So people always used to go to Bethel to enquire of the Lord. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel." But Elisha said, "As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. After witnessing the transfiguration, Peter suggests putting up three shelters. 870-795 BC. They crossed Jordan, entered the Promsied Land but began the battle. Two Old Testament figures who are supremely relevant for modern times. (Walk by faith and not righteousness or strength). Joshua had circled the city before destroying it. Nor-even if the reading "they went down" should be accepted as The miraculous account of the transfiguration was also recorded by Mark and Matthew. 2. Israel Becomes A Kingdom. We become content with where we are at in our relationship with God and not content with earthly goods and worldly things! And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. It is very easy to get the wrong priority. You need to add something to your answer that addresses the question, "What is the purpose of Elijah's travels?". Though Elisha did not leave the earth in the same way Elijah did, taken up in a whirlwind with the horses and chariot of fire appearing, this miracle is recorded in 2 Kings after his death. I love what Major Ian Thomas says about this. Please take the Tour and see the Help (below). Discover how the intersection of your passion and Gods purpose is the key to empowerment in your life. The fortifiedMonastery of Mar Elias, on a hilltop to the north ofBethlehem, is believed to mark another spot where Elijah rested during his southbound flight from Queen Jezebel. Horeb to escape the wrath of Queen Jezebel. Why do we kill some animals but not others? coming. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. The next stop in Elisha's journey was Jericho. 587 BC. 2 Kings 2:1-12. Because we all try so very hard to hang on to all that we think is ours our possessions, our rights, our independence, our wisdom, our strength And yet, standing against all this is an eternal principle that does not move. He comes to take over the situation. Death & Resurrection As they were walking along 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. (2Kings 2:11). The presence of God was his desire. Elisha then mostly reverses this course crossing back over the Jordan, going up to Jericho on to Bethel and from there returning to Samaria. ") It is another Gilgal located in the highlands above Bethel. This is the first real mention of Gilgal and it is very significant. If You Like these maps please click the button to "Like" us on Facebook. It is so important to not just talk the talk, but to actually walk the walk in the Christian life. We should, in our lives, be separated from that which would seek to draw us away from God, and be separated, as living sacrifices, unto the living God. But God's ways are not our ways. An angel appears to him there, sitting under the broom tree . And also (and maybe this could be a different question), why does Elijah keep telling Elisha to stay at each of the cities rather than follow him? Elijah went to Ahaziah and declared the king would die from his sickness, a prophecy that was soon filled. Elijah dares Ahab to a challenge of his deity, Baal, versus the God of Elijah at Mount Carmel. Spiritual meaning ofBethel (House of God), 2 Kings 2;2 Elijah said to Elisha, 'Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.' When you're in the midst of a problem, it's very hard to simply trust that God is adequate for your situation and to walk by faith, even though it sounds great and is so, so, so biblical! Be still.. What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? Nor, do we in the present age. Elishas Journey. Briefly, the cities seem to have historical significance. ', And that is what he was meaning. Deen has the obvious biological advantage, Farrakhan married into the "royal family" and won many of its members to his side, and he also has remained far more faithful to Elijah Muhammad's basic message. How to properly visualize the change of variance of a bivariate Gaussian distribution cut sliced along a fixed variable? Ahaziah, son and successor of Ahab, was succeeded as king of Israel by his brother _____. joram. The challenge is to offer sacrifices to their own deities and see which starts a fire to show their divinity. It's important not just to start the Christian life well. Jordan's line about intimate parties in The Great Gatsby? 4, v. 5; Hosea iv. The location of Gilgal is crucial in this response - the Gilgal mentioned in the battles of Joshua is most likely not the same location as that mentioned in the travels of Elijah and Elisha. Kings Saul, David, & Solomon. Contentment with our spiritual state is a mark of inward blindness. So Gilgal speaks of being separate Bethel speaks of the presence of God and Jericho teaches about the walk of faith. The LORD has sent me on to Bethel." Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. 8Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water: it divided, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.a. Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ as a freelance writer, blogger atSunny&80, and author of Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ,Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity,andGlory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise,andHome, Finding Our Identity in Christ.She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University, but stepped out of the business world to stay at home and raise her two daughters which led her to pursue her passion to write. xi. The young people's name for Elisha at Bethel, bald head, was one of disrespect and implied disgrace. [1]Each of the four places mentioned are highly significant in Israel's history and I believe they are highly symbolic of stages in the Christians life. That is why in each place 'the sons of the prophets' are interacting with Elijah and Elisha. Be still., 4Elijah said to him, Elisha, stay here, please. four different locations referred to as Gilgal. At the same time, there are scholars who would consider the Gilgal in the Joshua account to be the same as that of the Elijah/Elisha narrative, but even then the exact location is not agreed upon so it is difficult to speculate as to whether or not this route is actually "out of the way" or not. It is my conjecture that the writer of Luke/Acts is drawing a parallelism of the mantle of Elijah coming upon Elisha as a result of him seeing Elijah taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2:10) with that of the mantle of Jesus Christ (the power of the Holy Spirit) coming upon the disciples as they witness the ascension of Jesus Christ. (Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground). Inside the chapel is a replica of the stone altar that Elijah built to make his sacrifice to God. Babylonian Captivity. Their job was to walk around the walls. He did this, and Elisha promptly joined him (1 Kings 19:19-21). of * [2:12] My father: a religious title accorded prophetic leaders; cf. March 24, 2021. Elisha picked up Elijahs mantle and used it to cross the Jordan again on dry land. It is where He is! It is clear that these cities contained communities of prophets, which seems to be the primary reason for visiting. Elisha's Journey Bible Study - Gilgal Bethel Jericho Jordan. In other words, the biblical concept of "the Promised Land" (God's place of rest) is not limited only to the visible geographical area of Palestine, which was promised to Abraham. Elisha selected as Elijahs successor at Abel Meholah. You are not a projection of our imagination. You can hear the hurt in Elisha's responses to the prophets. Elisha died and was buried. 15), is Most theories stick with two cities named Gilgal: one in Samaria and one near Jericho. 2 Kings 2:4 Then Elijah said to him, 'Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.' So if Gilgal was the first place that Israel came to when they entered the Promised Land, Jericho was the first battle that they had to have in the Promised Land. xv. Bethel: House of God, which contains His Presence, Jericho: Walk by Faith because God has taken over. It was the time when covenants and a foundationing in the truths of God's word had to be made. Elijah must ensured Elisha will continue his legacy to restore God's Kingdom in Isreal. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 9b When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, Request whatever I might do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha answered, May I receive a double portion of your spirit.* Photo Credit: Getty Images/BibleArtLibrary They are two of the most notable prophets from scripture helping to restore Israel in a time of wicked rulers. ; These two men were chosen by God to call His people to revival. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God .'. my father! Do this for six days . And it was also the very first place that they came to when they entered the Promised Land. Jordan was the initial boundary for the Promised Land. (See " What is the Meaning and Significance of Gilgal in the Bible? Elijah and Elisha were both very regarded by those in the school of prophets (2 Kings 4:38-41) as well as by the rulers of their country. Jesus in Tyre and Sidon. When the second level of coaches become head coaches and have their own successes, they inevitably point back to the one prolific coach they all learned from and served under. Elisha Performed Double the Miracles of Elijah, When 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. So this is the second stage. [7]The Lord has taken hold of you Christian for a purpose. * [2:14] The LORD, the God of Elijahwhere is he now? condemned by the Prophets (Amos iv. The Jordan, as I'm sure you remember, is what the Israelites had to cross to pass into the Promised Land. Jericho: Elijah taken up into heaven in the vicinity of Bethel and Gilgal. We need to learn to relax like this little boy does in the hands of his father. Features compelling facts and clear teaching about Elijahs extraordinary life, Youll follow the prophets footsteps from his humble beginnings in Tishbe, to his dramatic exit into heaven on the far side of the Jordan River. Always active in her community and local church, Meg also leads Bible study for women and teen girls. God places people in our lives purposefully. One view sees the route as memorial in nature; a trip down the nation and people's spiritual history. The LORD has sent me on to Bethel. Elisha replied, As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel. 12) Jehu, king of Israel (2 Kings 9-10). I don't know about you but it's hard living in this world. The LORD has sent me on to the Jordan. Elisha replied, As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you. So the two went on together. Elisha then left his family and friends in order to serve the Lord. 15, Map of Israel in the time of Elijah and Elisha - 1_Kings 20 - CSB Study Bible. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Though we can only grasp and see what He reveals to us, let our eyes be open, both physically and scripturally, to all God has for us to witness. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! passage supporting these identifications, is, however, rather doubtful Of Elijahs ministry, Pastor John Piper explains on desiringGod.org: that you, O Lord, are God. You are not an idea. Jesus's Journeys beyond Galilee. But that's another matter. When it is Elijah's turn he boldly soaks the sacrament with water to display his supreme trust in God to start a fire despite being wet. 25From there he went to Mount Carmel, and returned to Samaria from there. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The second element is Elijah's unique exit from this earth (see 2 Kings 2:11). First and foremost, this is the first instance within the Hebrew Bible that there is direct parallel between the visible "rest" of God and the invisible "rest" of God. It's a bit of a classic. That was the heart of Paul. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. 2 Kings 2:2 states that Elijah and Elisha "went down to Bethel" from Gilgal, suggesting that the place was in the vicinity of Bethel, and hence in a mountainous region (and at higher elevation than Bethel), which is somewhat different from the place associated with Joshua. Read the full scripture text of Elijah and Elisha below and find related Articles, Videos, and Sermons! Before we look at the passage, let me ask you a question 'If you were to go to Gilgal in the days of the Israelites, what would you see?' And he replied, 'As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.' (Would Elisha remain in the wilderness of Zin, or would he proceed forward to cross the Jordan as an obedient Israelite?) Of course, Elisha wanted to follow Elijah wherever he went. . Especially if we hear of them second or third hand as they are passed down from generation to generation. The Rapture of Elijah - Swing Low Sweet Chariot! There Elijah is taken up in the whirlwind and Elijahs mantle of power comes to Elisha. [7] I was watching the Winter Olympics recently. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Scripture tells us God has plans for our lives which are bigger than we can ask for or imagine. Walls comin' a tumbling down! Thanks for the sleuthing, but I'm still thinking there's a connection to Joshua. 1 Kings 19:16-21. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. Alright here is a difficult question. As others have well noted in answering, the route has multiple layers of significance. And the nation of Israel speaks to us of what we are like in our earthly natures. Crossing Jordan in hymnology signals death/rest but not in the Scripture. Salem Media Group. It is the desire that we should have to be in His presence. So they went down to Bethel Then Elijah said to him, 'Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.' sanctuary, the origin of which is explained in Josh. The effect is to place this scene, which is the central scene in the whole of 12Kings, outside of time. When I was thinking about those four places, in dawned on me that there is a well know New Testament passage that corresponds to each of these locations. After being miraculously fed by ravens, he later stayed with a widow and her son, and that family experienced God . [4] You can imagine Joshua trying to explain what they were going to do to his generals and the people of Israel. Let's have a look -, Joshua 6:1-5 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. "Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye," he said. 6:21; 8:9; and 13:14, where King Joash of Israel reacts to Elishas own impending death with the same words Elisha uses here. I've made some minor edits to focus this on the question and remove the assumption of Christian readers. Unfortunately, the girl in second place, who had crashed earlier, had a lot more momentum and went past her just before the finish line. What are the priests of the second order? 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. This is none other than the house of God ; this is the gate of heaven.' probably to be identified with the "Gilgal" of the Joshua narrative. Elisha was plowing in a field. We are going to walk around it for six days. In a miraculous visual of a chariot of fire and horses of fire, Elisha witnessed the a glimpse of a spiritual world which is always active, but not often seen by human eyes here on earth. One seminary president leaves and another comes amid great ceremony and blessing. 3 et seq. You may be able to see the connection between what you've written and the question, but you really need to make your thoughts explicit for those who are reading it. No one went out and no one came in. When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. (2 Kings 2:1). Do EMC test houses typically accept copper foil in EUT? But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.'. Jesus upsets the Pharisees. also II Sam. When there are any little hiccups, bumps on the road, we need to remember that God is not going to let us fall. As we take a peak into the lives of two great prophets, let it inspire us to pray for the purpose God has placed in our lives for His Kingdom. 2 Kings 4 Elisha and Good Old Fashioned Kindness! Chronology of Elijah & Elisha. Are we going to go through the gate, are we going to try and go under it, is there anything we can throw over the top? I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.' It shows the images with a short description of what is happening in each scene. 3The guild prophets who were in Bethel went out to Elisha and asked him, Do you know that today the LORD will take your master from you? He replied, Yes, I know that. Well, they had to walk and they had to walk in faith quite literally. He gripped his own garment, tore it into two pieces, Ahab's prophets pray for hours to Baal but nothing happens. So this little passage gives us the reason why it is called Gilgal. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. I know this because things are seldom easy on this crazy planet. 19 Elijah left Mount Horeb. I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt, I have separated you from all those taunts that you had that you would never get into the Promised Land'. Never again shall death or sterility come from it. I added some formatting to your post (hope you don't mind). 1. She had crashed earlier. So when we look at this I am not talking about what Jericho is like in the spring or how big it is.