Sermons
A Chariot Of Fire
Series: Days of Elijah: God’s Righteous Mountain ManA CHARIOT OF FIRE
Sermon Outline By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / April 22, 2018
? Spring is coming - - On Monday my driveway was covered with worms and the next day I saw
a very fat robin and the driveway looked as if it had been swept cleanwith not a single worm in sight.
? Last year we welcomed a new rental agreement with Blue Rock Christian Camp with a
great price and a good locked-in time slot (last full week of June), renewable from year to year.
The simple act of assisting them with a spring-cleaning project strengthened our relationship from the outset.
We hope that many of you can help with this year’s Blue Rock Spring Cleaning on Saturday May 5th.
Since we’re the first group to use the camp we are actually cleaning for our own benefit.
This morning’s sermon will bring to an end our Sunday morning sermon series on The Days of Elijah.
? Please open your Bibles to 2Kings chapter two ?
This final episode from the life of the prophet Elijah is unique, with an ending unlike anything else in Scripture.
The only life-ending story that approaches it is that of Enoch.
Enoch was the father of a son named Methuselah who lived to the age of 969 (Gen.5:27).
The preceding verses (Gen.5:21-24) summarize another very rare end-of-life experience for Enoch.
To be precise, it’s not an end-of-life experience because Enoch doesn’t really die.
Enoch lived sixty-five years and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God
three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had others sons and daughters.
So all the days of Enoch were 365 years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for GOD TOOK HIM.
In a few minutes we will come to the end of Elijah’s life on planet earth.
First, let’s look at the details that lead up to this supernatural conclusion.
We last saw Elijah in Samaria (2Kgs.1:2) where he spoke a somber utterance to Ahaziah.
King Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of the upper chamber of his palace and was severely injured.
He sought to inquire from the pagan god of Ekron as to whether or not he would recover.
Because Ahaziah had sought the false god Baal-zebub, Elijah delivered God’s severe verdict:
You shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you shall surely die (2Kgs.2:16).
2Kgs.2:1 begins by noting - - it came about when the Lord was about to take Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven…
that the prophet Elijah embarked upon what would be his last day(s) of his life on earth.
Imagine if God revealed to me or to you that this day would be our last day, what might we do?
Who would we want to visit? What calls might we make? HOW WOULD WE SPEND OUR LAST HOURS?
I would hope that our “bucket list” of things to do would take on a more spiritual tone.
If we knew our hours were numbered, our priorities would surely change, would they not?
We wouldn’t be wasting our final hours on things trivial.
One would like to think that the focus of our last day would be people-oriented.
We’d probably be hugging a lot of people and expressing our love to others.
And most importantly we would give due diligence to make sure that our spiritual house was in order.
Elijah was growing older but he didn’t sit still. He begins a trek of about fifty miles.
It is possible that this final pilgrimage might have been done in one day, but even if one walked 3 mph non-stop,
it would take about 15 hours or so and that wouldn’t allow any time for stopping and visiting.
So, it seems reasonable to assume that his final journey might have spanned a few days.
This final journey will take him from Samaria to Gilgal; then on to Bethel and Jericho; and finally to the Jordan.
Of all the places he could go, WHY DID HE VISIT THESE PLACES?
For a man of God like Elijah, a faithful prophet who has seen so much in
his lifetime, we can’t help but wonder how he will spend his last day(s)?
Each one of these stops/sites is rich with sacred history. Spiritually speaking all of them were very special places.
Gilgal was an assembly point for Joshua and the children of Israel after they crossed into the land of Canaan.
It was here that they encamped in preparation for the battle of Jericho. cf. Josh.4:19
Bethel was a place of prayer - - the name means “house of God” (Gen.12:8).
This was the place where father Abraham had built an altar and where he often met with Jehovah God.
Jericho was to the Hebrews what D-day was to the Americans in WW II.
Here the nation of Israel drove a wedge into the pagan nations that previously occupied Canaan. cf. Joshua 6
And the river Jordan - - it was of monumental significance to the nation of Israel.
It was here that stones of remembrance were erected (Josh.4:5-7)
And in the New Testament, it was here that many were baptized for the remission of their sins (John 3:23).
Yet, I don’t think it was just sacred history that drove Elijah to these places.
Our tex tindicates that these first three places were homes to “the sons of the prophets”.
Gilgal (2Kgs.5:38) … Bethel (2Kgs.2:3) … and Jericho (2Kgs.2:5)
Perhaps the best way to think of “the sons of the prophets” is to think a seminary or a preachers’ training schools.
Apparently the six years during which Elijah & Elisha worked together brought a revival of these schools of students.
Early on Elijah mistakenly complained of being “the only one left” (1Kgs.19:10 & 14), but such was certainly
not true now, and this was due to a combination of God’s grace and the dual industry of Elijah and Elisha.
Elijah expresses a desire to travel alone (2Kgs.2:2), but Elisha will not hear of it.
As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.
In the NFL a defensive back who guards well a receiver is said to be “in his shirt”. Such was Elisha with Elijah.
Repeatedly, right up to the last stop at the river Jordan, Elisha insists on accompanying Elijah (vss.2, 4 & 6).
This unyielding devotion to God’s cause will serve him well in the days to come, after Elijah is gone.
Our text (2Kgs.2:3 & 5) reveals that the sons of the prophets had been made privy (by God) to Elijah’s last day(s).
Elisha charges them to “be still”. Keep quiet about the matter.
During his final day(s) the last thing old Elijah needed was scores of prophets interrogating him.
We might be inclined to view this as a kind of “victory tour”, but that wouldn’t be in keeping with Elijah’s humility.
It was no doubt a goodwill tour throughout which Elijah provided words of exhortation to these young prophets.
It wasn’t enough that Elijah showed them how to live, he was now showing them how to “depart”.
Finally we come to the banks of the Jordan River (2Kgs.2:7f)
Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan and fifty of the prophets stood at a distance watching.
Elijah took his mantel (cloak) and folded it and struck the waters of Jordan River,
And (the waters) were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground (vs.8b).
After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you’ (vs.9)
Elisha requested that he might be given a double portion (a double-dose) of Elijah’s spirit.
This was not a covetous request so that he might brag or boast, it was a request that God might
strengthen him (as He had done with Elijah) so that he might continue to do the work of the Lord.
Elijah told him that was a hard request to grant, but went on to stipulate (vs.10) - -
If you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.
In other words, “if the Lord wills…”.
Now comes the grand departure, the glorious homecoming. For Elijah - - his chariot awaiteth (2Kgs.2:11-12a) - -
Then it came about as they were going along and talking, that behold,
there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them.
And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. And Elisha saw it and cried out,
‘My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ And he saw him no more.
And then one final but important postscript (2Kgs.2:12:b-14) - -
Then (Elisha) took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
He also took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
And 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.
It seems to be that Elisha’s question, “where is the Lord?” was more for the benefit of the prophets observing things.
2Kgs.2:15 notes, “when the sons of the prophets…saw Elisha, they said: The spirit of Elijah resides on Elisha.
It is quite probable that after Elisha crossed the Jordan and said to the prophets something like this:
“Come on guys, we’ve got more work to do!”
You can read about the rest of Elisha’s life in 2Kgs.2-9.
2Kgs.13:14 tells that Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die.
Vs.20 says abruptly, Elisha die, and they buried him.
Dear God,
We thank You for reserving a place in the Holy Scriptures to tell us about the prophet Elijah.
Despite his weaknesses and shortcomings, his story has resonated with us and taught us much.
Knowing our own faults, it is his humanity that pulls us in and endears him to us.
In Elijah, we see a man just like us, but a man who was nevertheless a recipient of Your grace and guidance.
Your Holy Word has revealed to us significant changes that were wrought in his life - - his humility;
his willingness to lean on You; his courage in the face of great difficulties and pervasive wickedness;
his ability to bounce back from a severe setback; and his long obedience in the same direction.
His struggles inspire us to stand strong when we confront evil in our own lives.
His growth in faith assures us that we too can grow our faith and learn to trust You more and more.
May this extended study continue to shape us and mold us in the days to come.
Through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior we pray. Amen.
