2 Kings 2:11

A chariot of fire, &c.— We cannot presume to enter into any precise explanation of these words. We may suppose, that a bright and radiant cloud, which, as it ascended, might appear like a chariot and horses, raised Elijah from the earth, and, leaving this globe behind, wafted him into the seats of the blessed. See Genesis 5:24. The design of this assumption, as well as that of Enoch, seems to have been not only to give the world a sensible proof of another, and a better country, even a heavenly, but also to shew God's interposition for the sake of his servants, as well as to typify the future ascension of his son. See Calmet's Dissertation upon Enoch. Indeed, Elijah was, in various respects, a type both of Jesus Christ and of John the Baptist. I. The New Testament sufficiently points out the conformity between Elijah and John the Baptist: nay, John is even called by the name of this prophet: and Christ himself so calls him in the encomium which he passed upon John; Matthew 11:14. And if ye will receive it, this is the Elijah who was to come; who was promised, by the prophet Malachi, to appear before, and as the precursor of the Messiah. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and illustrious day of the Lord. And accordingly, the angel told Zecharias, the father of the Baptist, that his son should go before the Messiah, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, &c. So that Elijah was a type of John the Baptist, as to the spirit and power of his ministry; and so remarkably, that he is even called by his name. He was, as it were, another Elijah in spirit and ministry, though not in person; and thus we may account for his answer, when the priests and Levites sent to him; Art thou Elijah, &c. and he said, I am not. "I am not the prophet personally, as you expect him to appear, though I am come in his spirit and in his power, mystically, but not identically the same." There was some analogy between there two great personages also in their outward garb and deportment, the hairy raiment and leathern girdle; and also in their lonely and mortified lives in the wilderness; and their being persecuted by wicked princes, Elijah by Ahab and Jezebel, John by Herod and his wife Herodias. But chiefly was Elijah a type of John in his sanctity, courage, and undaunted zeal for reformation; and in the spirit and purpose of his ministry, to awaken a sinful generation, to bring many, both of the rising and declining age, to that real piety towards God, which is the surest band of mutual duty to each other; to bring many, who were before totally ignorant and regardless of duty, to the knowledge of God, which is the only wisdom. This Elijah eminently performed, when he caused the people to cry, The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God: this John also eminently performed, when numbers flocked to his baptism on the banks of Jordan, and he pointed but to the awakened penitents, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. II. But Elijah was more especially a type of JESUS CHRIST, not only with respect to his ascension into heaven, but also in reference to the miracles that he wrought; his invincible courage and zeal in the cause of God; and his commissioning successors to carry on the work of his ministry, after his departure from this world. Elijah fasted forty days and forty nights in mount Horeb, the place where God appeared to Moses, and gave the law to his people Israel, and where also Moses fasted the same length of time; who, with Elijah, was the only person of whom we read this extraordinary miracle, and who therein figured our Saviour Christ, the great prophet and lawgiver of his people, who fasted forty days and forty nights in the wilderness: and hence we read, that in our Saviour's transfiguration on the mount, these two distinguished persons appeared with him in glory; Moses the great giver, and Elijah the zealous restorer of that law which led to Christ, its end and perfection, and in whose honour their respective ministrations terminated. Elijah was entertained by a widow, whose son notwithstanding died, and he raised him to life again; so Christ was entertained by Martha and Mary, whose brother Lazarus nevertheless died, and was also raised by him from the dead. The spirit of Elijah relied upon Elisha. He cast his mantle upon him, which had such an influence, that he left all and followed him. Through the like miraculous influence of the spirit, Christ called his apostles, who left all, and followed him; and upon these his appointed successors he caused his spirit to rest, when, like Elijah, he ascended up before them into heaven, and a cloud received him out of their sight. See a fine encomium upon the prophet, Sir 48:1, &c.