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| 1 And it came to pass when Jehovah would take up Elijah into the heavens by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. |
Please see the Expanded Bible Comments on vss 1-14 and on to vs. 18.
LORD would take up Elijah into heaven – When the church in the flesh had reasonable expectation of their change.
Elijah – Picturing the church.
With Elijah – Picturing the great company. This shows the two classes are working together.
Gilgal – "Wheel." The name given to the first place Israel came to when the entered into the Promised Land, because God had "Rolled away their reproach." Josh. 5:9 - 1874, the beginning of the great Millennial Age ("Wheel" on the Chart of the Ages.) |
| 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, Abide here, I pray thee; for Jehovah has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee! So they went down to Bethel. |
Bethel – "God's House." - Gen. 28:11-22 (esp. vs 19, 22) - 1878 when the "sleeping saints" were raised to "God's House." |
| 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Dost thou know that Jehovah will take away thy master from over thy head to-day? And he said, I also know it: be silent! |
Sons of the prophets – R4757 – Bible students who have not made a full consecration. |
| 4 And Elijah said to him, Elisha, abide here, I pray thee; for Jehovah has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee! And they came to Jericho. |
Jericho – "Fragrant." - 1881 - How appropriate a description! Here for the first time we find the body of Christ complete in number. All the priests either having finished their sacrifice or in the process of sacrificing, taking their prayers into the holy of the tabernacle and placing that incense on the golden altar so that it may go up as a sweet smelling ("fragrant") aroma to the Lord. |
| 5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, Dost thou know that Jehovah will take away thy master from over thy head to-day? And he said, I also know it: be silent! |
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| 6 And Elijah said to him, Abide here, I pray thee; for Jehovah has sent me to the Jordan. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee! And they two went on. |
Jordan – "Judged down." - 1914, the time for the execution of God's judgment upon the nations of Christendom for they had indeed been "judged down." Here, at the end of the Gentile Times the church once again had reasonable expectation of going home. |
| 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite afar off; and they two stood by the Jordan. |
Sons of the prophets – Those acquainted with the teachings of Present Truth, but not consecrated.
Stood to view afar off – These had interest in 1914. What exactly would happen? These stood afar off, not becoming involved themselves, nevertheless, they were interested. |
| 8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither; and they two went over on dry ground. |
Elijah – The church.
Took his mantle – Took his authority.
Wrapped it together – In a concentrated effort.
See Q387[Q387:2]. Note: Money spent in the "witness work"
1912 - 1/4 million dollars
1913 - 1/2 million dollars
1914 - 1 million dollars
1915 - 1/2 million dollars
1916 - 1/4 million dollars
Smote the waters – Waters picture "Truth" as well as "peoples, nations and tongues."
Divided hither and thither – The people were indeed divided by the Great War (WWI) into various camps, whereas before they were primarily either of the sea or the earth class. They either supported the kings of the earth (divine right of kings, by belief in it or by passive support) or they were opposed (primarily the sea class.) Once the spectacle of the "Kingdoms of Christ" (Christendom) going to war against each other was put before the people, they split into various groups. Communist, Fascist, Socialist, etc.
They two – Elijah and Elisha - Little Flock and Great Company.
Went over on dry ground – Passed the judgment of 1914 and did not get caught up in the political troubles associated with the dividing of the waters, thus going over on "dry ground." |
| 9 And it came to pass when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. |
And it came to pass – Not immediately but after some non-specific period of time.
Elisha said – Hear the expression, the attitude, of the Great Company.
Double portion – The portion of the firstborn.
Of thy spirit be upon me – This sounds just like the attitude of the Great Company. Remember the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins. "Give us of your oil." Matt. 25:8 |
| 10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so to thee; but if not, it shall not be so2. |
If thou see me when I go – ?? IF the Elisha class pictures the Ancient Worthies, why would the church in the flesh ask this question of Elisha?
?? If the Elisha class pictures the Great Company, how would this work? |
| 11 And it came to pass as they went on, and talked, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire; and they parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into the heavens. |
It came to pass – Eventually, after some period of time.
They still went on – Continued to walk together, Church and Great Company.
And talked – No change between them. Both little flock and great company continue in fellowship together.
There appeared – Possibly indicating this was not there before.
A chariot – An organization.
Of fire – Heat, trials, trouble. An organization that caused trials and trouble.
Horses of fire – Doctrines that cause trials. Fiery doctrines.
And parted them both asunder – These doctrines coming from this organization are so severe that it causes a separation between the church and the great company.
Elijah went up – During this time the church finishes its course.
By a whirlwind – During the time of the great whirlwind. This is the same whirlwind created by the loosing of the Four Winds.
Into heaven – The true heaven, to be with the Lord.
It should be noted that the separation here is caused by doctrines coming from an organization. This account does NOT say that Elijah went up to heaven IN this chariot, but he goes up "BY a whirlwind." Thus the church class finishes her course during the great time of trouble. |
| 12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father! the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own garments and rent them in two pieces. |
Elisha saw it – The great company recognizes that the church (Elijah) is gone.
The chariot of Israel – Translating the symbolic language this reads: "The organization of the Lord's people."
The horsmen thereof – "The riders of the doctrines of the organization of the Lord's people."
What bearing does 2 Kings 13:14 have on this?
His own clothes and rent them – In symbolic act of sorrow. This was the standard way of the Jews to show extreme sorrow, as mourning the dead.
Rent them in two – Possibly picturing that Elisha pictures the two classes
1) Great Company
2) Ancient Worthies. |
| 13 And he took up the mantle of Elijah which fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan; |
He took up also the mantle of Elijah – The great company takes on the authority of Elijah, i.e., the spirit of the church class.
Stood by the bank of Jordan – It would appear that the great company class revisits the work of the Elijah class in the smiting of the Jordan. |
| 14 and he took the mantle of Elijah which had fallen from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? He also smote the waters, and they parted hither and thither, and Elisha went over. |
He – The Elisha class, the great company.
Took the mantle of Elijah – The spirit of action.
Smote the waters – Just as did Elijah but with one important exception. In this case there is no folding of the mantle, no such concentrated effort as was done when Elijah smote the waters.
Where is the LORD God of Elijah? – See R2341 on this phrase.
When he had smitten the waters – Here Elisha (Great Company) is shown as being activitated to do the same works as Elijah (the Church), thus verifying that "the spirit of Elijah now rests on Elisha.")
Crossed over – Perhaps indicating the change of Elisha from the earthly to the heavenly condition. |
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| 15 And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho on the opposite side saw him, and they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him, |
Sons of the prophets – Those of the household of faith who know enough of the Divine Plan to recognize the two salvations.
See R3429.
Which were to view at Jericho – Which recognized the thought that the full number had been reached in 1881 (indicated by Jericho - see comments on vs. 4.)
Saw him – Saw Elisha (who now pictures the Ancient Worthies.)
The spirit of Elijah – The Holy Spirit of full consecration, authority and activity in the Lord's work.
Now doth rest on Elisha – Is now with the earthly representatives of the Kingdom, the Ancient Worthies.
They came to meet him – These believers, who had not made a full consecration when the door to the high calling was open, would likely be the first to recognize and 'meet' (cooperate) with the Ancient Worthies.
Bowed themselves to the ground before him – Indicating a recognition of the authority of the Ancient Worthies. |
| 16 and said to him, Behold now, there are with thy servants fifty valiant men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest perhaps the Spirit of Jehovah have taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some ravine. And he said, Ye shall not send. |
Let them go .. and seek thy master – Is the church class really gone to heaven?
He – Elisha, the Ancient Worthies.
Said, Ye shall not send – There is no reason to look for the church class for they are gone to heaven. |
| 17 And they pressed him till he was ashamed, and he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men, and they sought three days, but did not find him. |
They sought three days, but found him not – See R5772 |
| 18 And they came again to him (now he was staying at Jericho); and he said to them, Did I not say to you, Go not? |
Jericho – There appear to be two meanings for the name 'Jericho.'
1) Its month.
2) Fragrant.
While the second (fragrant) fits very nicely with 1881 (the full number - 144,000 all sacrificing wound indeed be a sweet fragrance to the Lord), the reference to month or moon seems to most appropriately fit with the thought of the New (Law) Covenant. The Law Covenant is symbolized by the moon (Rev. 12:1) and so is the New Law Covenant.
This would support the thought that Elisha (at this point in the picture) is now a picture of the Ancient Worthies (who are raised at the beginning of the establishment of the New Covenant.) |
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| 19 And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold now, the situation of the city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren. |
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| 20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him. |
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| 21 And he went forth to the source of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith Jehovah: I have healed these waters: there shall not be from thence any more death or barrenness. |
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| 22 And the waters were healed to this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spoke. |
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| 23 And he went up from thence to Bethel, and as he went up by the way, there came forth little boys out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, bald head; go up, bald head! |
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| 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tore forty-two children of them. |
2 Kings 25:1
Ninth year of his reign – This refers to the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, not the ninth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign. |
| 25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria. |
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