Call of Elisha
147
not to perish in discouragement and solitude. Not for him the descent
into the tomb, but the ascent with God’s angels to the presence of His
glory.
“And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot
of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he
took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up
also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood
by the bank of Jordan; and he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from
him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah?
and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither:
and Elisha went over. And when the sons of the prophets which were
to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The Spirit of Elijah doth rest
on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the
ground before him.”
2 Kings 2:12-15
.
When the Lord in His providence sees fit to remove from His work
those to whom He has given wisdom, He helps and strengthens their
successors, if they will look to Him for aid and will walk in His ways.
They may be even wiser than their predecessors; for they may profit
by their experience and learn wisdom from their mistakes.
Henceforth Elisha stood in Elijah’s place. He who had been faithful
in that which was least was to prove himself faithful also in much.
[229]