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| 1 And it came to pass, when Jehovah would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, 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 unto Elisha, Tarry here I pray thee; for Jehovah hath sent me as far as Beth-el. And Elisha said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el. |
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 Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Jehovah will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yes, I know it; hold ye your peace. |
Sons of the prophets – R4757 – Bible students who have not made a full consecration. |
| 4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for Jehovah hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So 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 came near to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Jehovah will take away thy master from thy head today? And he answered, Yes, I know it; hold ye your peace. |
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| 6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry here, I pray thee; for Jehovah hath 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 over against them 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, so that 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 were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken 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: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. |
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 still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. |
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 chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, 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 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that 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 that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they were divided 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. |
| 15 And when the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest 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 they said unto him, Behold now, there are with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. 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 when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. |
They sought three days, but found him not – See R5772 |
| 18 And they came back to him, while he tarried at Jericho; and he said unto them, Did I not say unto 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.) |
| 19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is bad, and the land miscarrieth. |
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| 20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. |
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| 21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or miscarrying. |
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| 22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spake. |
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| 23 And he went up from thence unto Beth-el; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth young lads out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou baldhead; go up, thou baldhead. |
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| 24 And he looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tare forty-two lads 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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