Thurs 20th August – 2 Kings chapter 2:11-12:

Thurs 20^th August  –  Read 2 Kings chapter 2:11-12:

V11:  A remarkable and unique work of God’s sovereign grace and will is described, in so far as our minds can conceive it – chariots and horses of fire appear, and Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind to heaven. We can do no more than wonder at this, we can not understand it and should not speculate beyond what Scripture tells us – remember Deuteronomy 29:29.

V12:  And Elisha does see it, the given sign to confirm his own office, now to succeed Elijah. Perhaps his cry ” My father!”  in some sense emphasises he is indeed Elijah’s “heir”, and the cry ” the chariots of Israel..” his awareness of God’s identification with His people – or is it simply that he doesn’t know what to say, rather like the disciples on the mount of transfiguration ( Mark 9:5-6.)? His tearing of his own clothes is a traditional sign of grief and mourning, just as we grieve for lost loved ones, even though we know they are with the Lord.