2 Kings 2:6

UNWILLING TO PART

‘And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.’

2 Kings 2:6

Elisha’s resolution to face the worst, to meet the severest trial, to hear the parting words, comes straight from a soul’s secret, the secret of a prophet’s power.

I. One prominent feature in the character of the younger prophet was faithfulness, minute and accurate, to an unmistakable vocation.

II. Again, there is evidenced in Elisha’s words a spirit of deep personal loyalty—loyalty, in the first instance, to his teacher and friend. The love of the younger for the older was certainly no mere act of hero-worship. There is present an unwavering sternness in every Hebrew prophet. In such men there is no dilettantism of hero-worship; if there, it must spring from deep and noble principle. In Elisha it did. His love for Elijah represented at its inner core a strong belief in goodness—goodness as a practical possibility, because a realised fact. That belief lived in him, through the example of Elijah, in an evil time.

III. Elisha had a keen sense of the claims and the nearness of God.—Nothing is more needed in the daily life of religion than this, nothing so abundantly productive of strength, so potent in unfolding power, and maintaining in vigour the sense of responsibility, and keeping aglow the fire of purpose, in a prophet’s soul. Hence in such there is one all-absorbing fear, the fear of losing Him; one governing desire, the desire to please Him—a mighty secret in a prophet’s power. By such nothing can be forsaken which teaches of His presence and His will. ‘As the Lord thy God liveth, I will not leave thee.’

—Canon Knox-Little.

Illustration

‘Elisha’s devotion to Elijah is very beautiful. He is an example of a faithful friend. We are reminded of Ruth’s devotion to Naomi. Elisha owed everything to Elijah, and it was fitting that he should cleave to him to the last and refuse to be separated from him. There are many young people who owe more than they know to older friends, parents, clergy, teachers, and others, who have been helpful to them. They should show their love in devotion.’