2Ki 2:18 | KingComments | STEP | There was a great contrast between Elisha and the student prophets from Jericho, who in everything that had happened, had remained at a distance and therefore had not been eyewitnesses to Elijah’s ascension ( ). The student prophets, both in Bethel and in Jericho ( ), were well informed about the impending event –perhaps by a prophetic revelation of which Elisha had also been informed. However, they did not see with illuminated eyes, like Elisha, how Elijah was triumphantly caught up to heaven. Only Elisha had had his eyes opened for the rapture of Elijah. However, the student prophets saw something else. They noticed a change in Elisha as a result of what he had seen. The ascension of Elijah radiated, as it were, from him. Such a testimony will also radiate from us when people see in us the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. They will be reminded of Him through our actions ( ). This Spirit did not rest on the student prophets of Jericho. They also did not see Elijah go to heaven. Christians who have no knowledge of a glorified Lord cannot show much of His Spirit, that Spirit Who bears witness of Him. The student prophets felt that Elisha, so to speak, was spiritually above them. But they didn’t get any further. They did not ask why it was that the spirit of Elijah rested on him, and even less, desired to receive the same Spirit. Instead they did as Obadiah did before Elijah and bowed down before him ( ). They also reasoned exactly like Obadiah, who was afraid that the Spirit of LORD would suddenly move Elijah to another environment ( ). They believed that the Spirit may have taken Elijah “up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley”. When they asked to search for Elijah, they showed that their horizon was limited to the earth. They did not take into account a real taking up to heaven. In the same way there are people in our day who are characterized on the one hand by religious confusion, and on the other hand by open idolatry. There are many well-intentioned confessors, who belong to the “prophets of the LORD” ( ), but still think of earthly things. Unfortunately, they have – at least in the practice of Christian life – no eye for a heavenly Christ ( ; ). Elisha answered the question of the student prophets with a clear ‘no’. Because they wanted to search anyway, he finally agrees. Their search showed that they had not understood the truth of Elijah’s ascension. The action by fifty men of the student prophets of Jericho was both superfluous and in vain. Elijah was not found, just as Enoch in his days “was not found because God took him up” ( ). It is possible that after Enoch’s ascension, a futile search for him was organized; the words ‘he was not found’ may indicate this. When they returned without any result, Elisha gently pointed out their unbelief to them.

‏ 2 Kings 2:18

The Sons of the Prophets

There was a great contrast between Elisha and the student prophets from Jericho, who in everything that had happened, had remained at a distance and therefore had not been eyewitnesses to Elijah’s ascension (2Kgs 2:7 ; 15). The student prophets, both in Bethel and in Jericho (2Kgs 2:3 ; 5), were well informed about the impending event –perhaps by a prophetic revelation of which Elisha had also been informed. However, they did not see with illuminated eyes, like Elisha, how Elijah was triumphantly caught up to heaven. Only Elisha had had his eyes opened for the rapture of Elijah.

However, the student prophets saw something else. They noticed a change in Elisha as a result of what he had seen. The ascension of Elijah radiated, as it were, from him. Such a testimony will also radiate from us when people see in us the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. They will be reminded of Him through our actions (Acts 4:13). This Spirit did not rest on the student prophets of Jericho. They also did not see Elijah go to heaven. Christians who have no knowledge of a glorified Lord cannot show much of His Spirit, that Spirit Who bears witness of Him.

The student prophets felt that Elisha, so to speak, was spiritually above them. But they didn’t get any further. They did not ask why it was that the spirit of Elijah rested on him, and even less, desired to receive the same Spirit. Instead they did as Obadiah did before Elijah and bowed down before him (1Kgs 18:7). They also reasoned exactly like Obadiah, who was afraid that the Spirit of LORD would suddenly move Elijah to another environment (1Kgs 18:12). They believed that the Spirit may have taken Elijah “up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley”.

When they asked to search for Elijah, they showed that their horizon was limited to the earth. They did not take into account a real taking up to heaven. In the same way there are people in our day who are characterized on the one hand by religious confusion, and on the other hand by open idolatry. There are many well-intentioned confessors, who belong to the “prophets of the LORD” (1Kgs 18:13), but still think of earthly things. Unfortunately, they have – at least in the practice of Christian life – no eye for a heavenly Christ (Phil 3:19-20; Col 3:1-4).

Elisha answered the question of the student prophets with a clear ‘no’. Because they wanted to search anyway, he finally agrees. Their search showed that they had not understood the truth of Elijah’s ascension. The action by fifty men of the student prophets of Jericho was both superfluous and in vain. Elijah was not found, just as Enoch in his days “was not found because God took him up” (Heb 11:5). It is possible that after Enoch’s ascension, a futile search for him was organized; the words ‘he was not found’ may indicate this. When they returned without any result, Elisha gently pointed out their unbelief to them.