Call of Elisha
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Ahab seized Naboth’s vineyard, it was the voice of Elijah that prophe-
sied his doom and the doom of all his house. And when Ahaziah, after
the death of his father Ahab, turned from the living God to Baal-zebub,
the god of Ekron, it was Elijah’s voice that was heard once more in
earnest protest.
The schools of the prophets, established by Samuel, had fallen into
decay during the years of Israel’s apostasy. Elijah re-established these
schools, making provision for young men to gain an education that
would lead them to magnify the law and make it honorable. Three
of these schools, one at Gilgal, one at Bethel, and one at Jericho, are
mentioned in the record. Just before Elijah was taken to heaven, he and
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Elisha visited these centers of training. The lessons that the prophet of
God had given them on former visits, he now repeated. Especially did
he instruct them concerning their high privilege of loyally maintaining
their allegiance to the God of heaven. He also impressed upon their
minds the importance of letting simplicity mark every feature of their
education. Only in this way could they receive the mold of heaven and
go forth to work in the ways of the Lord.
The heart of Elijah was cheered as he saw what was being accom-
plished by means of these schools. The work of reformation was not
complete, but he could see throughout the kingdom a verification of
the word of the Lord, “Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all
the knees which have not bowed unto Baal.”
1 Kings 19:18
.
As Elisha accompanied the prophet on his round of service from
school to school, his faith and resolution were once more tested. At
Gilgal, and again at Bethel and Jericho, he was invited by the prophet
to turn back. “Tarry here, I pray thee,” Elijah said; “for the Lord hath
sent me to Bethel.” But in his early labor of guiding the plow, Elisha
had learned not to fail or to become discouraged, and now that he
had set his hand to the plow in another line of duty he would not be
diverted from his purpose. He would not be parted from his master,
so long as opportunity remained for gaining a further fitting up for
service. Unknown to Elijah, the revelation that he was to be translated
had been made known to his disciples in the schools of the prophets,
and in particular to Elisha. And now the tried servant of the man of
God kept close beside him. As often as the invitation to turn back was
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given, his answer was, “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I
will not leave thee.”