leaving Gilgal Elijah
| said to Elisha, "Tarry here, / pray
| thee; for Jehovah hath sent me to
i Bethel"
Elijah may have had one or all of
| three reasons for this-he may have
! wanted to be alone under the cir
| cumstances; or he may have wanted
| to test Elisha's faithfulness and 10y
| atty; or he may have wanted to
spare Elisha the pain of separation.
| The first would have been quite nat
! ural In times of deepest depend
| enCe, the soul Graves the solitude of
| God; any voice, even though it be
/ that of nearest and dearest, is a dis
cordant sound. The third reason
would also have been very natural.
! Elijah loved Elisha. and no doubt
would have spared him any pain pos
sible. There is nothing to give us
! any reason for supposing that Eli
| Jah knew how he was to be taken. If
he had known his love would have
desired that Elisha might see the
; glory of God as he was being trans
/ lated.
! The second one seems, therefore,
| to be the most reasonable one. He
wanted to test his loyalty and de-
VOtion; if he was to be the successor,
| Elijah wanted to be sure Elisha had
the qualities that were necessary in
! those trying times.
Elisha measures up-at Gilgal, at
Bethel, at Jericho. He answers, LAS
Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul
| liveth, I will not leave thee" Fur
thermore, he resented the interior.
ence of the sons of the prophets who
seemed to be quitting in" And
when they came to the Jordan. fifty
of the theologues stood to view afar
off, but Elisha went on with Eli
jah.
On the other side of Jordan he
was ready with his answer when Eli
jah finally asked him what he
wanted before he left him. He
craved a spiritual inheritance. The
double portion was the oldest sons
part, the evidence that he was tt
take sthe fathers place, while the
younger sons only had what would
cCme to them from the estate. Eli
sha Craved the spiritual heritage OF
being Gods man in the nation. True
he did twice as many miracles as
Elijah had done; he also led the pa
ton nearer to God; but every true
| CrIt IT,, h;
| father has gone. He has his ia
theirs work as his foundation al
ready laid.
Elijah answered it was a hare
thing he had asked-not hard fol-
Elijah or, for God, but hard fer Eli
sha; but he should have it if he
stuck it out. And Elisha had the
grit to stick it out. LAS they still
went on, and talked, behold! a char
lot of fire and horses of fire, anC
parted them both asunder-and Eli
jah went up by whirlwind into
heaven"
What were they talking about
What was the chariot and horses OF
| fire? That conversation must have
been about Jehovah, the God of Is
rael. No other theme could have oc
Cupied their minds at such a time
Do you ever talk with your friend
about God, His marvellous grace, His
holiness, His fathcmless love, His
omnipotenCe, His omnipresence
therefore His nearness? Spend a bi
of time occasionally just thinking
about Him: then talk about Hin
with your friend. 1t was as they
were talking about Him that he was
manifested; to Elisha His glory tool
the form of a chariot of fire-tht
symbol of strength and power. Only
God could have parted Elisha from
Elijah. 1t was the Shekinah glory
!, and then by a whirlwind Elijah
was swept up into heaven mot il
the chariot of fire, note).
AS he disappeared Elisha CRIED
out, my father, my father, the char
lots of Israel and the horsemer
thereof" Elisha felt that the very
strength CT Israel was gone wher
Elijah left. He was the backbone OF
the nation-what would Israel dc
now that Elijah had been taker
| away?
No wonder Elisha felt that way
but while God takes His workers
His work gees on. For Elijah's
mantle fell on Elisha; with it the
waters of the Jordan were again di
vided; and God was still present with
His people, using another instru
ment.
No doubt Jezebel hooted at the
idea CT Elisha's translation. Ever
the men in the Jericho Theological
! seminary did NOT believe in if 9OC