By Gobel Brockman
In the second chapter of II Kings we read the story of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. They embarked on a journey together as Elijah was about to be taken to Heaven in a whirlwind. Their journey began at Gilgal and ended at the Jordan River, where Elijah was taken to Heaven and Elisha received a double portion of his spirit. Three times on this journey Elisha was challenged to "stay put" while Elijah continued on. I believe there are parallels to the temptations we can face in our journey of faith.
1) "Stay in Gilgal while I go to Bethel."
Gilgal means "rolled away." It was symbolic of the place where God "rolled away" the reproach of Egypt off of Israel. (Joshua chapter 5) For us it can represent our acceptance of Christ as Savior. Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here in Gilgal while I go to Bethel." (Bethel means "house of God.") We face that temptation today: "You don't need to go to church (Bethel) - you prayed a prayer and received Jesus as your Savior, that's good enough." But just as Elisha refused to settle in Gilgal, we can't settle for a one-time prayer. We need to make the house of God - the place where God dwells - a destination that we refuse to be diverted from.
2) "Stay in Bethel while I go to Jericho."
Elijah then said, "Stay here in Bethel, for God has sent me to Jericho." A variant of the Hebrew word Jericho means "to blow or breathe." When Jesus appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, at one point the Bible says that "Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Ghost." (John 20:22) After they were filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, they began, as their opponents said, to "turn the world upside down." Here comes the temptation to settle again: "OK, go ahead and go to church (Bethel) if you think you have to, but you don't have to turn into some kind of Spirit-filled 'zealot' who's always talking about Jesus." (Jericho) But just as Elisha realized that he would never receive what he wanted unless he continued pressing in, neither will we. I want to "keep going to Jericho." I want all of the Holy Spirit that I can receive. I want to be filled and refilled. Someone was once asked why he always prayed to be refilled with the Holy Spirit. He replied, "Because I leak!"
3) "Stay in Jericho while I go to the Jordan."
Once again, Elijah said "Stay here." And once again, Elisha said "No." When they arrived at the Jordan River, the Bible says that Elijah took his mantle and smote the river, and it parted so that they could go across on dry ground. Elijah then asked Elisha what he would like to receive before Elijah was taken away. Elisha responded that he wanted "a double portion of your spirit on me." Elijah told him that if he saw him taken to Heaven, he would receive it - and he did. It has been said that Elisha is recorded in the Bible to have performed twice as many miracles as Elijah did.
It was at "the river" that Elisha was rewarded for refusing to settle for where he was and continuing with Elijah, and it was there that he received the blessing of "the double portion." Today, you and I as Christians are constantly tempted to either give up on our faith entirely, or at least become so weary - or so complacent - that we become willing to stay where we are instead of pressing in to the best that God has for us. But I want to follow Elisha's example and stay faithful on the journey to "the river" and receive every bit of His Spirit that I can. I've received much from the Lord over the years, but there's so much more that He has to give. I'm thankful for the Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho experiences in my life, but I don't want to settle there. Call me greedy, but I want all that I can get.
See you at the river.
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