Looking Back
2 Kings 2:1-14
June 27, 2010
A while back William Manchester wrote a book about the Middle Ages entitled astonishingly, A World Lit Only By Fire. In this world where light, artificial and otherwise, saturates the sky so that we seldom see a fraction of the stars in the heavens, to realize that before a few centuries ago fire was all that separated light from darkness, is obvious, but nonetheless barely imaginable to us.
Fire consumes and destroys, yet also purifies. There are many Biblical references to fire besides the requisite calling down fire from the heavens to consume your enemies, yet three stand out.
When Moses first encountered God it was through a burning bush that did not burn up, which identified itself to Moses as “I Am That I Am.” On the day of Pentecost, the still intimidated disciples were huddled in a Jerusalem upper room when a strong wind entered the building and tongues of flame descended upon the apostles, giving them the gift of the Spirit to speak in foreign languages. Then Elijah, the greatest of Old Testament prophets, was taken up into heaven without dying on a chariot of fire. Fire in each case is the ultimate vehicle of holiness, though one can’t touch the flame.
The Elijah story may not be as important for the overall Judeo-Christian faith as the Burning Bush and the Tongues of Pentecost, but it makes for spectacular art and movies. Perhaps only with the special effects of modern cinema an authentic depiction of the chariot of fire can be made. But as with much of Biblical imagery of divine events, it simply is not possible to illustrate accurately a chariot of fire or a burning bush. These are inadequate words being offered to point us in the direction, not to give us the precise dimensions of a particular chariot or bush.
Yet, like so many of our Sunday School portraits, we have focused on something physical that is not really the point of the story. It’s not about the chariot, but about the completion of Elijah’s ministry and the handover of his calling to his successor Elisha - the transition of leadership and mission from one era to the next.
What is odd from our perspective as readers is that everybody seemed to know that this was the end or rather the culmination of Elijah, except for Elijah and Elisha. God is never caught telling Elijah what’s going on, but he seems to get the drift, especially since everybody else seems to know. It’s a farewell tour as Elijah and Elisha take the long way round passing through the other major worship centers of Israel - Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho - paying one last visit with the select group of prophets who had supported him.
As required for Israelite story-telling, everything is repeated three times - the ancient method to ascertain that you really mean it, that you’ve really understood the message. Elijah tells Elisha that he doesn’t need to accompany him any further, just stay here as he continues on to Bethel and Jericho and beyond the Jordan, but Elisha responds adamantly and correctly, “As the Lord lives and you live, I will not leave you.”
Then in each location, the guild of prophets seeks out Elisha, pulls him aside and says, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master from over you?” “Yes, I know it,” Elisha answers, “hold your peace.” How they knew what was going to happen, God only knows. What they knew was that this was a very special, unique day overwhelmed by the presence of God. A holy day, a day to remember, a day when things change for good.
When the dynamic duo arrived at the Jordan River, it’s time to stop everything for a moment. This is not a Hollywood special effect spectacle, or a cartoon of superheroes about to embark on their latest adventure. This is about how a people, a congregation of believers, pass from one generation to the next, how leadership and direction shifts, and how we react to it all. Granted, this is a dramatic and colourful way to depict this crossover from one age to the next, but after all the Bible seldom describes matters blandly.
The Jordan River is not spectacular as rivers flow, but amazing things always happen there. The last group of prophets, 50 in all, follows them to the river, standing off a ways and watching. Not every day you have the opportunity to watch a sea change of charisma and authority. This is virtually a worship service. Elijah takes off his coat, rolls it up and smacks the water, and the River parts so that the two of them are able to walk across. Beyond the Jordan now, the metaphor used in so many prayers and hymns, Elijah turns to his disciple who has proved his faithful perseverance, and asks, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.”
No more being subtle, yet Elijah is sincere in wanting to keep that unutterable vibrant relationship going between God and his prophet. I am not sure that Elijah was particularly excited about leaving, but he accepted that it was time to go and that God had something planned ahead. He did not select Elisha as his successor - God had directed Elijah to him a while ago. Elisha wants a double portion of his spirit, a rather cheeky demand, yet it was the traditional portion that the eldest son would receive from his father. Elisha saw Elijah as his spiritual father, in many ways much closer and more important than his own biological father.
Elijah could not agree to this request because it was not his to give - only God could. But he sensed that what was about to happen would require a special vision and mind and spirit to comprehend. If Elisha could “see” it taking place, then yes, God had him in mind to keep the ministry going. That is precisely our situation today as this church is moving mostly against its will into a new era and generation and situation. The church is no longer what it was when we became first involved, the world is somewhat different too. The church, this church, does not depend on what we prefer, but where God is taking us. It is never obvious, of course, for it takes a special vision to see the chariot of fire, to comprehend what is really happening and where we really should be going.
As mentor and student were talking, the chariot and horses of fire were suddenly there separating them, and Elijah went up in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha saw it and then he saw his “father” no more, a moment too holy, too utterly outside of our humanness to express. Elijah left behind, however, his whole mantle or coat in one piece. Picking it up, he walked back to the Jordan, whacked the river’s surface just as Elijah had done and again the Jordan parted for Elisha to walk across. Remember, those fifty prophets were still standing there watching all of this, and while they did not see the chariot of fire, they watched Elisha part the waters, confirming his authority as God’s prophet. You see, this moving from one generation, one era, one vision to the next is not about choosing the right leader, but in a consensus and participation in the way God is leading us. If they did not accept Elisha, we may never have heard about him. But just as likely is that those fifty prophets would not have listened to what God was going to say to them.
It almost worked out that way. In the verses following the lectionary reading, the fifty recognize Elisha’s legitimacy, but just cannot accept that Elijah is really gone - perhaps the Spirit of God dumped him on a mountain or in a valley and he needs our help. They want to send out a search party for Elijah, but Elisha tells them that it’s useless. Finally, they wear him down and relenting he gives them permission. They are gone for three days and come back empty-handed. Elisha could only reply, “Told you so!” The other prophets preferred the way it used to be with Elijah, so they were willing to keep looking for someone who was just no longer there, for a way of life that had vanished God knows where, and God isn’t telling, because God is trying to tell us something new. That’s what God is always doing, telling us something new - if only we can hear the whirlwind and see the chariot.
Preached by Robert Kitchen
Knox-Metropolitan United Church
Regina, Saskatchewan