The Call of Elisha
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
It is pretty obvious that the despair that Elijah felt was something that was part of his character. He was pretty despondent, and probably didn't appreciate the fact that God has told him to go and find his successor. When he found Elisha the Bible says that "Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him." Verse 20 says that "Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah." From what I can glean from this it seems that Elijah just threw his mantle on Elisha and took off. This, to me was paramount to Elijah saying "I quit. It's your problem now."
Elijah's mantle was pretty important in scripture. He wrapped it around his head when her heard God speak to him at Mount Carmel in a whisper. And later, when Elisha would finally succeed Elijah, with a double portion of the spirit, Elisha would use it to smack the waters of the Jordan and separate the waters. He did this with the words: "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?"
But here we see Elijah tossing it away. What a contrast! Elijah was running from God. Elisha was running to God!
Consider Elisha, the son of Shaphat. This was a successful business man who had twelve yoke of oxen. He probably used them well and he was personally breaking in the 12th pair. This was a person who could get things done, was use to tackling big jobs and problems and who was not afraid of challenges. He was also a spiritual person. He knew who Elijah was and when this brief encounter occurred he left his oxen and ran after Elijah. We could contrast his request with the followers of Jesus who wanted to go back and (wait until they could) bury their father. Elijah would kiss his father goodbye and follow right away.
I would hazard to guess that Elijah was shocked at the immediate response. He gave his full permission. "Go back." Then he asked the question: "What have I done to you?" What has happened to you? Well, we know what had happened. Elisha was about to follow whole heartedly and run after God. Verse 21 says "So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant."
Do we understand what just happened? Elijah made an altar. He burned his plows and sacrificed the oxen and gave the meat to the people. This was a public offering. There were witnesses and they ate the sacrifice. Elijah was making sure he had nothing to run back to. He was about to follow God and he didn't want to ever turn back. So he burnt his plows and oxen.
What are you going to give up to follow God's plan for you to speak on His behalf? Are you ready to become a servant? Church Planting is the most difficult thing you will ever do so you must be sure that you put everything on the altar for God and follow with your whole heart. Instead of running from God it would be better to run to God.
Read the whole chapter.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings+19&version=NIV
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
It is pretty obvious that the despair that Elijah felt was something that was part of his character. He was pretty despondent, and probably didn't appreciate the fact that God has told him to go and find his successor. When he found Elisha the Bible says that "Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him." Verse 20 says that "Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah." From what I can glean from this it seems that Elijah just threw his mantle on Elisha and took off. This, to me was paramount to Elijah saying "I quit. It's your problem now."
Elijah's mantle was pretty important in scripture. He wrapped it around his head when her heard God speak to him at Mount Carmel in a whisper. And later, when Elisha would finally succeed Elijah, with a double portion of the spirit, Elisha would use it to smack the waters of the Jordan and separate the waters. He did this with the words: "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?"
But here we see Elijah tossing it away. What a contrast! Elijah was running from God. Elisha was running to God!
Consider Elisha, the son of Shaphat. This was a successful business man who had twelve yoke of oxen. He probably used them well and he was personally breaking in the 12th pair. This was a person who could get things done, was use to tackling big jobs and problems and who was not afraid of challenges. He was also a spiritual person. He knew who Elijah was and when this brief encounter occurred he left his oxen and ran after Elijah. We could contrast his request with the followers of Jesus who wanted to go back and (wait until they could) bury their father. Elijah would kiss his father goodbye and follow right away.
I would hazard to guess that Elijah was shocked at the immediate response. He gave his full permission. "Go back." Then he asked the question: "What have I done to you?" What has happened to you? Well, we know what had happened. Elisha was about to follow whole heartedly and run after God. Verse 21 says "So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant."
Do we understand what just happened? Elijah made an altar. He burned his plows and sacrificed the oxen and gave the meat to the people. This was a public offering. There were witnesses and they ate the sacrifice. Elijah was making sure he had nothing to run back to. He was about to follow God and he didn't want to ever turn back. So he burnt his plows and oxen.
What are you going to give up to follow God's plan for you to speak on His behalf? Are you ready to become a servant? Church Planting is the most difficult thing you will ever do so you must be sure that you put everything on the altar for God and follow with your whole heart. Instead of running from God it would be better to run to God.
Read the whole chapter.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings+19&version=NIV