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Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Wiersbe - We never know when a friend and fellow worker will be taken from us. God told Elisha that Elijah was leaving him, but we don’t know when it is our time or a friend’s time to go to heaven. What great opportunities we miss by wasting time on trifles when we could be learning from each other about the Lord and His Word! It rejoices my heart when I see younger Christians and Christian workers appreciating the “senior saints,” the veterans of Christian service, and learning from them. One day, these “giants” will be called home and we’ll no longer be able to learn from them. These two men represented different generations and opposite personalities, yet they were able to walk together. What a rebuke this is to those in the church who label the generations and separate them from each other. I heard one youthful pastor say that he didn’t want anybody in his church over the age of forty, and I wondered where he would get the wise counsel that usually comes with maturity. I thank God for the “Elijahs” in my life who were patient with me and took time to instruct me. Now I’m trying to share that same blessing with others. (Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament ) G Campbell
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Wiersbe: Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, and the Jordan River were important places in Hebrew history, each of them carrying a significant message (ED: WIERSBE SEEMS TO BE IDENTIFYING GILGAL WITH THE ONE NEXT TO JERICHO WHICH IS NOT THE GILGAL IN THIS CHAPTER). Before he left the land and went to heaven, Elijah wanted to visit these sites one last time and take Elisha with him. Our eternal God doesn’t reside in special places, but we who are creatures of time and history need these visible reminders to help us remember and better understand what God has done for his people. The past is not an anchor to hold us back but a rudder to guide us, and the Lord can use these “tangible memories” to strengthen our faith. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Bob
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Wiersbe has a similar comparison of Moses and Elijah - Both opened bodies of water, Moses the Red Sea (Ex. 14:16, 21, 26) and Elijah the Jordan River. Both called down fire from heaven (Ex. 9:24; Lev. 9:24; Num. 11:1 and 16:35), Both men saw the Lord provide food, Moses the manna (Ex. 16) and quails (Num. 11), and Elijah the oil and flour for the widow, plus his own meals (1 Kings 17:1–16). In the land of Egypt, Moses prayed and God altered the weather, and Elijah prayed and God stopped the rain and then three years later started the rain again. Moses gave the law to the people of Israel and Elijah called them to repent and return to the true and living God. Both were associated with mountains (Sinai and Carmel), and both made journeys through the wilderness. Both men had unique endings to their lives: God buried Moses in a grave nobody can find, and God carried Elijah to heaven by a whirlwind. Both Moses and Elijah were privileged to be present with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:4; Mark 9:5; Luke 9:33). (Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament ) 2 Kings 2:13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan. the mantle of Elijah: 2Ki 2:8 1Ki 19:19 bank: Heb. lip, 1Ki 9:26 TEARING THE OLD ELISHA TAKING UP THE NEW He also took up the mantle (addereth; Lxx - melote - sheepskin) of Elijah that fell from him - What a fascinating detail. The two men were separated by the fiery chariot and horses, but the mantle just "happened to fall off" (God's providence) of Elijah and was now taken up by the new prophet. Elijah's mantle was clearly the outward symbol of Elisha taking over Elijah's prophetic office. Warren Wiersbe observes that "in taking up Elijah’s mantle, Elisha was making clear that he accepted the responsibilities involved as he succeeded the great prophet and continued his work. By using the mantle to open the waters of the Jordan, he was declaring that his faith was not in the departed prophet but in the ever-present living God." (Bible Exposition Commentary) And returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan - It is interesting and surely not a coincidence that this entire transfer of power has occurred at the Jordan River, the place in which the children of Israel had first entered into the promised land. Warren Wiersbe - Elijah is a good model for believers to imitate when it comes to the inevitability of one day leaving this earth, either through death or the rapture of the church. He didn’t sit around and do nothing, but instead visited three of the prophetic schools and no doubt ministered to the students. He didn’t say to his successor “I’m going to leave you” and thus dwell on the negative, but said “I’m going to Bethel—to Jericho—to the Jordan” and kept busy until the very moment the Lord called him. Even more, he didn’t ask his successor to give him anything, because we can’t take anything in our hands from earth to heaven (1 Tim. 6:7), but instead he offered to give Elisha a gift before the end came. One of the best gifts we can leave is a prepared servant of God to take our place! (Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament) J R Miller - 2 Kings 2:13 We are continually seeing useful lives removed from earth. The loss seems irreparable. But there are no accidents in God's providence. Everyone's life is a plan of God, and no faithful servant is taken away—until his part in the great plan is finished. There is abundance of work remaining—but it is the work of others, not of him who is gone. His mantle falls at someone's feet— yours, perhaps. A godly father dies, and there is grief in the home. How he will be missed! Yes, but an elder son stands by the coffin, strong and gifted, blessed with the blessing of the father's life and teaching. At his feet the mantle falls from the father's shoulders. He must take it up, and with it lift the burdens and responsibilities of manhood. He must become now his mother's protector, and the shelter and defender of his younger brothers and sisters. A godly mother dies, and when a gentle mother goes out of a home—the loss indeed seems irreparable. But if there is an elder daughter in the sorrowing group at the grave, at her feet the mantle falls. So it is in all the breaches which death makes in Christian homes and communities, in every case the mantle falls at someone's feet. God makes provision that his work shall not suffer, unless his servants fail in their duty. We must be ready always to take up what is ours. 2 Kings 2:14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over. KJV 2 Kings 2:14 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. BGT 2 Kings 2:14 καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν μηλωτὴν Ηλιου ἣ ἔπεσεν ἐπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ οὐ διέστη καὶ εἶπεν ποῦ ὁ θεὸς Ηλιου αφφω καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὰ ὕδατα καὶ διερράγησαν ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα καὶ διέβη Ελισαιε LXE 2 Kings 2:14 and he took the mantle of Eliu, which fell from off him, and smote the water, and said, Where is the Lord God of Eliu? and he smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither; and Elisaie went over. NET 2 Kings 2:14 He took the cloak that had fallen off Elijah, hit the water with it, and said, "Where is the LORD, THE God of Elijah?" When he hit the water, it divided and Elisha crossed over. CSB 2 Kings 2:14 Then he took the mantle Elijah had dropped and struck the waters. "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" he asked. He struck the waters himself, and they parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over. ESV 2 Kings 2:14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. NIV 2 Kings 2:14 Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him 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. NLT 2 Kings 2:14 He struck the water with Elijah's cloak and cried out, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" Then the river divided, and Elisha went across. NRS 2 Kings 2:14 He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. NJB 2 Kings 2:14 He took Elijah's cloak and struck the water. 'Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?' he cried. As he struck the water it divided to right and left, and Elisha crossed over. NAB 2 Kings 2:14 Wielding the mantle which had fallen from Elijah, he struck the water in his turn and said, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over. YLT 2 Kings 2:14 and he taketh the robe of Elijah that fell from off him, and smiteth the waters, and saith, 'Where is Jehovah, God of Elijah -- even He?' and he smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and Elisha passeth over. GWN 2 Kings 2:14 He took the coat and struck the water with it. He asked, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" As he struck the water, it divided to his left and his right, and Elisha crossed the river. Struck: 2Ki 2:8-10 Jos 1:1-9 Mk 16:20 Joh 14:12 Ac 2:33 3:12,13 Where is: Jdg 6:13 1Ki 18:36-39 Ps 42:2,10 115:2 Joe 2:17 ELISHA CRIES OUT FOR GOD'S PRESENCE & POWER He took the mantle (addereth; Lxx - melote - sheepskin) of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” - Immediately Elisha puts the mantle to work and steps out in faith, trusting the LORD for the power to do the impossible This is not a question of doubt, but more an acknowledgement of Elisha's trust and dependence on Yahweh. Elisha's question (Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?) is in effect asking Yahweh if He would be with him, as He was with Elijah. He is asking for a sign of confirmation and continuation of Elijah's ministry. Notice he does not say "Where is Elijah," but shows that he understands his authority comes from Yahweh not Elijah. And he doesn't just speak but he then acts. “Here is the prophet’s mantle; but where is Jehovah, God of Elijah?” -- C H Spurgeon Brian Bell points out that "This account parallels Joshua’s parting of the Jordan, which likewise demonstrated God’s presence with Joshua shortly after he succeeded Moses." Bob
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Wiersbe points out that the fifty prophets "saw Elijah open the waters of the Jordan and close them again, and they saw Elisha repeat the miracle, but they didn’t see what Elisha saw when the whirlwind took Elijah to heaven. The fifty men were spectators that saw only part of what happened, but Elisha was a participant in the miracle and the heir to Elijah’s ministry." (Bible Exposition Commentary) Vance Havner - "The Good Old Days" Where is the Lord God of Elijah? II Kings 2:14. Elisha did not ask for the return of Elijah or sigh for the good old days of Elijah. Some of us are like Saul trying to call up departed Samuels. "What would Moody do today? Oh, for the times we used to have!" A subscriber wrote to a magazine editor, "Your magazine is not as good as it used to be." The editor replied, "It never has been." The times have never been as good as they used to be! The Early Church, fresh from Pentecost, had barely started, when "there arose a murmuring." Look at Corinth! Don't forget Ananias and Sapphira, the Galatians and Colossians, Euodia and Syntyche, the plight of Ephesus, Sardis, Laodicea. It has always been so, yet God has carried on. Looking back to the good old days is not the way out. Looking up to the God of All the Days is. Elijah goes, but "thou, O Lord, remainest." “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” For if we do not find God in all these things, what have we found? Nothing.