Psalm 8:1
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in 2 Kings 2. The story of Elijah’s departure caught my attention. The Mind of the Spirit stirred the spirit of my mind with what I suppose was Elisha’s excitement when he saw the chariot and horses of fire carry Elijah into heaven, crying, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof” (2 Kings 2:12):
Later, Elisha prayed for his servant, asking God to give him the gift of spiritual sight he had received on the day his master was taken up to heaven (2 Kings 6:8-23, especially verses 16-17).
We often echo Elisha’s cry, “Where is the God of Elijah?” (2 Kings 2:13-14). Elisha got his answer: the God of Elijah was with Elisha. I think we might better ask, “Where is the LORD God of Elisha?” The succession stopped there. No other prophet came in the “spirit and power” of Elijah (aka Elias) until John the Baptist (Luke 1:17 with Matthew 17:11-13; Luke 7:28). The expectation of Elijah’s return is found in Malachi 4:5, and will be fulfilled in the coming of the two last witnesses prophesied in Revelation (Revelation 11:3-6).
By the way, the standard answer to the question, “Where is the God of Elijah?” is “Where are the Elijahs of God!” It’s a good answer!
Along the still waters, I reflected on something Jesus said to His servants:
First: John 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
And later He said,
John 14:12 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
All that Jesus did, He accomplished in the “power of the Spirit”: “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about” (Luke 4:14).
The problem for us is that first we must, like our Lord, be “led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil” (Luke 4:1). He does not confer great power upon untested servants. He did not send Joshua into Canaan until after Israel passed through the temptations in the “wilderness.” In our “wilderness” wanderings, the “old man” must die, that the “new man” might go on in the power of the Spirit as conquerors (Romans 6:11; Colossians 3:9-10; Romans 8:37).
In the valley, His Spirit entreated me: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). And my Shepherd followed this entreaty with His own earnest call: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
At the table, we discussed how far we have fallen short of His vision for us. Standing on the Temple pavement, He cried: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:38-39). The verse I mentioned above, in which Jesus expressed an expectation that we would do “greater works” that He did (John 14:12). His complaint at our “little faith” comes to mind (Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6; Matthew 6:30; 8:26; 16:8). After our conversation regarding these disappointments, He encouraged me to humble myself under His Mighty Hand, as He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy were called up, and we went together into the harvest.
We might reasonably ask, not where is the God of Elisha, but where is the GOD of Jesus Christ come in the flesh? (2 John 7, 2 Corinthians 4:11).
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
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