2 Kings 2:9-12. 9When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.
There are two stories in the Old Testament of someone who ascended to God without dying. The first is Enoch. The patriarch who walked with God and “was not,” for he was taken up into Heaven. The second is the great prophet Elijah. Elijah who lived with an indwelling fear of having lived an inconsequential life. Elijah who struggled in his depression with feelings of isolation and loneliness. Elijah who raised the dead, parted the river, and called fire down from Heaven, wondered if he had done enough.
In Christ, we never have to fear that we’ve lived an inconsequential life. In Christ, we never have to fear that our life was just unreached potential. In Christ, there is no such thing as a wasted life. All that you “failed” to accomplish in the here and now you will fulfill in glory. How can I say this? Because just like Elijah and Jesus, we will all ascend.
Just as they did for Elijah, the chariots of fire come for all who are in Christ. And, just like Elijah, your life doesn’t end there, it goes on. Forever. At that precious moment, Christ will carry you in his chariot of fire into the arms of the Father. There in his glorious presence, you will realize your life’s full potential – the image of Christ. Abundant life. Fullness of joy. Pleasures forevermore.
And until that day when we ascend like Elijah, we live with the double portion of the Spirit, just like Elisha.
Before Elijah is taken from Elisha, Elisha makes a bold request of his mentor – Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me. This sounds like Elisha is asking for twice as much of the Holy Spirit’s power than Elijah had. But Elisha is actually asking to receive Elijah’s same spiritual inheritance. You see, the double portion was the inheritance of the oldest son. At the death of the father, the oldest son received more than all the other heirs, the double portion. Elisha is requesting the same presence of God that Elijah had, not more, not less, just the same.
When Christ, like Elijah, was taken up into Heaven, he promised the Apostles, and us, that his Spirit would come to them. That we, his followers, would receive his same life, his same inheritance, his same power, his same love. Christ is the “oldest son” who has shared the double portion of his Spirit with us. Not more. Not less. Just the same.
Now, not only do we have no need to fear death, we have no need to fear living. We have the very life of Christ in us by his Spirit. All that is his is ours. The same power that rose Jesus from the dead lives in us. The same blessings of Heaven that were his to receive are ours in him. The same Holy Spirit that guided the life of Jesus guides our life. The same Father that showered his love on the Son, now showers his love on all of Christ’s brothers and sisters.
Elijah and Elisha together represent all the blessings of the ascension – taken to be in the presence of God one day, while receiving the presence of God by the Spirit today.
These truths should change everything for us. As “Elijahs” we have no fear in death, for we will be immediately swept up into the presence of God. And as “Elishas” we have no fear in life, for we live from the double portion of the Spirit, the life of Jesus himself.
To live is Christ means fearless living is possible. Because we have been given everything by Christ, now we can give everything through Christ. We can live his sacrificial life. We can live without fear of any loss, for everything is ours in him. We can live without the fear of an insignificant life, for our life is united to the most significant life that ever lived.
You: Where are you living in fear today? Fear of death? Fear of life?
You in Christ: How does believing that you are in Christ begin to remove that fear from your heart?
Christ in you: What fear can you face today in the power of Christ’s “double portion” of the Spirit’s resurrection power in you?
Prayer: Father, I know I drift into discouragement like Elijah did. I think I’m alone and misunderstood. But I want to trust that you will not only take me up someday, but that you have sent the Spirit of Christ down to be my double portion of Jesus’ inheritance. May this drive out fear of dying and fear of living. Amen.
To Live is Christ 