2 Kings 2:1
Shortly before the LORD took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal,
Now when the LORD
The phrase begins with a sense of immediacy and divine intervention. The Hebrew word for "LORD" here is "YHWH," the sacred name of God, emphasizing His sovereignty and active role in the events of history. This introduction sets the stage for a significant divine act, reminding us of God's direct involvement in the lives of His prophets and His ultimate authority over life and death.

was about to take
This phrase indicates a future action that is imminent. The Hebrew root "laqach" means to take, seize, or carry away, suggesting a deliberate and purposeful action by God. It highlights the certainty of God's plans and His ability to execute them according to His divine will. This serves as a reminder of God's control over the destinies of His servants.

Elijah up to heaven
Elijah, one of the most prominent prophets in Israel, is about to experience a unique transition. The phrase "up to heaven" signifies not just a physical relocation but a spiritual elevation. Elijah's ascension prefigures the ascension of Christ and offers a glimpse of the eternal hope for believers. It underscores the belief in life beyond this earthly existence and God's power to transcend natural laws.

in a whirlwind
The Hebrew word "searah" refers to a storm or tempest, often associated with God's presence and power. This dramatic mode of Elijah's departure signifies the divine nature of the event. Whirlwinds in scripture often symbolize God's judgment or presence, as seen in Job and the Psalms. Here, it emphasizes the majesty and mystery of God's ways, which are beyond human comprehension.

Elijah and Elisha
The mention of both prophets highlights the transition of prophetic leadership. Elijah, the seasoned prophet, and Elisha, his successor, represent the continuity of God's work through His chosen servants. This relationship is a model of mentorship and discipleship, illustrating the importance of passing on spiritual wisdom and responsibility to the next generation.

were on their way
This phrase suggests movement and purpose. The journey motif is common in scripture, symbolizing spiritual progress and the unfolding of God's plan. It reminds believers that life is a journey of faith, guided by God's hand, and that each step is significant in His divine purpose.

from Gilgal
Gilgal holds historical and spiritual significance as a place of beginnings and consecration. It was the first campsite of the Israelites after crossing the Jordan River, symbolizing a new chapter in their journey. Mentioning Gilgal here may imply a new beginning for Elisha as he steps into his prophetic role. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness in past transitions and His presence in new ventures.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Elijah
A major prophet in Israel, known for his powerful ministry and miracles. He is about to be taken up to heaven, signifying the end of his earthly ministry.

2. Elisha
The successor of Elijah, who has been following and learning from him. He is about to witness a significant event that will mark the beginning of his own prophetic ministry.

3. The LORD
The covenant God of Israel, who orchestrates the events and demonstrates His power and sovereignty by taking Elijah up to heaven.

4. Heaven
The destination to which Elijah is taken, indicating a divine approval and a unique transition from earthly life.

5. Whirlwind
The means by which Elijah is taken up, symbolizing God's power and presence, often associated with divine intervention.

6. Gilgal
A location with historical and spiritual significance in Israel's history, often associated with beginnings and transitions.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty in Transitions
God orchestrates the transitions in our lives, just as He did with Elijah and Elisha. Trust in His timing and purpose.

Mentorship and Discipleship
Elijah and Elisha's relationship exemplifies the importance of mentorship. Seek to be both a mentor and a mentee in your spiritual journey.

Divine Approval and Legacy
Elijah's ascension signifies divine approval. Consider how your life and actions reflect God's approval and what legacy you are leaving.

The Power of God's Presence
The whirlwind represents God's powerful presence. Be aware of and seek God's presence in the midst of life's storms and transitions.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the relationship between Elijah and Elisha challenge you to seek or provide mentorship in your own life?

2. In what ways can you recognize and trust God's sovereignty during times of transition or change?

3. How does Elijah's ascension encourage you to think about your own legacy and the impact of your faith journey?

4. What are some practical ways you can seek God's presence and power in the midst of life's challenges?

5. How do the events in 2 Kings 2:1 connect with the New Testament accounts of Jesus' ascension, and what does this teach us about God's redemptive plan?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 19:19-21
This passage describes Elisha's initial call to follow Elijah, setting the stage for the events in 2 Kings 2:1.

Acts 1:9-11
The ascension of Jesus parallels Elijah's being taken up, both signifying divine approval and transition of ministry.

Hebrews 11:5
Enoch's translation to heaven without seeing death is another example of God's power over life and death.

Matthew 17:1-3
Elijah's appearance at the Transfiguration of Jesus highlights his continued significance in God's redemptive plan.
The Chariot of FireAlexander Maclaren2 Kings 2:1
Preparative to TranslationJ. Orr 2 Kings 2:1-6
Parting VisitsC.H. Irwin 2 Kings 2:1-8
The Departure of Good MenD. Thomas 2 Kings 2:1-14
Elijah TranslatedH. Crosby, D. D.2 Kings 2:1-15
Elijah TranslatedMonday Club Sermons2 Kings 2:1-15
Elisha's Love for ElijahL. A. Banks, D. D.2 Kings 2:1-15
EvensongF. B. Meyer, B. A.2 Kings 2:1-15
Life's EventideF. S. Webster, M. A.2 Kings 2:1-15
The Ascension of ElijahCanon Hutchings, M. A.2 Kings 2:1-15
The Christian a Native of HeavenAlex. Maclaren, D. D.2 Kings 2:1-15
The Departure of Good MenHomilist2 Kings 2:1-15
The Translation of ElijahJ. Parker, D. D.2 Kings 2:1-15
People
Elijah, Elisha
Places
Bethel, Gilgal, Jericho, Jordan River, Mount Carmel, Samaria
Topics
Elijah, Eli'jah, Elisha, Eli'sha, Gilgal, Heaven, Heavens, Pass, Taking, Whirlwind, Wind
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 2:1

     4858   whirlwind

Library
The Translation of Elijah and the Ascension of Christ
'And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.'--2 KINGS ii. 11. 'And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.'--LUKE xxiv. 51. These two events, the translation of Elijah and the Ascension of our Lord, have sometimes been put side by side in order to show that the latter narrative is nothing
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Elijah's Translation and Elisha's Deathbed
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.'--2 KINGS ii. 12. '...And Joash, the King of Israel, came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said. O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof.'--2 KINGS xiii. U. The scenes and the speakers are strangely different in these two incidents. The one scene is that mysterious translation on the further bank of the Jordan, when a mortal was swept up to heaven in a
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Chariot of Fire
'And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. 80 they went down to Beth-el 3, And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Gentleness Succeeding Strength
'He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14. 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. 15. 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
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Preparing to Depart
"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."--2 Kings 2:11. IT seems to me that the departure of Elijah from the world, though of course he did not "die" at all, may furnish us with a very good type of the decease of those saints who, although taken away on a sudden, are not without some previous intimation that in such a manner they will be
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 54: 1908

Whether Hope is a Help or a Hindrance to Action?
Objection 1: It would seem that hope is not a help but a hindrance to action. Because hope implies security. But security begets negligence which hinders action. Therefore hope is a hindrance to action. Objection 2: Further, sorrow hinders action, as stated above ([1361]Q[37], A[3]). But hope sometimes causes sorrow: for it is written (Prov. 13:12): "Hope that is deferred afflicteth the soul." Therefore hope hinders action. Objection 3: Further, despair is contrary to hope, as stated above [1362](A[4]).
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Jericho Itself.
We read, that this city was not only wasted by Joshua with fire and sword, but cursed also. "Cursed be he before the Lord, who shall rise up and build that city Jericho," Joshua 6:26. "Nor was another city to be built (says the Talmudists), which was to be called by the name of Jericho: nor was Jericho itself to be built, although to be called by another name." And yet I know not by what chance this city crept out of dust and rubbish, lived again, and flourished, and became the second city to Jerusalem.
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Consolations against the Fear of Death.
If in the time of thy sickness thou findest thyself fearful to die, meditate-- 1. That it argueth a dastardly mind to fear that which is not; for in the church of Christ there is no death (Isa. xxv. 7, 8), and whosoever liveth and believeth in Christ, shall never die (John xi. 26). Let them fear death who live without Christ. Christians die not; but when they please God, they are like Enoch translated unto God (Gen. v. 24;) their pains are but Elijah's fiery chariot to carry them up to heaven (2
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Country of Jericho, and the Situation of the City.
Here we will borrow Josephus' pencil, "Jericho is seated in a plain, yet a certain barren mountain hangs over it, narrow, indeed, but long; for it runs out northward to the country of Scythopolis,--and southward, to the country of Sodom, and the utmost coast of the Asphaltites." Of this mountain mention is made, Joshua 2:22, where the two spies, sent by Joshua, and received by Rahab, are said to "conceal themselves." "Opposite against this, lies a mountain on the other side Jordan, beginning from
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Baptist's Testimony.
"There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.... John beareth witness of Him, and crieth, saying, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me. For of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Marcus Dods—The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St. John, Vol. I

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Epistle vii. To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius.
To Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius. Gregory to Peter, Domitian, and Elpidius, Bishops [1688] . I rejoice exceedingly that you welcomed with great joy the ordination of the most holy Cyriacus, my brother and fellow-priest. And since we have learnt from the preaching of Paul the apostle that If one member rejoice, all the members rejoice with it (1 Cor. xii. 26), you must needs consider with how great exultation I rejoice with you in this thing, wherein not one member, but many members of Christ have
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Upbringing of Jewish Children
The tenderness of the bond which united Jewish parents to their children appears even in the multiplicity and pictorialness of the expressions by which the various stages of child-life are designated in the Hebrew. Besides such general words as "ben" and "bath"--"son" and "daughter"--we find no fewer than nine different terms, each depicting a fresh stage of life. The first of these simply designates the babe as the newly--"born"--the "jeled," or, in the feminine, "jaldah"--as in Exodus 2:3, 6, 8.
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to Christians to be Holy. By John Bunyan.
Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.'--[Psalm 93:5] London, by B. W., for Benj. Alsop, at the Angel and Bible, in the Poultrey. 1684. THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. This is the most searching treatise that has ever fallen under our notice. It is an invaluable guide to those sincere Christians, who, under a sense of the infinite importance of the salvation of an immortal soul, and of the deceitfulness of their hearts, sigh and cry, "O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

That Upon the Conquest and Slaughter of vitellius Vespasian Hastened his Journey to Rome; but Titus his Son Returned to Jerusalem.
1. And now, when Vespasian had given answers to the embassages, and had disposed of the places of power justly, [25] and according to every one's deserts, he came to Antioch, and consulting which way he had best take, he preferred to go for Rome, rather than to march to Alexandria, because he saw that Alexandria was sure to him already, but that the affairs at Rome were put into disorder by Vitellius; so he sent Mucianus to Italy, and committed a considerable army both of horsemen and footmen to
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

Paul's Departure and Crown;
OR, AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. IV. 6-8 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR How great and glorious is the Christian's ultimate destiny--a kingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? the mansions of the blest--the realms of glory--'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' For whom can so precious an inheritance be intended? How are those treated in this world who are entitled to so glorious, so exalted, so eternal,
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.),
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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