The Call of Elisha

Faith in an Age of Unbelief: Elijah and Elisha PART IV
Rev. Ed Sirya
26 July 2015

1Kings 19:15-21; 2Kings 2:9-15
19:15The Lord said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus.  When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.  16Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.  17Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.  18Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."

The Call of Elisha
19So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat.  He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair.  Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.  20Elsiha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah.  "Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye," he said, "and then I will come to you."

"Go back," Elijah replied.  "What have I done to you?"

21So Elisha left him and went back.  He took is yoke of oxen and slaughtered them.  He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate.  Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

2:9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?"

"Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.

10"You have asked a difficult think," Elijah said, "yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours--otherwise, it will not."

11As they were walking and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.  12Elisha saw this and cried out, "My father!  My father!  The chariots and horsemen of Israel!" And Elisha saw him no more.  Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

13Elisha then picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.  14He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it.  "Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" he asked.  When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

15The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, "The spirit of Elijah is resting of Elisha."  And they went to meet ham and bowed to the ground before him.

NEED FOR CALLING
--So many choices in our world.
--So much to live with, so what do we live for?
--Amount of success never leads to significance.

REALITY OF CALLING
--Elisha was from a rich family.
--Elijah gives him his cloak.
--Find something so valuable in God that we risk everything.
--Our primary calling is to be new people in Jesus Christ--sacrifice and centered on God.