Elijah's translation to heaven.
2 Kings ii. 9 — 12. And it came to pass, when they ivere gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I he taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit he upon me. And he said. Thou hast asked a hard thing : nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall he so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 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 tip by a ivhirhoind into heaven. And Elisha sazv it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
RELIGION, however despised by men, has inva- riably been honoured by God. He has said, " Them that honour me, I will honour:" and he has fulfilled his word to all his servants in all ages. The tokens of his love and the communications of his grace have in different measures been vouchsafed unto them ; and for the most part some visible manifestations of his favoar have been given them, in proportion as they have visibly displayed their regard for him. On some occasions the honour conferred upon his servants has been exceeding great. Noah, Abraham, and many others, have been so distinguished by him, as to be set, as it were, above all the rest of the human race that existed in their day: and in two instances, the one before the deluge, and the other since, he has condescended to exempt from death frail mortals like ourselves ; and to exalt them in their embodied state to the celestial Paradise. Of Enoch we have spoken in another place : we are now to speak of the other instance, the Prophet Elijah—
We propose to consider, I. The translation of Elijah —
In order to get a just view of this subject, we must notice,
1. How he was occupied —
357.] Elijah's translation to heaven. 457
[This eminent servant of Jehovah was indefatigable in his Master's work : nor, when informed of God's gracious purpose respecting him, did he relax it, but rather abounded in it more and more.
He laboured for the public good. There were schools of the prophets, which he had established for the preservation of true religion (amidst the general defection to idolatry) in the land of Israel. These he visited at Gilgal, at Beth-el, and at Jericho, to strengthen and encourage all the students previous to his
final departure from them How blessed, how suitable
an employment ! Thus did Paul go about " confirming the churches," and exert himself with all fideHty for the good of the Ephesian church, when he knew that they were about to " see his face no more^." Thus did Peter also, when he knew that his departure was at hand^: and thus did our blessed Lord him- self just previous to his crucifixion. What encouraging dis- courses were those which he delivered to his disciples*^: and how wonderfully sublime his parting prayer*^ ! Thus too should every servant of God exert himself as long as his Divine Master shall see fit to continue him on earth. To train up others for the same glorious service is the most acceptable office he can perform for God, and the most profitable work he can execute for man.
Nor was the prophet inattentive to the welfare of his private friends. "What shall I do for thee before I go?" was the question which he put to his servant Elisha. He knew that after his departure he could benefit his friends no longer ; and therefore he would improve the present moment to the utmost of his power. How worthy of his high character was such conduct as this ! How carefully should every minister, yea and every private Christian, put to himself this questiori, ' What more can I do, for my country? for my friends? for my very enemies ? What can I do as a parent, for my children ? as a master, for my family ? as a friend, for my most endeared com- panions ? as a minister, for the people committed to my charge ? Is there no one who particularly needs from me a word of reproof, of consolation, of encouragement?'