Elijah And Elisha—Final Journey

"And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal…" (2 Kings 2:1)

In the very last book of the Old Testament, in fact the very last two verses of the Old Testament, we have a prophecy which reads: ‑

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5,6 KJV)

Elijah’s literal life seems to have been directed by God so that its details typified or prefigured certain future events.

John the Baptist was declared to be similar to Elijah in some respects: ‑
"And if you are willing to receive it, he [John] is Elijah who is to come." (Matthew 11:14; see also Luke 1:17)
Jesus also implies that he [in his flesh] was similar to Elijah in some respects: ‑
"Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise, the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist." (Matt.17:11‑13)
Scripture also implies that the church in the flesh is similar to Elijah in some respects. The drought in Elijah’s life was 3½ literal years [1260 days]; the church in the flesh was 3½ symbolic years [a day for a year‑1,260 literal years] in the wilderness condition, during which there was a spiritual famine because of the lack of truth—the living water—Compare Revelation 12:6&11:3.

We will not elaborate further on these points, which would take another article, but this current article will consider some thoughts about Elijah’s "final journey," and what the significance of that may be.

All of Elijah’s life, from the no rain pronouncement (1 Kings 17:1) to the "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12), seems to be a sequential picture, or type, of the church’s experiences in the flesh. After Jezebel’s threats Elijah fled to Mt. Horeb, "the mountain of God." (Exod.3:1) Here he had the experience with the wind, earthquake, fire and "still small voice." Arriving at Mt. Horeb, and experiencing the wind, seems to be the chronological equivalent of the great World War of the last century. It seems reasonable that the consecutive narrative of Elijah’s life [as a type of the church in the flesh] ends with 1 Kings 19:12 or so. After the 3½ years drought, the contest with Baal vs. Jehovah, the heavy rain, the fleeing into the desert and the mountain, and then the wind, earthquake, fire, and "still small voice"—this seems to bring the picture, or type, to an end in the Kingdom.

The succeeding stories of Elijah, such as selecting Elisha; Naboth’s vineyard and fire from heaven destroying the 50s of men are each essentially complete in themselves, and need to be interpreted in their own time frame and will not be considered here.

The same seems to be true with 2 Kings 2 and the various stopping places of our text. These places are not dates, but conditions or stages of the church’s journey, somewhat similar to the seven stages of the church as portrayed in Rev.2&3.

The view presented here in 2 Kings 2 is that the "final journey" pictures the Church Age (Gospel age)—beginning to end. Elisha and Elijah were together all the way. All during this time, in antitype, the Christian believers [variously represented by Elijah, Elisha, sons of the prophets] were expecting the soon return of Jesus and the completion of the faithful church, i.e., the "taking" of Elijah. So, the "day" when Elijah was expected to be taken has actually been about 2,000 years long (although none knew that ahead of time), and is still ongoing.

Gilgal, where the Tabernacle was briefly located, may represent the early church in its purity, from 33 A.D., through the apostles, and through the lifetime of those who knew the apostles. This is where the Israelites camped immediately after crossing Jordan. It may be that this Gilgal near Jericho is not the same as the Gilgal of Elijah and Elisha—[some question this.]
Bethel, the Tabernacle was also briefly here, but later it became a centre of gold‑calf worship. It may represent the rise of the Nicolaitan spirit in the church, (Rev.2:15) and then Christianity becoming the official religion of the Roman Empire. At this time, and onwards, things began to go very bad in respect to the beliefs and arrangements of true Christianity.
Jericho where after capturing the city, Joshua [Jesus in the Greek] put a curse on and may represent false Christianity i.e. churchianity in its prime during the Dark Ages. This is the time of the man of lawlessness, the antichrist, etc.
Jordan. The impact of the Second Advent movement [William Miller and forward], while considerable among certain religious elements, was very little among denominational "religion" as such, and none among the worldly. There was only one time in history where hard truth [rolled‑up mantle; 2 Kings 2:8] struck and divided the people, both religious and political. This was the great Reformation of the 16th century–Justification by faith. Scripture only!
Elijah and Elisha walked on for a time [some 500 years now]. At some point yet future, the fiery horses and chariot will separate the two, and Elijah will be "taken."

You will notice, this follows the Rev.12 sequence—a pure virgin woman; then pregnant, crying with pain and delivering a child; this child then becomes the grown‑up Man of Lawlessness and dominates for a long time.

Once Elijah [the true church] is "taken," who will be the Lord’s earthly representative? It would seem that the type changes, and Elisha [from this time forward] typifies the Ancient Worthies. They will have Elijah’s mantle of authority; they will have an extra measure of the holy spirit. So, once the true church is gone, the Elijah type, or picture, ends, and the scene now shifts to Elisha [the Ancient Worthies], whose first work is smiting the Jordan this second time.

What is the significance when Elisha strikes the water (2 Kings 2:14), which once again divides, and he crosses over? This is a future event, so we should not be too positive about the details. But this crisis point in time may also involve some remaining Christian believers with various degrees of character development and sincerity, and Jewish people, now converted to Messiah. (Zechariah 12:10‑14).

From that time of Elijah being "taken," re‑crossing Jordan, and onward, Elisha may well represent the Ancient Worthies in the ongoing Kingdom arrangements.

The actual striking of the water the second time would be similar to the first time, but even more profound. This message, it seems, will be the announcement that the "kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ (Messiah)" (Rev.11:15 NKJV Footnote).

This will be the second time in history where hard truth [rolled‑up mantle] strikes and divides the people, both religious and political.

Perhaps the hard truth will sound something like these Scriptures:‑

"The LORD also will roar from Zion,
And utter His voice from Jerusalem;
The heavens and earth will shake;
But the LORD will be a shelter for His people,
And the strength of the children of Israel." (Joel 3:16)

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10)

"Therefore, prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:
‘The LORD will roar from on high,
And utter His voice from His holy habitation;
He will roar mightily against His fold.
He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
A noise will come to the ends of the earth—
For the LORD has a controversy with the nations;
He will plead His case with all flesh.
He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’
says the LORD." (Jeremiah 25:30‑31)

"For behold, the LORD will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword the LORD will judge all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many." (Isaiah 66:15‑16)

"Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury—A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly." (Jer.23:19‑20)

"Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:39)

Thus, there is no "smiting the Jordan" message for the Christians of the present time. The first smiting is centuries past; the second smiting (by Elisha) is yet future and will be after Elijah is "taken."

Such reflections about the future, contrasted with the privileges of the present, should stimulate every consecrated child of God to make diligent use of the present grand opportunities and privileges of this "narrow way."

Final Thought

"Afterward I will return and restore the fallen kingdom of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles—all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken—He who made these things known so long ago." (Acts 15:16‑18 NLT margin)